No Phone Line, No Broadband and a Disabled Daughter.

[#1]

Quote from: jelv

If my child's life depended on always being able to make a phone call I would prefer to use a supplier that has a proper scheme.

Though, to be fair, if I was in that situation I'd also have backup - probably at least two mobile phones on independent networks.
For my very old and frail father-in-law (now in a care home) apart from registering with the BT schemes he also had a very simple mobile phone, a call alarm button round his neck (which he latterly forgot about) and carers calling in three times a day.
Nonetheless he still managed to have a fall and was actually spotted by the window cleaner who called the ambulance!

[#2]

Another Openreach farce related to Fibre provision, or not!
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/570646/BT-stopping-baby-Couple-spend-IVF-savings-on-INTERNET

[#3]

We have 2 contract mobiles and 1 pay as you go ad-hoc, cheapo phone for such situations, all on different networks but still unfortunately suffer from the same signal loss. We have to go down to the end of the street to make a call. I've called all 3 networks and they say a mast is in the area so I should have signal. Well, I don't but they don't seem to care about the reality, only that there's a 'tick in the box' in the infrastructure asset inventory.

[#4]

Two Alternative Dispute Resolution parties are now involved (Ombudsman and CISAS).  Two cases have been filed and supporting evidence provided.  Also, Medical Professionals including Paediatricians from South Wales & London will be in touch to ensure you're in compliance with all regulations and legislations involving disabled people. I don't know the legal requirements, but they do.
PlusNet - What the HELL are you doing.  Respond to this case before things get much worse for you.  You're playing with fire here.  I kid you not this will be all over the papers before you know it.  Trust me, I can and will make things extremely difficult for you and I will expect compensation so you'll lose out commercially, financially and not to mention receive a hefty dent to your reputation.
You need to sort yourselves out and RESPOND TO THIS POST.  My patience is growing thin.  I know it's only been one day, but I honestly couldn't care less about that.  Get this order sorted, get the external work sorted (I don't care who is responsible - BT Open Reach, BT Closed Reach, BT on the Beach) just GET IT SORTED.

[#5]

Quote from: Gel

Another Openreach farce related to Fibre provision, or not! http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/570646/BT-stopping-baby-Couple-spend-IVF-savings-on-INTERNET

You will have noted I hope that the comments by the public on that article seem less than favourable towards the couple.
I saw a reference to 'home broadband' rather than a business line and the lack of any backup/reserve plan that you would expect a business to have.

[#6]

Just to confirm we are still looking into this but it isn't a easy issue I'm afraid.
There are no spare pairs or lines at your cabinet that we can put you on to give you a service at this moment in time.
It's gone to our suppliers cable and jointing team to try and get a new line put in as soon as possible.
I'm trying to see if there's anyway we can escalate this to speed it up due to the circumstances.

[#7]

Malachor, sorry to hear about the problems you're facing. In high stress situations such as this sometimes mitigating solutions are overlooked as all of the focus is placed on the primary problem. You may have already considered these options, just wanted to share some suggestions to ensure nothing is overlooked in ensuring the safety for your daughter.
Could you borrow a landline handset from a neighbour? If you lived next door to me I'd give you a spare handset and charging base in a heartbeat, any calls you might make are going to cost pennies at most.
If not, satellite phone? Not a cheap option but if the alternative is hoping there is a mobile signal and the landline never fails it would be something I'd investigate.
Best wishes,

[#8]

Cell phone coverage-suggestion:

Suggest you ask any visitors to your house to see whether they have decent signal- may give some clues.
I've found in past that cell coverage on some smart phones especially was worse than on a plain
phone on same network.
There could of course be a local transmitter down, which sometimes networks take weeks to fix.
Remember PN are totally dependent on Openreach for provision, but as in the Express story today
(I posted earlier) fibre resources are tight in some areas.

[#9]

Gel's posted prompted another thought:
http://www.cellantenna.co.uk/index.php?id=yagi

[#10]

Quote

I'm trying to see if there's anyway we can escalate this to speed it up due to the circumstances.

Can I ask exactly what it is that you'll do, or intend to do? What does it take from you, or me, to get this escalated (apart from what I've done already) and when am I likely to get an update regarding this?

[#11]

Thank you Gel for taking the time to post such positive and helpful information. I really appreciate it 

[#12]

PlusNet why do you take so long to respond to a post? All I want to know is when I'm likely to receive an update. This has been raised with our local MP. Every day you delay is another day something could go wrong.

[#13]

It's no consolation but sadly which ever company you were taking your fibre with would have had the same problem.
The standard industry wide system used to check your speed isn't aware of the availability current number of pairs free in any location and so it seams the ordering system may well also be without this info.  Hence it would have been possible for any ISP order to be in the same situation.
ISP's like PN are all at the mercy of OpenReach which is where in my experience most things fall down. Re: Tickets on the pn system, I am unsure if you are aware but it used to be that if you opened a ticket and submitted it, then opened it again to add more info it went to the back of the queue thus delaying everything.
I have always found the staff on the forums to be great in helping to assist and I'm sure they will do their best.
I hope you get things sorted. I know communication can be a pain esp. lack of it but not every part of this is down to PN.
podman

[#14]

Just what has the availability of fibre got to do with the major failing of Plusnet in this case, i.e. leaving a vulnerable family with a disabled child without a phone?

[#15]

The problem seems to be simply that there are no further spare line pairs in the cabinet. So it is not a 'solvable' problem.
So there are only two solutions
1. BTOR cut off someone else and steal their line!
2. A new cable has to be put in - which may require roadworks/manhole lifting in the carriageway.
(1) is hardly likely to happen and (2) cannot be done overnight or even over a few days.  Even if BT had the team and the supplies ready to go now, the rules have changed on digging up roads thanks to public outrage over endless work and knock on traffic congestion. So even utilities like BT have now to clear work with the local council.