No broadband for a week

[#1]

Ticket 31356631
I've been without broadband for a week now, and technical support don't seem to be doing anything.
The problem happened suddenly last Monday, 28thDecember. I tried installing the new Thomson router that I'd ordered so I wouldn't be offline for long if the old one failed.  I then spoke to support, and tried everything suggested - new microfilter, disconnecting the phone (this line only has a master socket).  Plusnet can see from their end that the router only connects for a few seconds at a time, possibly once every few hours.  The only way that I can monitor this is by staring at the lights flashing on the router.
After a day, I was told that BT would be asked to turn on interleaving.  I'm not a techie, but I've since read up a bit about it, and it doesn't seem to be the right cure for a line which was working perfectly well and suddenly stopped.
After no further response for a few days, I phoned support again on Saturday, and they seemed unaware that the problem is total lack of broadband. They seemed to think it was just occasional dropouts.  I was promised that somebody would contact me by today, but nobody has.
When interleaving was turned on, support wrote
"If you are still seeing problems with interleaving switched on, please return this Question to us with as much detail about your problem as possible. Thank you for your time and patience."
The next day I replied, giving as much information as I could think of, and asking if sending an event log would help.  No response!
Although we have got the free interim dialup, the whole family is having to traipse up to the library to log on there.  I am at a friend's house typing this because the forum doesn't load from dialup!
Please, please, could somebody get back to me ASAP.  I can see only 2 possibilities for the cause of the problem:
1. The line has developed a fault, which needs to be fixed, or
2. Both my routers are faulty (which would mean that the Thomson was dead on arrival).
So my immediate problem is lack of broadband.  While I am on, I would like to raise my concern with the poor quality of technical support.
1. They do not communicate.
2. If they are going to communicate by email with somebody who has no internet, they should first phone to ask the customer to look at emails.
With this experience I cannot recommend Plusnet to anybody else.

[#2]

Hi there,
Sorry about the problems you've been having, I'll go take a look at your fault shortly and see what I can find out.
After a quick initial look at the account, you are connecting for very short periods, although this is making the broadband unusable it still has to be reported as an intermittent connection. If we reported it as a no connection fault then it would be sent straight back to us saying that you had connected.

[#3]

Is your broadband modem currently connected? If not could you connect it so I can do a line test?
*update*
I've been able to get the test results I need and have raised your fault to our suppliers.

[#4]

Chris, thanks for taking some action.  It's a pity that I've got to be able to access this forum to get anything rolling though.  Another gripe I've discovered since losing the broadband is that most Plusnet pages are so slow to load on dialup as to be unusable.  Othert sites are much better.  I've had to go to the library to access it.
It is only now that I've seen your message from yesterday morning.  I have been leaving the router on anyway, but perhaps a phonecall, text or email would have been more communicative 
Please could someone translate the latest message from support into plain English:
"The Question 31356631 has been released from hold and sent back to BOT - DSL Logged Faults - Interm
Your fault Ticket has now been taken off hold.
This has now been forwarded to the relevant support team. We will carry on investigating your problem and your open fault will be updated as soon as more information is available.
[INTERNAL]
Ticket now off hold. Please action."
Thanks

[#5]

Quote

This has now been forwarded to the relevant support team. We will carry on investigating your problem and your open fault will be updated as soon as more information is available

This means your fault has moved out of the ticket pools where we test your line, into the ones where we are waiting for an update from our supplier.
It's come off hold as we have probably received an update. I'l go check shortly. I'll also add the mobile number on your account on to the fault ticket so we can text you.

[#6]

I tried to test your line a few times last night, and again when I got home but I kept getting test tool problems. I'll do it again this morning and get in touch with you shortly.

[#7]

I received your text yesterday (Thursday), and I can see that you've added to the ticket that the next action is not due till Sunday.  That will be our 14th day without broadband. Any idea why it's taking so long?
I can only access this forum and the fault status on my occasional journey to the library. 

[#8]

I've just checked and there's no update as yet.
If an update is received before Sunday your ticket will be released back to the faults team. If not we'll call BT for an update.

[#9]

I really should change the title of this thread, as this is now my 14th day without broadband!! 
This morning my ticket was updated as follows:
"We would like to inform you that your Help Assistant Question [ 31356631 ] has now been returned to the BOT - DSL Logged Faults - Interm pool. A member of our Support Team will investigate your issue as soon as possible."
So I get the impression that the ticket is being passed back and forth between Plusnet and BT with nobody making any real effort to diagnose the problem.  Surely there can only be a limited range of possible problems for a line to go overnight from working to not working.
How much longer is it likely to take?  It's becoming desperate as I work from home, and I've also got my student son at home at the moment, and he has to download work from his college for which he can't use the library because they have Windows and he uses Linux.
Please, please, please, could somebody contact me to give a comprehensible report on progress.

[#10]

Try no usable connection since Dec 6th!   

[#11]

@ihc77 - Chris has updated your fault ticket, as it states BT are wanting to get an engineer out to your premises so if you could update the ticket with dates and times you'd be available we'll get this booked for you.
@DawnRider - One of our faults agents has a personal ticket dealing with your fault and has updated that this afternoon (about half past 3 I think it was) so we are on top of it for you, as the ticket says we should be in touch shortly to discuss this with you.

[#12]

I've given 5 possible appointment slots for BT over the next 3 days.
Let's hope they can make at least one of them.  The sooner the better.

[#13]

At last!
After 16 days, broadband has been restored.  Apparently BT has now replaced the ADSL equipment for my line at the exchange.
I'm pleased to be back, but unhappy with the length of time it's taken, and with Plusnet's Customer Support Team.
I'll explain the saga of events when I've got some time.  Got lots of other things to catch up with.
Danny

[#14]

That's great news, glad to hear it. Please let us know if there's anything further we can do for you.

[#15]

On top of it Matt?
Cooments from CSC - BOT - DSL Logged Faults 11:55am, Tuesday 12th January 2010:
"We need to book an engineer to resolve the issue on your line and they will also need to visit your premises as part of the process. The engineer will know exactly what to do so there should not be any delays in getting this done."
My Reply - Oh how we laughed!!
The "Engineer" who visited was the same one who visited 23rd Dec 09.
He was unaware of the previous visit on the 7th Jan 09, and did not have access to the previous "Engineer"'s notes!
He actually had to ask me (the EU) which LEDs on the router would normally be lit!
When asked about the D side change you refered to he siad he didn't know if he could do this.
Came into the house and did exactly what he did on his visit on the 23rd Dec 09. He could not get sync on his kit.
He then went to look at the cabinet as he did previously and on his return said it was working from the cabinet.
Tested again from bare wires in behind the test skt and said there was an insulation issue just under 600 meters from the cabinet towards the house.
He then said that another visit would be required, although I already knew this as he had been taking personal calls on his mobile and had told someone that he would be home at 17:15Hrs.
He also said that a morning visit would be best because of the light conditions. Had he gone straight to the cabinet it would still have been daylight, but if he is not going to turn up till 15:30Hrs and then repeat the tests he had already done (presumably to waste some of the 2 hours BT allocate to a fault!) then I'm not surprised it was getting dark.
I do hope you realise that I have already taken 3 1/2 days off work at a cost of £58.28 per 1/2 day. If you are arranging a visit then tomorrow ALL day will be fine as long as I know this morning so I can tee this up with my line management!
For your information:
ISPA Complaints Procedure:
8.3.5 Once a second complaint has been made, the Member shall either offer a solution to the Complainant or advise the Complainant that deadlock has been reached and to contact the appropriate ADR scheme for adjudication.