Fun with BT...

[stek]

I've had no bother at all with BT and yet the three places I've liked at with VM have been woeful!!

Down to 15mb/1mb ADSL at UK place, 1gb/1gb here in the EU.....

[Halo Jones]

WHS. I too am with Virgin and glad I switched from BT.

+1

[original PM]

WHS. Fortunately that sort of thing never happens in software development.

If only

[Willapp]

Honestly it's about time they started treating broadband as a utility much like gas or electricity. One of the most frustrating aspects of moving is the inevitable delay getting internet access activated in the new property - how is it acceptable that a perfectly working broadband service can get cancelled and someone else get charged to switch the (effectively) same service back on again 10 days later.

Most people these days need/expect broadband internet so they really should do better to handle this, even to the point where if the seller tries to have the service disconnected but the buyer places an order for the same service it should prevent it being terminated and simply migrate it to the new customer's account. Hardly rocket science.

[vetran]

Honestly it's about time they started treating broadband as a utility much like gas or electricity. One of the most frustrating aspects of moving is the inevitable delay getting internet access activated in the new property - how is it acceptable that a perfectly working broadband service can get cancelled and someone else get charged to switch the (effectively) same service back on again 10 days later.

Most people these days need/expect broadband internet so they really should do better to handle this, even to the point where if the seller tries to have the service disconnected but the buyer places an order for the same service it should prevent it being terminated and simply migrate it to the new customer's account. Hardly rocket science.

changed over same day on my last move with plus.net including phone number. No problems.

[SueEllen]

Honestly it's about time they started treating broadband as a utility much like gas or electricity. One of the most frustrating aspects of moving is the inevitable delay getting internet access activated in the new property - how is it acceptable that a perfectly working broadband service can get cancelled and someone else get charged to switch the (effectively) same service back on again 10 days later.

Most people these days need/expect broadband internet so they really should do better to handle this, even to the point where if the seller tries to have the service disconnected but the buyer places an order for the same service it should prevent it being terminated and simply migrate it to the new customer's account. Hardly rocket science.

The issue is BT are simply incompetent and have a long history of doing this.

They did similar to me when I moved 10 years ago. I asked them to cut of my phone line on a particular date they refused to because someone was taking it over. I sent them a letter as well as phoning them to do this.

They then charged me when the new people moved in instead of setting up a new account for these people.

As I had a copy of the letter with my request and a recorded delivery slip plus a reconnection to my new property I simply pointed this out to them and threatened to kick up a fuss. They cancelled the bill.

Oddly they had no issue in cutting off the people in the property I moved to unless they were billing both of us.

The charge is because BT didn't use to charge you if you moved into a property with BT even if the line was cut off. However they charged those who wanted to use Sky etc for reconnection.

[pr1]

He said:

"Am I speaking to Mr Gweev" or some such, close enough so I said yes.
Then he says "Can you answer a couple of security questions please? What is your address and post code please?"
Very polite these people...

My response, "Why? You have just called me and asked me to confirm my name".
"Yes but I need to be sure you are who you say you are."
"Oh that's ok then. You called my number, asked me to confirm my name but still need me to prove who I am? Who is this exactly?"
"It's BT Infinity".
"How do I know that you are who you say you are? How about I ask you a few questions to make sure that you are BT? What is the post code the account is attached to?"

Click....

They have to check it is you who's answered the phone so they don't break privacy rules (presumably it was on your mobile - anyone could have picked up your mobile?) - they hate it more than you do. I expect he gave up because he realised it wasn't worth his time trying explaining the process to you and then trying to convince you to re-sign up, given your tone