BT Connection Charges (merged threads)

Drunkstar

What problems?

lfcbookie

I was wondering if anybody here could help me, I have just moved into a new flat that I am renting and trying to get Tiscali broadband/phone package set up. The landlady said that a BT line was installed before, but didnt know how long ago and wasn't used by the previous tennant. However, following what I have read on here I bought a phone, plugged it in to test for dial tone and tried the 17070 number which was successful, I had a message with the number and BT options for testing etc.

After talking with Tiscali and ordering the package, I get a letter in the post saying 'the tests performed by our engineers showed that your telephone number XXX is not recognised as a BT line' and tells me to contact BT and get them to take over my line again.

I don't understand because I got the 17070 message which mentioned BT so I assume I had a BT line, and all I want is to pay my line rental through tiscali as it is included in the package, and not have to pay BT seperately.

Does having that message not confirm it is a BT line? And if there is a dial tone, the line should still be active and able to be activated by Tiscali without having a BT engineer come out and charge £125 which I really cannot afford, shouldn't it?

Am I missing something here?

Any help is greatly appreciated in advance.

DonnyDave

lfcbookie wrote: »

After talking with Tiscali and ordering the package, I get a letter in the post saying 'the tests performed by our engineers showed that your telephone number XXX is not recognised as a BT line' and tells me to contact BT and get them to take over my line again.

Maybe the number was issued by Virgin Media and was ported (transferred) to the BT line. Is the flat in a Virgin Media cable area?

You can confirm this by entering the number here: http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/section/tci/locator.shtml

lfcbookie

DonnyDave wrote: »

Maybe the number was issued by Virgin Media and was ported (transferred) to the BT line. Is the flat in a Virgin Media cable area?

You can confirm this by entering the number here: http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/section/tci/locator.shtml

I do believe the flat is in a virgin media cable area yeah. Using that link, it just says the number is potentially valid and the number group belongs to BT. And that 'due to number portability if an individual number has moved to a different operator this information is not publically available. Oftel's last recorded change for this number range was in July 1994.'

The flat has had both ntl and bt connections in it - there is an ntl phone box as well as two BT boxes in seperate locations. I just figured that as the BT message came up on the 17070, it would be a BT line?

What's the deal with openreach and bt? I still don't fully understand I don't think, are providers such as Tiscali able to activate their own lines now? Assuming the line that I have here is with openreach, they could do it instead of BT?

Tiscali's sales representative who I spoke to at length on friday, started to shout at me when i refused to accept his pathetic excuses for an answer to my issue, so their fantastic customer service is still at large! He didnt have a clue what he was talking about and was clearly just relaying messages from his supervisor and trying to blag his way through my questions.

I thought we had finally got to an understanding that the order was put through wrong and there was no instruction for re-activating the line (they thought I was paying BT line rental already which I am not) but apparently with an order on the system for that number - it takes them 15 days to cancel an order and be able to resubmit one! I couldn't believe it! I asked him why this was considering there is no money to be refunded, or equipment to return and all he could muster up was 'thats just the way it is sir'. And sure enough when I gave up on this guy, I spoke to cancellations and they said it would take 48 hours.

I have little faith in tiscali at this point if I were to re-submit, but unfortunately their package for calls/broadband with international anytime included is the best I can find still.

Quentin

lfcbookie wrote: »

I have little faith in tiscali at this point if I were to re-submit, but unfortunately their package for calls/broadband with international anytime included is the best I can find still.

At least you now know you will be getting service at the level you are going to pay for it.

MissMuppet

I'm just about to go through all this with BT when I move, I made an intial enquiry last week about moving and they quoted me £124. I'm glad I've found this post though, I've just looked into Virgin and will definitely have a go and getting this fee waived... I can't believe that being a BT customer you still have to pay this ludicrous charge!!!

Heinz

MissMuppet wrote: »

I've just looked into Virgin and will definitely have a go and getting this fee waived.

Or, at the very least, go for the half price offer,

MissMuppet

Thanks I didn't know about this offer... not had time to read the whole thread yet!

gowgowuk

Heinz wrote: »

Or, at the very least, go for the half price offer.

Damn I was seriously thinking of going for that until I saw the small text "Customers must make at least 30 chargeable or inclusive calls every three month period or 10 chargeable calls or inclusive calls per month if you are billed monthly". No mention of this when I called BT earlier! Unfortunately, I think there's no way I'll make 10 calls per months (the only reason I wanted a BT line was to get ADSL broadband).
Thanks for the link anyway!
Philippe

Heinz

gowgowuk wrote: »

Damn I was seriously thinking of going for that until I saw the small text "Customers must make at least 30 chargeable or inclusive calls every three month period or 10 chargeable calls or inclusive calls per month if you are billed monthly". No mention of this when I called BT earlier! Unfortunately, I think there's no way I'll make 10 calls per months (the only reason I wanted a BT line was to get ADSL broadband).
Thanks for the link anyway!
Philippe

As at least all your weekend UK 01/02/03 calls will be free if you get a BT line, why not just make (free) calls to your local restaurant or takeway (even if you don't want to book/order)?