Bad Support

[#1]

I have join Plusnet on the 31st of May and they took them until yesterday to get an engineer at home after spending this two weeks apparently setting up the line. After having to leave my job from 0800 to 1300 because it is impossible for them to be more accurate on the visit time the engineer came and, after doing some tests, that there was a problem with the line outside the flat and they couldn't fix it until next day. He told me that once they fix that problem I should have internet at home. He ensure me that there is no need for having an engineer again to set up the line.
Today I have received an email to call them and now they say that they need an engineer to come back again to set up the line so I need to wait 8 more days to have an engineer again at home. Again, this time the engineer can come at any time from 1300 to 1700 and they cannot be more accurate. I consider that:
- It is not professional tell you that they need two weeks to check the line and once the engineer comes he realizes that there is a problem in the line. What have they been checking these two weeks?
- It is not understandable having an appointment that can occur within a margin of 5 hours. I can understand delays due to incidences on different previous costumers but 5 hours...
- How can an engineer tell me that the problem will be fixed without a need of visit my flat again and that I will have all set up in 24 hours and it becomes 8 days.
- How can they need 8 days for having an engineer available on a city as Aberdeen?
I can't be more disappointed about the service quality received.

[#2]

All ISPs that use the telephone lines are obliged to use the same engineers, provided by BT Openreach.  This is one area where BT maintains a complete monopoly and this can lead to poor standards and bad support.  But perhaps BT Broadband and Plusnet have been instructed not to make waves and so tolerate poorer standards of service than they would from an outside contractor that is not owned by the same parent company?
Plusnet ought to address the 8-day delay as this seems unreasonable.  They may or may not be able to do something but they should try.  There is nothing they can do about the 13:00 to 17:00 time slot because that is the way BT Openreach operates.  If you don't like being at the mercy of BT Openreach then you need to use Cable Broadband (of which Virgin have a monopoly) or get your broadband over the mobile telephone network (which tends to be more expensive and, in a city, slower).

[#3]

Hi peri85,
I'm very sorry to hear that the installation didn't go ahead on the scheduled day.
I've spoken to our suppliers this morning to ensure that the engineer who attends next week will be able to complete the work. They've advised that the reason the engineer couldn't complete the work was because the required external work that was carried out by the contractors actually hadn't been completed. This work was completed by a faults engineer yesterday and the appointment is confirmed for 25/06/2014 between 1PM and 6PM.
Unfortunately we are unable to bring this appointment forward as this is the earliest available appointment based on the available resource in your area. I've escalated Ticket: 86648520 to the relevant team within our Provisioning department and they'll continue to monitor this until completion.
Do let us know how it goes next week.

[#4]

It seems Plusnet at least looked to see if your appointment could be brought forward which is more than some ISPs would.  But because Openreach are short-staffed in your area and they have a monopoly on the work you need there is nothing that can be done.  That is bad support but it's the sort of bad support that anyone with a telephone line may suffer.

[#5]

Poor technical service.  Poor customer service.  Aggressive billing.  But they are doing us, and I guess they are proud, so maybe they should get some points for that.

[#6]

@subuta
That's five negative posts you've made on other people's topics without once explaining what issues you've faced - you are starting to look like a troll!
To be constructive I suggest you start a new topic explaining your issues. There's a wealth of experience on these forums and it's very likely we will be able to help you get things sorted.

[#7]

Quote from: Linn

Hi peri85, I'm very sorry to hear that the installation didn't go ahead on the scheduled day. I've spoken to our suppliers this morning to ensure that the engineer who attends next week will be able to complete the work. They've advised that the reason the engineer couldn't complete the work was because the required external work that was carried out by the contractors actually hadn't been completed. This work was completed by a faults engineer yesterday and the appointment is confirmed for 25/06/2014 between 1PM and 6PM. Unfortunately we are unable to bring this appointment forward as this is the earliest available appointment based on the available resource in your area. I've escalated Ticket: 86648520 to the relevant team within our Provisioning department and they'll continue to monitor this until completion. Do let us know how it goes next week.

Another day wasted... An Engineer came and after doing exactly the same things that last week he told me exactly the same as the first engineer. The same problem is outsides and it is not being fixed. He told me that there no problems at home or on the posts, the problem is underground and Plusnet has to make this get fixed.
You said that the works outside were done but this was totally false. Now, I am in the same situation as one week ago but having lost 2 working days. It is almost one month since I contracted the service and I still don´t have a solution. The worst part of this is that you lie me; you tell me that the problem outsides is been solved and it is false, you told me that an engineer has to set this up and the engineer says that it is false.
If I don't have this fixed before the end of the month I will ask for having my money back and I will go to a serious operator.

[#8]

Quote from: peri85

An Engineer came and after doing exactly the same things that last week he told me exactly the same as the first engineer. The same problem is outsides and it is not being fixed. He told me that there no problems at home or on the posts, the problem is underground and Plusnet has to make this get fixed. You said that the works outside were done but this was totally false. Now, I am in the same situation as one week ago but having lost 2 working days. It is almost one month since I contracted the service and I still don´t have a solution. The worst part of this is that you lie me; you tell me that the problem outsides is been solved and it is false, you told me that an engineer has to set this up and the engineer says that it is false. If I don't have this fixed before the end of the month I will ask for having my money back and I will go to a serious operator.

Hi Peri85,
Welcome to the forums.  I can sympathise with your frustrations, however as ReedRichards noted above, all of this is outside of PN's direct control.  All that PN can do is pass on what they have been told by BTOR.  If BTOR tell PN that the work has been done, when it has not been done, then PN are not in a position to know any different.  I speak from recent personal experience - see http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,128456.0.html
If PN are given the wrong information by BTOR, then expectations are not going to be met.  In my case BTOR first informed PN that this was a single line fault - it was I who identified it was not.  Subsequently when my line was again working, BTOR were informing PN that the faults were still being worked on.
In your case, this is a BTOR problem which needs to be managed and fixed by BTOR and NOT PN.  The engineer was clearly in sloping shoulder mode - if there were residual underground works required, he should have made an assist call and remained on the job.
As for moving to a "serious operator" all operators (serious or otherwise) will be faced with the same BTOR infrastructure issues.  From my many years of experience with PN I have found them to be a very serious operator, quite prepared to take on BTOR failures, however that can be like pushing water uphill.
I would expect DCT to be on their tails quite soon, hopefully with an expedited repair.
Good luck,
Kevin

[#9]

@peri85 I'm very sorry I was misinformed by Openreach when I spoke to them last week. I have just spoken to them again and had this escalated to a management level and they've advised me that we will need to call back tomorrow for further updates regarding this. At the moment they are waiting on the notes to come back from the engineer and they will then need to make the necessary arrangements. I can completely appreciate that this is a frustrating situation, however, we are at the mercy of Openreach to carry out the work that they say they're carrying out. I'll contact Openreach again tomorrow and pass on any updates that I am provided by them to you.
@Kevin This isn't a repair job - it's a provision. Nevertheless, thanks for your input.

[#10]

Quote from: peri85

If I don't have this fixed before the end of the month I will ask for having my money back and I will go to a serious operator.

You will face the same problem with any provider that delivers using the ordinary telephone line as they all HAVE to use OpenRetch.
Have you got Virgin Media cable available? If not you are better off sticking with Plusnet.

[#11]

Thanks Townman and Jelv.
Linn K, I understand that the lines are old, although everybody pays 15 pounds a month for a supposed maintenance on the lines, and this things can happen. But, my frustration is about the lack of communication between me and PN. When you called me for arrange a visit to my flat I told PN that the engineer said that there is no point to have them back again. She didn't listen to me and she just told me that the engineer has to come again.
I have been relocated recently to Aberdeen, all my family is still leaving in Barcelona and I want internet to allow me use Skype and see my wife and my parents. Nobody can stay in my flat during work hours so every day that I have to take off for this means one less day to go Barcelona to visiting my family. I don't mind if they need one or two weeks to fix this but I don't want to miss a third day for nothing and I am afraid that tomorrow or next monday I will have a new call asking me to arrange it...
Linn K, please, if you can just try to move things to the right path I would appreciate it. Both engineers agreed that the problem is not in the flat, it is at some point underground in the street. I am aware about your BTOR/Openreach dependance and I know that you are not responsible for the cause of the problem. What I am looking is a Company capable to deal and fix problems.
Many thanks,
Cristian