Posted by Delta_D on Thu 7 Jul 05, 9:25 AM to Delta_D's blog.
I know from past posts on the forums there are alot of people unhappy with BT and their service (or lack of it) and the difficulties in trying to actually speak to the appropriate real person in order to get some satisfaction.
After 4 years of constant problems with just my phone line (because it happens to be underground and decades old!)which,during that time has left me with no phone line at all(15 days was the record)so much interference it was impossible for even the operator to hear what I was actually complaining about,(lost count of how many times that was reported)and various other faults...in a moment of insanity 3 months ago I decided to take on broadband (that only just scraped through as giving me an adequate download speed).
From the day of connection the bloody thing never worked properly...first it wouldn't download,then it got sorted to only last for 3 weeks before giving up the ghost.
11 hours (spread over 3 days) of going through the automated system,being put in a queue,being told I was through to the wrong dept.,being told to ring the b/b techy help desk at 50p a minute,I was finally advised I would need an engineer to call personally to sort the problem...the first one available would be in 5 days time!
When he arrived, he spent 25 mins in total,during which time he replaced an archaic BT socket,tested said b/b on his laptop,and commented "What do you expect living in the sticks?". (For this I was eventually charged the princely sum of £60, along with another charge of £10.50 from the techy crew).
The 'now fixed' b/b lasted all of 2 weeks at which point the phoneline died completely. Spent another 2hours and much expense on mobile reporting the fault...to be told the line was testing as 'ok and working'...ensuing heated discussion resulted in the booking of an engineer to track the fault...and guess what? No-one available for 4 days! Threats of going straight to Oftel, and any other damn place that would listen, said engineer was out the next day! (Go figure) Line back on and working...b/b? No chance!
Anyway, finally get put through to complaints dept of b/b...telling them I have no intention of paying the bill...which has now arrived and including advanced charges,and the above mentioned,along with normal calls(all £21 worth for the quarter), totalled £237.Also tell them I want out of the contract.
Am informed it will get forwarded...but could take up to 10 working days before it is acted upon,or before I get any ackowledgement.
Two red reminders later, and b/b stops working. I think it has been disconnected through none payment of bill. Call the following morning to find out for sure...to be told nope still active...try to log on and lo and behold ..back on! So, whilst I have the rare privilege of speaking to a real person I ask for an update/progress report on my complaint. Told I will receive a phone call later in the day advising me etc.
Sure enough, 4hours later,get a phone call apologising profusely for all the delays,disconnections,faults,lack of service,sub standard etc...and all payments pertaining to b/b to be rescinded...My remaining enquiry being would they remove all blocks in order for me to move to another company (forgot to mention....already did this with the ordinary phone calls several weeks ago)they assured me this would be the case.
So, as of now, I am amazed the b/b is still connected considering it is now free...but maybe there isn't an engineer available for 3-5days....I somehow doubt that,and am expecting it to disappear sometime today.
Have already ordered from other company but will be about 10 days before up and running...so could be away for a while..but hey! One up to the humble BT (now ex) customer who was not prepared to be swept aside with their arrogant and dismissive treatment.
For anyone that has managed to get to this point...I apologise profusely for such a long and boring blog...but it is 4 years worth!!
Have a nice day one and each! 
| 7 Jul 05, 9:34 AM abby1983 UK(KA), 7 yrs  |
Congratulations!!!!!! i am still waiting for BT to come and fix my phone line which has crossed over with my next door but one neighbour. i can hear all her conversations, including the rows she has with her boyfriend and the chicken fried rice that she orders from Benny at the local chinese. i reported this motnhs ago, when the line first went in and have continued to since but as yet, nothing. As for BB, not a chance where i live so still stuck paying the same amount for dial up as i would for broadband. Yet move next door and i would get it. They won't extend the cables!! Well done you xxx | |
| 7 Jul 05, 9:44 AM Delta_D 7 yrs |
My advice....complain like hell....long and loud...don't go away...make a fuss at every opportunity...and remind whoever you eventually get to speak to that all calls are recorded....I was told on one of my (polite but firm rants) that when a complaint is made, ALL calls have to be listened to.
Good luck honey D
Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons..'cos you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup! | |
| 7 Jul 05, 7:58 PM AnRuaRi UK, 8 yrs  |
If next door can get broadband, ask if they'd be interested in sharing a connection... The equipment to share a connection is relativly cheep, and there's loads of people who can tell you what to buy & how to set it up You can even buy it in Tesco! No wires, just a router next to or built into the modem, and a little radio thingy plugged into the back of your computer(s). You can have as much security as you like. Just dont use BT Broadband! | |
| 17 Jul 05, 12:40 PM Mistress_Scarlet 7 yrs £ |
Hate to put the fly in the ointment, but any wireless connection is automatically compromised on security - as is any constantly open connection such as broadband. I unplug my broadband modem the minute I finish using it. Also, I have to say that despite BT's awful reputation, they have, surprisingly, been very good for me. I tried NTL and all the others and ended up nearly tearing my hair out. I had to go back to BT when I moved here (deep, dark depths of Surrey), and despite being in the middle of nowhere, have a wonderful service. The lines are overhead, so there's always the risk of them blowing down or getting ripped down by falling branches (I live so far out we don't have the option of cable or the benefit of underground lines for most things), although this seems not to happen quite so often as with our power lines! :/ The broadband service is available here, because they put in an extra little booster thingy in the next village, which extended their radius to include us, and after complaining about the noise on the ancient line when I moved in three years ago, they promptly replaced all the lines for the few dozen houses out here, and boosted the signal at the exchange, so it's clear as a bell now! I must have been very good at some point in a prevoius life. Can't think *how*, though? Mistress Scarlet Mistress Scarlet |
