Disastrous Experience with PLUSNET = BEWARE!

exprog

Obviously some people are so dumb they really shouldn't be allowed to use computers.

kwikbreaks

The real villain of this piece is Belkin for defaulting to WiFi on with no encryption.

If you have an Android phone download Wardrive and take a tour of your local area. Near both my home and work the vast majority of the unsecured networks (apart from FON/OpenZone which are only open to a landing page where you log in) are Belkin models running their default SSIDs and no encryption. I also see the odd linksys SSID but very few others.

victor2

kwikbreaks wrote: »

The real villain of this piece is Belkin for defaulting to WiFi on with no encryption.

If you have an Android phone download Wardrive and take a tour of your local area. Near both my home and work the vast majority of the unsecured networks (apart from FON/OpenZone which are only open to a landing page where you log in) are Belkin models running their default SSIDs and no encryption. I also see the odd linksys SSID but very few others.

Funny you should say that. Of the 9 my computer can detect around my house, apart from a BTFON one, the only unsecured one is a Belkin. I've figured out which house it is and am tempted to knock at the door and tell them. It's too far away for me to actually connect to anyway, but inSSIDer can see it if I fiddle with my antenna!:)

kwikbreaks

The OP was probably unlucky that he lives near a scumbag who was prepared to actually break the law and use his unsecured connection. I suspect most unsecured connections probably don't get abused.

Luckily ACS Law are now defunct otherwise there could have been a threatening letter demanding money for some hookey downloads. I'm assuming if the downloader had been after kiddy fiddling material the door would have been kicked in and any computers confiscated days ago.

AdamBrunt

kwikbreaks wrote: »

The OP was probably unlucky that he lives near a scumbag who was prepared to actually break the law and use his unsecured connection.

I must have missed something ... when did doing this become illegal ? immoral yes but illegal ?

kwikbreaks

1990
Lifted from Wikipedia as I cba to track down a more definitive source

The Computer Misuse Act 1990, section 1 reads:[16]

(1) A person is guilty of an offence if—

(a) he causes a computer to perform any function with intent to secure access to any program or data held in any computer;
(b) the access he intends to secure is unauthorised; and
(c) he knows at the time when he causes the computer to perform the function that is the case.

In London, 2005, Gregory Straszkiewicz was the first person to be convicted of a related crime, "dishonestly obtaining an electronics communication service" (under s.125 Communications Act 2003). Local residents complained that he was repeatedly trying to gain access to residential networks with a laptop from a car. There was no evidence that he had any other criminal intent.[17] He was fined £500 and given a 12-month conditional discharge.[18]

In early 2006, two other individuals were arrested and received an official caution for "dishonestly obtaining electronic communications services with intent to avoid payment."[19][20]

RandolphR

Hope this might help customers who are looking for ISP or have had problems with products/service.


New complaint rules
Ofcom's report was released in the same week that new rules came into force requiring telecoms providers to do more to help customers resolve complaints.
Under the new regulations, which were introduced on 22 July, consumers will now have the right to go to the communications arm of the Ombudsman Service or CISAS if their complaint is left unresolved for eight weeks. From here a legally binding decision on the dispute will be made by one of the services — both of which are free, independent and approved by Ofcom.
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http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/UK-worst-broadband-provider-yahoofinanceuk-2188967645.html
· 2 minutes ago Report Abuse

i was originally with bt on an 18 month contract and not happy with the services they gave, so i changed to plusnet. broadband only at first, due to being conn'd by a cold call so i had my phone with another company.PLUSNET TOLD ME ONCE THEY RECEIVE PAYMENT OF 4.99 THEY WILL SEND ME THE BOX. 3 WEEKS WENT BY AND I THEN RECEIVED THE BOX. ON the change over date there was a problem..8-4-2011 they said that BT, which is there supplier had updated there system which was causing the problem. For over 2 MONTHS i had no internet. DURING THAT TIME i found out they had not received payment as i was charged at my bank due to my phone company italk, as they had taken money out of my account without any notification, SO I WAS CHARGED by my bank. They were sending me emails but as i said i had no internet. They were sending me updates on my phone, about my broadband and i had called maybe 3 times during that 2 months.on the 27-5-11 i had an email saying that my internet was on. which i found to be not true, on the 4-6-11 i got a text that i was switched on. they were RIGHT.. i had then changed my phone to them. which was no prob change me over on the 8-6-11.THEN ON THE 13-6-11 I RECEIVED AN EMAIL SAYING THEY WILL BE TAKING A PAYMENT FOR £5.60 OUT ON THE 16-6-11 WHICH I ASSUMED WAS THE OUT STANDING BALANCE. then i try'd to look at my account on the 25-6-11 and I COULDN'T LOG IN, so i called plusnet. they told me i was due to me not paying that 4.99 for the box it was sent to a debt collections. i was confused as they had just taken payment from my bank and told them to send me another email and a date when they will take payment. he said ok i will have to pass it on to someone else as he was not qualified. then i received an email saying:

Dear Mr walton,
We have received the information from finance regarding the amount which would need to be paid to re-provide service to you. The amount due is as follows:

Deferred setup:£25
Deferred hardware:£40
Cessation: £25
Invoice 26329600: £4.99
Call charges: £3.82
Total: £98.81

If a re-provide is needed a further £25 activation fee must be paid or deferred

Please advise if you wish to pay these charges so we can re-provide service. Please note, we can only re-provide upon full payment of these charges.

Kind regards,

Ben Hartley

i was not happy of course. so i called them, they said they could wave the £40 but not the 2x£25.

i am still receiving internet and phone??????? i don't uderstand they had just taken £5.60 out of my account...

i told them i want to talk with a manager. waiting as we speak????

Plusnet_company_representative

Hi there,

I can't find any of the details you mention above on your account, and this doesn't seem to relate to any of the issues you've mentioned previously. Do you have more than one account with us?

jack_spratt_2

As he likes to think any person who does not agree with him is a employee of Plusnet maybe he works for another ISP himself with the intention to discredit the plusnet name .

To give you some advice with regarding complaining in future be clear and concise of the nature of your complaint ,log down who you speak too and at what time ,tell them what outcome you expect and give time scales to achieve it ,escalate your complaint early to a senior member of staff,be pleasant as nobody will try to help a person with an aggressive manner .

Reading your posts they make no sense and if you present your complaint in that manner I am not surprised of the difficultly you have faced All ISPs will have some customer service problems but plusnet seemed to have bent over backwards to help you

THEY WILL SEND ME THE BOX. 3 WEEKS WENT BY AND I THEN RECEIVED THE BOX

Myself if it had not arrived within 2 days I would have been on the phone to them also I thought you had gone to PC world to buy a new router .

One last thing which may apply to you depending on the type of exchange you have did you think to get a MAC code when you cancelled or will this be another failure on plusnet for not telling you should asked for one before you leave

RandolphR

The cut-and paste I did on the last post does not refer to my experience not but one I had seen on the web at this address which

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http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/UK-...188967645.html
· 2 minutes ago Report Abuse

thanks