Can't speak on phone, how to contact customer services?

[DaveEagles]

I'm not sure what category this belongs in because it's more about how to contact BT. I currently have a contract with BT for my mobile phone. I use the data and the messages but I mainly came to BT for the ability to watch BT Sport. I don't use the minutes often because I have difficulties with my speech and avoid phonecalls at all costs. 

I recently got a text message advising me to contact BT to extend my contract which is up next month (June) and they had a number to call. Due to my difficulties speaking I don't call people and it can cause a lot of anxiety when I do (I've had people hang up on me, thinking I'm pranking them when I'm trying to get a word out). I have searched and searched the website for an e-mail to contact about this or for a live chat system, but I don't know if these are available because of covid-19 (I can't find them anyway!). 

I have no issue extending my contract and I know I can go into manage plans through my account and extend and upgrade from there. But I have seen offers on the main mobile site which do not appear through that portal. So I wanted to make sure I was getting the best deal possible. Especially since data is important to me. I can get double the data for the same price on the main mobile site with a new sim, as opposed to doing it through my own account.

Does anyone have any advice on how I should go about this, e-mails I could try and contact or any information for me? 

Thanks! 

[Anonymous]

Perhaps this will help? it's quite an old article but might still be valid

http://bt.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/387048/1218462178/redirect/1/filename/BT_Textphone_userguide.p...

EDIT;

Or perhaps this

https://btplc.com/inclusion/HelpAndSupport/DocumentsandDownloads/Communicationchoices/Fordeaforhardo...

Or this

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/accessibility/text-relay-...

[Rich44]

I have exactly the same issue I tried twitter & all started well then got you need to s pi eak to tech support we'll add you to a call back list.....

What was wrong with live chat? 😢

[imjolly]

@Rich44 

Live chat has been unavailable during covid 19 as the CS were diverted to answering the phones

[Rich44]

Yes I know, mine was a rhetorical statement.

Highlights the problem when a communication company cannot communicate with customers with certain disabilities. "we" have been left right up the creek as a result.

It's actually getting to the point where the easiest way to resolve it is to cancel & start again which is farcical but unfortunately there's no other way to get hold of someone, well other than emailing the CEO again I suppose which seems overkill

[PaddyB]

Hi @DaveEagles and @Rich44,

Thank you for posting. I'm sorry you've had difficulties in getting through to BT. As a result of the pandemic, a lot of our customer service staff have been taken off live chat and been moved to support our call queues, which I know has impacted some of our customers being able to contact BT. There is a service call NGT (Next Generation Text), which enables Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Speech impaired people to communicate in real-time.

To find out more about NGT take a look here https://www.relayuk.bt.com/

I hope that helps.

Thanks

Paddy

[VickiParrott]

I have tried NGT and can't get it to work, it just makes a "fax connecting" type noise and nothing happens or using the phone app on my mobile with the 18001 prefix says no network connection 

[NeilO]

Hi, @VickiParrott I'm sorry about that, I can't provide you with technical support for the NGT app but may be able to help with your BT services.

Can you let me know what you need help with and I'll be happy to assist?

Thanks

Neil

[VickiParrott]

My father has had a throat operation and is not able to speak needs to be able to make calls with the text support so he can phone the bank etc. Was hoping the NGTS or RelayUk would do it but can't get it to work. Do BT have any alternative suggestions?

[stuartrogerson]

I’ve been asking the same question today with tbe same problems