Extremely Dissatisfied New Customer

[#1]

We were connected to PlusNet broadband on 22nd September and have had an open support log running since that date due to totally inadequate line speeds. I have lost track of how many times I have been told the speed “should” be 3 Mbps (it averages around 500 Kbps), how many tests I have run and how many hours of my own time has been wasted. To be fair, the staff I have had direct contact with have done their best to be polite and helpful BUT the problem is still not resolved. I would like compensation for the amount of time I’ve wasted and the frustration I have endured at the hands of PlusNet. If you’re thinking of going with PlusNet … think again.

[#2]

Hi Plato,
I'm going to take a look into this now for you and do what I can to push this towards a reasonable resolution.
I'm afraid we don't have a policy of providing compensation but I will look towards providing you with a good will gesture when the matter is resolved.
I'm sorry you feel aggrieved by this and feel that time has been wasted here, I'll make sure we do what we can to put this issue to bed.
Adam

[#3]

This is now with our faults team again who are logging this with our suppliers now for you, I'll make sure you are kept up to date on a regular basis

[#4]

Hi Adam
Thanks for giving this your attention. I must admit that after answering the same questions multiple times with zero progress I have completely lost faith in your company's ability to resolve this either directly or through BT, however, I would simply love to be proved wrong. So, it's in your hands.
Thanks.

[#5]

I mean this in the nicest possible way that I hope we do prove you wrong I am getting some assistance from the faults team handling this but I will keep an eye on proceedings from here.
Adam

[#6]

Plato,
I can see that our suppliers have now advised us of an issue at the exchange. I'm assuming from notes on your account that you are fully aware of the details and circumstances surrounding this.

[#7]

Hi Adam
Yes, thank you - I received a call over the weekend.
I am still very, very miffed that I have wasted more than 20 hours of my own time over the last 6-7 weeks repeatedly jumping through the same plusnet hoops testing alternative self-sourced routers and connections and being repeatedly told that it would cost me £150-odd for a BT engineer to come out (implying that it was all my own fault) … only to learn that it is actually a problem at the local (presumably over-subscribed with massive contention ratios) exchange.
As I said to the operator who called on the weekend – I repeatedly asked to speak with someone in authority in your support centre to save your “team” wasting my time.  I repeatedly discussed the fact that no amount of reconfiguring improved the bandwidth. I was repeatedly asked to try additional tests.
After wasting so much of my time the questions still remains. How does plusnet propose to compensate me?

[#8]

What I should also add for the benefit of intending customers is that the problem won't go away until late January when BT perform a scheduled upgrade at the local exchange. So, after wasting the last 7 weeks in dialogue with plusnet we are now left hanging on the hook for another 3 months before there is any hope of seeing usable bandwidth.

[#9]

We're sorry that you feel that we've raised your time. We have only just been made aware of the necessary work that's due at your local exchange in the new year.
Being realistic cooperation is needed from our customers when dealing with such faults, this isn't just asked for when the fault is first logged as we do ask for certain checks to be done at several points of the faults process.

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How does plusnet propose to compensate me?

We don't provide compensation I'm afraid but we can agree to a good will gesture, I'll send you an e-mail confirming details of that.
Adam