Seriously, guys. Openreach need a kick up the arse... - REF 69017190

[#1]

Now, I know you rely on Openreach for installing the lines properly, but that bunch of morons seem completely unacountable to me, the customer, so I'm afraid you're going to have to bear the brunt of my frustration.
I was supposed to have a phone line and broadband activated at my new place on the 12th of April.
I got emails from yourselves saying everything is just peachy, and I am getting a line speed of 7.5 MBit.
Turns out the number you said I would have is not the one that's connected to my phone line and I have no broadband access. Surprise surprise, the Openreach drone managed to get lines crossed.
I got an email saying I should expect eveyrhing to work by the end of the 7th of MAY (!). I obviously had no high expectations, having been on the receiving end of Openreach's incompetence before. And, sure enough, still no joy with either the phone or the broadband connection.
So this is 3 weeks with no service now. Am I getting my monthly fee reduced accordingly? And how, oh HOW can I complain about that monopoly of sheer incompetent idiots?
SO angry right now! Or are they going to claim MBORC again? Maybe the sun has been shining too much or some stupid excuse like that...

[#2]

The problem contractually is that you are not the customer so no they are not accountable to you.
BTOR is a sub-supplier to Plusnet, you are Plusnet's customer.
Actually I agree with you, BTOR need to get better, they need to employ more staff, and take more time fixing faults for the long term, defective equipment needs to be replaced rather than bodged up.
The costs to you and me need to go up substantially, -  broadband is far too cheap.
In the USA I recently read that Comcast is charging $34/month initally rising to $64/month thereafter for  - wait for it  - a 20Mbps service.
That's just the broadband - the phone is on top
(If find that a bit steep you can have the 'cheaper' 6Mbps service for $50/month if you prefer!)
Thats' more like it.

[#3]

Hi acarneiro,
Sorry to hear of your wait for your services, I can see we've been able to confirm a install date for next month which is the earliest available to us.
I've added a discount to your account so you're not charged for the services until your services are active at premises.
I'll keep an eye on your account on make sure this now goes through with no further hiccups.

[#4]

@acarneiro
Complain to OFCOM.They will no doubt try and fob you off and tell you to complain to your ISP/CP. Tell them that you have already done that, however although the ISP is do their best, there is still too long a wait for Openreach to resolve the problem. Apart from which that's not relevant, they are the Regulator, you want your complaint about Openreach incompetence logged and a reference number for it. Be persistent if need be.

[#5]

To the OP I would advise that serious pressure to the posteriors of the various unhelpful parties (all of which are subsidiaries of the BT Group) to encourage a faster resolution can usually be applied by visiting the www.ceoemail.com website
On the said site under UK companies email addresses for the CEO of Plusnet, BT Group and BT Openreach are all freely available for anyone who feels like doing so to use.
The customer service droids will of course be on here straight away to complain that this is not a documented procedure and to say you would be far better off waiting for them to take weeks and weeks messing you around using their standard procedures, often without any effective resolution.
The reality is that if you want some serious action right now you will ignore this advice and will instead make use of the email addresses freely publicly available to anyone who feels like using them at www.ceoemail.com

[#6]

<posted in error>

[#7]

Don't get me wrong, I've always had top service from PlusNet. On the few occasions when I had to contact tech support I found staff to be helpful, knowleadgeable (rather than just "script monkeys") and I recommend PlusNet as an ISP to all my friends who ask for advice.
My gripe is with Openreach. They are a lying, incompetent, unaccountable monopoly the sort of which really shouldn't be allowed to exist in teh 21st century. They have us, the ISPs and everyone else over a barrel and there seems to be no end in sight for this farce!
Chris, I really do appreciate your gesture and I hope you didn't think I was having a go at PlusNet. But the customer is, apparently, completely inconsequential to Openreach so I'm afraid you guys have to bear the brunt of our dissatisfaction. I just hope that you collate evidence of Openreach's incompetence and pass it on to them and, hopefully, to the regulatory bodies.
Something needs to be done.

[#8]

[cynic hat on]
I suspect that certain senior Plusnet staff will have been "advised" not to make a fuss.
[/cynic hat off]
As I remarked earlier I still strongly advise you to complain to OFCOM about Openreach's failings and make sure they log it. Until enough people do complain, the situation is unlikely to change.

[#9]

I have complained to Ofcom, but I fear this will be to no avail.... I just don't think enough end-users realise that many of their gripes with their ISP are, in fact, due to Openreach incompetence...

[#10]

Very true, but we've just got to keep plugging away at it.

[#11]

I would also suggest writing to your MP too.

[#12]

Your County Councillor or single councillor (in a Unitary authority) might make more difference if you live in a rural area as the council is usually the body who has to cough up to fibre upgrade all the exchanges which Openreach says it would never make a profit on if it did with its own money.
adie:quote

[#13]

Hi all - just wanted to keep this thread about OpenReach alive and add a quick summary of my own experience. Very sorry to hear about the problems you've been having, but you'll be pleased to know you're not alone.
We've just moved into a new house after being out of the country in Canada for the past 15 years. I have to admit to being stumped as to why it takes a minimum of 3 weeks to get connected when the previous owner had a BT line and equipment, but I guess that's just how things go. Anyway after waiting 3 weeks for an engineer to visit, waiting in all day for them to arrive and numerous calls to PlusNet throughout the day, the engineer failed to show. Pretty bad, but then PlusNet sends an email saying the installation was cancelled and we would have to wait another 2 weeks - and pay for the cancellation!
After several angry calls to customer support, I suppose they got fed up and offered to refund the charge (I should think so too). The new appointment was scheduled for a week later. The house is in the country and can be a bit difficult to find - although more than two dozen delivery people have managed to find it in the past few weeks, including the guys that delivered the router. Despite that, we sent additional instructions by email, gave instructions over the phone and even created a map. Turns out PlusNet are only able to provide 40 characters of additional info to the engineer and no attachments. The second appointment date rolls around and we call PlusNet every 60-90 minutes for an update (kinda pointless but it makes us feel as though we are doing something). Anyway no call from the engineer, no text, no email, no show - again!!
I have complained bitterly to the PlusNet support team and written to Ofcom. I understand this isn't PlusNet's fault exactly, but since we have no direct line to OpenReach, they must act as the advocate for their client and take whatever means necessary to improve the appalling service. Every appointment is costing PlusNet 50 quid, so they should be just as angry as we are.
I really have no idea what else we can humanly do to help ensure the next appointment (hopefully less than 2 weeks) happens, but unless PlusNet start standing up to OpenReach, I suspect that PlusNet customers will continue to suffer and eventually move to providers that have a better track record of getting OpenReach to do their job.

[#14]

Quote from: orielhouse1

I really have no idea what else we can humanly do to help ensure the next appointment (hopefully less than 2 weeks) happens, but unless PlusNet start standing up to OpenReach, I suspect that PlusNet customers will continue to suffer and eventually move to providers that have a better track record of getting OpenReach to do their job.

My suggestion is that you visit www.ceoemail.com and send an email outlining you recent experiences to the CEO of Plusnet with cc to the CEO of BT Retail and the CEO of BT Openreach.
I think your problems will then be resolved within a matter of hours or days instead of within either several weeks or months.  If you keep only drawing your problems to the attention of customer services persons at Plusnet then unfortunately you will get nowhere as they seem quite content to let BT mess their customers around and in general punish them for daring not to take their broadband direct from BT Retail.

[#15]

It was recently drawn to my attention that Plusnet can claim £45 for a missed appointment by BT Openreach http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/updates/briefings/generalbriefings/generalbriefingsarticles/gen... .  I don't know how much of that sum they would pass on to you.