New customer- order cancelled- absolute !@#$%^& farce

[RachelB10]

I placed an order online on 17thSept. to switch from Talk Talk (with whom I'm out of contract) to FTTP 300M Full Fibre with BT,via OneTouch switch, & keep my number

Received all the confirmation email, contract email, engineer appointment confirmation from BT, confirmation from Openreach and exit email from Talk Talk.

Then received a text from BT on 18th that there was an issue with the order. Rang up and was told the issue was to do with talktalk, Customer service adviser Gary put me on hold, went away , then came back and told me it was"all sorted" and installation would proceed as planned on 17th October. 

A couple of days later, I received 2 missed calls from Openreach trying to contact me about two duplicate orders scheduled for 17/10/25.

Then yesterday, I was spammed with multiple "complete your order" emails (7 within 15 minutes!). I rang BT (didn't catch the customer service advisor name). Was told there were two installations booked in for my property, and the issue with TalkTalk (still ongoing) was that TalkTalk were not letting them take over the line. Advisor went away - was on hold nearly 30 minutes- came back and told "everything's sorted" and installation will proceed on 17th Oct.

I tracked my order today, to find the order has been cancelled.  No notification or communication from BT or Openreach.

So I rang again. Spoke to Tracey this time, who confirmed the order has indeed been canceled and there are no open orders for me. Only solution, to be put through to Sales to raise a new order! At this point I'm at the end of my lunch break, and quite frankly,at the end of my tether, so I declined this, and have been sent a lik to ring at a more convenient time.

Absolutely farcical service. Am seriously considering going elsewhere if this is an indication of how BT handles new customers!

Only hope the the cease order on TalkTalk has also been cancelled,  or I'll be without phone & broadband on 17th October .

[Kodikid]

It's horror stories like this that put the faint hearted off from switching 

[Manatarms84]

BT take over the service from your existing provider there is not a cancellation in the traditional sense if you did the correct thing and just place an order with BT.  The issue seems to be with TalkTalk not BT as you said it was them not letting you go, BT is just trying to fix their error!
If you placed a separate cancellation directly with TalkTalk that would explain what has happened in which case you would need to stop this before placing a new order with BT - any other amendments you are making with TalkTalk would have to same effect so I would speak to them first

[Anonymous]

@RachelB10 

One of the major failings of the OTS process is that losing ISPs no longer have the ability to block a switch. So I'd question the validity of what you've been told.

[iniltous]

It’s never been particularly clear if the losing provider can stop a switch or not , after all in the case of slamming or simply changing your mind stopping a switch seems an important requirement , but we are talking about Ofcom and TOTSCo, hardly bywords for competence.

Something that should happen, is the consumer after contacting the new provider to start the switching process , the losing provider is contacted by the gaining provider (via OTS) , they (the losing provider)  need to match the address, account name and number  etc , once matched , the losing provider should then send a impact statement to the customer detailing things like any termination charges etc  ….it’s supposed to be only after this impact statement is sent/received and the consumer indicating  they still wanting to proceed, that the date of the switch is set ….perhaps the OP (should they return here ) confirm they received this impact statement from TT…., if they did it can’t really be TT messing up ,  if they didn’t it may well be TT that are delaying the migration by not sending the impact statement, which may be a problem matching the address or account holder , or simply TT failing to process the request correctly.

[RachelB10]

@Manatarms84 I just placed the order with BT, I haven't done a separate cancellation with TalkTalk at any time during the order process with BT

[RachelB10]

@iniltousI did receive an email from TalkTalk informing me that BT has advised them I'm "considering switching", which detailed my termination charges (£0.00), and what to do to return my TalkTalk equipment,  and what services I'll be losing. 

Nowhere in that email does it state I need to contact them to confirm that I AM switching, only if I've changed my mind and wish to stay with TalkTalk

[iniltous]

That’s answered the question , it’s often the case , basically no reply is considered ‘acceptance’ , so as you didn’t contact TT then the migration is not cancelled or held up , so that basically absolves TT from blame .

As you ordered FTTP , often some considerable work is needed to get a fibre to your home , the ‘network’ could be as far away as 100m , and need footpaths etc excavating, depending on the area being underground or overhead.
If you enter your address here
https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

What does it say for your address  , single stage or KCI2 ,

what does your survey note show , this is a fully ducted modern house , so as it says no anticipated issues
Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG Feed with no anticipated issues.
What does your address show , it may be Openreach that are cancelling the order to get more time to do any necessary work

[RachelB10]

@iniltous

There's a CBT  already installed on the wall along the block  (12 purpose-built flats, 6 ground and 6 1st floor, arranged in pairs) My downstairs neighbour had full fibre installed last year and there is an existing CSP  that was installed for his installation.

This is what the broadband checker website says:

 

 

[iniltous]

Some of the information on the checker isn’t on the cropped image (the survey network note in particular) but a single stage installation is shown , so that’s an indication that no issues are foreseen, plus with your  description of a CBT on the wall servicing 12 flats ,  the only potential issue could be if the cable to your flat from the CBT has to run over the walls of some neighbouring flats , permission from them may be needed ,( to cable across their walls )  , however this isn’t normally sought in advance and the ‘wayleave’ presumably was sought from the freeholder (or whoever) to fit the CBT and strictly speaking the external wall isn’t the flat owners property but is the freeholders .

It does seem odd that the original orders were cancelled , and then not immediately replaced etc , the reasons for the problems haven’t really been properly explained either , hopefully you won’t have any further issues and the installation will take place on the appropriate date .