Landline Problems

[DL2]

After some bad weather across most of the country earlier in the week, none of my landline phones work, you pick up the receiver and the line is completely dead (totally silent).

I therefore unplugged everything from the master socket and plugged in a working phone (one I know to be working and which wasn't plugged in at the time - we keep in spare in a box). The line is still dead. So, it's not a phone issue. It is the network side of the master socket.

The broadband that also comes down the same copper line works - or at least as well as it does normally. So, it's not a line break. 

I waited a day before reporting the fault to BT because I suspected that it would be a wider network issue affecting lots of properties. I then reported the fault. I receive an email confirming it's a network issue but that they don't have an expected repair date for at least 5 days.  

I rang up BT today to see if I can get an update on the issue (I've already tried BT's website - who don't even have it logged as a fault - despite the fact I'm getting text messages acknowledging it's a fault). Apparently, they can't tell me if it is a wider problem or if just affects my property. They can't tell me if they are going to arrange an engineer to fix, or why it's going to take 5 days. If they just said, e.g. "there is damage at the exchange", then I would at least have some understanding of the process and would be reassured that they are actually doing something about. I explain to them I have elderly relatives at home who wouldn't be able to contact the emergency services even (there is no mobile signal on any network at our property) although I live 5 minutes from a city centre. They said they would raise it as a welfare issue but that the system won't let them. 

Over the last 2 months I have had nothing but problems with the landline and broadband service - the attitude from BT has generally been "you can't expect anything better".  Customers services are totally useless - they have no information and are unable to do anything - I don't blame the staff in the call centre - it is the process set out by BT - it just doesn't work and serves to do nothing but frustrate customers and fob them off. The quality of customer care is simply non-existent. I've reached the stage where I just no longer believe the advisors.

Is there any way I can get a proper update on what is wrong and an explanation of what they are doing to fix it?

I don't think as a customer who pays quite a lot of money for a service to receive a proper explanation of why they can't provide that service is too much to ask.

[RobbieMac]

Hi @DL2

Thank you for your post and welcome back!

I am sorry for the recent service problems.  Thank you for checking your equipment and ruling out any issues internal.  Normally, there is a 48-working hours turnaround for the service to be repaired.  When did you report the fault?  I assume the extended delay is due to the fast-approaching weekend.

Feel free to keep us posted how things go with the repair.  If you should need further help with this, we'll be happy to give you a hand.

All the best,

Robbie

[DL2]

Thanks for your reply. It has been a week now. First engineers were booked for Tuesday, that was then cancelled (not by us) and booked for Wednesday (1-6pm), they never showed up.

I have spent more than 2 hours on hold trying to get through to fault support. It is really becoming ridiculous - nothing has been done - no matter how many times I try to chase things up. 

I'm really fed up with being put through to people who want to start the whole process over from the beginning even though I have explained the issue - apparently, they have to follow the process no matter what - even though there are notes on the system from the engineers (supposedly detailing the problem and what has been checked already - all though all operatives I spoken to refuse to tell me what the engineers notes say).

I am really close to just abandoning BT altogether. The faults process is clearly not fit for purpose. They are happy to take the money but are unwilling to provide the service. How can I raise a complaint about customers services? And get some proper answers to the engineer's no-show? I do not expect to receive a bill from BT - they can't provide the service, so why should I pay for a service they can't provide.

[RobbieMac]

Thanks for posting back @DL2

I am really sorry for the time this is taking to get sorted out and for the lack of information.  I can appreciate the frustration with having to explain things over and over.

I have sent you a private message with instructions on how you can send us over your details and we'll look into this for you. See: Private messages

Thanks,

Robbie

[DL2]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I've replied to the private message with all the details requested. Thanks.

[licquorice]

Silly question, but as your broadband is still working but not phone, are you sure you haven't been moved to Digital Voice?

If you have a Smart Hub2, you could try plugging your phone into the green socket at the rear of the hub.

[DL2]

Thanks for your advice, I haven't been asked if I wanted to be moved to digital voice. If so, they have done it without telling us. I would have thought it would have cropped up in the conversations with some of the engineers or BT support staff before now.

As I understand it so far, there was some bad weather and some equipment in the exchange had been damaged. BT won't tell me what kind of damage - it obviously isn't a line break as the broadband works (albeit sometimes intermittently). 

I don't have a Smart Hub of any kind. According to the Openreach engineer we had recently for the broadband issue, there is no chance that fibre will be installed anytime soon. We live about 5 miles from the cabinet which is only about 200 yards from the exchange.

Thanks, DL2

[DL2]

Just an update. It's been two weeks now. The landline phone is still completely dead. The fault has always and acknowledged to be in the exchange.

From BT I get text messages saying "We're sorry - it's going to take longer than we thought to fix your fault. This is because we have to do some more work. You don't need to do anything. We'll get your service up and running again as soon as we can." But this is the third time I've had this text now. 

All I want is it fixed. The attitude from BT and Openreach is - it seems as if it's just too much effort to provide the service we are paying for - so let's not bother.

[JohnC2]

Hi @DL2, thanks for the update and sorry that this is taking longer than we would've hoped to get fixed. I can see your case is in hand with David from the Mod team and he'll update you further on Sunday.

Cheers

John

[DavidM · Accepted solution]

Hi @DL2 ,

I called the landline and spoke with a gentleman who confirmed the engineer has managed to resolve this. Sorry it took a little longer than expected but it was more complicated the we originally thought.

Cheers

David