This topic

Disconnected and feel lied to.

LornaH — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:14:39 GMT

After being a BT customer for many years, I made the decision to switch provider given the financial benefits. I cancelled on Monday 17th with the assurance my broadband service would continue until 7th November to allow changeover. This service was cut on Tuesday 18th at 1am leaving us with no Internet access. After a phone call I was assured that this was their fault and should never have happened. I was advised I would need to restart a contract and would be sent new equipment with service restored by Thursday at the latest. I dont need new equipment, im leaving! I will now have to send back both sets of equipment at end of service. No service today so I called back. I was told exactly the same as I was on Tuesday, that it would take 24 hours minimum to restore connection. Absolutely furious! Quick enough to cut me off but can't turn back on? I am still paying for a service I am not receiving and cannot work from home in the meantime. Appalling customer service imo. Anyone with a similar experience? I have the feeling I am being lied to on every call with no resolution. Is this intentional as I am leaving? This leaves my family without Internet which has financial implications and is causing stress.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

licquorice — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:15:44 GMT

Unfortunately, the mistake you made was to cancel the service with BT, that is not the correct way to do it.

The correct procedure is to place an order with the gaining provider who then organises the transfer and cancellation of the existing service.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

LornaH — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:19:30 GMT

Having been a BT customer and never switched before, this was never suggested to me. The new service start date is set and I was assured I would still have service from BT until 7/11 by the advisor. I dont think this should make a difference?

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

iniltous — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:50:32 GMT

If your new provider is using the same Openreach connection into your home as BT , then the new company ( whoever it is ) should have explained to you ‘not’ to contact BT yourself but to leave it to them to serve notice on your behalf to BT. By calling BT yourself and effectively saying ‘cancel my service’ , BT have done what you wanted , albeit, it’s been done earlier than the date that was mentioned, they don’t interrogate you about the reason for your call , and if it’s appropriate, ignore your request.

If you hadn’t called BT , the migration would have taken place on the date the new provider gave you , and your BT service would have remained in place until that date.

As far as charges , if you are asking BT to temporarily restore service until the date this new company gave you , you probably will have ‘hassle’ with charges , as it will appear that you are leaving the newly set up BT contract early ( even if you argue it’s not really a new contract but simply the way to get BT service restored) and no doubt you will be ( initially at least ) charged for the early termination of this ‘new’ contract, you may think it’s BT simply restoring service , but it will appear as a new contract with a minimum term, so this is really just a heads up on that probable future aggrevation.

If you were unaware of the correct process that’s really a failure of the new provider , not BT , and you probably would be better served by asking the new provider to expedite their provide order, rather than getting BT to restore service, but that ship has probably already sailed.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:39:37 GMT

@LornaH

Who are you switching to? @licquorice is correct if you're moving to another provider on the Openeach network, but not if moving to someone with their own network (Virgin, Gigaclear, etc.).

Any system with human input is liable to errors & BT do seem to be particularly prone to that. But what I find inconceivable is the apparent lack of any mechanism to quickly resolve their own errors. The Mods here are very good at stepping in here but it really shouldn't be necessary to identify & rectify a **bleep**-up. Unfortunately for you that's probably not an option today due to industrial action.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

VeteranISPUser — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:47:15 GMT

@LornaHwrote:
Having been a BT customer and never switched before, this was never suggested to me. The new service start date is set and I was assured I would still have service from BT until 7/11 by the advisor. I dont think this should make a difference?

Hi @LornaH I don’t know if you use a calling plan (landline) but cancelling with BT and not leaving it to your new provider may mean that you have forfeited your telephone number.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

LornaH — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 14:16:25 GMT

It's a netomnia provider, not openreach.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

LornaH — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 14:17:17 GMT

I'm keeping my landline service with BT.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 14:22:47 GMT

@LornaHwrote:
It's a netomnia provider, not openreach.

Then in theory, what you did was correct & it's a simple BT failure to cut you off early. That's all the more surprising as you're required to give 30 days notice to terminate. It's no help to you now but I always advise anyone in your situation to only cancel the existing service once the new one is up & running. it means paying an extra month for duplicate service but mitigates against having none.

I think the best you can hope for is for one of the forum CLs to pass this on to the Mods. But even then it could be several more days before service is restored.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

LornaH — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 14:29:19 GMT

Thanks, it's so frustrating as I have been apologised to by about 4 different BT employees for their error but with no quick solution. Appreciate your response and hoping this gets passed on...

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 14:35:46 GMT

Given how often it happens there really ought to be a simple escalation process for the CS reps to follow once an error has been identified. Yet all too often here we see customers incorrectly disconnected & then pushed into the standard connection process, typically a couple of weeks.

Fingers crossed for you.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

licquorice — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 15:08:36 GMT

I've alerted the mods but it might be a day or two before they pick it up

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

LornaH — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 14:12:39 GMT

Well, after a further phone call today, the CSA today told me I have been lied to by every person I have spoken to previously and apologised that i have been given misinformation. Actually cannot believe this poor customer service. 😕 I have been a BT customer for 23 years and feel disgusted and let down.

Re: Disconnected and feel lied to.

LornaH — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 19:18:16 GMT

My service is restored! I am most grateful but perplexed that the CSA advised me today that this was impossible to do. Best outcome for us in the end.