This topic

Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:22:14 GMT

Hi there,

On the 13th of September, I received an email saying that another provider had informed BT of my intention to switch to them, and that my internet services would stop on the 28th of September if I did not get in touch with them. I have never considered changing providers and did not request such a transfer at all. The next day (14/09/23, 15:23), I called BT Customer Services as per the email instructions to inform them that I did not make this request, and I would like to continue using my BT broadband. The advisor told me that it must have been a mistake in the system, and they would get this sorted out as soon as possible. I even asked them to look into it seriously, as both my partner and I heavily rely on our home internet for work. They explained to me that since the request to switch providers was so fresh in the system, I needed to call the next day to request this again. I did as requested and called the next day (15/09/23, 14:37) to ask them to resolve this for me. I was then assured that the advisor had initiated my new order and that the request to switch providers was canceled.

Yesterday evening (28/09/23), our internet cut off at exactly midnight (00:00) with the hub showing a solid orange light, we instantly knew that BT had stopped our internet services as the e-mail stated that if we do not get in touch, our internet will stop on the 28th. This morning, I called customer services several times, hoping they could resolve this quickly due to my prior notice and contact with them. Unfortunately, the advisor said that it seems like another provider has taken over my line, and they would need to request Openreach to take over and start new services on my line again. My concern is that even though I had contacted BT Customer Services to advise that I did not make this transfer request, it was still completed, and now we are left with no internet and, to make matters worse, tied to a new 24-month contract. This all came out of nowhere, and I did everything on my side, making multiple calls to ensure that BT is aware that I intend to stay with them. Yet I am now without internet, and I have no idea when it might be restored, as the advisor said it usually takes some time. I am very frustrated and disappointed, to say the least, with the way things have developed and I have been let down by the customer services so far as they seem like they just promise everything will be sorted but take no action.

Can anyone assist in any way or let me know how long I will be without a connection? Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 05:52:22 GMT

@Switcher

This is just a customer to customer help forum, everyone here, including myself, are just customers.

The only BT Employees are the forum moderators.

This post may help https://community.bt.com/t5/Bills-Packages/Misbelief/m-p/2313799#M159233

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 06:06:51 GMT

Thank you for your quick and early reply, I did not know they had a priority backup service and I will ask them about this once I get another call with them today. I appreciate your help.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 06:45:09 GMT

This problem often happens in apartments/flats, where someone places an order, and selects the wrong property number by mistake, from a drop-down list of numbers for a specific postcode.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 06:51:10 GMT

I understand, we do live in a similar setting where we have flats above and below us. However, we still did contact BT CS the next day we got the email and they still did nothing to stop the transfer which is unacceptable, I actually had several calls with them after the email and never did I think that they would just let this happen like that.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:03:09 GMT

I have asked a moderator to comment on this, as it does seem unfair that you are being forced into a new 24 month contract, as it was not your fault.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:14:50 GMT

That makes it feel even more unfair and to be honest, at this point, we just want our services back up and running and now they are telling us that they can't make it any sooner than the 11th of October which is just... I don't even have any words for this. I don't mind the contract renewal, I just want this to be done and over with and they just say that it's out of their hands...

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:23:07 GMT

That does seem a long time. There is a 10 day delay before another provider can takeover a line, this is an Ofcom requirement to reduce the chance of "slamming", where another provider tries to takeover a working line.

This delay is to give the existing customer chance to cancel the request right away so they do not lose service. In this case it appears that BT did not act on your request, or the request was made too late.

Hopefully a moderator can look into this, but the priority backup team should be able to get service restored quickly via a priority request to Openreach.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

-Richie- — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:50:14 GMT

@Switcherwrote:
we just want our services back up and running and now they are telling us that they can't make it any sooner than the 11th of October which is just... I don't even have any words for this.

This is the standard lead time for a normal switch, you need your case/order to be referred to the PBIS team that was previously mentioned, if it's done today you should be back with BT no later than Tuesday 3rd October.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:54:02 GMT

I appreciate your help guys and I was just on the phone with them for about 40 minutes. They keep saying that the date of activation will be the 11th. I did ask for this to be handled by the PBIS team but they just keep evading the question and keep telling me that they have made a request with Openreach and unfortunately there's is nothing else they can do at this point. If Openreach gets back to them and can do it any sooner, they are gonna give me an update is what they said and it's just left me even more frustrated. Should I be trying to speak with yet another advisor as this is the 2nd one for today? I am not sure who should I speak to at this point

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Neutral — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 09:14:44 GMT

Just a thought, I lost my broadband with another company for a short while, but used my phones tether abilities, and was able to use it as an emergency stopgap. It clearly depends on the phones capability to produce a fast enough tether. If that incurs any extra cost, maybe BT could help.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

DanielS — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 10:35:40 GMT

Hi @Switcher,

Thanks for reaching out to us.

I am so sorry that your line was disconnected even after you contacted us to prevent it.

I've sent you a private message that you can reply back to my team on. It's taking us a few working days before we can reply but I'll try and get this started for you once you reply to me. We will also be able to sort that contract term out for you too.

Thank you

DanielS

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:34:08 GMT

Thank you for your quick response Daniel, I have replied to the private message with the requested information.

A quick update on this is that the Opeanreach team have sent me an SMS asking if I would like to keep using the existing line for the new services or if we need a new line I have chosen to use the existing line and have fingers crossed that this will get sorted out rather sooner now than the 11th of Oct. I really appreciate everyone's help here.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

iniltous — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:50:47 GMT

Possibly won’t help in the resolution of this issue , but did you receive an unsolicited package to your address from an ISP ?, if someone mistakenly used your address instead of their own and ordered service that moved your service to this new ISP , (and obviously the opportunity to cancel their order was missed , even though you did advise BT of the error ) I would have thought it likely that whatever ISP this person used would have posted out a router for them , and if they had your address ( instead of whatever address their customer should have given ) then the post person or a courier would have delivered that router to your address ….

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

DanielS — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:52:55 GMT

Thank you very much @Switcher.

We will pick this up properly for you during the week and help with the contract side of things.

I do understand the urgency of this which is why I put through a fast track request for Monday.

It looks to have been accepted so hopefully it will be back up and running on Monday between 8-1pm.

Please, feel free to drop me a line on Monday late afternoon.

Thank you

DanielS

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:07:13 GMT

I have not actually seen any other ISP equipment being delivered to our address or any ISP technical team outside the house trying to install anything. We live in a three-story semi-detached Victorian house, and there is another flat on the same floor as us, as well as a couple more flats below and above us. So, I assume it is easy for one of our neighbors to unintentionally select the same address that we have (that is just my guess, I have no idea if this is malicious or unintentional, or who the potential new provider is, as I got asked this today by BT CS as well).

I have high hopes now since Openreach has been notified of this, and on my BT package tracking, the broadband order installation estimate has changed from the 11th of Oct to the 2nd of Oct, which we can work with.

I appreciate your quick responses, Daniel, and that you understand the situation we have been put in. Now that you have taken action, it feels more like a reasonable resolution is being acted upon, and I thank you so much for that.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

iniltous — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:56:11 GMT

TBH , it’s simply trying to joint the dots , if for arguments sake a neighbour was moving their broadband to Skytalk and mistakenly picked your address ( or the ISP did ) and the order never was cancelled indirectly by you responding to the ‘sorry to see you leave’ email/letter then usually the gaining provider would sent out the equipment for their new customer , you would never see this company around as they use Openreach and they had arranged a migration , BT to themselves , which doesn’t require an engineer visit from Openreach anyway.
The reason for asking was that if a parcel had arrived at your address , from ‘Skytalk’ but the name was on it was a neighbours name ( only useful if you know the neighbours ) at least you could identify who made the order , and obviously they would have been expecting their service to begin with Skytalk but never would have .

If no router was sent out it could indicate that your attempt to stop this happening was partially successful in that Skytalk didn’t sent out a router to their customer ( with your address on it ) because they were informed that their order had an error so it was cancelled by Openreach, but wouldn’t explain why you still lost your BT service

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:15:37 GMT

Yeah, I understand what you mean and I am not sure either what happened as we were no less surprised that our services stopped even though we went through numerous chat advisors and over-the-phone calls with the BT CS team.

I would assume that it could be that someone collected their equipment without us noticing as parcels are usually left on a table in the Halls if someone opens the door from their flat.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 14:13:34 GMT

Hi @DanielS

I spoke with BT Customer Services at 13:11 for an update and they promised to check with openreach and get back to me, but we still have not had any updates and our Internet line is still disconnected.

Re: Broadband takeover without my consent

Switcher — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:23:50 GMT

Hi there,

Update today is that an openreach engineer visited and said that our line was indeed used by another provider. He managed to create a new line and resumed our services so crisis has been averted.

Thank you so much to the MOD Daniel who fast tracked this and for the members that helped me out so much to figure this out.

I appreciate everyone who reached out.

Best wishes!