Help with BT fault

Batfink

Hello,
I doubt anyone can help me, but I'm in a right mess.

During a change of ADSL provider, my BT line was cut off - when I phoned to report the fault they said there was no fault and that it would cost me £127.50 for an engineer visit to look into my wiring. I have tried to explain that it is not the wiring, but was just told 'Oh, are you a BT engineer' and given the brush off. Stuck with either paying £127.50 for an un-required visit or closing the account, I asked them to cancel the line, feeling I had little choice.

My big problem is - I desperately do not want to loose the telephone number, as it has been my grand-parents, then my dads and now mine.

I'm so upset and the BT staff were so rude that I burst into tears when I came off the phone, and don't know where to turn, so any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks x

Mark_In_Hampshire

Given the service you've had, "somewhere else" would be the direct answer. Have a look around at other providers to get yourself a new line.

macman

Won't the OP now have to continue paying for 12 months (or whatever the minimum term is) broadband on a line that no longer is in service though?
Very rash move to have the line cancelled.

Batfink

I agree, it is a rash move - but when a line isn't working, and they refuse to acknowledge that, insisting that I must pay for a repair, what other choice do I have?

Thankfully my broadband was on a 30 day notice contract.

Mark_In_Hampshire

Was your broadband one which involved the line being reprovisioned to what's called 'LLU' - e.g. it was taken away from BT - so actually the line wasn't faulty really, just not plugged into BT's equipment?

You'd think BT would know, but I wouldn't presume any particular degree of competence.

Anyway you can now pick a provider for phone and broadband and start afresh.

macman

What tests did you do on the line?
Did you test from the BT test socket behind the master socket faceplate?
Did you use another handset?
Could you get a dial tone?
If the fault occured during your broadband transfer, what did your new ISP say?
I think you may have misunderstood what BT were saying-they will only charge a call out fee if no fault is found on the line either on the master socket, or on their side of the network.
So if all the internal checks have been done, then you could have been confident that the fault is on the BT side.

macman

Mark_In_Hampshire wrote: »

Was your broadband one which involved the line being reprovisioned to what's called 'LLU' - e.g. it was taken away from BT - so actually the line wasn't faulty really, just not plugged into BT's equipment?

You'd think BT would know, but I wouldn't presume any particular degree of competence.

Anyway you can now pick a provider for phone and broadband and start afresh.

Good point:
OP, please can you advise, who was your old ISP and who was your new ISP?
Were you just moving your broadband, or your line rental/calls as well?

Batfink

Thanks for the replies.

My previous broadband was with gradwell.com, who use the Tiscalli LLU. My new one is with Zen.co.uk, who use BT's services.

My mine rental has been with BT throughout all of it.

Thanks x

macman

Gradwell is a business telecoms provider?
Your line can't have been on Tiscali LLU, because you were paying line rental to BT.
If your line went dead on the day that your migration was due, and you are sure there was no other cause, then what did Zen say-they should have been your first port of call?
The fault may not have been anything to do with BT Retail.

BT_company_representative

Hi Batfink,

Having read this thread, Macman is right as long as you have done all those check this would indicate that the fault is on the network side of thing. If this is the case you should not be charged for the repair of the fault.

I would like to look into this for you. Please could you drop me an email with your BT account details, along with a link to this thread? Once I have received those details I will investigate this and reply to you directly.

Cheers

Paddy

Batfink

Thanks for the replies. I've sent an email to you, Paddy, I hope you will be able to help.

Thanks