BT fault reporting query

GustyGardenGalaxy

My mother is an OAP and lives on her own.

As of today she has a problem with her phone - she can call out but no-one can call her.

Her contract is with TalkTalk

Couple of questions:

a) Should she report the fault to BT or TalkTalk?
b) Given her circumstances, is she entitled to any kind of priority treatment?
c) Is there anything that I can do to get this moving along quickly?

Thanks

macman

The first thing I would do is swap the handset to make sure it's not a fault with that. If it's a fault on her handset or internal wiring then they will charge you a callout fee if they come out and find there is no fault with the line.
Subject to that, you need to report it to TalkTalk. They will deal with BT if that is necessary.
I suggest you phone on her behalf and report it, they will ask for an alternative contact number anyway. if you explain her circumstances then they should prioritise it accordingly. I think it's possible to get this highlighted on the account, i.e. if someone is elderly, frail, poor sight etc.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Thanks for that.

I live quite a distance from her but she has had a friend around who has swapped out the handset, etc and still the fault remains.

I'll make sure that it has been reported to TalkTalk.

Cheers

Heinz

GustyGardenGalaxy wrote: »

My mother is an OAP and lives on her own.

As of today she has a problem with her phone - she can call out but no-one can call her.

Her contract is with TalkTalk

When you say, "Her contract is with TalkTalk", do you mean her line rental and calls are with TalkTalk - or do you mean her line rental is with BT and just her calls are with TalkTalk?

She should report the fault to whichever company she pays line rental to.

GustyGardenGalaxy

I'm not sure - she's out right now but when she gets back she'll call me and I'll check.

Thanks

macman

Sorry, when I said 'call TalkTalk' I was assuming that she took both her line rental and calls with them, as you said 'her contract is with 'TalkTalk'.
If the line rental is with BT you can report the fault online and they will test it remotely first.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Call is now definitely logged with TalkTalk (who presumably have it logged with BT). Resolution time is given as five (working?) days but I'll believe that when/if it happens.

Given that my mother is a pensioner and the phone is essential to her, is there anyone who I can phone at TalkTalk (or BT) to get this moving along quicker?

deklan99

AFAIK it is possible to get priority care from TalkTalk but you have to be registered first.
As for reporting to BT, it depends where the fault is. May well be in TT's own equipment if it's LLU, they won't know till they make further enquiries.

imroberts

GustyGardenGalaxy wrote: »

Call is now definitely logged with TalkTalk (who presumably have it logged with BT). Resolution time is given as five (working?) days but I'll believe that when/if it happens.

Given that my mother is a pensioner and the phone is essential to her, is there anyone who I can phone at TalkTalk (or BT) to get this moving along quicker?

Five working days seems ridiculous.

I know Talktalk use their own LLU network but with BT Retail or another BTW reseller, all faults should be resolved by the end of the working day following the fault being reported. For example if it was reported on a Monday afternoon, it should be resolved by Tuesday. Naturally some faults take longer than this to resolve but compensation can be sought if it extends beyond the above timeframe.

I would definitely clarify the timescales with Talktalk.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Well, TalkTalk now tell me that remote line tests found no fault, yet if whoever did the tests had bothered to dial the number they would have heard the fault (callers hears the line ring once, then degenerates into noise - the phone being called doesn't ring at all - I got the TalkTalk helpdesk person to do this and he confirmed it).

Anyhow, an engineer is now due to visit my mother on Monday 2nd March.

If this isn't forthcoming or causes more delays I'll be taking up the matter with BT's complaints department - I know, I should be dealing with TalkTalk, but ultimately it's BT's network and I've had considerable problems in the past with BT so know a person who I can contact who sorted out all my problems quickly and efficiently (the initial problems with my phone line caused it to be down for two weeks due to BT's engineers' incompetence - it's a LONG story ........).

I should say that BT have some excellent engineers, but most of the poor ones are contractors and appear to be poorly trained - they are also constantly pushed by their managers to quickly resolve a fault so they can move onto the next, even at the expense of perhaps skimping on their work. The experienced engineers are seemingly being slowly pushed out by BT employing more 'part time' contractors who of course work out cheaper for them. Cost cutting again you see, which is leading to BT providing a poor quality service.

BTW, a lot of the above information I have gleaned from talking to more experienced and long-standing BT engineers, plus have read similar on various forums.

iniltous

If the line rental is paid to TT then its TT who you need to complain to.(TT are your Service Provider SP)
If you have a BT employee friend who can check on the faults progress thats ok but its TT that are BT/Openreaches customer, you are TT's customer, so all your official contact should be to TT, you have no business relationship with BT...
Is the line a TT LLU line or a WLR line ??? This may be important given the way you describe the fault condition
You should call TT and ask how long it took from the time you reported the line faulty to them to them reporting the line faulty to Openreach
As already mentioned if the fault turns out to be on something that OR are not responsible for then OR charge the SP who ( if appropriate ) pass a charge onto the end user.
Final point, you state outgoing calls are OK but I/C calls fail, what you describe sounds like a condition called 'ring trip' most of the time this is a line condition but as TT state the line tests OK then next place to check would be the exchange line card, but it sounds as if instead of passing the fault to the exchange (BT Operate if its WLR, TT own exchange people if its LLU) but the fault has been passed to OR....if I'm correct the OR guy will check its not the line (the only thing OR are responsible for and TT say that tests OK ) and pass the fault back as 'flty exch' and it will go to BT or TT (which ever is appropriate) this or course builds in another delay and means the OR visit is un-neccesary