Yesterday, I spent well over an hour trying to report a fault on my elderly and infirm in-laws landline. In days gone by, anyone could phone 100, 24 hours a day, and ask the operator to check any line. Now one has to battle with online forms (asking for account numbers - so you need to have access to the internet and know someone else's account details). Oh, and only during opening hours. To report using a text, I would be charged by my provider (only free from a BT mobile)..Eventually I located live chat and the person there did try to help. I explained my in-laws are vulnerable (BT has been told this numerous times) and that there is no mobile signal where they live. I was offered an engineer's appointment in 4 days. I explained this was unacceptable as they need to be able to call an ambulance. I was told that the situation was being reported to the welfare team and I would hear in an absolute maximum of 30 hours. Still not safe but I could do nothing. Well, we are over 30 hours now and not a peep from the welfare team.
And yes, they did need to call an ambulance and were unable to do so. Fortunately they had a visitor who discovered the problem. The visitor had to leave them to find somewhere with mobile signal. My father -in law was unable to get out of his chair for 12 hours and has now been diagnosed with pneumonia and severe heart failure and has a significant risk of sepsis.
Thanks BT. So glad you are proud of the way prioritise the vulnerable.
