Now I'm angry with BT

[Searcher]

We're expanding, moving into new offices this week but it's taken weeks for BT to get organised. That's bad enough and I'll never get back the time wasted on the phone to BT as I get passed from pillar to post.

Finally, yesterday, the line get's connected. It can't be a coincidence that today I'm being bombarded by calls from utility companies, energy suppliers, directory companies (both online and volumes) etc etc etc

Who the hell gave BT permission to give out my details ? What must have happened is somewhere in the paperwork somewhere there must be an 'opt out' which I haven't seen.

Warning : if you do instal a new line try to be more savvy than I've been and check this out beforehand. It's 10.38am and I've had nine calls since 9am.

 

[GoPD]

Its possible you missed an opt out box or it may well be the previous owner of that phone number was signed up for such contacts, or at least had their number sold on to these people.

This happened to us when we moved offices, some callers even ask to speak to 'Mr Wright' who I've now learnt was the previous owner of our number. Another caller asked me to confirm my(his address) and another gave me his date of birth.

I sometimes wonder if it was the number of calls he was receiving that caused him to move house and return his number to BT.

There is the TPS and the CTPS for busness but I've found both to be quite ineffective on certain types of calls. Contacting BT I was told there was a paid service to screen such calls or we could pay to change our number. Neither particularly helpful.

 

[GoPD]

Actually looking at your linked website it seems you are responsible for many of the call types we receive. :|

 

[I Love Spreadsheets]

Had a very similar situation with Sky with my home broadband.

I have a mobile number I have kept for 10+ years because it was such a memorable number. Over that period I have ensured it has stayed off every mailing list, its listed on the TPS and it has never received a cold call until I spoke to tech support at Sky. (I keep the number hush hush because it is for family only and as I often work nights I dont want calls in the morning)

They needed to run some tests on the line because of a fault I had reported. They asked if it was ok to call me back on my mobile and for me to clear the land line while they did tests. So I gave them the mobile number and we went through a number of tests and cleared the issue.

Two days later I start getting sales calls relating to my Sky account. Was I happy with my package? Did I want insurance etc?

Turns out the engineer had took it upon himself to change my marketing preferences

 

[MozzComm]

you seem surprised that BT cocked up????!!!

 

[Mark (Rydal Comms)]

Sorry to hear about your experience with B.T. Its not surprising as this often happens. A lot of businesses have had this issue and have transferred their lines over to us (Rydal Communications). We are able to offer a much cheaper line rental and call charges. Take a look over our website and keep us in mind next time round or if any other problems occur.
Here to help.
Mark

 

[MozzComm]

the issue is more than likely with open reach......which you will use to no doubt?

 

[tomdickandharry]

As i'm aware it will always be OpenR who install the lines. Its important you are dealing with a company who take away this stress. I certainly wouldn't want to be dealing with install issues hours at a time and calling BT direct to do this.

It sounds like you need a renumber as you have possibly inherited a number previously used/advertised elsewhere?

 

[Searcher]

It's the same number I've had for a couple of years, we're just transferring it to the new office. In total I received nine calls.

Simirlarly, I set up a new ltd company a month ago and over the following week I received numerous letters from companies offering website development, accountancy services and other business support.

Last night I completed a form for for a Residential Lettings company as we're employing someone where I'll be renting a room for him for three months as he doesn't live locally. There were a couple of 'opt outs' which I've ticked for insurers and mortgages. But there is no opt out for 'utility suppliers'.

Marketing for any business is vital and I don't have a problem with companies asking if they can use your data ie sell it. But I do object to not having the opportunity to opt out or even, in the case of BT, not knowing that there was an option to opt out.

 

[Searcher]

AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.............................. I HATE BT

They connected the line this week and gave it a temporary number, I'm still waiting for the existing number to be transferred. Now I get a call from BT to 'check the listings for the directory' but she's got the temporary number. Told her the actual one to publish and she says "I don't have this number". So all I'm asking her is to not publish the temporary number and she says "thats fine, I'll make you ex-directory". At which point I start shouting and she scuttles off, so I've no idea what they hell they're going to do.

 

[Searcher]

Latest saga continues.

The business line wasn't moved on Friday to the new place, and after speaking to four BT agents I'm told it hadn't been ordered and would take at least a week ! How many order numbers do you need ?

Yesterday, both the temporary number and proper number are dead lines. But weirdly, the phone still worked so I called my mobile - incredibly, BT have installed a completely random number !!

40 mins on the phone today, and they accept that they made an error. "It'll be changed tomorrow, and the good news Sir is that you won't be charged for changing the number".

I'm not making this up.