BT Suck!

HardRockCamaro · October 16, 2006, 08:50:28 AM

So I get an email from BeThere (my broadband supplier) this morning telling me that they have been informed by BT that my line is being cancelled and thus they need to cancel my broadband too.

Very efficient of BT to contact the broadband supplier on my behalf to tell them that. Pity they didn't tell ME that they were cancelling my line!!!

So I call BT to find out what's going on, and 4 menu's and endless information on how to use their website later I get put on hold for 20 mins.

Finally someone picks up and I think, great!

What do I get?

"Hello this is being the BT how can I be helping you today?"

After explaining the problem in words of only 1 or 2 syllables I finally get her to understand what it is I am being saying and she informs me that BT sent me a letter telling me they were cancelling my line because they had a request from someone else to have my number/line. I informed her I had received no such letter (if I had, I would have called them!) and she tells me it's quite clear on her screen, they sent me a letter. I finally get her to understand that I'm not disputing that, I just didn't receive it.

So she tells me she is putting a note on the tjob saying I don't want the line ceased but she can't send me a letter to confirm (well she wouldn't would she, she's in friggin India!).

So...

How much ya wanna bet that on the 30th they disconnect my line?
I think the odds are good...

Pod · October 16, 2006, 09:06:12 AM

Quoting: HardRockCamaro

BT sent me a letter telling me they were cancelling my line because they had a request from someone else to have my number/line

Ooh, I didn't know you could do that.
You could have some fun with that though.

F Body · October 16, 2006, 12:36:09 PM

BT = Broken Telephone.

BT = Big Trouble.

Our phones BT but bored-band is NTL , I wonder why ?

HardRockCamaro · October 16, 2006, 06:48:49 PM

NTHell
Clueless and Witless
Teleworst
Broken Telecom

I don't think there are any good ones...

Mustangus · October 16, 2006, 10:06:45 PM

Dont use wanapoo as they are totally useless; took them about 6 months (whilst we were paying them) to sort out our broadband and it still keeps crashing!!!

55starchief · October 17, 2006, 03:29:23 AM

Well everyone slated tiscali but mine has been as god as gold

HardRockCamaro · October 17, 2006, 03:40:39 AM

BeThere is my broadband supplier and I don't really have any complaints about them, considering they're a new company and are using new technology.

I had no complaints about Tesco (who I was using before) either.

F Body · October 17, 2006, 08:02:27 AM

NTHell used to crash a lot when I first started with them, but ( touch wood ) since moving onto the 10mb Broadband it's been fine

ianjpage · October 17, 2006, 08:46:58 AM

yeah My NTL is ok now, since i replaced my router (touch wood double time!) and phones just seem to work as well (NTL)

Roadkill · October 17, 2006, 09:17:05 AM

BT's been fine for me . . . .

FUBAR · October 17, 2006, 09:18:11 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

BT's been fine for me . . . .

Me too, one of those Homehub things arrives on Thursday as well.

ianjpage · October 17, 2006, 11:19:32 AM

Quoting: FUBAR

Me too, one of those Homehub things arrives on Thursday as well.

Ooo funky!!

Rob · October 17, 2006, 11:42:35 AM

OK, don't laugh but its got to be AOL for the Win....!

Unlimited download and no fair usage policy.......unlike all the others you all have quoted

As much Pron as you can shake your sticky stick at...

.

HardRockCamaro · October 17, 2006, 02:56:37 PM

Bah!

BeThere!

24Mbps download and 1.3Mbps upload thanks to ADSL2+ technology.
£20 a month (although they charge me an extra £4 for a static IP which is cheeky).

No download limit, the fair use policy doesn't give a figure on any limit but if you're taking the royal p*** they will send you a letter.
I watch HD trailers (streaming live!) all the time, I download loads of music and videos, I use video messaging and I use a VPN to connect to the office as I work from home 3-4 days a week and they've never winged.
Realistically I've never used more than about 20GB in a month, and it's normally less than a third of that anyway.
As far as I'm concerned, to be kicked off an unlimited service (via a fair use policy) you have to be doing something illegal (ie downloading crazy amounts of warez etc).

HardRockCamaro · October 31, 2006, 07:01:37 AM

AAAAaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

Woke up this morning to find BT have disconnected my line.
Therefore broadband is also off.

Rang BT customer services who assured me line was ok and still mine.
Contacted BT faults instead (India) and was told line had been cancelled as I didn't get in contact with them to tell them not to. They later admitted I had got in contact but was 2 days too late. Giving them 2 weeks notice not to do something is not enough (!). I complained (again) that I had not received the letter and contacted them as soon as my broadband supplier told me what was going on. The lady at BT then told me that they had also called me but had been unable to get through and I had not responded to the messages they had left on my answering machine. I called her a liar and she started to argue back. I then informed her that I have no answering machine as I don't even have a phone hooked up to the line. Silence on phone for several seconds. She then quickly recovered by saying she had left the messages on the answering machine / voicemail of my mobile phone from which I was calling her now. I pointed out that she couldn't have as A) I didn't get it B) I have never given BT my mobile number. I said I'd accept she wasn't lying if she could tell me my mobile number. Funnily enough, she said she couldn't... she then apologised and said there was nothing she could do for the next 2 days as they completed my line migrqation. I would need to call up in 2 days to get them to migrate it back. It would then take up to 14 days to get my line back (and not necessarily with the same number) and after that I could call my broadband supplier and it would take them 7 further days to get me back online. So over 3 weeks in total!!!! And my broadband supplier is going to charge me £24 for the reconnection as BT charge them that.

So I have no phone line so no dialup or broadband.

And as I work from home normally I now need to travel into the office everyday instead at my expense.

This SO isn't over...

55starchief · October 31, 2006, 07:06:18 AM

Think i would be seeking legal advice and making a claim

Titsy · October 31, 2006, 07:22:08 AM

Make sure you add EVERYTHING up mate... Traveling costs, phone calls, **your wasted time** at a generous hourly rate, the extra time you have to spend travelling that would be your own time, EVERYTHING.... And make sure that you mention http://www.offcom.org.uk/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">OFCom in you telephone calls....

It might even be worth contacting them know and letting the $hit hit the fan... You might be able to get things speeded along if they get involved...

ianjpage · October 31, 2006, 07:31:39 AM

Flipping hell mate, that is seriously not on - definately take it further and screw them for all you can get

F Body · October 31, 2006, 07:41:41 AM

Quoting: F Body

BT = Broken Telephone.

Living up to their name then

That's why although I have a BT landline there was no way I was going broadband on their line

Might be easier to make the switch to someone else now ?

HardRockCamaro · October 31, 2006, 08:05:43 AM

I don't want to switch.
Problem is, I don't use BT for the phone calls at all.
Even though Ofcom insisted Bt had to the local loop unbundling and allow other ISPs to put their kit in their exchanges, you still have to pay £10 a month to BT for a phone line you don't need if all you're using is broadband via an LLU supplier.

So, even though BT have nowt to do with the broadbandf in my case, it is delivered over their copper line to my house. So if I lose that I lose the broadband. The only alternative is cable and I'd prefer to stick with my 24Mbps BeThere broadband as it's quicker.

It's just unfortunate that even with the LLU that Ofcom imposed, BT are still involved...

55starchief · October 31, 2006, 08:23:39 AM

Just looked on the Be There website, alas no chance of us people living in the boonies seeing those speeds in the next coupe of years

HardRockCamaro · October 31, 2006, 08:31:18 AM

Ofcom don't generally get involved in individual disputes, they're just a regulatory body that oversees communications. So I could make a general complaint, but that won't get my line fixed any quicker. Plus you have to go through several hoops first.

We use BT at work (being an ISP) so I'm used to dealing with them. A useful number to know is: 0800 671502
This is their high level complaints dept.

Naturally I have them looking into it and have already informed them that I am incurring expenses that I expect them to cover.
I also told them that 2 weeks to get my line back (*if* I can have it back) and a further week to reinstate my broadband (which is with a 3rd party) isn't good enough. Obviously BT can only promise best efforts which is BT speak for not much effort whatsoever...

Of course I did point out that I can't understaqnd why they can't send the chap who did the unplugging to go plug it back in. It is just 2 wires after all...

F Body · October 31, 2006, 12:11:13 PM

Quoting: HardRockCamaro

I can't understaqnd why they can't send the chap who did the unplugging to go plug it back in. It is just 2 wires after all...

In that case do it yourself

Doubt they would even notice and you don't have to pay line rental

Titsy · October 31, 2006, 12:52:38 PM

Quoting: F Body

In that case do it yourself

Doubt they would even notice and you don't have to pay line rental

Will be at the exchange that it's been done.... Unless he wants to get done for breaking and entering....