This topic

Dirty Tricks and Lies

Itsme7 — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 10:35:53 GMT

I have been a BT customer for just over 45 years, and I am currently on the Fibre with Halo 1 plan, with a speed at the router of 70.5Mb/s. In the last few days I have found out about the BT Home Essentials Plan, so decided to change over to the £20 Unlimited Broadband Plan. When using the postcode check to start the process, all I was offered was the Broadband Essential Plan with a guaranteed speed of 4Mb and an upload speed of 1Mb, was dial up any slower? A contributor from another topic checked the data from my local exchange, I used a BT Broadband Availabilty Checker for the results, just over 250m away, and was told I could easily get Fibre 2 and speeds in the range of 80/67Mb. Because I agreed to cookies when using the postcode check, the offer never changes. Customers be aware of BT using cookies so that you will only ever be offered the worst deal available to proceed to check out (Dirty Tricks) and saying that you cannot get any faster speeds from the exchange, which has clearly been proven to be a LIE. Please everyone check BT claims and be prepared to move on, even after 45 years, like me. This is clearly BT deliberately penalising existing customers for wanting to change from a higher cost plan to a lower cost plan.

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

imjolly — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 10:43:50 GMT

if you used your post code as if new customer it is possible you cabinet is full and FTTC is nor available. you need to make more checks

as far as the Essential package try using here

https://www.bt.com/exp/broadband/home-essentials?s_cid=con_bt_dg-home_awin_aff_vidAJM_110483-Editorial+Content&vendorid=AJM&utm_source=Affwin&utm_medium=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.com%2Fexp%2Fbroadband%2Fhome-essentials&utm_campaign=110483&awc=3041_1645094835_8db5e34aa3189a1e2d1144312948112e

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

Itsme7 — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 10:48:32 GMT

I used the option "Yes, I'm a BT customer" and got that result

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

-Richie- — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 11:08:45 GMT

You can call up and get it arranged, the number is 0800 800 150, speak to the Loyalty or Value team, you will be asked for your national insurance number.

The postcode check is for new customers, so it could mean your cabinet is full and standard broadband is all that is available for NEW connections, you've stated you're an existing customers so the cab being full won't matter to you.

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

Itsme7 — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 11:15:11 GMT

Thanks, I will try that

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

iniltous — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 12:13:26 GMT

if the social tariff options were presented front and centre on the website , many that don’t qualify would apply only to be disappointed when the application failed, there isn’t a lot of point showing a product that they already have , so it shows the only really viable alternative which is exchange based ADSL….not many would be tempted by this , as there isn’t much of a saving anyway….with social tariffs , generally you need to call to take advantage, so it can be established if the caller qualifies for this discounted deal before proceeding

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

gg30340 — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 12:58:48 GMT

@Itsme7 wrote:

Because I agreed to cookies when using the postcode check, the offer never changes. Customers be aware of BT using cookies so that you will only ever be offered the worst deal available to proceed to check out (Dirty Tricks) and saying that you cannot get any faster speeds from the exchange, which has clearly been proven to be a LIE. Please everyone check BT claims and be prepared to move on, even after 45 years, like me. This is clearly BT deliberately penalising existing customers for wanting to change from a higher cost plan to a lower cost plan.

BT along with all other websites by law have to give you the option to select cookies or not and provide a reason what the cookies are used for. Once you have read the reason or if you choose not to read it you have to agree or not to use cookies. As you have stated, you agreed to using cookies, that was your choice you do not need to agree to them and the web page will still work.

If you want to remove the cookies you can easily do that by going into your browser's settings and go to "Privacy and Search" or what ever it is called on your chosen browser. Once there look for the option to clear browsing data. Click on it and select what you want to clear which would normally be the cookies and browsing history and if given the option select "from all time" then click "clear now".

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

Itsme7 — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 13:14:42 GMT

The three social tariff options are presented front and centre on all literature to do with BT Home Essentials, so I know what is being offered. Or is it your opinion, that because I am disabled, I am to thick to understand whether I would qualify under any of the 5 qualifying criteria for the scheme?

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

Itsme7 — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 14:09:09 GMT

Thanks again. I have cleared the cookies, still no change in the offer. I have cleared the cookies and tried different postcodes, still the same offer. Does seem like BT is deliberately not offering all tariffs. Maybe losing too much money people changing over.

Forgot to mention, even tried not being a current BT customer, still the same offer.

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

PaddyB — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 14:20:21 GMT

Hi @Itsme7,

Thank you for posting back. I'm sorry you haven't been able to place the order through the website. It seems like there must be an issue with the postcode and the website.

If you give BT a call as suggested by @-Richie- they'll be able to give you a hand with the order. Please give them a ring and post back to let us know how you get on.

Thanks,

Paddy

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

Itsme7 — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 14:54:49 GMT

Interesting update. Been messing about using different postcodes from around the country, all big cities. I either get the same result I received for every area or "Sorry, we can't find results for your address at the moment

We're updating our systems and we hope this will be fixed soon."

Strange

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

Itsme7 — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 17:28:53 GMT

Thanks to everyone who offered a solution. I phoned the values and loyalty team today and have started the process, given my NI number and waiting for a call back. I mentioned the problem I was having, they went away and checked. They too found the problem and can't understand why it is happening, but assured me I was applying for the full fibre package. Thanks everyone again

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

Carlusha — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:04:11 GMT

@Itsme7 As mentioned by @PaddyB, please post back and let us know the outcome of your change to basic.

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

Itsme7 — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:39:25 GMT

Will do

Re: Dirty Tricks and Lies

Itsme7 — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 18:30:54 GMT

UPDATE. The BT Home Essentials package changed over today. 1st attempt to change, I never got a phone call back after giving all my details. 2 attempt, the call centre operators computer went down. 3rd attempt, had to give details again, as the 1st call centre operator had not even put any details into the system. 4th call, no confirmation email had been sent. Was assured the email would be sent straight away. 5th call, was told I didn't need a confirmation email now as the package had now started. Let's hope for no more calls.