This topic

Telephone

Sportsmad2 — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 09:12:26 GMT

I have thanks to a BT or Openreach been left without a phone or full fibre broadband .

People are still ringing my old number which I am keeping when I go digital.

How do I access the messages left?and how do I change the message telling callers to leave message.

Thanks

Re: Telephone

Peter_W — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 07:51:00 GMT

Good morning @Sportsmad2.

Thanks for reaching out to us on the BT Community.

Could you please let us know a bit more about what has happened to cause you to lose access to your number at the moment?

Also has our team given you any indication on when this is likely to be back up and running?

Peter

Re: Telephone

Sportsmad2 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 08:11:45 GMT

Thanks for you response.

I was a long time customer of Plusnet with fibre to cabinet and telephone. My road after a lot of excavation was advertised as now being fibre to house so I ordered being passed by plusnet to BT as I wanted a digital phone keeping my existing number. The date for completion was given as 4th October.

Openreach did a preliminary visit and advised that it needed more pavement excavation to complete the project and advised there might be a delay on the 4th. Unfortunately BT thought the project would go ahead as scheduled and cut off my traditional broadband and telephone.

I spoke to BT who were very apologetic and accepted responsibility but said they were unable to reconnect the traditional broadband and phone.

They offered a 4g router and some extra data for our mobile phones but could not do anything about our land line.

Openreach have to obtain permission from the local authority and there is likely to be a substantial delay. If you ring my old number you get told to leave a message. I want to access those messages.

Re: Telephone

Peter_W — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 10:00:52 GMT

Thanks @Sportsmad2, if this phone service has now been disconnected, I'm surprised it's even diverting to the answerphone full stop.

Did your phone service switch over to BT prior to being disconnected, or did this stick with Plusnet right up to the point it stopped working?

Peter

Re: Telephone

Sportsmad2 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 10:03:37 GMT

I was with Plusnet to the point of cut off.

Re: Telephone

Peter_W — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 10:14:01 GMT

Ahh okay, if that's the case then you may need to check with them directly @Sportsmad2.

We want to be sure everything with the old account has been shut down correctly, as this could be the reason it's still diverting.

I can't guarantee they'll have the option to retrieve any messages though, but it's definitely worth a try.

You can find all the details for contacting them here:

Plusnet Report A Problem | Help | Plusnet

Peter

Re: Telephone

Sportsmad2 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 12:21:19 GMT

Thanks for suggestion but they are unable to assist.

Re: Telephone

Peter_W — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:24:18 GMT

Thanks for giving that a try anyway, @Sportsmad2.

Did they confirm that the account and connection were fully disconnected?

When the number eventually is reconnected on BT, it will be on Digital Voice which is an entirely separate platform.

I don't believe any messages will be retrievable from your time using the number with PlusNet, as this isn't information we would have ever had on file.

Peter

Re: Telephone

Sportsmad2 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:20:21 GMT

The bloke answering was very pleasant and understanding but could only confirm the account was completely closed and couldn't offer any way forward. He suggested the messages will all be in a server in the cloud but again was unsure they could ever be recovered.

One message at least was from a Hospital and important ,although I've managed to get a further appoiuntment. The problem is that I have always used my home phone number as it has always proved far more reliable than my mobile as our network coverage in this rural area is scratchy.

Re: Telephone

Peter_W — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:56:22 GMT

I really wish there were more we could do from our end to get you access to this @Sportsmad2, but like I said it's not information BT would have ever held.

Please keep us posted on how things go with the installation; I'm confident that we'll be aiming for the soonest possible date for getting this up and running, but when planning needs to be involved this does add an extra degree of complexity.

If there is any aspect of the experience you've had here that you're unhappy with, then I'd still like to highlight our complaints process should you need it anywhere down the line.

I'll keep everything crossed the permission to get the works completed is sorted quickly too.

Peter

Re: Telephone

Sportsmad2 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:36:21 GMT

Peter.

Thanks anyway for your responses. My problem is annoying but hopefully we will be connected soon

You forget how the use of broadband affects your life. No security cameras, no Alexa and setting up things like a printer is difficult.

Thanks again. I hope I don't have to go down the formal complaint road. The BT and Plusnet people have done what they can now

The more important issue is the linking of BT order process with OpenReach work.

Regards.

Re: Telephone

chrisjp — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 16:25:47 GMT

"The more important issue is the linking of BT order process with OpenReach work."

Yes, there have been many posts on this forum where BT has assumed Openreach has completed something but BT has not bothered to check with them that has actually happened.
Time & again this routinely causes chronic loss of service issues.
It really is time BT modified its processes to ensure they get confirmation from Openreach that a new connection is up and running before BT turns off an existing service.

Re: Telephone

Sportsmad2 — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 10:41:04 GMT

An update.

I have been in touch with BT many times over this and as at 25th October have been told OpenReach will complete work by 30th October. This will be unlikely to happen as there is a fair bit of digging to be done and it hasn't started yet.

We are of course still without a phone but if you ring my number you will be told to leave a message. No one can access these messages. Unfortunately because of this I have missed at least one hospital appointment and have been marked by the NHS "failed to appear" .

BT have marked this installation as a complaint. I didn't ask for this and it doesn't seem to have achieved anything.

Frustrated.

Re: Telephone

Michael_D — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 08:02:03 GMT

Thanks for the update @Sportsmad2

The complaint would have been opened to keep a log of your dissatisfaction over the time that this is taking.

I hope there is some progress to the works over the next few days, but please keep us posted as to what happens next week.

Michael

Re: Telephone

Sportsmad2 — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:35:50 GMT

As I suggested last week we are still without broadband or phone.

The next date for review with OpenReach is the 7th November. I am assured that work will get completed by then. As this is the 4th date I've been given I'm not holding my breath.

Re: Telephone

Leanne_T — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 08:37:02 GMT

Thanks for keeping us updated on the community @Sportsmad2

I appreciate how frustrating this is for you and hopefully everything is up and running for you soon. Please pop back and let us know how you got on after the 7th November

Leanne.

Re: Telephone

Sportsmad2 — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:22:48 GMT

Now 8th November and nothing has happened. We were promised a call back today as OpenReach last date for completion was yesterday. It has not yet happened. We have been without a phone and broadband since 4th October when our Plusnet copper connection was cut off.

No sign of OpenReach excavating .

Very frustrating.

Russell

Re: Telephone

Leanne_T — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:05:45 GMT

Hi @Sportsmad2

Thank you for keeping us updated and appreciate how frustrating this must be for you.

If you have no call back today, could you try getting in touch to see if the team have an update on why the call has not happened and to check what Openreach advised on the review.

Thank you.

Leanne.

Re: Tele6tphone

Sportsmad2 — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:34:19 GMT

I have just had a "quick update" from BT giving me a revised date for openreach to complete work by 5 to 6th December. Original date 4th October and cut off on 5th October.

I am extremely unhappy about this.

I can see no obvious way forward and will now write to Alison Kirby at least trying to tell her what a disorganised and shambolic organisation she is in charge of.

Russell

Re: Tele6tphone

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:43:41 GMT

Might be best to create a VOIP account & try to port the number there, although it may already be too late.