Plusnet? More like Plus-naught: Mobile data on the fritz for days for some unlucky punters

Plusnet Mobile subscribers say their smartphones have been unable to reach the internet via the cellular network for several days. Affected punters tell us they just can't get their mobile handsets to connect to the web via the Plusnet cellular network. Plusnet Mobile, launched in November, piggybacks on BT's EE network. "A …

[Anonymous Coward]

You can put your trust in us!

Joined PlusNet on Weds 4th, gave my PAC code at the time of signing up. Took them until Monday 9th to port my number. Had no data whatsoever, on either the temporary SIM they sent or once my old number was ported. Called them numerous times (at least 30 mins wait to customer services each time). Raised the issue of why they had not sent out text messages or put anything on their website to alert customers to the problem and was told by the member of staff - "Hmm, yes, I had suggested this too and we were told that the business did not want to do that."

They obviously prefer thousands of customers wasting their own time and clogging up their call centre. Not a good start to my new mobile contract. Thankfully it's only 30 days. How they handle and resolve this will determine whether I stay with them or not.

[Anthony 13]

Working for me now....

Lesson is never initiate the transfer of your number until you are happy the new service is working. I didn't do that and feel lucky that I only lost a half day of data access as I kept using my old provider until the number changed hands. Doesn't bode particularly well for the future though... At least it is month to month and you can easily change if it stays unreliable.

[JetSetJim]

Re: Working for me now....

Is there any reason to not see if your current provider will price match to at least something resembling what you asked for on PlusNet? Saves the porting hassle...

[eJ2095]

Lifemobile

I had a lifemobile 3g sim.

They launched teh offer for 10 quid so signed up.

Got sent a new plusnet sim to replace old one.

Had no 4g data for 2 weeks.

Rang up again to be told i would have to be sent another 3g life mobile activate that sim then stick in another 4g sim and activate that and all was well..

What a game though

[Pete Smith 2]

I seem to be the only person on the planet with no trouble!

I ordered 3 sims ~ 20th December. Delivered about the 23rd.

2 of them didn't work in my wife and daughters iPhones straight as the phones were locked to ID (even though Three had unlocked them prior to our switch to ID - the unlock must have been a temporary one).

Mine was dropped into my phone (Wileyfox Storm) and just worked. As it's EE, the coverage is way better than with ID (runs on top of Three) - bits of the house that had no signal at all on ID/Three now have full 4G. Requested a number port on Monday Dec 26th, and was ported by Wed (2 working days).

Requested ID to unlock the 2 iPhones. This took ~7 days (over the Christmas break). Numbers were ported as soon as we saw the unlock messages. Port took 2 days, and we've now got 3 SIMs, all running happy with data, and no problems.

Looks like we were lucky.

[Vince]

I'll give Plusmet some credit. They're consistently terrible at support.

They are at least subjecting customers on the mobile service to the same poor service you get on business and residential broadband.

[AMBxx]

Must admit, I'm starting to worry. I've never had a problem with their BB support, but the stories keep multiplying.

Fortunately, my mobile is done through Five Bars who have been great so far. May need ot move my BB at some point if these stories continue.

[Little Mouse]

"consistently terrible at support"

I was with them for three years or so from 2008, and at the time their support was consistently fantastic, especially compared to the wall-of-silence approach that I'd had from every other provider previously.

Sounds like things have gone seriously downhill.

[Fatboy40]

Given PAC code 21/12/2017, still not ported

I've had a SIM with what was Life Mobile, the MVNO that was run by Phones 4 U and then managed directly by EE when they went into administration, since June 2016 and everything was perfect. I then decided to move another number, from The People's Operator, to them as well.

I had my new Plusnet Mobile SIM up and running in the 1st week of December 2016 then got my PAC code and started the port with them on 21/12/2016.

It's now the morning of 11/1/2017 and the number has still now been ported.

S**t happens, I know, however the real kick in the teeth has been the total lack of customer service. I've not been kept in the loop, no direct communication from them, I only get a response from them when I myself kick up a fuss, and I've been told things by them that were straight up lies and contradicted by other customer service employees.

It's the lack of honesty and appropriate customer service that so disappointing.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Given PAC code 21/12/2017, still not ported

I'm also moving from TPO and I gave them the PAC on 2/12/2016 (yes, 2nd - before the service was officially available) - the same day the PAC was generated.

It still hasn't been actioned.

I've now given them a second PAC as the first expired before they processed it.

Fingers crossed it'll work this time, but I'm doubtful.

But back to the story, the data service hasn't been a problem for me.

[Fihart]

Yeww !!

Read that as Pusnet.

Another part of the putrefying BT network.

[magickmark]

Budget Problem

"Plusnet Mobile: unlimited calls and 4GB of 4G data for £10 a month"

Well if you pay peanuts you should expect monkeys!!

[Anonymous South African Coward]

plusnet giving your blood pressure a definite plus

[ad47uk]

I thought i would change from Vodafone to plusnet to save money, my first sim had no data, I just got the second sim and I have no signal at all.

Stick it i will get a refund of my first payment and stay with Vodafone, try and get a deal from them or try Giff gaff.

[allthecoolshortnamesweretaken]

Totally off-topic tangent (TOTT):

I know a guy whose first name is Fritz. Not Friedrich or anything like that, Fritz. And he really isn't happy with the term "on the fritz". Maybe because I keep forwarding him news reports like this one, but who can tell?

[Nicholas McGee 1]

Never again

In the last half of my second 24 month business fibre broadband contract with Plusnet. How the mighty have fallen - the customer service staff make up for their incompetence with arrogance and attitude these days, apparently with full co-operation of the higher ranks.

I'm counting down the invoices, the calendar reminder is set. No amount of special offers is going to keep me onboard this time.

Oh Zen Internet, won't you please take me back?

[yatsura2016]

Really frustrating, I've just ported my number over from Three, who provide no service where I live. So now I've got service and anywhere else I go I've got no data.

Was I about to call them about this issue and then found this on el Reg, so poor communication is the business plan. Fortunately, it is only a monthly sim only. So I got a feeling I be moving soon

[Pete4000uk]

Let me think...

I honestly can't remember the last time I had a problem with my FTTC connection. Maybe my pipes are well flushed out

[Lotaresco]

Yes, Plusnet are becoming awful

The support team were good and would often go "above and beyond" the call of duty to sort things out. BT originally didn't seem to interfere much but recently (12-18months) support seems to be becoming BT support standard. A problem at the local exchange took broadband off-line for my business (which we pay for at business rates) for three weeks as they pissed about trying to do something. In typically BT style they now always start with a refusal to log a call until some pantomime of "turn it on and off again" has been done. After that there's a scripted response which will take forever to run through.

Getting it fixed will involve OpenRetch turning up at our premises to tell us the problem isn't in our premises. Then going away again. Days later they will appear at the exchange and tell us there's a fault at the exchange. Then weeks later someone will fix it.

Mail seems to a particular issue at the moment. Several customers have complained that mail is bounced by PlusNet. PlusNet won't raise a call about this and in fact have been rude, surly and downright snotty about the issue saying we have to send them the failed email. Since they are bouncing all mail from those customers, how do they expect the customers to get that mail to us or to PlusNet support?

[Anonymous Coward]

EE

Its like the whole thing with BT and OpenReach. Plusnet are relying on EE to sort it out so they are at their mercy.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: BT plc

" Plusnet are relying on EE to sort it out so they are at their mercy."

BT plc (trading as Plusnet) are relying on BT plc (trading as EE) to er what was your point again?

The buck stops with BT plc. Stop the bucks flowing into BT plc and see what happens.

[bin]

Not all bad

OK, I'll admit that PN have not been perfect. However, apart from a couple of bumps I've had no real problems since 2014. When there have been issues with BB/Phone it has always been BT related.

Problems with lose connection at exchange, problems with some dodgy old faceplate, and the last which was a real puzzler. Openreach engineer #1 was a phone engineer who did loads of tests and pronounced phone line OK despite the obvious continual background hum - bit like motorway from a couple of miles away. Broadband engineer muttered a bit then went out side and looked at connector box on the power pole we have next to the garage. Opened up and bits of connector fell out - wiring black and corroded/manky.

Replaced box and reconnected - job done.

We're in a bit of a blackspot for mobile but testing with an EE sim suggested that it would be better than Tescomobile/O2 who I'm with. I do use Three (PAYG sim with wifi dialling v good) as a backup but again spotty cover.

Ordered sim which arrived before xmas. Fitted to old HTC 510 - worked fine. Get 3 bars where none previously. Using data in places where it never worked before. OK, I haven't tried porting my number yet - may not bother.

I can't help but wonder how much of the problems being experienced is down to PN being given the run around by EE.

[Anonymous Coward]

Gets worse with the silly advert

I am in the same boat. New porting (took 4 days) and no data. It didnt even show 4G first 2 days.

To rub it in, every time I see the stupidest advert on TV about "good ole yorkshire" shit, makes my blood boil. What a cheek ! Cant understand what they are on about, when the ground reality is so opposite.

BT arrogance and lowest common denominator standards have truly percolated into Plusnet culture.