Using OFCOM.

Robisere · 24 September 2018 at 10:30PM

I have FTTC with Plusnet and am having a terrible time trying to get BT OR to disconnect from a cabinet almost 1 Km away and reconnect to a new cabinet just around the corner from me (Maybe 150Metres).

The problem is not with Plusnet, but OR. I have a complete record of Plusnet in their Member Centre, challenging OR and actually arguing with them, standing my corner and regularly keeping me informed by email and text. This was originally begun by Plusnet on July 21st this year, as a result of speeds falling from 12Mbps on 14/05/18, to 2.2Mbps on 19/05/18.

OR say that there is no Fibre capacity from the new cabinet and they cannot reconnect until "local engineering works" are finished. I drive the area every day and have not seen any evidence of this: no OR works at any location. To add insult to injury, OR's last message to Plusnet was that I could have ADSL! That's what I had before going FTTC and I was lucky to get 1.5Mbps downloads!

So I am considering going to OFCOM: does anyone here have any experience of using them? Or any other advice to give? I welcome any help, thanks. If any BT rep is reading this (is that a good joke?) I would like them to explain. I want to upgrade my Plusnet service and take their TV service too, but without a decent speed I cannot do that.

iniltous · 24 September 2018 at 10:58PM

You complain about Openreach, then throw in a remark about BT ?,

It's unclear what exactly you expect....the normal network architecture is your home is served from a DP (distribution point ) which in turn is served from a cabinet ( primary connection point) basically the cable from the DP runs back to its serving PCP....the only way your serving DP would be served from a different PCP , is if a network rearrangement was taking place and it wouldn't just be your line, but every line on the DP, and probably other many other DP's would be moved at the same time...this isn't something you can insist on, or request...the amount of work and costs could be considerable.

If for some reason OR have already decided to do this , you would benefit,but if they haven't decided to do a network rearrangement you certainly don't have any 'right' to insist they undertake this type of work, your 30p a day line rental doesn't give you any bargaining power.

Is it the case you have been told that there is already planned work for this, and it's just that the work hasn't started , if that is the case who told you this work is being done , and how do they know the timescale ?, if it's the case that you and Plusnet would like OR to do this , then there is nothing wrong with you hoping they do this work , but they have absolutely no need to follow your or Plusnets wishes, you certainly cannot dictate where OR commit their resources ...this may change if/when the USO for broadband is introduced , but the terms of that have yet to be decided let alone introduced

littleboo · 25 September 2018 at 9:49AM

As above, lines can’t normally be switched between cabinets. If Openreach have voluntarily agreed to do this, then it would likely involve some digging and the necessary permits. Two months since it was first raised isn’t very long,

Robisere · 25 September 2018 at 8:30PM

I looked for advice regarding using OFCOM. I received a couple of lectures about anything but OFCOM. Thanks for nothing.

littleboo · 25 September 2018 at 8:34PM

"So I am considering going to OFCOM: does anyone here have any experience of using them? Or any other advice to give?"

Maybe check your own post?

onomatopoeia99 · 25 September 2018 at 8:55PM

OFCOM do not handle complaints from individuals, so you can't "use" them. Your contract is with Plusnet, they are the only entity that you can complain to, or if the complaint goes unresolved for eight weeks, to whichever ADR scheme they subscribe to.

The information iniltous gave you is completely accurate. You have no right to have your line moved to be served from a different cabinet and this is not normally possible, so complaining it is not being done fast enough is unlikely to achieve anything.

Robisere · 28 September 2018 at 11:07PM

Well it worked!

Bt OR are reconnecting on my street over the last few days, expecting my turn tomorrow.

FYI: I have a long list of all the steps taken by Plusnet, from their website Member Centre. Earlier today I phoned their Support and an experienced Tech guy spent over an hour between my call and his callback, to work through my problem. I have great respect for PN, they have helped me several times over the years and it is so good to talk to an English voice.

iniltous · 29 September 2018 at 9:32AM

Robisere wrote: »

Well it worked!

Bt OR are reconnecting on my street over the last few days, expecting my turn tomorrow.

FYI: I have a long list of all the steps taken by Plusnet, from their website Member Centre. Earlier today I phoned their Support and an experienced Tech guy spent over an hour between my call and his callback, to work through my problem. I have great respect for PN, they have helped me several times over the years and it is so good to talk to an English voice.

FYI, it's just Openreach , not BT Openreach.
I find it a little odd that (IMHO) you throw in the 'BT' when ( as the kids would say ) disrespecting Openreach , but don't quote 'BT' when heaping praise on PN, both PN and OR are part of 'BT' , you use 'BT' ( incorrectly) when referring to OR , who you obviously have low regard for , and omit 'BT' ( which is correct) when referring to PN.
Chances are nothing either you or Plusnet did 'worked' , it's probably planned OR work that would have happened regardless, referencing 'BT' when BT have no involvement with whatever your issues were , is odd

Using OFCOM.

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