My plusnet phone not working

Mchambers

Hi all,

My plusnet phone stopped working yesterday. B/band is fine. I just can't get a dial tone on the phone. Reported it to Plusnet and they have had to involve BT openreach as they both think there is a problem on my local exchange.

I am now having to use my PAYG mobile to make and receive phone calls. Not ideal as I have recently had a family bereavement so the family want to talk regularly.

Plusnet have offered to refund my line rental costs until BT fix the problem. Interestingly I have found out this afternoon, BT O/reach were at a neighbours house 2 doors away at the time I started to get the problems. For info, I was talking to my eldest niece when the call suddenly was cut off and I then found that I couldn't get a dialling tone.

Perhaps I am putting 2+2 to get five but it is very suspect.

My question is whether to get additional compensation from BT for my mobile phone calls, whether I can pressure on them as I really need my landline and whether to escalate to OFCOM if BT don't play ball.

Please advise.

Buzby

No - you have a residential line so there is no compensation payable - as long as you are not paying for services you're not receiving. Business line customers get a Service guarantee, and compensation if not fixed the same day.

By all means, ask - but you cannot insist.

Robin9

Your supplier is Plusnet not BT…

macman

As above. How do you expect to get compensation from a company with whom you have no contract?

pendragon_arther

Sounds like the BT guy maybe cocked up your wiring in the 'cabinet'.

force_ten

openreach own the line that comes from the local exchange to your house, but your service provider and your only point of contact is plusnet

both openreach and plusnet are part of the BT group but you are not a bt customer so why should they pay you compensation?

makemdano

In my (limited) experience its unusual to have data and not voice as data requires a more resilient connection. If you're on fibre that may not be the case. If you have a dual primary socket have you tried a filter in between the socket and telephone

Mchambers

makemdano wrote: »

In my (limited) experience its unusual to have data and not voice as data requires a more resilient connection. If you're on fibre that may not be the case. If you have a dual primary socket have you tried a filter in between the socket and telephone

No.... I am not on fibre.

Interestingly when the BT engineer turned up at approx 1515hrs, he opened the manhole cover opposite to my neighbours house and, amazingly after a few minutes work, my phone suddenly started to work. I said nothing to him at the time.

After a few minutes, he came to my door to advise me that he had found a problem and then proceeded to disappear for a long time (I assume either to my phone & b/band cabinet or to my exchange). Whilst at my door, I advised him that my phone had started to work but he continued to insist that he had found a problem.

He returned to my place at approx 1600hrs and removed the manhole cover again.

During his visit, I continually lost my phone and b/band connections.

After 1700hrs, he returned to my door to advise me that he had fixed the problem (something to do with a battery causing me issues). He also advised me that his shift had now finished and he was going home.

I need to advise that I do find all of the above very suspicious. Wot does everyone else think as I am not an expert ?

I am liaising with BT and Plusnet to see if I will get compensation.

brewerdave

It is entirely possible to maintain a broadband connection on one wire whereas the telephone requires two, a live and an earth carrying ~ 50v; sounds like you had a battery contact fault which was disrupting the telephone signal by one of the wires shorting to another.

mwarby

makemdano wrote: »

In my (limited) experience its unusual to have data and not voice as data requires a more resilient connection. If you're on fibre that may not be the case. If you have a dual primary socket have you tried a filter in between the socket and telephone

In my experience the opposite, ADSL is rate adaptive and will work (very slowly) on bad lines. In fact ADSL will work with only 1 of the 2 wires that make up your phone line which will appear completely dead voice wise(one leg dis, is techhy term).

Its worth doing a speedtest after fault is fixed, as your line can become capped at the slower speed, this can be removed in minutes by plusnet however

macman

As already pointed out, you will not get compensation from BT because you have no contract with them. neither will you receive compensation from Plusnet, because there is no service level agreement on a residential line. You are entitled to a credit for the downtime only-that's it.