Why do BT.com LIE regarding fault tracing and rectification.

[brianwmay]

I am on my third engineer's visit to rectify the inability to achieve the minimum guaranteed download speed for an FTTP900 broadband connection.

Yet today, I look on the website Fault Tracking page only to find that I've told BT the fault is fixed and the Engineer's visit is complete.

One small problem, I didn't and he isn't.  It's a blatant lie and has happened on each of the previous two visits.  Are they frigging the figures so they don't get leaned upon by OFCOM or similar?

I've yet to see the engineer and we're within one hour of the five hour visit window . . . 

[why_oh_why]

I've always had to involve OFCOM to get BT to admit to failings on their end. As a communications company BT's systems are a total shambles. My complaints usually come from their failure to close orders many months after they've been completed. Disaster mate. I wish you luck getting a satisfactory solution.

[brianwmay]

Talking to someone in Quality for another business, she thinks these lies are actually to 'fool' KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) as, on 'paper' it looks like more complaints are successfully dealt with than is the actual case. This performance index is measured for bonuses etc. Now THAT sounds like sense to me. Why blatantly lie when you KNOW you're going to be found out.

They say, of course, if the fault persists, raise another complaint - which fits with the above assertion.

[brianwmay]

Thank you Paddy B, understood and appreciate the help.

[pippincp]

How are you testing your speed? Wired or wireless? Which speed tester?

[brianwmay]

BTWholesale speed tester.  2015 15" Macbook Pro Retina.  Cable gives me less than 100 (a hundred) Mbits.  I've used Fast.com and Speedtest.net too, with Chrome browser as Safari reads 1900 Mbits which would be nice but obviously utter garbage.

Wifi with everything turned off or isolated on Wifi gives me an average of 500, occasionally 600 (very rare) or so Mbits.  BT say (and I believe them) that the FTTP is running at 937Mbits.  Wifi is the way to go.  I sit approximately two metres away from the Superhub 2 which is not shielded.

Using BT Ethernet cables but I bought gold coated Cat 7 cables and have similar results.

Fibre has been re-spliced, modem has been replaced and router has been replaced.   Both BT engineer one day and Openreach engineer the next day were not able to get anywhere near the guaranteed minimum speed of 700 Mbits using their own equipment.  Their readings broadly echoed what I'm getting.  My wife's brand new Macbook Air also gives similar readings under all circumstances, so I don't believe it's equipment.

Engineer today was supposed to be collecting information to definitively focus on the ACTUAL speeds achievable so ongoing decisions can be made regarding this installation.

[ozsat]

I think the system is partly automated and is not always that someone lieing.

2-3 times have had fault fixed or a engineering visit has happened on the tracker - only to get a call later from the engineeer who is now on there way.

I've also had the intermittant fault that has been fixed several times because at the moment of them testing there was no issue.

[brianwmay]

Definition of 'lie' from Oxford Shorter English Dictionary:
" An act or instance of lying; an intentional false statement; an untruth. OE."

The 'partly automated' system is not fit for purpose if it states " You contacted us and told us the fault is repaired" (or similar wording). Software system 'deciding' what has happened and forecasting the result of an engineer's visit before they've even arrived.  A developer or team have signed this system off as acceptable . . . it isn't.

What is the point of even HAVING a Fault Tracking page if it amounts to nothing more than fantasy and produces FALSE DATA which will no doubt be rolled out as 'great performance'?

Just because other folks have been subject to these outlandish practices doesn't make this conduct acceptable.

However, thanks for responding as it indicates I'm not the only one this has happened to.

[DavidM]

HI @brianwmay and welcome to our community.

I'm really sorry to hear about these problems. I'll be happy to take a look at this for you and put this right. I'll need a few details so I'll drop you over a private message now so you can get in touch.

Cheers

David

[brianwmay]

I've responded to the PM David. Thank you.