Poor customer service from Plusnet and deadlock between SKY and Plusnet
@Chris.. I suspect that the first GP will know of this is when they plug the new router in.. and will read the messages after they know its working and have gotten back online 
First of all, an apology for the lack of updates this week. I have had a busy week with work issues, hospital appointments, elderly neighbours, an accident (nothing serious for the individual concerned), BT migration to Plusnet and insurance claim. Today is the first time I have logged properly since last week.
On the positive side, I now have Plusnet Broadband.
Special thanks to Chris P for all his PM's and trying to resolve this situation. Without his intervention Plusnet would have lost a customer, so I hope he gets a bonus for all his hard work dealing with this difficult individual 
Thanks also to Kelly and Linn for their contributions and [removed] for all his updates via telephone/tickets the past week. Unfortunately, I have only started reading them properly today, which is my fault.
Furthermore, thanks for all your contributions and thoughts on this sorry saga. While it has been frustrating and maddening to deal with the telecommunications codes of practice, the contributions and just general support from forum members have made this experience actually pretty positive in that regard. There are often some quite robust discussions on here but it is conducted in a constructive manner.
Update - Good Friday pm
I have done a few tests on broadband speed via http://www.mybroadbandspeed.co.uk/. These are the figures produced so far:
Download Speed Upload Speed
Today 11:19 6638 kbps (830kB/s) 360 kbps (45kB/s) Share
Today 08:32 6395 kbps (799kB/s) 355 kbps (44.4kB/s) Share
Yesterday 18:32 3392 kbps (424kB/s) 331 kbps (41.4kB/s)
As I live in a rural location and there is an old exchange, I do not have high expectations with broadband speed. Vis-a-Vis the speeds I had with SKY between 11th March-26th March, 2014, Plusnet appears somewhat quicker and efficient. I quickly tested a YouTube video last night and there was no comparison. Ironically, I am experiencing problems with the Plusnet site.
I am migrating from BT to Plusnet (telephone) on the 6th May, 2014, according to the latest tickets. Until this week, I had no issues with BT with regard to migration. I did, nevertheless, write to BT and telephone them twice to switch to a paper/quarterly bill in mid-March and spoke to them twice in early April. During both conversations, I was told that those arrangements were satisfactory. The reason for that switch was due to potential dispute with cession of contract charges and the final bill would have been a week or two later, if the original migration had taken place. This Wednesday, I find outgoing calls barred (due to the unpaid bill on the 3rd April), when I return from the hospital. The telephone was restored after payment and a few testy conversations with overseas call centres. I expected nothing less from BT, which is why I requested the the bill in the above format.
When the above migration is completed, I intend sending a formal letter to Ofcom. I have no expectations due to their advice on this issue but I feel questions should be asked about their counsel in this case and the provision of that 2nd MAC code. I will update the thread with any feedback I receive.
Finally, a Happy Easter to all! I will read and respond to any comments and messages at some point today.
[Moderator's note by Jim (Oldjim): CSA name removed as per the forum rules. but noted for staff]
On the positive side, I now have Plusnet Broadband.
Special thanks to Chris P for all his PM's and trying to resolve this situation. Without his intervention Plusnet would have lost a customer, so I hope he gets a bonus for all his hard work dealing with this difficult individual Thanks also to Kelly and Linn for their contributions and [removed] for all his updates via telephone/tickets the past week. Unfortunately, I have only started reading them properly today, which is my fault. Furthermore, thanks for all your contributions and thoughts on this sorry saga. While it has been frustrating and maddening to deal with the telecommunications codes of practice, the contributions and just general support from forum members have made this experience actually pretty positive in that regard. There are often some quite robust discussions on here but it is conducted in a constructive manner.
Update - Good Friday pm
I have done a few tests on broadband speed via http://www.mybroadbandspeed.co.uk/. These are the figures produced so far:
Download Speed Upload Speed
Today 11:19 6638 kbps (830kB/s) 360 kbps (45kB/s) Share
Today 08:32 6395 kbps (799kB/s) 355 kbps (44.4kB/s) Share
Yesterday 18:32 3392 kbps (424kB/s) 331 kbps (41.4kB/s)
As I live in a rural location and there is an old exchange, I do not have high expectations with broadband speed. Vis-a-Vis the speeds I had with SKY between 11th March-26th March, 2014, Plusnet appears somewhat quicker and efficient. I quickly tested a YouTube video last night and there was no comparison. Ironically, I am experiencing problems with the Plusnet site.
I am migrating from BT to Plusnet (telephone) on the 6th May, 2014, according to the latest tickets. Until this week, I had no issues with BT with regard to migration. I did, nevertheless, write to BT and telephone them twice to switch to a paper/quarterly bill in mid-March and spoke to them twice in early April. During both conversations, I was told that those arrangements were satisfactory. The reason for that switch was due to potential dispute with cession of contract charges and the final bill would have been a week or two later, if the original migration had taken place. This Wednesday, I find outgoing calls barred (due to the unpaid bill on the 3rd April), when I return from the hospital. The telephone was restored after payment and a few testy conversations with overseas call centres. I expected nothing less from BT, which is why I requested the the bill in the above format.
When the above migration is completed, I intend sending a formal letter to Ofcom. I have no expectations due to their advice on this issue but I feel questions should be asked about their counsel in this case and the provision of that 2nd MAC code. I will update the thread with any feedback I receive.
Finally, a Happy Easter to all!
I will read and respond to any comments and messages at some point today.[Moderator's note by Jim (Oldjim): CSA name removed as per the forum rules. but noted for staff]
I don't think we've seen a full set of stats from your router, so don't know exactly what type of connection you're on, but.....
Quote from: gphancock Upload Speed 360 kbps (45kB/s)
It looks like your upload speed is capped. Something that happened to me recently when I migrated back to PN from LLU.
Staff statements at that time implied (I thought) that new connections or transfers would automatically be uncapped.
So, worth asking for that to be done, assuming it can be, and your upload speeds will roughly double.
(My uploads connection is 1167kbps and tests at a typical throughput of 1Mbps)
By gawd, you really did have a tough time - what a complete mess. 
I thought I'd had enough problems in the past few months with the 3 sky migrations Ive recently helped others with (none of them went right), but this case particular really does take the biscuit. 😕
From what Ive seen over the past year, sky really has become the 'new TT' and its a nightmare to get away from them. They are full of contradictions and in some cases tell down-right porkie pies. You wont believe the excuses one EU had and why it took 3 months to get a MAC, another lost their 30+yr phone no, and the third was more hard work and contradictions from Sky.. and a result of something going wrong during migration meaning no phone or dsl for a couple of days. (Would have been longer if I wasnt on the ball at what could have gone wrong, and the PN rep I spoke to managing to arrange a BToR for the next day - despite it being 11.30 pm at night). Although I wasnt chuffed at the long call waiting times, I was at least glad that it was PN I was speaking to rather than any of the other SPs. Im almost beginning to suspect that Sky delay and make it as awkward as possible, so that the EU cant be bothered and end up staying with them.
I'm in agreement with HPsauce (hi btw!) and so glad I left BE before Sky took over my line completely. BE were damn good. Sky - well I personally wouldn't touch them with a barge pole and I didn't trust them to be able to do anything much than destroy what imho was possibly one of the best networks for techies (o2 used the BE network too). --oops I know this is the PN forum lol, but hey PN cant be that bad or I wouldn't be back here when Be got took over.
Anyhow I'd like to thank GP for sharing his experience, Im pretty sure that everyone of us reading this sorry tale was so rooting for you. I'm impressed at how you took it mostly in your stride, despite the obvious frustrations. I had to sit and read it right through to the end, and Im so glad that you finally appear to have got there.
I also hope that PN throw you a 'gesture of goodwill'. - hint hint to the reps if they havent already done so - Im sure GP deserves at least a month of free dsl in compensation for the month of stress he's had, through no fault of his own
Happy Easter.
I thought I'd had enough problems in the past few months with the 3 sky migrations Ive recently helped others with (none of them went right), but this case particular really does take the biscuit. 😕
From what Ive seen over the past year, sky really has become the 'new TT' and its a nightmare to get away from them. They are full of contradictions and in some cases tell down-right porkie pies. You wont believe the excuses one EU had and why it took 3 months to get a MAC, another lost their 30+yr phone no, and the third was more hard work and contradictions from Sky.. and a result of something going wrong during migration meaning no phone or dsl for a couple of days. (Would have been longer if I wasnt on the ball at what could have gone wrong, and the PN rep I spoke to managing to arrange a BToR for the next day - despite it being 11.30 pm at night). Although I wasnt chuffed at the long call waiting times, I was at least glad that it was PN I was speaking to rather than any of the other SPs. Im almost beginning to suspect that Sky delay and make it as awkward as possible, so that the EU cant be bothered and end up staying with them.
I'm in agreement with HPsauce (hi btw!) and so glad I left BE before Sky took over my line completely. BE were damn good. Sky - well I personally wouldn't touch them with a barge pole and I didn't trust them to be able to do anything much than destroy what imho was possibly one of the best networks for techies (o2 used the BE network too). --oops I know this is the PN forum lol, but hey PN cant be that bad or I wouldn't be back here when Be got took over.
Anyhow I'd like to thank GP for sharing his experience, Im pretty sure that everyone of us reading this sorry tale was so rooting for you. I'm impressed at how you took it mostly in your stride, despite the obvious frustrations. I had to sit and read it right through to the end, and Im so glad that you finally appear to have got there.
I also hope that PN throw you a 'gesture of goodwill'. - hint hint to the reps if they havent already done so - Im sure GP deserves at least a month of free dsl in compensation for the month of stress he's had, through no fault of his own
Happy Easter.
@ gphancock - Thanks very much for coming back to us and I'm really glad that everything is up and running now I'll respond to your PM shortly.
I've taken a look at your line which is showing much improvement over the Easter period so I'm hopeful that things have picked up for you. I've added a note onto Ticket: 83749979 with regards to a good will gesture.
If there is anything further I can do to help at all, please do let me know and I'd be more than happy to help
I'll respond to your PM shortly. I've taken a look at your line which is showing much improvement over the Easter period so I'm hopeful that things have picked up for you. I've added a note onto Ticket: 83749979 with regards to a good will gesture.
If there is anything further I can do to help at all, please do let me know and I'd be more than happy to help