Angry and need to vent

[#1]

I'm so annoyed. I've been a customer since the year 2000 and I've had a problem with my router for the past 2 1/2 weeks where it keeps coming up with IP conflicts ever since there was a firmware upgrade. Now today, our two printers aren't working and neither is my Sky box or Freeview recorder. My husband has had to move his printer across the room balanced precariously on a filing cabinet in order to set up a wired connection to his PC. After lengthy time spent on the phone when it began and numerous communications via the ticket system I'm finally informed last Thursday...
"We are aware of an issue affecting the DNS settings of fibre connections using the Technicolour TG582n that also connect using a Windows 8 or above operating system. Can you please confirm if you use a Windows 8 or later device and we can then forward your issue to the Products Team to resolve."
After replying that same day I'd still not had any further information so I got on the phone to Plusnet again today. The matter wasn't resolved so I requested a new router. The person agreed to this but I find that I'm not allowed one of the new hubs but a 2704N router. I believe this doesn't even have a USB port so it's a backward step for me.
Why is it always the same that new customers get the best of everything but you get penalised for being a loyal customer? I'm so unhappy. Not only has the level of customer service gone downhill in recent years, (having to wait 20 minutes on the phone before they even answer, seriously?) but now the actual service/equipment is falling down and I've got to put up with older technology than new customers have to.  I never thought I'd say it but I'm seriously consdering taking my custom elsewhere when my contract is up as I'm not prepared to be taken for a mug. 

[#2]

I'm very sorry for your frustration, I don't actually think the issue you're seeing is related to the DNS problem that has been mentioned. This sounds more like a DHCP issue with the IP addresses being assigned from the router.
Looking at the account we shouldn't have really sent a new router out as the previous one was outside the warranty period. When you get in to the last 3 months of your contract you can give our customer options team a call and negotiate a new deal, this would likely include a new Hub One at that point.

[#3]

Posting as a new topic because http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,149211.0.html is locked.
If the information given by the OP is correct and the problems only occurred after the firmware was updated by Plusnet the fact that the router was outside of the 12 month warranty is irrelevant. If Plusnet broke it, it is their responsibility to fix it!

[#4]

Yes jelv. That is precisely the case. On my ticket to Plusnet dated 29 Feb, I actually wrote...
"We've been really unhappy with the firmware update. All was fine before and now we are having no end of problems. Is there a way to roll back to the previous firmware? We didn't ask for the update and I'm a strong believer in 'if it's not broken, then don't fix it'. Now things seem to be broken."
I feel sure this is a firmware issue. I log into my router's admin area regularly as I hide my SSID and only allow new devices via registration (although I've tried removing these security measures and it hasn't helped). This problem raised it's head and the very next time I logged in, I found additional features in the router's admin area so it must have had some kind of an update.
In response to Plusnet's reply to my OP, how long is the warranty period and what does someone do if their equipment brakes down mid-contract? I got this router in Feb 2013 when I went to fibre. I then renewed my contract in July 2014 for a two year period but I didn't have a new router then. It could be argued that they saved on updating my equipment at that stage, only for me to have problems with it now.
I've recommended Plusnet to numerous people over the years and I can't help feeling disappointed that loyal customers aren't looked after. I know it seems to be the same the world over. I just wish that a company would look at the old values - if I could find one that genuinely did I'd give it serious consideration and I think many people share that sentiment.

[#5]

mod:note
topic was accidentally locked.
Lock has been removed and other posts merged in.