BT - Business Landline Ordeal

[Aussie Dean]

Hey All

I have had my first dealings with BT over the past 10 days or so and it makes me want to cry as all I want is just a landline from them...no broadband or anything else.

Basically to cut a long story short I was told that I could have a business line connected to my unit within 7 days as there was a still a number designated to the premises but there was no service on it.

I was told connection would be 19.99 due to this. I was told I would receive a text the next day with install appointment date but after a few days no contact so i called them only to be told that installation would be almost 3 weeks away and that i would now have to pay 99.99 for line installation as the phone number designated to my premises did not seem to be responding. Responding to what? I am not really sure.

Before this happened I was asked to give them a whole list of ID's and utility bills in my name as I have only been in the country for about 4 months (basically a deposit of the sort) which I would get back in 12 months.

I am quite pissed off by being misinformed at almost every step of the way and I just want to back out and look for another provider but they have got me by the balls as I need phone & internet desperately.

A few questions:

1. Am I able to cancel installation and contract without penalty and get back my deposit so I can shop elsewhere?
2. Will it even make a difference to my install date if I shop around with another provider considering Openreach does all landline installations by what i was told by BT operator (is this true)?
3. Any recommendations on other providers out there virgin, orange etc just for landline rental?
4. Does anyone have a gun so I can do myself in?

 

[gordano]

I had similar problem 2 years ago. Unless you go with Virgin who have their own local loop then any other landline provider will use Openreach.

If you cancel now you will have to restart the order process, my advice would be to stay with them now, agree a deadline, and try for some compensation.

Going forward look for other providers, I tried Daisy Telecom who seems much more customer focused and they managed BT openreach for line installations.

 

[Businesswise Solutions]

Hi Dean

Send me the CLI and I'll do a line check to see if the line can be re-started. Drop it me in a PM if you like and I'll do some digging on your behalf....

 

[cjd]

1. As your new contract differs materially from the deal you originally agreed to, I would guess that you can not be held to the new one. But you need to read the T&Cs of whatever you agreed to.

2. It may make a difference as other operators will have different arrangements - but as you've already started the process it could just make it longer.

3. Not really, they're all a joke.

4. Save it for the installer - you may need it.

 

[Aussie Dean]

Hi Dean

Send me the CLI and I'll do a line check to see if the line can be re-started. Drop it me in a PM if you like and I'll do some digging on your behalf....

Hi mate!

Thanks for that offer. what is CLI? I am assuming its the phone number that I get when I dial 17070 from the line?

Cheers

 

[Businesswise Solutions]

Hi mate!

Thanks for that offer. what is CLI? I am assuming its the phone number that I get when I dial 17070 from the line?

Cheers

It sure is Dean

Regards

Dean!

 

[Aussie Dean]

1. As your new contract differs materially from the deal you originally agreed to, I would guess that you can not be held to the new one. But you need to read the T&Cs of whatever you agreed to.

2. It may make a difference as other operators will have different arrangements - but as you've already started the process it could just make it longer.

3. Not really, they're all a joke.

4. Save it for the installer - you may need it.

Hey cjd

I am a new customer with no previous agreement or contract. Everything has been done over the phone and I havent seen and T & C's at this stage. All I wanted was a stupid phone line.

 

[cjd]

Hey cjd

I am a new customer with no previous agreement or contract. Everything has been done over the phone and I havent seen and T & C's at this stage. All I wanted was a stupid phone line.

The problem is that because there's no obvious spare line at the location they think they'll have to run a new cable which requires an engineering visit and needs to be planned.

Had there been a line already there, it can all be done remotely by admin staff so it's quicker. I think you're just going to have to grit your teeth and wait.

Of course, when the engineer arrives to drop the new cable, he'll probably find a pre-installed working line. Don't use the gun on him until after he's demonstrated dial tone.

 

[Aussie Dean]

The problem is that because there's no obvious spare line at the location they think they'll have to run a new cable which requires an engineering visit and needs to be planned.

Had there been a line already there, it can all be done remotely by admin staff so it's quicker. I think you're just going to have to grit your teeth and wait.

Of course, when the engineer arrives to drop the new cable, he'll probably find a pre-installed working line. Don't use the gun on him until after he's demonstrated dial tone.

The funny thing is the BT sales operator asked me if there were any phone ports available and if so to test them out with a phone by dialling 17070 if there was a dial tone. There was so I did this and gave them the number that was replied back over the phone by the robot womans voice.

 

[chris.quinn89]

I know you said you dont need broadband from them but if you take out a broadband package with BT you can get a separate telephone line included in the deal. I have the black hub with the black telephone handset with bt total broadband for £25 a month & have a separate telephone line & the fastest broadband available. You can get unlimited calls to landlines for an additional £5.99 which is covered for both your home landline & your separate line.

Hope that helps Chris

 

[Aussie Dean]

I know you said you dont need broadband from them but if you take out a broadband package with BT you can get a separate telephone line included in the deal. I have the black hub with the black telephone handset with bt total broadband for £25 a month & have a separate telephone line & the fastest broadband available. You can get unlimited calls to landlines for an additional £5.99 which is covered for both your home landline & your separate line.

Hope that helps Chris

Hi Chris

Thanks for that info.

I don't think they deserve my business anyway. The have f&$%#'ed me around for 10 days so i can only imagine it could easily happen again especially the more services I sign on for.

 

[My Owl 1]

If the line is active then you certainly should not be paying 99 squid for a number. How much is the line rental for a landline if over £13 for a month do pm me for our rates. If however, you think an internet(voip) will do the trick then go with that. Look at all your options before signing up with any of us, cos there are some good deals out there.

Best wishes

Avril

 

[shaunatsf]

Hi,

I had the same problem with BT when I tried to change what was our exisiting home/office number to being solely the office line with a new number for our house. They were a bloody nightmare telling me that as it was down as a residental line when they go to change it over to a business line we may possibly loose the number as somebody else might pick it up doing the transfer (obviously couldn't have that) so I contacted a company called Rainbow telecom who are also based in the UK, and although they also rent the lines of BT there are a number of incentives for dealings with them which I couldn't resist:

1. The most important as far as I was concerned, when you call them you speak to an actual person in this country. No automated messages, telling you to press 1 for this and 2 for that, a real living breathing person.

2. You get allocated an account manager. Once you have been allocated this person you get their email address, their direct dial number and their mobile number.

3. My phone and internet bill for two telphone numbers (one was for the fax and internet) with BT was costing us £700 a quarter. With rainbow we have four phone lines (two for the office, one for the house and one for the fax), plus broadband for less than 2/3 of what BT had been charging us and we are making far more calls now.

4. If there is a problem with the lines a Rainbow engineer comes out to see you on the day that you were told they would be out. Again you will get the engineers mobile number (there are about four engineers for my area and I have all their numbers) and they call you in the morning and tell you what time they will be with you.

I will admit that I had a problem at the beginning when we were first getting our lines installed as the sales man who was with me and went through the contracts left the company and our contract got lost down a big black hole and we had a delay of a few weeks getting the new phone system installed but when I called to compain about the delay, the following week I had three of their management team come to our office (about two hours drive from their offices) to apologise in person for the mistakes that were made (one of these men was the owner of the company) so in fairness I couldn't fault them and once the problem was highlighted it was sorted immediately.

Best of luck getting your line in, BT has to be one of the worst companies to deal with when it comes to getting a straight answer

 

[S88MRG]

I have had a nightmare with BT, my company (and parent company) have had lines with them for almost 30 years, and after the last six months of awful service, I have finally gone elsewhere!

I would avoid BT like the plague! Speak to Steffan at Rydal communications; he was very helpful for me, and now I have my broadband, and all business lines with them.

Mike

 

[paulears]

I've had nothing but simply dreadful service from BT for the past 6 years. Almost every problem only gets resolved if I do a re-sign. Frankly, their staff are excellent, but the systems are simply pathetic for such a huge company.

I have two lines here now, but don't even know the number on one of them because it was installed just to be able to get broadband. The other line had continual broadband issues - so I had another line put in, broadband enabled and then tried to swap the numbers and get rid of the old one - no such luck. They even tried to charge me for two broadband lines, and only on checking did they realise one of them didn't actually have broadband.

On one occasion, after the engineers had been, they called me to say they agreed there was a fault, but they couldn't cure it, so would I accept a one-off payment of £66 to put up with 20 meg broadband running at 1 meg. I said ... no.

"Fault isn't at the exchange, it's in your premises and if your wiring is at fault we charge you". "I don't have any wiring - the router is in the socket you installed - there isn't even a phone plugged into it". "Ah - ". Two hours later, the fault is in the exchange again, then its back here, then ...


I pay BT over £1000 a year for nothing really - and they sent me a nice letter today telling me so!

 

[Tbozz]

In fairness to BT they do have customers who are happy with BT services, as someone pointed out, the staffs are excellent, but the systems they use are sometimes not equal to the task.
Regarding alternative telephone providers, except virgin on cable, all other PSTN and ISDN Telco in UK use openreach cos they are the network provider.
A line can be activated within 7 days if the network on the line and socket is still active, this means that a) the wires has not been physically removed at the telephone exchange by openreach and b) the number used on the socket has not been given to another customer or ported over to another network.
17070 service will still announce "last number" used on the socket, even when it is already allocated to another customer or ported over to another network.
The provision of a new line might extend beyond 7 days when there is no spare capacity or network available, in such a situation, BT will have to arrange appointment with openreach to re-provide the network between your premises and local telephone exchange, depending on the availability of an openreach engineer and the amount of work needed to be done, will determine how fast a line can be provided.

 

[ginag]

Hi there, it looks like it is a common thing to have an issue with BT.

My partner and i have just moved home. My partner works from home so our landline is his business number. We were registered with homecall in our old house. Somehow in the move and while changing from homecall to BT our landline number, according to BT, has been "lost".
The number is meant to belong to BT yet they seem to know nothing about it. They say the number must be stored in a secure data base that they cannot access!? We have not had a landline for 2 weeks now and have spend endless hours on the phone trying to sort it, with no progress at all. How is it possible for a number to vanish? They sent an engineer out yesterday to finally connect the line and when he arrived he said he cannot connect it. When we called BT to find out what is happening they didn't even have a record about the engineer visiting at all and we are back to square one with them saying the number has simply git lost. Insane!

This is costing us thousands of pounds as our business number does no longer work. This matter has now become seriously urgent so any help or advice would be seriously appreciated. Many thanks

 

[Dunny]

Hi Chris

Thanks for that info.

I don't think they deserve my business anyway. The have f&$%#'ed me around for 10 days so i can only imagine it could easily happen again especially the more services I sign on for.

I swore to never go with BT ever again as they are firkin useless!! I had months of trouble with them and the whole thing was a complete farce!! When I moved into our previous business premises they changed the name on the previous owners broadband account to that of our business. They then billed me and when I rang up to tell them that we didnt want their broadband they told me they couldnt talk to me as I didnt have the passwords for the account. Of course I bloomin didnt because I never had an account with them!! They refused to remove our name as the liable people for the bill and then eventually they billed me for 2 years broadband once they finally disconnected me. It was never my bill - we had bailiff letters and all sorts. Wasted hours trying to get some sense out of them!!! I should have realised how bad things were after I found out that they had multiple complaints departments!!

A couple of weeks ago they rang and asked me whether I wanted to switch my current broadband provider. I told them I wouldnt go back with BT if they were the last provider on earth!!! When asked why I just told them that in my experience they were utterly useless and incompetent!!!

Sorry, rant over!!

 

[chris.quinn89]

If it is costing you 1K+ then get a 0800 number. It will cost you but can be advertised as an upgrade for your customers, or buy a local landline and have it directed to what ever number you want at your cost.

As for the original number, what happens when you ring it? Does it ring out? If it does ring out then redirect it to your preferred number. If it does not ring out then you need to push with BT. Speak with a supervisor and explain the situation but remember that your IP landline is only another landline into the house and is also a local number, for example my landline is 028 933 and my second line in from BT (ISP number) is also 028 933.

I think you need to push hard with BT or forget about it and buy another number and have it redirected to your preferable number although al previous marketing will be wasted. You can have a 0845 number directed to a UK mobile for free. So if this situation is costing you 1Ks then why now buy a 0800 number and direct it to where ever you want and avoid this problem in the future.

If you want links to anything I have suggested just ask and I will provide.

 

[chris.quinn89]

sorry i have just replied to the wrong post!

 

[chris.quinn89]

Sorry think I need to make it apparent what I was replying to with my post, I received the following message in my email so replied:

Hi there, it looks like it is a common thing to have an issue with BT.

My partner and i have just moved home. My partner works from home so our landline is his business number. We were registered with homecall in our old house. Somehow in the move and while changing from homecall to BT our landline number, according to BT, has been "lost".
The number is meant to belong to BT yet they seem to know nothing about it. They say the number must be stored in a secure data base that they cannot access!? We have not had a landline for 2 weeks now and have spend endless hours on the phone trying to sort it, with no progress at all. How is it possible for a number to vanish? They sent an engineer out yesterday to finally connect the line and when he arrived he said he cannot connect it. When we called BT to find out what is happening they didn't even have a record about the engineer visiting at all and we are back to square one with them saying the number has simply git lost. Insane!

This is costing us thousands of pounds as our business number does no longer work. This matter has now become seriously urgent so any help or advice would be seriously appreciated. Many thanks

 

[ginag]

Thanks chris.quinn89 for your response. We are getting absolutely no sense from BT at all. the 0800 number is a good idea, but the problem is we have a huge list of clients going back 10 years that use the old number so really need to get it back.

When dialling the old number is just rings as if it is engaged.
Thanks

 

[chris.quinn89]

what is the number? I want to ring it and see what happens. If it just rings & rings then you could probably easily redirect it.

 

[cjd]

If you'd like to PM me the number I'll check it for you.

 

[chris.quinn89]

Also is it a local number?

If you have been giving customers this number for years on end then you really do not want to change it as you will have old customers trying to contact you on this number.

 

[chris.quinn89]

agree with cjd, lets see what happens when someone calls it

 

[ginag]

Haven't really used a forum before so don't feel comfortable handing out the number (just incase it starts working soon lol) but it literally sounds like a busy tone, not a dialling tone and when i ring it form my mobile it says "disconnected" on the screen.

 

[ginag]

also not sure if it is a local number or not, but yes definitely need it back

 

[chris.quinn89]

that is understandable - there are plenty of vultures lurking. But it does sound like something you need to speak to your service provider about as this is not a number you want to loose.

 

[TheBigCheese]

Haven't really used a forum before so don't feel comfortable handing out the number (just incase it starts working soon lol) but it literally sounds like a busy tone, not a dialling tone and when i ring it form my mobile it says "disconnected" on the screen.

I can completely understand what you are saying but I will vouch that Voipfone are on the level.

They ported our number away from Daisy Telecom to a voip system when we moved premises.

(Thanks guys, all works perfectly months later)

 

[chris.quinn89]

thinking about it, if it is giving a busy tone it may be because the number is no longer in use. Speak to whoever provides it and tell them you want it.

 

[chris.quinn89]

speak to the company that provided the number rather than allowing a third party to do the deal. That is just my advice. sorry to sound so cynical.

 

[chris.quinn89]

speak to the original provider, best case is they will reconnect for £xxx worst case is they want £xxx. You won't know until you ask, but until then do nothing as it will only cost you money. If they can't or won't reconnect the number then you are going to have to spend even more £££££ informing all your customers of your new contact details. It really is as simple as that. I hope for your sake they will reconnect your number

 

[cjd]

Haven't really used a forum before so don't feel comfortable handing out the number (just incase it starts working soon lol) but it literally sounds like a busy tone, not a dialling tone and when i ring it form my mobile it says "disconnected" on the screen.

You have given the number out to the public, what else do you think can happen? ;-)

We're a telephone company, all we would do is check which network it's actually on. At the moment you're being bullsh1tted by BT - there's no such thing as an encrypted data base of public numbers - all number belong not to the service provider but Ofcom; they're only allocated to BT and can be moved.