Member Since: 10 Jan 2010
Location: NW Highlands
Posts: 5107
BT rant...sorry
I feel the need to vent, so apologies in advance.
In January we had a little manhole appear at the driveway entrance with the normal blue rope appearing from it, wrapped round our gatepost.
So I went to bt.com and checked if we could get fibre...which we could.
We've 2 phone lines currently, so I ordered the full-fibre 900 service to one of them on 28 Jan.
Had a BTOR survey chap come out soon after who confirmed where we wanted the fibre terminated at the house and he said it'd be a free install.
On 8 Feb BT contacted us to say the cost of the install would be c.£7600
I explained that we could have selected a termination location closer to the driveway gate that would have been easier to reach if we'd not been told by the survey man that there even might be a charge, rather than there wouldn't be.
On getting the breakdown of the costs it was clear that they'd made (costly, upward) mistakes in it so they said they'd raise a complaint and get back to me.
As I thought this might take a long time I ordered a separate fibre connection for my other phone line on 9 Feb.
The last week of Feb saw my BT Hub arrive and they said install date of 1 Mar, as per the initial order.
Mar 1 came and went...
Then last week they rang to say the install cost for the second line would be £1,600.
I asked for a breakdown of the cost and they said it'd take 3 working days.
In the meantime I got confirmation of the 1st line install being cancelled...which I hadn't asked for.
Then yesterday, when they said they'd get back to me with the cost breakdown they instead rang and said they couldn't give it to me as the order had been cancelled from their end, though they weren't sure why, but could only apologise and would put in a new order.
Unfortunately, BT is the only SP who are accepting full fibre orders.
I've today ordered 'ultrafast' fibre with Sky.
We'll see how that goes.
In the meantime I still have an unopened hub from BT on my pool table and various 'how did we do' emails from BT!
Maybe sometime this year I'll actually get connected.Black 05 TDV6 HSE Auto
Grey 05 TDV6 HSE Auto (Gone)
54 TDV6 SE Man (killed by me )
11th Mar 2021 7:23 pm
GLYNNE
Member Since: 06 Oct 2006
Location: KENT
Posts: 4696
This sounds very similar to our dealings recently with BT. Openreach being the biggest problem but your not allowed to speak to them you have to go through BT.
If I had any other options I wouldn’t touch them but sadly had no other sensible option.
We put our order in at the beginning of December and finally got connected last week!
They also left us without internet and phone for 3 weeks whilst running our business and our daughter working from home
They have to be one of the worst companies we have ever dealt with and ironically their communication for a communications company is just truly shocking.
This isn’t just a one off problem either we have had issues with them on numerous properties we’ve owned.
11th Mar 2021 7:54 pm
highlands
Member Since: 10 Jan 2010
Location: NW Highlands
Posts: 5107
That's partly the reason for having 2 lines is that, hopefully, one will always be okay, so long as all the lines haven't been cut through, which used to happen twice a year when the council cut the road verge along the loch.Black 05 TDV6 HSE Auto
Grey 05 TDV6 HSE Auto (Gone)
54 TDV6 SE Man (killed by me )
Don't overlook StarLink; it's worthy of serious consideration.
Quote:
In a brief announcement Starlink (SpaceX) has today confirmed that their new constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) based ultrafast broadband satellites is “now available in parts of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England,” which is in addition to existing service areas across southern England.
It could be a game changer for those in rural situations.
Customers typically pay £89 per month for the service itself, plus £54 for shipping and £439 for the kit (dish, router etc.). For that you can expect unlimited usage, good latency times to 20-40ms, downloads of between 50-150Mbps and uploads of c.20Mbps
NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
11th Mar 2021 8:56 pm
Paul J.
Member Since: 09 Dec 2005
Location: Leafy Cheshire
Posts: 7659
Or, you could avoid giving that odious Mr Musk £1000 per year, and instead pay £34 pm to EE for their 4G rural broadband, as I do.
Click image to enlarge
An ex-Disco3 / FFRR / I-Pace owner ......
..... now pootling around in a Porker EV.
11th Mar 2021 11:02 pm
GLYNNE
Member Since: 06 Oct 2006
Location: KENT
Posts: 4696
Well I never
Received a call on my mobile tonight asking me why I don’t answer my phone
It turns out that BT have changed my long standing phone number which is also my business number, for a new number
Yet another phone call tomorrow now
11th Mar 2021 11:34 pm
highlands
Member Since: 10 Jan 2010
Location: NW Highlands
Posts: 5107
Paul J. wrote:
Or, you could avoid giving that odious Mr Musk £1000 per year, and instead pay £34 pm to EE for their 4G rural broadband, as I do.
I've no intention of giving Musk any money but EE doesn't provide coverage at our house.Black 05 TDV6 HSE Auto
Grey 05 TDV6 HSE Auto (Gone)
54 TDV6 SE Man (killed by me )
12th Mar 2021 12:06 am
Paul J.
Member Since: 09 Dec 2005
Location: Leafy Cheshire
Posts: 7659
I’m sure it would be possible. You just need a bigger antenna.
There are many different parameters for selecting an ISP, some want speed, some low cost, some decent speed, total reliability & great customer service (that's me!).
NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
12th Mar 2021 9:03 am
azurar01
Member Since: 24 Feb 2011
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 509
BT is not the company it once was.
You could try contacting BT High Level complaints. I have used this route successfully in the past, don't know if the number remains the same, but it used to be ... 0800 731 2762
Porting your land lines to a decent VoIP provider, independent of your ISP, and
In due course, if this isn't the case already, using a cell 'phone provider which is different from your ISP
Good luck.
NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
It turns out that BT have changed my long standing phone number which is also my business number, for a new number
I had the same when I went to FTTP. The system(s) that show which properties can connect to FTTP are many months behind the physical installations - I've been FTTP for 18 months and my address still shows as only able to get ADSL 1Mbps.
So to get around this they created a new record and allocated a new number. Only they don't tell you they've done this at the time, as solving the actual problem is too difficult.I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
12th Mar 2021 11:01 am
Martin Site Admin and Owner
Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 18573
NoDo$h wrote:
I've been FTTP for 18 months and my address still shows as only able to get ADSL 1Mbps
How did you get around the "computer says no FTTP for you"?06 D3 SE / 15 LR D90 XS SW / 88 LR 90 Td5 / 68 BMW 2000 ti
Any issues with the site let me know!
Many phone calls and emails to the Rural Broadband project team for Dorset, followed by an escalation to Exec Complaints, who placed the order as a whole new line. Somehow that route was open, but upgrade to existing line continued to say no. It was the link between the old number/line and FTTP that was funky rather than the address itself.I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
12th Mar 2021 11:59 am
Martin Site Admin and Owner
Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 18573
Thanks - have a friend who has had a FTTP blob on a pole right in view of his kitchen window for >1 year, and he's struggling with sub-1Mbps ADSL and BT, Openreach and everyone else saying FTTP is "rolling out soon".06 D3 SE / 15 LR D90 XS SW / 88 LR 90 Td5 / 68 BMW 2000 ti
Any issues with the site let me know!
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