BT

[elsiegee40]

I received an email at home a few days ago informing me that

• my local exchange was being upgraded,
• the outage on phone and ADSL would be about 10 minutes,
• that I probably wouldn't notice and that (I wish...)
• I would be sent an email when it was complete.

I thought at the time, "Bet I do notice"

Guess what...
Since Wednesday afternoon:
The phone actually works now, but it didn't.
The ADSL takes the best part of an hour to connect; the routers (I have tried 3) saying that they are not connected to a phone line.
If I am unlucky enough to receive a phone call once I am connected, putting the phone down disconnects my router.
BT have admitted there's a fault on the line... at the exchange
Apparently they need to call me again this afternoon about the problem.
WHY? CAN'T BT JUST SORT THE EXCHANGE OUT!!!!!

[webman]

They would have to find your line, first...

[leco]

Sympathies all the way on that one.

At least you were informed that work was to be carried out. I spent a whole weekend trying to sort out connection issues, slow connections, dropped packets, no router. Come Monday when I was about to purchase a new router, it was fine. Apparently work must have been going on as the area was flooded with errors, people buying new line filters and new routers. It's been fine ever since (touch wood) but no indication that BT were "working on it".

[powdarrmonkey]

Apparently work must have been going on as the area was flooded with errors, people buying new line filters and new routers.

Commercial coincidence?

[elsiegee40]

I briefly had a connection about 1.50pm, but a call from BT put paid to that.
Dear S of BT India looked at my record and said she could see that there was a fault on the line and that the problem would have to be escalated

I will apparently receive a call within 48 hours (it's Friday, so I guess that's Tuesday )

WHY DID THEY HAVE TO RING ME BEFORE THEY COULD ESCALATE IT!

THEY TOLD ME YESTERDAY EVENING THERE WAS A FAULT ON THE LINE... SURELY IT COULD HAVE BEEN ESCALATED THEN!

aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggg ggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!

Incidentally, I am actually posting this from home and have had a connection for about 8 minutes now... unfortunately, I'm expecting a phone call about 3.30pm

[graywoodford]

I hate bt, soooooooooooo many issues with them at home!!!
For the first month fine, i had my 2 meg connection that i had with previous supplier but then dropped to 512 connection? After raising my concerns with them over months and phone calls to them every 2 days and also 3 engineer visits they managed to get my connection up to 1 meg and was told this was the best it could get. I kept asking why i could recieve 2 meg for the last 2 years until now but they could never answer me.
After 6 months of putting up with the issues and very poor internet i managed to get out of my contract and go with another supplier that was instantly better.
I went straight to O2, got 4 meg off the bat with nearly 1meg upload aswell, never had an issue with them since, customer service is fantastic (unlike BT) and i get through to an english call centre when i call and to top it all off it is 1/3rd the price that i was paying for BT's crappy 1meg!!!!!
As i said i hate BT!!!!!!
sorry rant over now

[localzuk]

Usually, they deal with me quite well. The only issue I've had is their 'Homehub' is completely useless. Mine randomly resets itself every half a dozen hours or so.

[witch]

Partner works for BT
Could get a free BT phone, line, broadband etc

We haven't taken offer up....nuff said

[RabbieBurns]

Ive had no end of problems with BT. My first was when my broadband (ukonlike unbundled) and then my BT line about a week later, just completely died. Was about 2 months before I got the problem sorted - some other phone company had somehow got to bt saying I was moving to them, and BT transfered my line to them, which killed my broadband. 2 months of calls from the payphone outside my flat on a busy st and I still couldnt get anything sorted, until eventually I spoke to one call operator with a brain, who just created me a new account and my line was working again within 24 hrs. UKOnline charged me a reconnection fee though, which I was unable to reclaim through BT, as they said I had authrorised the switch to new phone provider.. I couldnt be bothered fighting any more so just paid the £80 or whatever to UKOnline.

Next big problem was when I moved back to my folks for a while, thought I would take advantage of the highest 8 meg speeds in the area (bt). Signed up for the top business package ( old man runs business from home) to find them throttling our speeds just like joe public 6pm - midnight. Became unusable when all 8 machines were online at once. Switched to Be* about 4 months into the contract, they hit us with a bill for the rest of the contracted years payment.. but we threatened to take them to court over it as they werent providing the business service we were paying for, and they wrote it off. PS. Be* have been awesome since. Anyone who can get them - should!.

Rant, if it was one, over.

[elsiegee40]

No phone calls from BT since Friday, and bl**dy appalling connectivity upto and including last night. However, my router connected immediately this afternoon and I have a world record speed (for me) from speedtest.net



I've never managed more than 1.2 Meg before! I know you guys get far better than this, but there's no optical alternative here and the few other ISPs don't seem to be able to promise anything better over the rubbish copper we have here.

Fingers crossed this is finally fixed!

[Edu-IT]

Usually, they deal with me quite well. The only issue I've had is their 'Homehub' is completely useless. Mine randomly resets itself every half a dozen hours or so.

I've got a replacement one of these you might be able to have, if you're interested.

It's one of these minus the phone.
The New BT Home Hub

[RabbieBurns]

Just a heads up if anyone is wanting to give this a try. Got a client wanting to change from BT to Be*, requested the MAC code over the weekend, got this email reply:

From: btbroadband@bt.com
To: *************
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:51:50 +0100
Subject: Broadband & Internet - BT Broadband - I want to request a MAC code [Incident: 090755757097]



BT Help
Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.

If this issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may reopen it within the next 7 days.


Subject
Broadband & Internet - BT Broadband - I want to request a MAC code

Discussion Thread
Response (L***aker) 07/19/2009 12:51 PM
Dear Mr *******,

Thank you for your e-mail.

I am very sorry to hear that you’re considering leaving your BT Broadband service. Obviously, we would prefer it if you didn't leave BT, and so I would like to offer you a discount on your current broadband package.

We can reduce your broadband package price from £17.60 per month down to just £7.33 per month for the next 12 months.

We will also send you the new 2.0 hub free.


If you would like to take advantage of this offer , please reply to this e-mail confirming that you accept this offer and I will apply the discount to your account within five working days.

Please note that a new 12-month minimum term applies if you accept this offer.


I've included your MAC below as requested. Please note that this code is valid for 30 days and so will expires on Date 18/08/09

So you might be able to get them to drop the prices if theres any of you who are with BT and not tied into a contract (and for some reason happy with bt and dont mind signing up for another 12 months)

Needless to say, we migrated to Be* anyway