Groan (loudly)....they might hear you

[#1]

So I won't bore you with the fault yet (incredibly slow internet). What I am groaning about is Plusnet's incredibly clunky ticket system for fault reporting. I mean what is the point in them sending me an email about a ticket being updated when they could just email the content to you instead (and you could even reply to it ! - now there's a thought).
I joined plus because I was sick of having to shout down the line at some guy in Mombai just so he could hear me...and repeat myself over and over etc etc
Now I get somebody who is a native English speaker but who seems incapable of solving the problem so I appear to have gained nothing.
I have tried all the stuff they ask (despite the fact that I am a qualified Network engineer CCNA etc) and I KNOW ITS NOT IN MY HOME. Just to shut them up I went and bought another router to eliminate that from the "loop". On my way home and just up the street there were 2 BT vans with 2Engineers working on the pole our phones are all connected to. I asked if my line would be affected too - "yes" was his reply. So why can't pigging Plusnet talk to BT and get there respective acts together. It really is crap.
It's a shame because I had high hopes for Plusnet: that they might buck the trend for companies these days to be generally useless in terms of Service and support....I think I might even have hoped that I wouldn't have had any need for support but hey, we live in the real world.

[#2]

Erm, I'd try and calm down a bit.
Insults will not help your case. Plusnet rent off BT wholesale. BT wholesale use BT Openreach to provide the connection to the exchange.
If the BTOpenreach boys are playing with the wires let them finish. When you see they have gone I suggest you turn your router off for about half an hour?
If that doesn't work try phoning the Plusnet freephone number in working hours and say you have a fault, there's been engineers outside and can they investigate.

[#3]

I'm sorry to hear about the issues you're experiencing here, the phone engineers working on your line on the moment would not proactively make us aware of what they're doing.

Quote

Just to shut them up I went and bought another router to eliminate that from the "loop"

As you might be aware a common outcome of faults like this being raised with us tends to be an engineer visit, those visits can incur a charge of £60 if the fault is found to be with your equipment, that's the reason we encourage customers to eliminate what they can within their domain.
I've taken a look at your account and can see ticket 52333005, I'll reply to that ASAP

[#4]

Dear dratdestroyer thankyou for your inciteful reply in how to conduct myself whilst online.  FYI the "BT boys" have finished a couple of days ago and I have tried rebooting the router and leaving it off (one of the benefits of being a Network Engineer is that even I understand the basics).  Do you really think I have not tried ringing Plusnet?  I explained there were Engineers working outside and if you read the reply from a member of plusnet in this topic you will see that "the phone engineers working on your line on the moment would not proactively make us aware of what they're doing" - that's a long-winded way of saying that BT don't talk to Plusnet about work they are doing.
Are you really a bus driver?

[#5]

I've just updated your fault ticket again, I've raised the broadband fault with our suppliers and I should be able to confirm an appointment within the next 72 hours.

[#6]

So the best you can offer is that within 3 days you will offer me an appointment at a later date - correct?

[#7]

Exactly, just to explain in better detail at this stage I've had to log a fault report with our suppliers, we can't book appointments until that's been done. Following that it can take up to 72 hours until the fault is passed back to us which then gives us the option of booking an appointment, I hope that explains that better.

[#8]

I now understand fully that the ongoing fault originally reported in January might be resolved in March. Thankyou for that. I assume I am being charged the same throughout this period ?

[#9]

As you'll have seen on the ticket there is an engineer visit booked in for this Satuday (3/3/12) so we're hopeful that the fault will be resolved as soon as possible after that. Billing does continue as normal but I will ensure that you're credited for any downtime after the fault has been fixed.

[#10]

Quote from: VMeldrew

Dear dratdestroyer thankyou for your inciteful reply in how to conduct myself whilst online.  FYI the "BT boys" have finished a couple of days ago and I have tried rebooting the router and leaving it off (one of the benefits of being a Network Engineer is that even I understand the basics).  Do you really think I have not tried ringing Plusnet?  I explained there were Engineers working outside and if you read the reply from a member of plusnet in this topic you will see that "the phone engineers working on your line on the moment would not proactively make us aware of what they're doing" - that's a long-winded way of saying that BT don't talk to Plusnet about work they are doing. Are you really a bus driver?

Turning off your kit for half an hour usually gives the DSLAM in the exchange a chance to re-negotiate a better connection speed.
Phoning during business hours is a better time to get things done. If you think you have got through to a trainee ask to speak to a supervisor.
I agree BT don't talk to Plusnet about work they are doing.
I hate the ticket system too - it must be good for statistics
I don't drive buses, my nephew is bus mad.

[#11]

Update. So the BT guys working up the road (5 of them in 4 seperate vehicles) left and low and behold my Broadband went back to being around 1.5Mbps (which is about all I was expecting). Then on Saturday I had an Engineer visit and after a few tweaks I was getting 2.5Mbps...great 1  That lasted a day until it dropped back to 1.5 and today its at an all time low of 25Kbps...yes 25. The tickets go back and forth but nothing gets better....I am considering getting the Ombudsman involved as it is affectring my ability to work.

[#12]

I'm sorry to see that you experienced further issues with this.
I've taken ownership of the ticket again and I'll update you later this afternoon as I need to take time to get an overview of the fault history and your account first.
Adam.