No Internet - Engineer did not turn up for new connection

[#1]

I am a new customer and an engineer is supposed to come today between 8am - 1pm but no one came.  No call either.  I called Plusnet helpline and they said they couldn't contact the engineer either.  So I have no idea when I will be connected.

My Virgin Media broadband is to terminate tomorrow so I will be left without broadband.

This is a really bad experience for a new customer.  If they can't even brother to turn up to connect a new customer what is the chance of them turning up to fix any future problem?

Funny thing is I received an email from them today titled "Your fibre broadband's ready to go".  Obviously NOT.  Very disappointing.  I have already regretted choosing Plusnet.

[#2]

Do you have an Openreach socket in your property?

If so is the phone line working?

[#3]

Hi - No, I am with Virgin Media Fibre Broadband and Phone.  Also, my order with Plusnet is "Unlimited Fibre Extra".

[#4]

Well you could wait to see if a staff member sees this thread, or were it me I would be calling them by now.

[#5]

Already did. All the helpdesk staff said was they couldn't get hold of the engineer but have left him a voice mail.  They then sent me the engineer's mobile phone number 🙄

[#6]

@tacly Sorry to hear you have installation problems, this happens all too often. However, before you become understandably cross with Plusnet, do you realise that lines to/from your master socket are the responsibility of Openreach and not the ISP?

Pnet can place an order and chase up Openreach, but that's all. Openreach engineer appointments are often erratic, sometimes earlier jobs can take longer than expected, emergencies such as flooding or bad weather in winter cause even worse delays. You're lucky to get the engineer's number, maybe he can give you an accurate estimate.

Infuriating I know, I had to wait some 10 days to get fibre because large areas of the country were flooded and hundreds of lines were down.

[#7]

---

@tacly wrote:

Hi - No, I am with Virgin Media Fibre Broadband and Phone.  Also, my order with Plusnet is "Unlimited Fibre Extra".

---

Are you sure that you haven’t got a BT socket somewhere in your property? Phone and fibre extra is delivered to this socket. If Openreach records show that you have a socket then they can reactivate it without visiting you.

If so then you may have an active connection without realising it’s now working.

[#8]

@Longliner , having the engineer phone didn't help because he didn't answer my calls.  Really annoying as wasted 5 hrs of my time waiting and then 20 minutes wait for the plusnet telephone helpline.

@Baldrick1 , I do have an old BT socket that has no signal for years.  Still no signal from it (I just checked) so no they didn't activate any connection remotely.

The annoying thing is that I received an email at 19:33 tonight telling me the appointment has been cancelled and it goes on to say: 

The engineer wasn't able to install your new telephone service.

Because of this, we'll need to arrange a new appointment ....

.....

Please note: there will be a re-booking fee for the appointment.

....

😠 This looks like the beginning of a nightmare.

[#9]

Hiya @tacly, 

I'm really sorry for the experience you are having and I can appreciate the hassle this is causing you. 

We're a little busier than usual and it's taking us longer to get back to you than I would like, sorry about that. 

I can see that there is now an active connection with data transferring, can you confirm this for me? 

[#10]

Hi @SammyM , yes its has been resolved.  Thanks for checking.  Could I have the plusnet compensation for engineer no show please ?

[#11]

Thanks for getting back to me, I am super happy to hear that your connection is now up and running with us

I have looked into your request and replied on the ticket here. Please get back to me once you are happy for me to close your complaint? 

[#12]

Yes thank you, the complaint can be closed now.  I am pleased that Plusnet has lived up its reputation of good customer service.

[#13]

From a legal standpoint: Plusnet's contract is with Openreach. Your contract is with Plusnet, whoever they use to carry out installations and maintenance is their business, not yours. You have no contract with Openreach. Am I correct here? Any legal heads about?