Digital Voice upgrade and forced onto Halo

[Trixxiehobbit]

We have been upgraded to digital voice this week and while everything seems to be working ok, after checking my account details it shows that I am now on a Halo package at £60+ a month.

On the email communications sent to us it says "To say thanks for being a BT customer, we recently let you know we're upgrading you to our more reliable Full Fibre Broadband at no extra cost."  but I am now looking at a £20 a month increase that i certainly haven't consented to. We have had no new contracts or further email communications beyond openreach appointments. Looking at my options, there seems to be no way to go to full fibre and I am stuck with this increase that we do not want and cannot afford.

First question : wtf

Second question: How do i get onto full fibre packages? and if that isn't possible am i likely to get stuck with big fee to leave. Absolutely fuming at how they can do this.

[gg30340]

You can cancel your contract if you are still within the first 14 days. See the following link.

 How to cancel within 14 days | BT Help

However, if you have been placed onto a contract you neither asked for or want you should contact BT 0330.1234.150 and explain what has happened and explain that you do not want a Halo package and that you only want a Broadband Fibre  and landline package.

Assuming that you can get Full Fibre you should have a choice of what speed package you want without having to have a Halo package which is a waste of money.

[iniltous]

Are you saying that without any verbal communication between you and BT , you have been moved to a more expensive package ? , if so , immediately complain, personally I would use the executive complaints process as this is clearly illegal behaviour, but I would find that incredible if it is true .
Migration to DV is nothing more that an change in the delivery method of the phone service  , no changes to contract at all , not even a extension to the minimum term let alone any changes to the charges on the account , which suggests either a conversation did take place , or somehow your account amended in error , in place of someone else who did request Halo , or illegality.

As you have received notification of the contractual change , in the short term , call and use your cooling off period to cancel the changes , but still continue with the complaint

[Kimberlin]

@Trixxiehobbit 

I hope a Moderator on this forum reads your post. This is far more serious than problems such as Rewards Card that seemingly demand so much of their attention.

[Trixxiehobbit]

I haven't received any notification of contract change or phone calls/email that have anything at all to do with Halo at all.  We were out of contract when we were notified of the digital voice upgrade that would be putting us on full fibre from the copper broadband we had been using.

On My BT products page it shows we are not in a contract and my actual orders page shows the order date as 2019 so I am even more confused as to what is going on. Hopefully I can ring them when I get home and get some clarity.

[licquorice]

You're conflating 2 separate things here. Digital Voice does NOT require full fibre, the move to full fibre is an entirely different matter and is not a requirement to move to DV.

[chrisjp]

How were you notified of the migration to DV? Did this notification saying anything explicit about also moving you to full fibre? I ask because BT's communications about DV confuse the matter because they claim that moving to DV will allow the "old copper lines to be retired". It won't, only moving to full fibre will do that.

Did this communication about moving you to DV also say something about moving you to a Halo deal? If not, and you only found out about this change from checking your account online, did you then have a telephone conversation with an agent? BT's agents that you get through to first are sales people on commission to upsell "deals". Is it possible that anything you said in that conversation could be "interpreted" by an over-keen agent as your agreement to a Halo deal?

[iniltous]

As stated this now is less clear cut , DV doesn’t need FTTP but BT and Openreach can use the opportunity to move you to FTTP at the same time as migration to DV , neither of these things change your existing contractual arrangement, no price change , no change to the minimum term remaining, or if outside a minimum term no change to that , so where and how did Halo and the extra £20 come into it , because FTTP and DV in this cases where BT has advised that DV is ready (mandatory change ) and FTTP is available ( not mandatory but that’s not made clear ) don’t involve Halo and the extra costs of Halo  

[Trixxiehobbit]

Not had any calls other than the robo information calls. No humans to talk to.

First notified in July about upgrade

Waited a while but eventually in december i get this

And january:

And if ghosts are answering the phone and verbally agreeing to something, there is no contract. Just the halo package.

Hoping i can call later today

[gg30340]

There is nothing anyone on this forum, including the moderators who do not have access to your account, will be able to do anything to resolve this.

As has already been pointed out, you will need to call BT Billing 0330.1234.150 and explain the problem to them.