NO LANDLINE FOR 2 WEEKS NOW

[Lopenalong]

“I, too, was initially given the impression by the BT Value Dept (representing Contracts)) that I did NOT really have a choice (sorry, "misprint" on my part in one of my earlier posts...).  However I soon came to the conclusion that something was wrong somewhere due to the 14 day cooling off period a customer is entitled to.

Therefore, if customers make use of this and cancel within 14 days  surely this must mean that automatically  the system should revert back to its original settings ??? 

Obviously this is not the case and I really feel sorry for the engineers who have to get involved sooner or later and try and sort out the mess which has been created .... but most of all I feel sorry for vulnerable customers who should not be put in this position in the first place!

At the moment it seems all of us are caught right in the middle of "the BT/EE technical system says NO" and there are no easy answers at present - all of this is of course unacceptable.”

Apologies to SMOKEY24 for thread hijack….

If the agents really are on commission, and not held to account, it truly is shameful.  The 14 day cancellation certainly doesn’t appear to be honoured by BT.

Our story continues….. I spent about 90 minutes on the phone earlier (hold “music “ is beyond grim) initially to BT but suddenly, after explaining the sad story to CS agent 1, found myself speaking to EE (actually I do both!). She was as helpful as she could be and seemed to be genuinely on a mission to help but was ultimately frustrated by the system. It seemed that the best she could do was reconnection by Tuesday (not clear whether original number or not - it had better be!). That’s even invoking the vulnerability fast track. Pathetic.

Had to settle for that. But then a few hours later,  I get a WhatsApp from the folks saying they’ve just had a call, on the landline, saying it’s re-instated. Amazing!

Or is it……?

……. nope. Can’t ring into it (perhaps because number is different?)….. and actually can’t ring out either as no dial tone!  

So it’s not re-instated at all.  So what on earth is going on?! Why would someone ring to say it was?

Masochist that I am, I ring customer services again, but this time they won’t even speak to me as I’m not the account holder….. though it apparently wasn’t a problem a few hours ago.

They helpfully suggest the account holder rings them (old, stressed and completely fed up with the BT/EE experience, no landline, very poor mobile signal)  or I get the account holder beside me (40 minutes drive away for me, still no landline & minimal mobile signal).

How marvellous…..

We’ll try getting them registered as vulnerable. Amazingly, by the letter of the terms they don’t really qualify, though I think their GP would sign it off.

Fed up are we…

[Lopenalong]

@Lopenalong 

are your parents registered here  https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/including-you/BT_Free_Priority_Fault_Repair_Scheme.pdf

https://www.bt.com/help/here-for-you

your parents with their age and medical conditions should not have been moved just now to digital voice  unfortunately there is no way back to previous system after moving to DV

Another thought.... as BT have apparently succeeded in their original dastardly aim of getting them transferred to EE...... would the above still work, or is it necessary to find the same forms on EE headed paper?

[imjolly]

@Lopenalong 

this appears to be EE equivalent page

https://ee.co.uk/help/here-for-you

[Lopenalong]

Thanks for that. Better news today. I went over to their house and we got hold of customer services together.  They remotely rebooted the router which produced a dial tone. We were able to ring out from it, but not back in. That was because it’s been allocated a different number. We did discover the number by ringing my wife’s mobile and number showed on that. So I had to call customer services again. Apparently this was another error and can be resolved, but not until Tuesday when the actual transfer order is for. No one seems quite sure why the phone is working already - I guess someone has pulled some strings - we are grateful especially as the fall alarm is working too!

There will have to be another call on Tuesday to facilitate the number recovery for some unfathomable (to me) reason - but least they’ve promised to call us. Both advisers I’ve dealt with today were very good - the second one does actually call back on Tuesday he’ll get a gold star. They’ve also agreed to credit the “first”  EE payment (£70 ish) after I complained about the general mayhem this miserable business has caused.

Hoping we are nearly there and wishing SMOKEY 24 similar success!

[SMOKEY24]

Hi Lopenalong  - cheers.

It is good to hear that at long last something  seems to be happening in your case and I keep my fingers crossed that they can fix your issues on Tuesday for good.

After what you have said in your last post I am truly wondering now whether my  own phone line issues are indeed linked to one of my neighbours changing from another  provider over to BT/EE and something got dislodged/disconnected  by mistake when the BT/EE engineer carried out the new installation  on 15th and I lost my landline on the 15th also .... could be coincidence of course but ....

All the best

SMOKEY24

[Lopenalong]

“After what you have said in your last post I am truly wondering now whether my  own phone line issues are indeed linked to one of my neighbours changing from another  provider over to BT/EE and something got dislodged/disconnected  by mistake when the BT/EE engineer carried out the new installation  on 15th and I lost my landline on the 15th also .... could be coincidence of course but ....”

Hmm…. Maybe not coincidence. We’ve definitely had similar in our village. Time for an old fashioned line fault check?

[SMOKEY24]

Hi Peter,

For your info a member of the BT Complaints team got in touch yesterday and has taken full ownership of the issue.  The problem appears to be a complex one and, by the looks of things,  they are now on a fact finding mission before a final solution  can be found .  But I was initially told that the landline should be back latest next week - we'll see.

At least I now know that something seems to be happening and hopefully I no longer have to jump through many more hoops .....

Peter, thanks for your advice and taking an interest - your help is much appreciated  and I am glad I joined the Forum.

Bye for now

SMOKEY24  

[SMOKEY24]

Hi Lopenalong,

Thank you so much for your interesting comment - quite shocking really.  By the looks of things the possibilities  are endless! but I am glad that the BT team is now involved - hopefully  they will now  also look at the cause being a faulty line but I will certainly keep this in mind and query this, if necessary.

I hope all goes well for your parents.

All the best.

SMOKEY24

[Jane2018]

Do let us have an update on both cases when there is one as it useful background. It confirms to me by constant refrain in my head - change nothing ever as it will go wrong, even if changing might be cheaper.  Hopefully I will be the last consumer in England forced over from analogue to digital voice. After a year of nothing, this month BT invited locals to two more local meetings (I won't go) to explain digital voice (we were told London would be moved over by end of 2023 but that never happened)

[SMOKEY24]

Hello Peter - Here is an Update

Unfortunately after a total of 5 weeks now I am still without a landline and really no nearer to  getting this back in the near future!  Two attempts to rectify all have already failed (last one was based on a new landline order application which was due to go active on 27th Nov.).  For one reason or another this did not get through and it is suggested we try again -  however I have been told that there is no guarantee that this is going to work either!!! What is certain, however, that it will be a min. of another 10 days. 

In addition, as my BT account details have been wiped out as well,  once reconnected the account will have to be "re-assembled" - so there are more problems looming.

To add insult to injury, I have only just just realised that the the new line application is in actual fact based on the same contract which I did not really want (i.e. the one I cancelled within the cooling off period at the beginning of October !!).

At the time there was no indication anywhere that I could not go back to a traditional BT landline and the re-grading process  from EE back to BT was started -  I was asked to return all the kit I was sent as this was no longer required.  All seemed to be fine up until the 15th October (when the line was disconnected by mistake)  and I have been without a line since.

Last but not least I have now also been told that I will require all the equipment after all (i.e. the one I was asked to return as explained above) and by the looks of things I am still expected to carry out the installation myself which, I am sure, represents a challenge to most people! 

In summary, I am now  where I was more or less 2 months ago when I simply asked for a new contract and my TV package removed.  The only solution I have now been given seems to go Digital after all (although I was told that this was not the case initially and I therefore made use of the cooling off period! )  Furthermore, there was no reference in the BT cooling off details on the website either  i.e. that if I apply this it would automatically result in going Digital later on ). In other words I really had no reason to be worried.

Last but not least I understand (rightly or wrongly) that Digital relies on Broadband - bearing in mind that there are still areas in the UK which either do not have broadband at all or have a very bad reception.  This being the case, I'd therefore  love to know how this landline issue would have been dealt with (and will be dealt with in future) for customers where it is not possible to go over to Digital for these reasons.

In conclusion - I am in my mid-Seventies and the entire issue is causing me a great deal if unnecessary distress and turning into somewhat of a nightmare.

I have no doubt that all parties involved are doing their best however the fact remains that all attempts to reconnect me have failed so far and further attempts are not guaranteed to work either.  So if that happens again where would I go from there???

They say things get worse before they get better but ....

Greetings from a very unhappy SMOKEY 24

(who is still going round in circles - with no end in sight!)