Poor BT Service

No working phone line in my new house was supposed to be connected 7 May. Finally connected 12 June.

 

Summary:

• Dug up road twice to mend fault. Did not think to test line inside after digging up first time or second time.
  
• 5 engineer visits only phoned twice to let me know that they coming. So got sorry we missed you card!
  
• Cost us more than 12 business hours plus extra mileage (do some internet work from home)
  
• Lots of promises from India call centre but did not call back
  
• One months line rental paid for no service.
  

 

Thinking of moving to Sky to get full package calls, internet and TV. Though looks like I will have to pay cancellation fee of £30 +£15 line rental already paid and was promised £65 compensation.

 

Appreciate advice about other services people recommend?

 

Thanks David

For BT that not as bad as it can be. It took me 40 years to get them to solve a persistently noisy line. Yes really, from January 1968 to the spring of 2008 when at last the line was reliably usable at all times.

 

Although a smaller provider, Zen take some beating for either broadband or broadband and phone services. Their line rental is way lower than BT's, the broadband services very slightly more expensive than most but the service is superb. English based only from Leeds with immediate access to tech people who really know their stuff, won't waste your time and act successfully on any problem instantly.

 

Award-winning Home & Business Broadband Provider, IP VPN & Leased Lines, Hosting & Domains | Zen Internet

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Edited June 13, 201312 yr by flecc

BT will at least eventually fix your phone.

I am with talktalk, generally they are very good, but for the past 3 years I have had an intermittent problem with my phone not ringing in the house, even though its sounds as if it's ringing to a caller.

This only happens in bad weather.

Every time I report it, I have to go through a tedious self test procedure with the call centre of opening the wall box etc. etc.

When their engineer arrives, the weather has improved and they cannot find the fault.

It is obviously in the outside wires, maybe miles from my house.

But, if I want BT to look at it it will cost £140, unless they find the fault.

I have not felt it worth taking what is essentially a gamble.

Particularly as a BT engineer told me that the local junction box is an old fashioned nightmare and they all hate having to work on it.

Thanks guys phone line is now connected. Just a bit fed up of poor communication, broken promises. I know faults happen but it is how you deal with them that sets different companies apart. On principle looking at other providers.

In 1988, I moved into a new house. It was 22nd December. The phone was still on, so I told them that I was taking over the account and gave them all details of my previous account. They promised that they wouldn't cut me off over Xmas, but the next day the phone was dead. I dashed down to the nearest pay phone and pleaded with them to switch it back on, but they told me all the engineers had gone home for Xmas. I told them that If I ever had a choice, I would never use them again, so a couple of years later, we finally had the choice, so I switched, and have never used BT since. Each time they ring me up to persuade me to switch back, I tell them the story.

 

If you can get Vigin cable, they're normally the best, but ultimately, the problem you had was down to individuals, not the company. You can get duffers anywhere.

BT have a standard compensation rate, which I remember taking advantage of when we had a similar situation several years ago. You will need to formally claim but it's well worth it - our claim amounted to over £400 for late connection of around 2 months.

Issue is I am use my residential line for working from home on the internet (when I get it) which despite being used for business purposes means I am only able to claim residential compensation which is less than the £65 offered.

 

Your are right dv8eh mistakes happen but it is how the company deals with them that matters, if they had offered me a fair amount I would have stayed with BT. In rural area so no chance of any of the cable services. Considering Sky and Plus Net at the moment.

If you can get Vigin cable, they're normally the best, but ultimately, the problem you had was down to individuals, not the company. You can get duffers anywhere.

 

While im on virgin as for me its the best overall package even they can be a pain in the **** at times. had several days recently with no phone,broadband,tv for a number of hours. Definately been worse in last six months or so so may be to do with the upgrades thaey are doing but still a PITA.

 

As for the others they all have to ultimately deal with BT as they are responsible for all the local circuits (from exchange to home). so when its a problem that is for BT to sort it becomes a pain as you are now working through a third party (who can just blame BT even if its not their fault)

BT will at least eventually fix your phone.

I am with talktalk, generally they are very good, but for the past 3 years I have had an intermittent problem with my phone not ringing in the house, even though its sounds as if it's ringing to a caller.

This only happens in bad weather.

Every time I report it, I have to go through a tedious self test procedure with the call centre of opening the wall box etc. etc.

When their engineer arrives, the weather has improved and they cannot find the fault.

It is obviously in the outside wires, maybe miles from my house.

But, if I want BT to look at it it will cost £140, unless they find the fault.

I have not felt it worth taking what is essentially a gamble.

Particularly as a BT engineer told me that the local junction box is an old fashioned nightmare and they all hate having to work on it.

 

Thats the very first time I have ever heard anyone praise talktalk

 

Just goes to show, doesnt it, that its all relative to personal circumstances.

 

I have found BT amazing in their professionalism and helpfulness, and O2 a really great mobile provider......long may it last, believe me, if it all goes pear shape I will be back to post my different findings

 

Glad you got finally your phone line connected David.

 

Lynda

Thats the very first time I have ever heard anyone praise talktalk

 

Ditto, for me they were hell on earth!

 

I didn't go to them, they took over an ISP I was with who were also dreadful, so "birds of a feather" as they say. Luckily they weren't the only ISP I was with so I was able to drop them instantly.

I had a problem with NTL (now Virgin Media) many years ago:

 

 

 

 

Dear Cretins,

 

 

I have been an NTL customer since 9th July 2001, when I signed up for your 3-in-one deal for cable TV, cable modem, and telephone. During this three-month period I have encountered inadequacy of service which I had not previously considered possible, as well as ignorance and stupidity of monolithic proportions. Please allow me to provide specific details, so that you can either pursue your professional prerogative, and seek to rectify these difficulties - or more likely (I suspect) so that you can have some entertaining reading material as you while away the working day smoking B&H and drinking vendor-coffee on the bog in your office.

 

My initial installation was cancelled without warning, resulting in my spending an entire Saturday sitting on my fat @rse waiting for your technician to arrive. When he did not arrive, I spent a further 57 minutes listening to your infuriating hold music, and the even more annoying Scottish robot woman telling me to look at your helpful website....HOW?

 

I alleviated the boredom by playing with my testicles for a few minutes - an activity at which you are no-doubt both familiar and highly adept. The rescheduled installation then took place some two weeks later, although the technician did forget to bring a number of vital tools - such as a drill-bit, and his cerebrum. Two weeks later, my cable modem had still not arrived. After 15 telephone calls over 4 weeks my modem arrived... six weeks after I had requested it, and begun to pay for it.

 

I estimate your internet server's downtime is roughly 35%... hours between about 6pm -midnight, Mon-Fri, and most of the weekend. I am still waiting for my telephone connection. I have made 9 calls on my mobile to your no-help line, and have been unhelpfully transferred to a variety of disinterested individuals, who are it seems also highly skilled bollock jugglers.

 

I have been informed that a telephone line is available (and someone will call me back); that no telephone line is available (and someone will call me back); that I will be transferred to someone who knows whether or not a telephone line is available (and then been cut off); that I will be transferred to someone (and then been redirected to an answer machine informing me that your office is closed); that I will be transferred to someone and then been redirected to the irritating Scottish robot woman...and several other variations on this theme.

 

Doubtless you are no longer reading this letter, as you have at least a thousand other dissatisfied customers to ignore, and also another one of those crucially important testicle-moments to attend to. Frankly I don't care, it's far more satisfying as a customer to voice my frustration's in print than to shout them at your unending hold music. Forgive me, therefore, if I continue.

 

I thought BT were w@nekrs, that they had attained the holy pi$$-pot of god-awful customer relations, that no-one, anywhere, ever, could be more disinterested, less helpful or more obstructive to delivering service to their customers. That's why I chose NTL, and because, well, there isn't anyone else is there? How surprised I therefore was, when I discovered to my considerable dissatisfaction and disappointment what a useless shower of bastards you truly are. You are sputum-filled pieces of distended rectum incompetents of the highest order.

 

British Telecom - w@nekers though they are - shine like brilliant beacons of success, in the filthy puss-filled mire of your seemingly limitless inadequacy. Suffice to say that I have now given up on my futile and foolhardy quest to receive any kind of service from you. I suggest that you cease any potential future attempts to extort payment from me for the services which you have so pointedly and catastrophically failed to deliver - any such activity will be greeted initially with hilarity and disbelief quickly be replaced by derision, and even perhaps bemused rage.

 

I enclose two small deposits, selected with great care from my cats litter tray, as an expression of my utter and complete contempt for both you and your pointless company. I sincerely hope that they have not become desiccated during transit - they were satisfyingly moist at the time of posting, and I would feel considerable disappointment if you did not experience both their rich aroma and delicate texture. Consider them the very embodiment of my feelings towards NTL, and its worthless employees.

 

Have a nice day - may it be the last in you miserable short life, you irritatingly incompetent and infuriatingly unhelpful bunch of t@wts.

 

Yours sincerely

 

***

I don't know why talktalk have such a bad reputation. I have not had any problem other than the problem with the BT part of my line and I have been with them about 5 years.

I don't know why talktalk have such a bad reputation. I have not had any problem other than the problem with the BT part of my line and I have been with them about 5 years.

 

My biggest problem with them was a blatant breach of contract and default on promises given.

Issue is how well people deal with problems, I understand things go wrong but how you deal with problems is what sets companies apart. Do not appreciate lies, latest one is that there was only one missed engineer visits, I have two cards put through the letter box which show otherwise. Also they think I should pay for a months line rental when I had no working service for over a month.

While you are still considering your options, one thing I forgot to say about the Zen advantages was that their one month agreements. You never have to give notice, if ever dissatisfied you just walk away.

 

But I've never had anything but satisfaction with them and can't imagine anyone having to walk away, given their service.

Zen are and have been the no.1 choice of the Which magazine for several years. Their second choice is Plusnet.

 

Having said that, I have been troublefree with TalkTalk for several years - because they are cheap!

Issue is how well people deal with problems, I understand things go wrong but how you deal with problems is what sets companies apart. Do not appreciate lies, latest one is that there was only one missed engineer visits, I have two cards put through the letter box which show otherwise. Also they think I should pay for a months line rental when I had no working service for over a month.

 

Yep its the lies that really annoy. Unfortunately it seems to be the norm in all areas of customer service now. When will they learn that saying it will be 2 weeks and hitting or exceeding the target is far better than saying it will be fixed tomorrow and then ignoring the customer until they phone up and complain.

50 hertz,

 

Ahemm, did they get the point , or are you still waiting on reply?

I had a problem with NTL (now Virgin Media) many years ago:

 

* ******** ****

********

**********

*** ***

 

 

 

Dear Cretins,

 

Installation at * ******** ****

 

I have been an NTL customer since 9th July 2001, when I signed up for your 3-in-one deal for cable TV, cable modem, and telephone. During this three-month period I have encountered inadequacy of service which I had not previously considered possible, as well as ignorance and stupidity of monolithic proportions. Please allow me to provide specific details, so that you can either pursue your professional prerogative, and seek to rectify these difficulties - or more likely (I suspect) so that you can have some entertaining reading material as you while away the working day smoking B&H and drinking vendor-coffee on the bog in your office.

 

My initial installation was cancelled without warning, resulting in my spending an entire Saturday sitting on my fat @rse waiting for your technician to arrive. When he did not arrive, I spent a further 57 minutes listening to your infuriating hold music, and the even more annoying Scottish robot woman telling me to look at your helpful website....HOW?

 

I alleviated the boredom by playing with my testicles for a few minutes - an activity at which you are no-doubt both familiar and highly adept. The rescheduled installation then took place some two weeks later, although the technician did forget to bring a number of vital tools - such as a drill-bit, and his cerebrum. Two weeks later, my cable modem had still not arrived. After 15 telephone calls over 4 weeks my modem arrived... six weeks after I had requested it, and begun to pay for it.

 

I estimate your internet server's downtime is roughly 35%... hours between about 6pm -midnight, Mon-Fri, and most of the weekend. I am still waiting for my telephone connection. I have made 9 calls on my mobile to your no-help line, and have been unhelpfully transferred to a variety of disinterested individuals, who are it seems also highly skilled bollock jugglers.

 

I have been informed that a telephone line is available (and someone will call me back); that no telephone line is available (and someone will call me back); that I will be transferred to someone who knows whether or not a telephone line is available (and then been cut off); that I will be transferred to someone (and then been redirected to an answer machine informing me that your office is closed); that I will be transferred to someone and then been redirected to the irritating Scottish robot woman...and several other variations on this theme.

 

Doubtless you are no longer reading this letter, as you have at least a thousand other dissatisfied customers to ignore, and also another one of those crucially important testicle-moments to attend to. Frankly I don't care, it's far more satisfying as a customer to voice my frustration's in print than to shout them at your unending hold music. Forgive me, therefore, if I continue.

 

I thought BT were w@nekrs, that they had attained the holy pi$$-pot of god-awful customer relations, that no-one, anywhere, ever, could be more disinterested, less helpful or more obstructive to delivering service to their customers. That's why I chose NTL, and because, well, there isn't anyone else is there? How surprised I therefore was, when I discovered to my considerable dissatisfaction and disappointment what a useless shower of bastards you truly are. You are sputum-filled pieces of distended rectum incompetents of the highest order.

 

British Telecom - w@nekers though they are - shine like brilliant beacons of success, in the filthy puss-filled mire of your seemingly limitless inadequacy. Suffice to say that I have now given up on my futile and foolhardy quest to receive any kind of service from you. I suggest that you cease any potential future attempts to extort payment from me for the services which you have so pointedly and catastrophically failed to deliver - any such activity will be greeted initially with hilarity and disbelief quickly be replaced by derision, and even perhaps bemused rage.

 

I enclose two small deposits, selected with great care from my cats litter tray, as an expression of my utter and complete contempt for both you and your pointless company. I sincerely hope that they have not become desiccated during transit - they were satisfyingly moist at the time of posting, and I would feel considerable disappointment if you did not experience both their rich aroma and delicate texture. Consider them the very embodiment of my feelings towards NTL, and its worthless employees.

 

Have a nice day - may it be the last in you miserable short life, you irritatingly incompetent and infuriatingly unhelpful bunch of t@wts.

 

Yours sincerely

 

***

50 hertz,

 

Ahemm, did they get the point , or are you still waiting on reply?

 

I'm still with them, although it's Vagina Media now. Once everything is set up and working and if you manage to avoid calling, thinking about calling or having any correspondence whatsoever with the company, they aren't bad. But the same goes for many organisations these days.