Plusnet issues.

pullenuk

Plusnet have gateway servers like everyone else which are responsible between you are the internet. They have several of them. You could have both next door neighbours on plusnet and all three of you could be on different gateways.

When a gateway goes down you get dropped off. Usually powering down and rebooting your router often gets you back online as it reconnects you to a different gateway. Sometimes it doesn't because you haven't given enough time when turning your router off.

However problems are caused when too many people try to get online overloading other gateways therefore you might not get back on.

Plusnet are pretty reliable. Outrages on their side doesn't happen that often and doesn't effect everyone. A fair few outrages also happen at your local exchange or on the BT network which are out of Plusnet control

Pincher

Who knows what really happened.
There was an old favourite: DNS Server down. They just trot it out so you think they answered your question.
Maybe the Russians were doing a bot attack to blackmail PlusNet.


The thing I am amazed by is a techie who actually knows what a gateway is would talk to a customer. It's like NHS Direct hiring real doctors to sit in call centres.