OPAL took internet without consent (SLAMMING)

Charly2010

Hi,

I hope this is the correct part of the forum to post in, but just had to share this experience with others out there.

I had my internet connection set up with BT Broadband, and moved phone services to Opal last year, paying them a monthly WLR rental plus calls. Last week we were using the interenet and lost connection.

After several hours spent trying to sort out an error message "windows could not finish repairing the problem because the following action could not be completed - flushing the DNS", which we finally were able to do, we still could not get a connection.

We then contacted BT only to be told that our service had been taken over by OPAL! We then duly contacted OPAL who informed us that our line had been changed to LLU, and were also informed that we were on a new two year contract.

After having to go out and buy security software the following day (we lost our Mcaffee security) and hours of calls to OPAL and BT, it arose this week that a sales person from OPAL called a customer (on a mobile - not a landline) and agreed the two year contract. The Sales representative at OPAL has then gone in and entered the details of the new contract by error under our Account. We were in an existing contract with OPAL which was due to expire next year, I have under no circumstances given them permission to change our line to LLU and lose my BT Broadband.

On a high note it now means that our contract is void with OPAL, and we are moving back to BT, but BT are going to charge us £125.00 and we will have to start all over again.

We also have another phone line (WLR) set up with OPAL for call services only, and to my horror I have learnt that they also tried to exchange this, meaning that we would have also lost our other Internet connection with BT without our consent.

OFFCOM have confirmed that this is termed as "Slamming" in the industry, up until today, we had no knowledge that this could happen or is still happening.

It is only by numerous phone calls and being so tenacious that I have managed to secure our other internet connection with BT, and Opal offer no compensation for the mix up on our other account.

We are now several hundreds of pounds out of pocket not only in man hours, but by the extra costs we will incur moving back to BT. Initially, it seemed like a good idea to move call services to OPAL, but in the long run you really do get what you pay for.

I have to say though that OFFCOM have been absolutely brilliant, and we will be taking this all the way with OPAL - how many others out there have been slammed?

DVardysShadow

Loads out there have been slammed. Junior sales people sometimes do it on slow days to make up their figures, so I am lead to believe. Some companies are pretty hot on stopping it, others are more lax

Let us make one thing clear though. OPAL never had a contract with you for internet services, if you never signed up for it. OPAL should also reimburse your losses - do post back progress on that - whether they put it right without being told, or whether Ofcom have to tell them or whether you have to take it to the small claims court.

ACDeag

Charly2010 wrote: »

Hi,

On a high note it now means that our contract is void with OPAL, and we are moving back to BT, but BT are going to charge us £125.00 and we will have to start all over again.

Why are you having to pay BT £125, surely you can move your phone line back under the "Return to Donor" process when it should be free?