This topic

Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

Bhaiv — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 22:25:45 GMT

Maybe BT should listen to customers rather that annoy them. I would suggest:

Not coercing people into having digital rather than copper line phones.
Not charging extra if you do want digital phone
Allowing value brand plusnet to offer digital phones
Letting people OWN their router

In that case they might be worth considering

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

Devon_Dave — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 22:32:58 GMT

You sound like you have had a bad experience of BT?

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

Bhaiv — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 22:52:23 GMT

It is rather a case of mentioning things which may annoy people about BT as ISP. If they were addressed, arguably it could make BT more popular.

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

pippincp — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 07:40:42 GMT

@Bhaiv Why do you say coercing people to have digital phones? You do realise the copper phone service is ending totally in 2 yrs. Openreach is ending it area by area now. They also supply digital phones FOC.

There is also the churn as VM and AltNets with FTTP enter the area as well as the normal churn. 126,000 is a drop in the Ocean for BT.

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

DavidCo — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 08:13:09 GMT

126,000 x 4 = 500,000/year

IMO, not a drop in the ocean

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

gg30340 — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 08:23:25 GMT

@Bhaiv wrote:

Maybe BT should listen to customers rather that annoy them. I would suggest:

Not coercing people into having digital rather than copper line phones. You are not "coerced". You can choose to have or not have Digital Voice or any other VoIP service when the copper lines are closed down by Openreach.
Not charging extra if you do want digital phone Do you mean in the same way as you are presently charged if you want an analogue phone line at this time.
Allowing value brand plusnet to offer digital phones Plusnet are a separate company. It is up to them to develop and use their own VoIP phone system.
Letting people OWN their router If you read through the forum you will see that BT do not stop you using your OWN router. It is only required for Digital Voice and you need to use the Smarthub2 as the first device. You can then connect your OWN router to the SH2 and use it if you want.

In that case they might be worth considering

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

VeteranISPUser — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 08:58:19 GMT

Hi @Bhaiv I suspect that this is more to do with the cost of living than anything else. In good times people like to go with the traditional established providers. In the bad times they make do with the value providers to save some money.

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

pippincp — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 10:58:42 GMT

@DavidCoYou are assuming the trend will continue. Maybe it will, maybe it won't.

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

Bhaiv — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 21:25:32 GMT

I would say ending copper phone service totally is effectively coercing people to having digital phones. Also I thought some customers eg over 70 s were supposed to be exempt so how can it be total? I find that a little confusing.

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

Bhaiv — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 21:35:56 GMT

@gg30340

I simply don’t except much of what you say. I feel you are just playing with words. You need Smarthub2 but will not own it. Plusnet are a separate company! And I thought they were owned by BT. I believe if you have a digital phone with vodafone, for instance, you will not pay extra for it . . .

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

gg30340 — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 23:18:30 GMT

@Bhaiv wrote:

@gg30340

I simply don’t except much of what you say. I feel you are just playing with words. You need Smarthub2 but will not own it. Plusnet are a separate company! And I thought they were owned by BT. I believe if you have a digital phone with vodafone, for instance, you will not pay extra for it . . .

And I simply don't accept what you say.

Why would you want to own the Smarthub2? It does not cost you anything extra to use it with BT so there is no need to own it. If it becomes faulty it will be replaced free of charge where as if you own it you will need to pay for a replacement if it becomes faulty after the fixed term contract ends. Once you leave BT it will not work with other ISP so what do you intend to do with it if you own it.

Plusnet are part of the BT Group but they are a separately managed company just in the same way as B&Q and Screwfix are part of the Kingfisher Group and Waitrose and John Lewis is part of the John Lewis Group all of which are separate companies and work independently of each other. If you think other wise try taking something you purchased from one company back to another in the same group and ask for a refund!

BT do not charge you for a new digital phone that will work with Digital Voice plus your existing phones will work with Digital Voice by plugging it into the Smarthub 2 or by using your present phone plugged into your existing phone sockets with a free Digital Phone adaptor.

BT charge for a calling plan in the same way as Vodaphone charge for their calling plans however BT offer a Pay As You Go calling plan so if you don't make any calls you don't pay where as Vodaphone do not offer that option.

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

Crimliar — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 00:19:09 GMT

Is there a citation to back up your claim?

All I can find is: https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2023/07/bt-stabilises-uk-fttp-broadband-build-adds-718000-premises.html

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

NigelB72 — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 06:15:36 GMT

It's Openreach that lost 126,000 connections not BT Retail. These migrations away are likely the result of other fibre providers being available in areas where Openreach fibre isn't so Sky, Talk Talk etc will be using City Fibre etc in those area's for full fibre connections.

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

garybs29 — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 07:33:21 GMT

The OP probably believes the Telegraph headline

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

Bhaiv — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 20:45:23 GMT

@garybs29

I would expect the Telegraph's reporting to be basically honest. Perhaps if BT did less things that annoy customers, customers would find them more attractive. Just a thought.

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

Crimliar — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 21:55:24 GMT

I've now read the original article, and while there's a lot of bluster and bravado in it, it seems to be trying to present a complex multi-faceted issue as being entirely 2 dimensional. Sorry that kind of analysis used to be my day job.

I'd still like to know the original source of the figures, whether the effects of the move to the EE brand is being included, and what sectors of the BT empire are included in the analysis.

Change happens, I'm not saying the figures are incorrect, and I've no investment in their accuracy, but without citations, I'm dubious even if it is the Telegraph!

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

Bhaiv — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 00:16:15 GMT

@gg30340

Personally I'd rather not have something in my house which I don't own, which is just on loan from somebody else.

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

gg30340 — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 07:22:51 GMT

@Bhaiv wrote:

@gg30340

Personally I'd rather not have something in my house which I don't own, which is just on loan from somebody else.

In that case I take it that due to your principals that you are not a BT customer because all BT equipment is loaned and you have stated you'd rather not have any loaned equipment.

Which ISP are you with?

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

garybs29 — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:10:30 GMT

So according to ISP review it was openreach that lost 126,000 customer & not BT retail

BT Stabilises UK FTTP Broadband Build - Adds 718,000 Premises - ISPreview UK

Re: Why has BT lost 126,000 broadband customers in three months?

gg30340 — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:19:36 GMT

See message 13.