Failure to provide service and customer service is awful

[#1]

We are in Cardiff, close to an exchange, and have received truly dreadful intermittent internet connection for a few months.  We're meant to be up to 17Mb but in reality often not getting 3Mb.  Plusnet have acknowledged they have had and are still having problems with the service, they've also admitted restricting our service. I've explained to them that when we're streaming, which is what it’s used for mainly, and it cuts out you have to start from scratch and that uses so much more data - they are so NOT INTERESTED!  Are they going to fix it - NO, instead they offer an upgrade to include all that extra data we're having to use in a new 12 month contract!!!!  I work really long hours so the last thing I want to do is spend another 30 - 60 minutes on hold only to be patronised, transferred, talked down to and put back on hold.
Finally had enough and gave Plusnet a month notice to quit, they said if I didn't tell them who the new provider was I would be charged £30, so told them Virgin and they finally gave me a MAC. Virgin haven't needed the MAC to move me so first Plusnet tell me they are keeping the internet and I told them they have it wrong, Plusnet now say because they got it wrong I still have to pay £30 disconnection and give them a further two weeks notice.  WHAT THE HECK!!!  There is nowhere on the site to cancel, you have to do it over the phone and so you have no written proof - when you call them they claim lots of stuff was told to you - which wasn't and say they have proof, you don't and you can't see their proof.  Yes they apologise that 'you' feel that way BUT NO apology or compensation for rubbish service - never mind the times where there was no service!  Just tough, we know there are problems with the service, get over it.  And we're going to make it really difficult and expensive for you to leave our rubbish service as well. And if you don't pay the extra we'll send in debt collectors.
I have paid literally £hundreds for just internet and a phone line over the last three months and received rubbish and a headache, have spoken to a couple of other Plusnet users in Cardiff and they are having the same problems with the service and not getting anywhere.
Plusnet offers may look good on the surface, but don't touch them.  No idea how they are meant to be so good for customer service - it's appalling, truly dreadful unless they are trying to sell you something.  How can they possibly be surprised when customers get angry!

[#2]

If you moved to Virgin Cable then it isn't a migration and you pay the cancellation charge if you cancelled the ADSL
Moving to Virgin cable wouldn't affect the ADSL/Phone Line which would continue unless you specifically cancelled it

[#3]

To make it clear, it isn't Plusnet who levy the charge, it's BT Wholesale (Plusnet just pass the charge on).

[#4]

Hi plusnetfail,
I'm really sorry to hear of your experience. I have taken a look at your account, and it doesn't seem like a fault has been raised, or any contact at all has been made on your account in at least the last 12 months. It really is a shame as I would have liked to have gotten your speed issue resolved (and still would).
You are also on an old package (Extra, if anyone's interested. 60gb usage limit). Ideally I would like to have had you unlimited as the limit is easily getting exceeded every month.
If you want us to look into your account and check for faults then please let me know. If not then I wish you all the best with your new provider.
Once again, my apologies for the poor experience.
Matty
EDIT: Just to add to this, I have made sure that I have fed back regarding the problems you have had.

[#5]

This looks like it's totally the user's fault.

Quote from: MattyC

You are also on an old package (Extra, if anyone's interested. 60gb usage limit). Ideally I would like to have had you unlimited as the limit is easily getting exceeded every month.

If he's busting the 60GB allowance but not paying the extra usage charge his speeds will be severely restricted!

[#6]

In fairness, the speeds would only be capped if there was a spending limit:
http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/products/archive/plusnet-extra-archive.shtml#price
There isn't one on the account, so early on it would indicate that there is a problem.
Matty

[#7]

Quote from: MattyC

You are also on an old package (Extra, if anyone's interested. 60gb usage limit). Ideally I would like to have had you unlimited as the limit is easily getting exceeded every month.

^^ This - why didn't Plusnet scrap the old product because it well outdated now.

[#8]

Hi Goldenfibre
Whilst I accept that some of our older packages now appear to be very outdated, we have never forced any customer to take an alternative package or product from ourselves.
As such we have customers who still are on the same package that they signed up with almost a decade ago. To confirm, we never prevent any customers from upgrading to a newer package, and all new customers can only sign up with the current packages available
Regards
Matt

[#9]

I can remember a few years ago being on a legacy ADSL product with a usage cap and realising I was paying more than I would have done on a newer product.  I switched products and saved myself several pounds a month. It is usually left up to the customer to spot these anomalies and take action themselves.

[#10]

In response there have been several calls made recently to PlusNet, not just about the level of service but about the reluctance to do anything about it.
I should have been more specific in my complaints and more persistent when it comes to hanging on the phone on hold when I've only got a few precious hours between shifts.
I decided to cancel as the only option PlusNet offered to solve any issue was to cold transfer me to a sales team and offer to tie into another 12 month contract which I am not prepared to do with such a dreadful company.  Nice way to avoid complaints.
@Matty - if you have access to the account info then you will know that every monthly invoice and all the extra usage has always been paid for and it was made quite clear that it was a cancellation of all services that was wanted.
I have since been told that you will not cancel the account unless I give even more notice and if I refuse to pay the extra unrequired time after the date the service was taken over, which was the 11th October, along with the unexpected £30 charge I will be passed to debt collectors, I was even sent an email to back that up. Following that email I was then sent another one saying 'Thanks for deciding to stay with us' .  So first you threaten to damage my credit rating and then pretend we've got some new contract going.
Obviously there are some serious internal communication issues going on at Plusnet.
PlusNet have gone too far and as they have decided, as per their threatening email, there is nothing more to say on the matter it leaves me clear to go to CISAS.

[#11]

Hi there,
Sorry for my absence yesterday.
I just want to address a couple of points:

Quote

I refuse to pay the extra unrequired time after the date the service was taken over, which was the 11th October

We have charged a pro rata payment for this to ensure that you are not paying for service that you haven't received.

Quote

'Thanks for deciding to stay with us'

This was sent by automation. The reason this was sent was because the order with the new provider was cancelled. This is the single variable that changed discussion from final fees to ourselves sending a message regarding you deciding to stay.
Again, my apologies for the inconvenience.
Matty