I heard good things of plus.net. When I wanted to get home phone and broadband, I did my research on comparison websites like uswitch and which?, and all the sites said plus.net was a good service. I wish I could say my experience could confirm this. I can't. I took out my order on the 18th of february, at which time, because a new line needed to be installed, plus.net took over £70 off me. I still don't even have a working phone line, never mind broadband.
When I placed my order, I was told that I needed to wait three weeks for an engineer to come and install the new line, on the 10th of march. I wasn't happy, and was told something about flooding and all the engineers being really busy. Well, ok. I didn't like it, but I waited. The man showed up, so at least there was that, but he said that there was a problem, and something needed to be added to The Exchange. I don't know what that means. No one has ever explained it to me, but it's a phrase I've heard so often now that I think of it in capitals. The engineer promised that this work would be done by the end of the day. It wasn't. I received an email from plus.net later that day saying there was a delay, and that further details would be forthcoming. They weren't, so I had to ring up, and my details were passed to the supplier department. A couple of days later, I was informed that a new engineer needed to be booked as the installation had been unsuccessful. Quoting directly from the email, it said, "Please make sure you give us correct details to pass on to the engineer, as this was the reason for the installation not being successful. Please note: there will be a re-booking fee for the appointment." So, apparently it was all my fault, and I would be charged for it.
I rang up plus.net, very upset. The lady on the phone was very nice, and told me that an engineer had been sent to my flat that day and no one had answered. Not surprising. considering no one had even told me he was coming. However, she promised there would be no extra charges for missing this "appointment," which is just as well because the fee would have been £40-50. She said she would pass my details onto the supplier department, and get it chased up. I had to ring up again to get any inofrmation, but a mere two days later, another email said another engineer had been booked for the 18th of march.
I was not happy about another wait, but wait I did. When the engineer showed up, he did exactly the same things as the first engineer, and repeated virtually word for word what the first engineer had said. Something needed to be added to The Exchange. Apparently, no one had given this new engineer any of the information from the first engineer. (??!) However, he said this external work would be done quickly, and he would ring me when it was. Like a fool, I believed him, but it wasn't, and he didn't. I heard nothing, and so once again I had to ring up plus.net, who again kicked it over to the supplier department. I heard back on the 20th, promising that The Exchange work would be done by the 25th, and I would be contacted with a new appointment for an engineer once it was.The 25th came and went, and I heard nothing. I again had to ring up plus.net, who passed my enquiry onto the supplier department, once again. I just heard back. The work that was supposed to be done on The Exchange was not. Now, a "multi skilled engineer" will complete this work by the 1st of April, and I will be contacted with a new appointment for an engineer then.
I feel like I've very patient, but in an odd way, I also feel like I've been robbed. £70 is a lot of money for me, for anyone I suppose, and I have paid for something I have not received. The staff on plus.net phones are always polite, apologetic and friendly, and I feel like they're trying to help. However, quite frankly, I'd prefer it if they were rude if it meant I might actually get somewhere. An argument could be made that it isn't plus.net's fault as they are having to wait on their external supplier, but I feel plus.net should make their supplier move a little faster in the name of good customer service. Every time I've wanted information, I had to ring up plus.net to chase it. I can't think of another service or product where I would have to wait a month and half after paying this amount of money and still not receive anything, and have this be okay. I don't think this is okay. There's no other word for this than shoddy. Right now, I wouldn't recommend plus.net to anyone even if I was paid to do it. It's lucky I was still within my 30-day cancellation period with T-Mobile for the MiFi I have off them, so I could extend that contract, otherwise, I'd have no internet at all.
If, after the 1st of April, I have to chase up plus.net just to see what's going on, and nothing has still been done, I'm seriously considering cancelling my contract, and going elsewhere.
I'm going onto normal Broadband, so unfortunately connecting through the modem is not possible. And I live in Wolverhampton, which according to Google is almost two hours away from Wellingborough, so I guess that's not really an option ether. But like I say, thank you very much. It actually made my day.
