Broadband ISPs Adopt Radical New Solution to Complex Fault Fixing
Broadband providers across the UK are rushing to adopt a new solution for resolving complex customer network faults. Known as KO (Kick Off), the new solution is designed to save ISPs time and money in the process of finding and fixing complex faults, while also avoiding big payments under Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme.
The way the new system works is simple enough. Customers who report a fault will, at first, be put through a long phone queue, before later being passed between multiple different departments. Then – after about 3 hours of the same – it will eventually report that their fault has been logged and is being investigated, which is considerably more efficient than today’s systems.
After this, a post-action customer survey will be emailed through to assess the effectiveness of the system, with only one mandatory option being offered in response – the selection of “Yes” for “It was great!”. At this point, the KO algorithm will fully kick-in by employing the very latest AI technologies to determine how much time and cost may be needed to resolve the fault.
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During this period, the ISP will continue to issue constructive updates on the status of the fault investigation, such as by promising to have it resolved the next day and then automatically delaying it by another day each time that target isn’t met. The number of days to continue this cycle can be set by the ISP, up to a limit of 365 (applicable to providers that don’t support automatic compensation), unless the end-user switches or passes away first – whichever comes sooner.
However, if the system determines that the fix would be very costly to resolve, then it will automatically issue a final notice to resolve the fault: “We’re pleased to report that your line has been successfully ceased. The fault is therefore resolved. Thank you for using our service.” Customers in this boat will also be required to pay off the remainder of their contract, due to having chosen to exit their term early by reporting a fault (as “transparently” set out in small print).
At present, KO is still only in the Proof of Concept (PoC) stage, although a number of major ISPs are believed to have been trialling the system, or something very.. similar, for at least the past few years. The good news is that the initial system feedback is already pointing to a customer satisfaction rate of 100%.
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APRIL FOOLS! or is it..?
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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Clearly there’s an insider at Shell leaking their secrets
How is this an April fool it is a completely accurate summation of TalkTalks tech support service. On a separate note. The only annoying thing about this years April fools is no news site is going to report that The Abyss and True lies have finally been scheduled for release on Blu-ray.
Seems fair enough – rock the boat, get kicked off the boat, problem solved.
Today’s satire is tomorrow’s policy! LOL
On a serious note Mark, it’s been reported on The Telegraph’s website that there will be a 2 year delay to PSTN shutdown.
A two year delay due to telecare devices. I just hope that the two year delay is used to actually progress things, rather than just kicking the can down the road
Martin
I wouldn’t bet on it.
Very interesting development Big Dave.
The Telegraph article can be read for free (today at least) via MSN here:
http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/digital-landline-switchover-delayed-amid-emergency-alarms-crisis/ar-BB1kQa7N
Given the messy situation re telecare devices, this seems like a sensible change on the part of BT Group / Openreach and Virgin Media.
Councils sound like they haven’t held telecare providers to account properly, but it’s worth bearing in mind the overwhelming degree to which council social care systems are absolutely creaking at the seams. The Telegraph article meanwhile suggests that central government has sought to push the onus of responsibility for the changes onto others.
“Ministers are currently in discussions with the telecoms giant about a new timeline, but sources said the process *could* be delayed by up to two years *for some vulnerable people*.”
[** my emphasis]
Surely this is just what SOTAP for Analogue is meant to cover.
@HR2Res … perhaps this article might actually be about SOTAP for Analogue, and the technical details have got a bit lost (which, to be fair, would be understandable – SOTAP for Analogue is an odd arrangement to explain!).
All will become clear soon enough…
as stated, this has to be the media misunderstanding what SOTAP is going to be. I can’t see BT delaying the PSTN closure, their claims of doom and gloom if allowed to continue are (as I understand it) based in fact.
My opinion of the telegraph was already fairly low. They should probably just stay out of anything technical.
Question is does SOTAP For Analogue provide the same compatibility with telecare devices as PSTN does?
But does SOTAP cover the user of a telecare device, who also wants internet access? At the moment it wouldn’t, maybe they will relax that. I mean if I need a telecare alarm, but also want FTTP I should be able to have both.
I think then we might find the other vulnerable groups saying we want SOTAP in case of power cuts etc, but also want internet
As I understand it, this is just a means for BT to convert from VoIP to analogue inside the exchange instead of from the back of the hub (hence they can launch so quickly, it’s just a revamped version of LLU with different paperwork).
So if it works on their digital voice service it should work on this. I doubt they’re literally going to have racks of smart hubs inside the exchange, and I assume they’ll use a more appropriate device, but you never know 🙂
As for SOTAP alongside FTTP – depends on what Openreach means by “WLR3 only lines” I guess. Feels a bit “have your cake and eat it” though.
A further improvement is they charge you £10 a minute to listen to the on hold music
Far too close to reality to be April the 1st
Shush! You’re spilling industry secrets! Virgin media have been using this system for years!!
I bet this is how Airband is working. No joke.
If this were posted on any other day then it would still seem true.
I’m confused, I how is this a change?
Does this become the truth now it’s passed the traditional time cut off for pranks on today’s April fools? Because it doesn’t need much altering if that’s the case haha
Thanks to Three mobile and their recent crimes this country will remain in the communication dark ages.
Nice. You had me going for about 30 seconds.
I love the comments as well. Welcome to the ISP Customer Support experience.