Warning - Do not switch to EE Broadband

helibaybee · 22 July 2014 at 12:44PM

dadofrandj wrote: »

I signed up on Thursday for this deal but am beginning to wonder if I've done the right thing!

I am determined to move from TalkTalk as their customer service has been appalling, but EE haven't been any better.

So far, I've had two order numbers and had to go through the order twice (once online and once over the 'phone). They then sent me a text asking me to call again, but they weren't open.

I called today to be told that their is a block on my line stopping them from taking it over. According to TalkTalk there isn't. EE won't accept this and keep asking me to speak to TalkTalk. TalkTalk say that they aren't blocking (or tagging) the line and it's ready to be taken over.

Five 'phone calls and over an hour wasted this morning (then I thought I ought to do some actual work!).

Have made a complaint via EE's website (that in itself wasn't an easy thing to do!), but in the meantime, I suspect I'm going to be left with no provider at all as TalkTalk are expecting to stop providing my service on 1 August.

Why is this sort of thing so complicated?

MSE EE Deal

I also signed up to EE on 17/7 after discounts and anazon voucher it would cost £48 a year (they charge £6 delivery). Today I phoned talktalk to ensure I had no get out charges and guess what they have under cut the EE deal, free phone line rental and 12 months at £2.25 per month with evening and weekend calls free, EE was only weekend. Lots of hassle to cancel the EE deal but a further £21 saving, and they all provide much of the same service. Two people I know have recently switched to EE and have had lots of problems.

dodgeuk · 24 July 2014 at 5:09PM

I was looking for the best way to complain. Everything the op has said is true for me. Randomly cancelling bt engineers with no contact to us, complaints team not responding, tech team in india lying constantly to get you off the line, including saying standard bits of their equipment doesnt exist (the brightbox 2 router that is standard for fiberoptic broadband for EE.).

When it works, its great. When it breaks, god help you. Its a fault thats been going on since april. I am not trying to get contact with anyone about compensation but they are a nightmare to get hold of anyone in complaints...

Moving to anyone else asap!

EE · 25 July 2014 at 11:08AM

Hi All

We are sorry for the service issues you have experienced.

MSE will be contacting you directly to gather some information, so EE can contact you directly to resolve these issues.

Again we apologise for the issues you have experienced
Thank you
Jade- Representing EE

UncleWiffle · 4 August 2014 at 11:32AM

OK so it's 24 days since I discovered my internet wasn't working.

The latest update on my daily call to EE 'technical support' is that it will be resolved on the 8th of August taking it to 28 days since I first reported the issue to them.

Since then I have been on the line to EE Broadband 'Technical Support' a total of 32 times with a combined call length of 10 hours since the process started.

I have had to take 2 days off work to attend engineers that either didn't turn up or were sent to the wrong address and no update was provided to avoid me having to wait all day.

I have only once been called back at a time promised to update me on the case.

I have never received an email updating me on progress of the case despite requesting this specifically.

It took 3 weeks before the issue was passed from the front line support in India to the UK technical support team.

Not once has any lead time provided been accurate, adheared to or missing it led to an update to me.

I was billed for calls on my line to Sky Customer Support despite me having no phone to actually make those calls (this has now been refunded).

A transcript of the online fault tracking can be seen below:

03-Aug-2014 02:34 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
31-Jul-2014 11:23 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
31-Jul-2014 02:34 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
28-Jul-2014 10:22 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
27-Jul-2014 02:34 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
24-Jul-2014 13:30 We have an update on your broadband fault. We'll be in touch to go through some more checks with you at the time you gave us when you logged your fault. Please be at your computer so we can talk through it with you.
19-Jul-2014 11:05 We need to send out an engineer to fix your broadband fault. We'll contact you at the time you gave us when logging your fault to arrange this.
19-Jul-2014 10:50 We need to send out an engineer to fix your broadband fault. We'll contact you at the time you gave us when logging your fault to arrange this.
16-Jul-2014 14:21 We need to send out an engineer to fix your broadband fault. We'll contact you at the time you gave us when logging your fault to arrange this.
16-Jul-2014 14:05 We need to send out an engineer to fix your broadband fault. We'll contact you at the time you gave us when logging your fault to arrange this.
13-Jul-2014 18:19 We have an update on your broadband fault. We'll be in touch to go through some more checks with you at the time you gave us when you logged your fault. Please be at your computer so we can talk through it with you.
13-Jul-2014 18:19 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
13-Jul-2014 18:03 We're completing some tests on your line, please can you make sure your equipment is plugged in and switched on for us to complete these tests.

I would suggest that this level of service goes beyond unacceptable and is a symptom of unsustainable cost cutting and a 'backroom' office approach to support and complaints handling that actually provides no support or avenue for complaint at all.

I can only imagine what this process would be like for someone hard of hearing or lacking persistence, patience and time to resolve.

It might help others to bypass some of steps I had to go through by simply calling the Exec Office on 08000790032. I doubt they will do anything if you don't already have a support ticket or case already issued but if you don't get any recourse from the technical teams this might speed things up later on in the process.

As for the most recent comment from 'Jade- Representing EE'. I've heard nothing from her or EE as per all other communication I've been promised from them.

My priority is to actually restore my service, but after this point I will be seeking compensation in line with the delay, inconvenience and loss of earnings whilst attending non-existent engineer visits.

Good luck to anyone else in this situation and my sympathies are genuinely with you as I swear I've lost hours I'll never see again dealing with this company.

Until EE-Broadband resolve their communication and support issues and ensure a 360 approach to customer service I would suggest they are currently not fit for purpose as a utility provider.

EE · 4 August 2014 at 12:59PM

UncleWiffle wrote: »

OK so it's 24 days since I discovered my internet wasn't working.

The latest update on my daily call to EE 'technical support' is that it will be resolved on the 8th of August taking it to 28 days since I first reported the issue to them.

Since then I have been on the line to EE Broadband 'Technical Support' a total of 32 times with a combined call length of 10 hours since the process started.

I have had to take 2 days off work to attend engineers that either didn't turn up or were sent to the wrong address and no update was provided to avoid me having to wait all day.

I have only once been called back at a time promised to update me on the case.

I have never received an email updating me on progress of the case despite requesting this specifically.

It took 3 weeks before the issue was passed from the front line support in India to the UK technical support team.

Not once has any lead time provided been accurate, adheared to or missing it led to an update to me.

I was billed for calls on my line to Sky Customer Support despite me having no phone to actually make those calls (this has now been refunded).

A transcript of the online fault tracking can be seen below:

03-Aug-2014 02:34 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
31-Jul-2014 11:23 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
31-Jul-2014 02:34 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
28-Jul-2014 10:22 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
27-Jul-2014 02:34 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
24-Jul-2014 13:30 We have an update on your broadband fault. We'll be in touch to go through some more checks with you at the time you gave us when you logged your fault. Please be at your computer so we can talk through it with you.
19-Jul-2014 11:05 We need to send out an engineer to fix your broadband fault. We'll contact you at the time you gave us when logging your fault to arrange this.
19-Jul-2014 10:50 We need to send out an engineer to fix your broadband fault. We'll contact you at the time you gave us when logging your fault to arrange this.
16-Jul-2014 14:21 We need to send out an engineer to fix your broadband fault. We'll contact you at the time you gave us when logging your fault to arrange this.
16-Jul-2014 14:05 We need to send out an engineer to fix your broadband fault. We'll contact you at the time you gave us when logging your fault to arrange this.
13-Jul-2014 18:19 We have an update on your broadband fault. We'll be in touch to go through some more checks with you at the time you gave us when you logged your fault. Please be at your computer so we can talk through it with you.
13-Jul-2014 18:19 We're still working on your fault and will be in touch very soon.
13-Jul-2014 18:03 We're completing some tests on your line, please can you make sure your equipment is plugged in and switched on for us to complete these tests.

I would suggest that this level of service goes beyond unacceptable and is a symptom of unsustainable cost cutting and a 'backroom' office approach to support and complaints handling that actually provides no support or avenue for complaint at all.

I can only imagine what this process would be like for someone hard of hearing or lacking persistence, patience and time to resolve.

It might help others to bypass some of steps I had to go through by simply calling the Exec Office on 08000790032. I doubt they will do anything if you don't already have a support ticket or case already issued but if you don't get any recourse from the technical teams this might speed things up later on in the process.

As for the most recent comment from 'Jade- Representing EE'. I've heard nothing from her or EE as per all other communication I've been promised from them.

My priority is to actually restore my service, but after this point I will be seeking compensation in line with the delay, inconvenience and loss of earnings whilst attending non-existent engineer visits.

Good luck to anyone else in this situation and my sympathies are genuinely with you as I swear I've lost hours I'll never see again dealing with this company.

Until EE-Broadband resolve their communication and support issues and ensure a 360 approach to customer service I would suggest they are currently not fit for purpose as a utility provider.

Hi UncleWiffle

We apologise for the issues and poor service you have recieved.

I have asked MSE to contact you directly so you can provide us with your personal details. I cna then pass this on to EE who will pick it up directly with you.

Again I apologise for the inconvenience caused
Thank you
Jade- Representing EE

UncleWiffle · 4 August 2014 at 1:17PM

I can't help feeling that this copy and paste approach to customer service sums up my experience with EE Broadband so far.

If you are going to go to the trouble of employing someone to monitor online communities for mentions of EE-Broadband as part of a reputation management campaign, it might be better to ensure that they are able to respond in a semi original way to users rather than copying and pasting the same response previously left on all other posts.

Alternatively get our Executive team actually responding in person to this rather than wasting their time spending money on Social Media campaigns that will only be undermined by the growing anger expressed on twitter and forums such as this by disgruntled customers.

I do really hope that as a customer I have the chance to feed into your head of communications annual review. I am not sure what targets he has set against his annual objectives but I assume they must be something connected to % of angry customers built in 6-12 months, or % of customers that give up trying to fix service or make a complaint.

I await another template response and no follow up by phone or email.

EE · 4 August 2014 at 1:21PM

UncleWiffle wrote: »

I can't help feeling that this copy and paste approach to customer service sums up my experience with EE Broadband so far.

If you are going to go to the trouble of employing someone to monitor online communities for mentions of EE-Broadband as part of a reputation management campaign, it might be better to ensure that they are able to respond in a semi original way to users rather than copying and pasting the same response previously left on all other posts.

Alternatively get our Executive team actually responding in person to this rather than wasting their time spending money on Social Media campaigns that will only be undermined by the growing anger expressed on twitter and forums such as this by disgruntled customers.

I do really hope that as a customer I have the chance to feed into your head of communications annual review. I am not sure what targets he has set against his annual objectives but I assume they must be something connected to % of angry customers built in 6-12 months, or % of customers that give up trying to fix service or make a complaint.

I await another template response and no follow up by phone or email.

Hi UncleWiffle

Please be assured this isnt a copy and paste response. Unfortuantely without your direct information I cannot move this along any further. Once MSE have provided me with your contact information I can then speak to you directly regarding the issues you are experiencing. As mentionned, without this I cannot porvide any further guidance.

MSE have been asked to contact you on behalf of us. Please keep an eye out for a message from them.

We do apologise for the issues you have faced, and once we have recieved your details will aim to resolve this asap

Thank you
Jade- Representing EE

CKhalvashi · 4 August 2014 at 2:04PM

UncleWiffle wrote: »

I can't help feeling that this copy and paste approach to customer service sums up my experience with EE Broadband so far.

The original message may be, but your complaint will be dealt with individually from any others. EE can't deal with a complaint until they know the account the complaint is regarding, so it's only fair to give them the chance to get this info, then look into the issues.

I've had no problems with EE, and the mention above of 3-4 weeks for an engineer is the problem of BT Openreach, not EE.

And no, before anyone asks, I don't work for EE.

UncleWiffle · 4 August 2014 at 3:58PM

CKhalvashi wrote: »

The original message may be, but your complaint will be dealt with individually from any others. EE can't deal with a complaint until they know the account the complaint is regarding, so it's only fair to give them the chance to get this info, then look into the issues.

I've had no problems with EE, and the mention above of 3-4 weeks for an engineer is the problem of BT Openreach, not EE.

And no, before anyone asks, I don't work for EE.

Don't worry I would never accuse you of working for EE. Although I wonder why you raise this suggestion?

I would however take issue with your interpretation of this dispute.

The first version of that message from 'Jade- Representing EE' was posted in reply to my thread on the 25th July. This was a full 11 days prior to me complaining about the lack of communication following her original message.

Are you suggesting that I should have given them more than 11 days to make contact before suggesting that as a company they tend to never call back or update when they promise to?

Maybe EE needed to get the details from MSE but 11 days doesn't feel like too short a period of time to do so. If it is then I question the value of suggesting someone will get back at all?

When exactly the same message was posted in response to my update to the thread this morning you can't suggest that the responses didn't feel a bit 'copy and paste'.

I appreciate that they have now come back and explained that they are not. However lesson one on customer service is to treat each customer as an individual.

Anyway to your other point about this being purely a BT Openreach issues. I have to take issue with that as well.

Accepted that BT Openreach do appear to be pretty useless and have certainly not helped this situation. However as you can see from the detail of my issue the majority of my complaint is centered around the failure of EE to communicate sufficiently throughout this process.

I am sure you can see that if you had to spend 10 hours on the phone to a company across the course of a month there is a good chance that this is down to a failure to communicate and update the customer properly. Rather than simply that BT Openreach have caused all the delay.

From what I could understand of the process so far. This has only actually moved from the next to useless 'front line support team' to a the technical team that deal with BT in the last week. So no the 3-4 week delay has not been caused by BT but primarily by the ludicrous system of support escalation that EE operate and the inability for each person I spoke with to take ownership of the fault, take accurate notes on the fault or to ensure I was adequately updated on progress.

Anyway I guess the details of this issue are not going to be much of a concern to you as you have an opinion of EE that my case doesn't support.

I have all along tried to provide advice and suggestions to both other customers and EE themselves. In contrast you have simply said everything is fine with EE and that I shouldn't complain and just continue to wait.

MSE does appear to have a lot of users with a rather defeatist message of 'They are all the same' or 'I find them fine so don't say anything bad about them you silly complaining person'.

CKhalvashi · 4 August 2014 at 6:53PM

UncleWiffle wrote: »

The first version of that message from 'Jade- Representing EE' was posted in reply to my thread on the 25th July. This was a full 11 days prior to me complaining about the lack of communication following her original message.

The forum is staffed by a small team for a £multi-million company, and things don't get dealt with straight away.

I'm not saying it's the fault of anyone, but unfortunately it's the way it works.

Are you suggesting that I should have given them more than 11 days to make contact before suggesting that as a company they tend to never call back or update when they promise to?

Maybe EE needed to get the details from MSE but 11 days doesn't feel like too short a period of time to do so. If it is then I question the value of suggesting someone will get back at all?

The one issue that EE have IMO is calling people back. I've had to chase things up few times now as a result of this.

This is a problem with a large number of companies, and I pay £24 a year for my internet connection, therefore I'm willing to let that go. I do appreciate that you may not be.

I appreciate that they have now come back and explained that they are not. However lesson one on customer service is to treat each customer as an individual.

There was an article on Mail Online earlier re a letter sent that was left in template form (not adapted to customer circs at all).

Whilst I accept to a point it's not acceptable, but at the same time, large businesses will adapt templates. That should be personal enough.

I will add that we don't deal with anything B2C, and our external contractors (2 of the worlds biggest companies) do that on our behalf, therefore whilst we can give a personal reply, those with a large number of customers probably can't as easily.

Anyway to your other point about this being purely a BT Openreach issues. I have to take issue with that as well.

Accepted that BT Openreach do appear to be pretty useless and have certainly not helped this situation. However as you can see from the detail of my issue the majority of my complaint is centered around the failure of EE to communicate sufficiently throughout this process.

I understand that, however Openreach have a huge monopoly on the market and seem completely unaccountable in many respects.

From what I could understand of the process so far. This has only actually moved from the next to useless 'front line support team' to a the technical team that deal with BT in the last week. So no the 3-4 week delay has not been caused by BT but primarily by the ludicrous system of support escalation that EE operate and the inability for each person I spoke with to take ownership of the fault, take accurate notes on the fault or to ensure I was adequately updated on progress.

I'm not denying that this is an issue.

Anyway I guess the details of this issue are not going to be much of a concern to you as you have an opinion of EE that my case doesn't support.

I have all along tried to provide advice and suggestions to both other customers and EE themselves. In contrast you have simply said everything is fine with EE and that I shouldn't complain and just continue to wait.

For me, everything is.

For others, maybe not, but again, my circumstances are different to yours.

MSE does appear to have a lot of users with a rather defeatist message of 'They are all the same' or 'I find them fine so don't say anything bad about them you silly complaining person'.

They do what they legally have to, however if you feel you have a complaint (I'm not saying you do/don't with this, that's your decision) then it's your right to take that up with them, and expect it to be dealt with fairly and within the timescales that they operate to.

Warning - Do not switch to EE Broadband

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