PN's future

[#1]

Ive been with plusnet since May 2004, almost 11 years, and every now and every now and again they appear to go through a rough patch and/or irritate their users, bad boys pipe anyone?
I'm sure at one time plusnet had a policy of not advertising ( except for Sheffield Wednesday sponsorship )  and webcams at the HQ

[#2]

Quote from: Townman

As BTOR fix the lines for all ISPs and CPs why do you feel that PlusNet will deliver a worse service than any other retail provider?

Because when with Sky they got Openreach out to me twice the next day at my choice of a 2 hour slot.
I do not read here about service like that.

[#3]

@CRT,
Is this the case that BTOR give preferential service to Sky?  Or is there a little heard of alternative service level?
In all the years I have been with GPO / BT / PlusNet I have only ever heard of AM or PM appointments provided by the phone fixers somewhere between 08:00-13:00 and 13:00-18:00.

[#4]

LLU ISPs get a different level of service from OR for copper faults. Basically if a LLU ISP reports a line fault, it should be fixed the next working day (Mon-Sat). For WLR ISPs, it's the next working day +1 (Mon-Fri). I think this is due to OFCOM and when LLU was introduced.
In terms of the flexible slots, this is something any ISP can order but at a small cost.

[#5]

AndyH,
Thank you, once again your industry knowledge is invaluable.  There was me believing that BT Openreach were obliged to give all retailers (re-sellers) equal 'level playing field' service / responsiveness. 
Just goes to show that even BT Retail takes second place to other retailers to say nothing of where PlusNet ends up in the pecking order. 
Kevin

[#6]

I also didn't actually know this until I looked just now 
Here's a guide here - https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/serviceproducts/serviceharmonisation/serviceharmonisa...
It's always possible someone can get an engineer the same day, particularly if there is one local who has finished their other tasks.
One of the issues with Plusnet in the past has been the time it actually takes to get a fault actually reported with the suppliers. This is an internal issue with them though and perhaps something they hope will change with the Live Chat system.

[#7]

Townman.
Sky are very efficient with dealing with Openreach.
The first call to Sky was on a Sunday afternoon and Sky did the usual checks on my line and weren't happy with the results I was getting on broadband speed 10Mb down on what was expected and they said I needed checks here by OR Sky immediately offered me 3 or 4 two hour slots for the next day.  So that means Sky must have access to OR appointment book and able to book engineers.
OR reset my DLM from my home but engineer told me that he found no fault and my speed would drop again.
After Sky read his report about an hour later so OR and Sky into same computer program, Sky phoned me and told me if it did drop again OR would be sent again, repeatably if necessary, until problem fixed to Sky and my satisfaction.
Indeed OR were sent again in same manor and after DLM reset and settling in speed remained constant.

[#8]

It can be difficult to know what's normal and what's aberration.  Forums will have more of the latter than the former.  All retailers will be inhibited or enabled by the quality of BTOR engineer attending and availability.
I too have had PN take a fault call one afternoon and the BTOR engineer attend the following morning.  It will always depend on BTOR (the third party) having available resources irrespective of the retailer.
BTOR hand off engineering reports to the retailer circa 4 hours after the visit.

[#9]

It's been a few years since BT engineers were only available in AM or PM slots. It used to be there were 5 slots during the day, Mon-Fri.
Slot 1 was never used to my knowledge, slot 2 was 08:00-10:30, slot 3 was 10:30-13:00, slot 4 was 13:00-15:30, and slot 5 was 15:30-18:00.

[#10]

Quote from: Townman

Just goes to show that even BT Retail takes second place to other retailers

Not if they pay for the "Level 2" service. BTOR give the option for all ISPs to have the same level of service however the lowest level is solely for non-LLU ISPs.

[#11]

Can you clarify that statement please?
Do you mean that only non-LLU ISPs can access the "poorer" service or is it as suggested by AndyH that non-LLU ISPs cannot access the better service?

[#12]

Anyone can access a better service - you can pay for 6hr callouts if you so need. But these kind of services will be geared towards businesses.
hillyfields123 is right in the sense that a WLR ISP can buy the same service level that LLU ISPs get as standard, but at a cost of £6.32 +VAT a year.
See - https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/pricing/loadProductPriceDetails.do?data=to6u3F12FmH4G...

[#13]

Not to mention that LLU ISPs get charged a lower rate of line rental... £87.48/year compared to £89.50/year
(See https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/pricing/loadProductPriceDetails.do?data=%2BrBpMW3XM9a... for WLR pricing and https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/pricing/loadProductPriceDetails.do?data=Wk%2B2hSVL2kn... for LLU pricing.)
@Townman - I think AndyH clarified my point that all ISPs can access the same level or service but just LLU ISPs get a higher level of service as standard

[#14]

To be fair though, WLR includes a port on the exchange whereas LLU doesn't so the prices aren't directly comparable.  (If they were I'd go as far to suggest that BT keeps the price of LLU artificially high by not allowing the lowest service/maintenance charge... )

[#15]

But the provision charges are only one-off charges... I can't be bothered to do the sums but LLU probably works out cheaper in the long run for the provider for a comparable service.
But I doubt that non-LLU ISPs are queueing up to pay the extra £6.32/month for the better service...