This topic

Email downgraded before contract ends

Midlander — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 09:58:10 GMT

I phoned BT on 26th August 2023 to give notice that I wished to cancel my services (broadband, digital voice and mobile phone) with them. I knew that this would result in my email service changing from ‘standard’ to ‘basic’ when the contract ended on 27th September 2023 and was already familiar with what those changes would be.

Later that same day I received an email telling me that I would soon be downgraded to BT’s Basic email service. No date was given in the email, but since I would be paying for my services up till the 27th September I expected that (or the next day) to be when the changes would happen.

Four days later (30th August) I noticed that the email client on my mobile phone wasn’t collecting emails from my BT addresses and was saying ‘Credentials needed’ for all four accounts. My Gmail account was just fine. I tried signing in with what I know are the correct email addresses and passwords several times but it didn’t work. I went onto my laptop and found that I could login to my emails on the web and realised that the changes were those associated with changing from BT’s standard email service to the basic one. More disturbingly, I also noticed that I had received an email telling me that BT would be stopping my Basic email service. That shouldn’t happen, even when you stop being a customer for broadband as long as you keep using the email address. Clearly something had gone wrong. I phoned BT customer service later that morning and was told that my service was being shown as ‘basic’ for email and that it would take up to 24 hours to rectify the problem with my email client and also that the changes mentioned in the email (which for some reason BT insists on referring to as an ‘order’) had been cancelled.

The next morning (31st) nothing had changed. Before phoning customer services again, I checked that I could access my emails on the web and found that I could, but I had received another email telling me that my basic email service would be stopping soon – exactly the same wording as the day before. I still couldn’t access email via my email client app on my phone. So later that morning I phoned customer services again. I was told that my service was being shown as ‘standard’. We tried a couple of things, involving my Gmail app and the BT email app which I was asked to download to my phone. Nothing worked and the error message I was getting didn’t seem to match any that the assistant was aware of and I got the feeling he might have been out of ideas. He then suggested we tried yet another third party email client. At this point I decided to put my foot down and I said, ‘Look, I am convinced that BT has done something to my email account that they shouldn’t have done. Despite the fact that you say it is showing me as being on the standard service it is working like the basic service. I really feel we are clutching at straws now. I think we need to escalate this problem.’ Or words similar to that. The assistant told me that he would pass it on to someone else. I’m afraid I didn’t catch the job title he used but he promised that they would call me that afternoon. At around 1pm to 2pm. I am still waiting for that call (at 11am the following morning) and my services are just the same.

I am posting this here because I just can’t cope with phoning customer services again. I have seen a post on the community with a similar issue and the ‘solved’ post was submitted by a moderator called ‘DanielS’, so if anyone knows how to get to him I would really appreciate his help.

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

gg30340 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:25:42 GMT

I have notified the moderators of the forum about your problem. Once they have read this they may be able to help. They will advise you by posting on this thread.

As an aside, are you moving to another Internet Provider or are you ceasing your broadband altogether?

If you are moving to another provider the correct process is to contact your new provider, give them the dates etc and they will contact BT for you and advise BT when they will be taking over the service. This is to allow for a seamless take over and hopefully avoid things like this happening.

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

Midlander — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:28:00 GMT

Thanks for your quick response.

I am moving to Zen Broadband and they don't offer that service. I have already set everything up with them and am awaiting delivery of my new router.

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

gg30340 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:38:00 GMT

According to Zen's website FAQ they do use the Ofcom method of switching unless you are moving to or with a different technology such as FTTP.

Switch Broadband Today with Zen Internet | Zen

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

Midlander — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:38:56 GMT

Well it's a moot point anyway. When I read the Zen website it said I needed to contact my current provider so that's what I did.

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

gg30340 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:46:03 GMT

OK it was just in case it causes any problems, which can and frequently does happen when a line is taken over without using the correct system. Hopefully it will all go well for you.

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

DanielS — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:38:22 GMT

Hi @Midlander,

Thanks for taking the time to join the Community.

I must point out that Basic Mail can only access the email account through https://www.bt.com/mail. It won't work on IMAP/POP3 or on our BT Mail app for android and iOS. It still shouldn't be on Basic Mail until your account closes however. I can help you with that.

I'll need to find out why it's saying that your Basic Mail is stopping soon. I can go over everything on your account to find out.

I'm going to send you a private message that you can reply back to my team through. We will then pick it up within a couple of working days and get in touch with you.

Thank you

DanielS

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

DanA64 — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 20:32:30 GMT

Exactly the same thing just happened to me - I mean precisely the same thing (including the emails suggesting my email service - even basic - was about to end).

6 phone calls, several hours on the phone - you know the drill.

I insisted it was escalated within BT to email specialists - it got sorted in about 48 hours (10 days after this started).

It can be sorted - I don't know how they did it behind the scenes - but they can fix it.

Oh, and when they do - make sure you ask for compensation - at least one months worth of yoru bill (or old bill if you've moved on).

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

Midlander — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 20:47:16 GMT

Thanks, that sounds encouraging. Hope it gets sorted out soon.

It's just so frustrating. And you end up doubting yourself.

I did think about compensation because I am not getting the service I paid for. Wondering whether it qualifies as breach of contract.

Been with BT for over 20 years. I have never had any order or interaction that was trouble free. Finally had enough....and even escaping turns into a pain in the backside.

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

DanA64 — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 20:52:22 GMT

Yeah - I know - I thought I was going nuts too .

DEFINITELY ask for compensation - clearly dreadful customer service + breach of contract.

good luck.

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

gg30340 — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 21:25:43 GMT

I would not get your hopes up about compensation for your email not working on an email client/app.

BT supply email as an "add on" which is delivered by webmail via a web browser. Even although email clients/app can be used and BT give the relevant server details in order to use them, they are not supported by BT with the exception of the BTMail app.

As you stated you were getting your email when you logged on via a browser it would appear that your email service was working albeit as a "Basic" account not a "Standard" account.

If you do decide to try and get compensation please keep this thread updated with how you get on.

Re: Email downgraded before contract ends

Midlander — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 09:15:47 GMT

This problem is now resolved. I don't know what they did but someone at the email Hub phoned to say that they had identified a mismatch in their settings.

If anyone reading this thread has this problem I suggest you phone customer service, insist that they escalate your complaint and refuse to close the complaint until it is resolved.

And when they tell you that someone will phone you within a few hours.....expect it to be considerably longer. I finally got a call from BT 3 days after the stated time. Some people might say that I DID get a call. And that is true. But I am paying for this service, I think we should all expect better. And if BT sorted out their processes and procedures perhaps they wouldn't be so overwhelmed with issues that, according to them, 'shouldn't have happened'.