Big increase in complaints at Plusnet

[#1]

@chenks,
Please be careful about shooting the messenger.  We all know what happened last time one of the good souls around here spoke openly and truthfully about failures.  They got gagged - and who knows what else?
Sadly those accountable for this situation sit now where near the consequences of their flawed decisions.  Indeed some might well have moved to other companies, divisions or projects to wreak move havoc elsewhere, leaving others to pick up the debris of unfulfilled expectations.

[#2]

Quote from: Townman

Please be careful about shooting the messenger.  We all know what happened last time one of the good souls around here spoke openly and truthfully about failures.  They got gagged - and who knows what else?

sometimes when you shoot the messenger the bullet passes straight though and hits the intended target.
that post was 100% marketing fluff, confirmed by the use of the word "proud".

[#3]

To Chris at PN, thank you for responding. Its too late for me, I have decided that I will switch, and advice above makes it clear I need to think hard about the true value of the service when choosing a new provider. It’s clear you cannot answer for BTOR and their miserable performance, but you could address endless ticket queues and phone-waits, and the Orwellian 'customer-speak' on the chat line. It’s YOUR people that get us poor idiots into the BTOR queue. If we have your ‘additional wait’ to endure, then we get what I now have, weeks of poor service and no end in sight. I know that individuals within PN don't want this reputation, but I think you need to try and alert the management. I also know from my own line of work that managers are often selective about the feedback they'll elicit. But if you believe what you wrote, and it wasn't just a marketing quote, be bold, go and knock on a senior managers door. Get him or her to read some of the frustrated lines in this forum. I strongly suggest you do this. Don’t report back if it’ll cost you your job, but take some action on our behalf…….of course….you might just be a senior manager….in which case….

[#4]

Quote from: Townman

Given that most "faults" are issues in BTOR's domain how does paying more for your ISP get them to perform better?

Without knowing all the details of how ISPs interact with BTW and/or Openreach, it's undeniable that some of the pricier ISPs manage to get a better service out of the latter.  I only need look at my own home line, same phone line, same IP Stream Max service to the same exchange.  The difference in fault management between Plusnet and my former ISP is night and day.

[#5]

It is certainly the case that under Ofcom rules BTOR give a better level of minimum service to LLU suppliers than they do to suppliers using their own offerings.
The whole industry is broken at the core - BTOR is not fit for purpose, as a consequence none of the other volume players are either.  The niche players offering services with hefty price tags appear to do better because the pay over the odds for BTOR priority repairs.

[#6]

I've had no bb service for over a week now, a  Btor engineer came out and found a problem at the exchange, but said that I won't have service back until plusnet supply it again their side, but they say nothing is wrong and are sending a engineer out again although he as already said that nothing it wrong with the line. They just seem push the problems on to each other while I'm still  without internet. I will be writing to ofcom to complain and will be switching from PN as soon as I can !  Don't know who to yet but anything gotta be better than the service I am getting from PN.

[#7]

It's nice to see that Chris and others who post here still seem keen but unfortunately they seem to struggle with dodgy systems or other poorly performing departments. Hopefully they will continue to do what (little?) they can as it least it seems they are on our side.

[#8]

Quote from: nw82

Btor engineer came out and found a problem at the exchange, but said that I won't have service back until plusnet supply it again their side, but they say nothing is wrong and are sending a engineer out again although he as already said that nothing it wrong with the line.

Sorry, what the BTOR engineer has said is balls!  PlusNet do not switch service on and off in the manner suggested.
Do you have synch?  What lights is the router showing?  If you have no synch, there is nothing for PlusNet to switch on.  There is a remote possibility that there is a stuck PPP session across the BTw network - that might need engineering assistance.

[#9]

Quote from: Townman

It is certainly the case that under Ofcom rules BTOR give a better level of minimum service to LLU suppliers than they do to suppliers using their own offerings.

I thought that things changed and now LLU providers have the option to get the same lowest maintenance level as BTWholesale based providers can get.
If it takes Plusnet 3 days until someone looks at a fault report and thinks about booking an engineer, it's not just Openreach to blame for how long it takes to get it fixed.

[#10]

Thanks ejs,
That's interesting - I need to read that in detail, but a quick squint at it suggests that it applies to NEW line orders.  Really appreciate the pointer to the changes. 
Agreed that PlusNet's delay does not help anything at all, but being on a slower fix profile compared to LLU providers is a double whammy!

[#11]

however it also seems as though they can trade down with a reduction in price

Quote

SML1 Following the introduction of MPF SML1, on Sunday 22 November, CPs will have the option to trade-down (or provide from new as part of a provision order) to a lower SML, offering a slower than current repair time, should a fault occur. Where a fault occurs on an SML1 MPF line, we’ll l work to resolve the fault by the end of the working day after the next working day (Monday to Friday, excluding public and bank holidays). To reflect the increase in fault resolution time on MPF SML1, lines will be subject to a £2.36 discount on annual rental. This will be shown as a new ‘MPF Discounted rental (SML1 in tariff)’ of £85.12 within the MPF price list

I did wonder whether there would any advantage in Plusnet trading up to SML2 but given that most of the delay presently is within Plusnet there doesn't seem to be much chance
This of course explains why a phone fault on a BT line is normally resolved much quicker as it is normally reported to Openreach on the same day

[#12]

Quote from: ejs

If it takes Plusnet 3 days until someone looks at a fault report ..

Very true, also when PN recommend OR attendance and the customer offers available dates, but PN don't get back to confirm until those dates are past.  Those cases aren't OR failings.

Quote from: oldjim

a phone fault on a BT line is normally resolved much quicker as it is normally reported to Openreach on the same day

Plusnet are also able to book OR on the spot, while the customer is on the line speaking to them.  However customers only get that service if they can face the hour plus on hold waiting time.

[#13]

Quote from: Townman

Quote from: nw82 Btor engineer came out and found a problem at the exchange, but said that I won't have service back until plusnet supply it again their side, but they say nothing is wrong and are sending a engineer out again although he as already said that nothing it wrong with the line. Sorry, what the BTOR engineer has said is balls!  PlusNet do not switch service on and off in the manner suggested. Do you have synch?  What lights is the router showing?  If you have no synch, there is nothing for PlusNet to switch on.  There is a remote possibility that there is a stuck PPP session across the BTw network - that might need engineering assistance.

Thank you for you reply I have thought to myself that maybe the Btor engineer was talking balls. But I'm annoyed at how the Btor engineer and plusnet don't seem to communicate atall and just pass the problem back and fore. The adsl light on my router is flashing and should be solid, i have also tested my router at another address and it works fine. Thanks for your suggestion of a possible stuck ppp session I will also bring this up, hopefully I will have a diffrent Btor engineer next time although the appointment is still a week away.

[#14]

If the ADSL light is flashing then you do not have synch with the exchange, which is a long way short of PlusNET world.

[#15]

Thanks Townman, hopefully they will send me a engineer that knows what hes doing next time and I might get bb back before xmas.