V21/Biscit Customers Locked out of Internet!!

julianj1

Thanks for the clarification bbb_uk.

In return may I offer that I already talked to an ofcom manager late on Friday afternoon and he said that Ofcom could not intervene in commercial disputes between two companies. I specifically asked him if they could pressure netservices to speed up the disconnection and he said no.

MyUserNamesTaken

I emailed Mr Vickers from my vISP email account, which is basically my username/account name. He can see I'm who I say I am. I've asked for the cease to be done immediately, as I have no intention of signing up to SlezeeDSL.

bj149

I have been so angered by the whole issue as a V21 customer that I have taken the following steps to give 3 companies a lesson in customer services

1 Terminated my contract with v21 biscit thus affecting not only v21 but future custom to netservices
2 Contacted a cable company cancelling my BT contract, who I have been with for 30 years
3 Contacted my credit card company requesting repayment for services denied from V21

If I could somehow do something to affect toothless watchdogs I would

Victor_Delta

bj149 wrote:

I have been so angered by the whole issue as a V21 customer that I have taken the following steps to give 3 companies a lesson in customer services

Good for you, but I don't think they'll exactly be quaking in their shoes?

grahampike

Yet another of V21's "valued customers" here, struggling to maintain a home business without a broadband connection! In my quest to get back online I too have contacted Ofcom, BBC Watchdog, and the Office of Fair Trading. However, my most recent correspondence has been with my MP, and I would suggest that all affected do the same. Ofcom and the like simply do not have the powers to help, and pressure from MPs may help in getting them those powers. It's not going to come soon enough to help us, but it might prevent such a debacle from occurring again.

The quickest and easiest way to contact your MP is probably via WriteToThem.com, if you don't already have their e-mail address.

bbb_uk

grahampike wrote:

Ofcom and the like simply do not have the powers to help, and pressure from MPs may help in getting them those powers.

Remember that it was Ofcom that chose not to have those powers by making issue of MACs a voluntary thing thus preventing themselves from intervening.

grahampike

bbb_uk wrote:

Remember that it was Ofcom that chose not to have those powers by making issue of MACs a voluntary thing thus preventing themselves from intervening.

Indeed; a strange and touchingly naive decision which they now appear to be reconsidering. All the more reason to encourage pressure on them from parliament, surely?

bbb_uk

grahampike wrote:

Indeed; a strange and touchingly naive decision which they now appear to be reconsidering. All the more reason to encourage pressure on them from parliament, surely?

I agree. It's a real shame they (Ofcom) couldn't have thought ahead when they initially decided on having it voluntary and just hoping to god that all ISP, etc would be honest, forthcoming and fair and issue MACs so their own customers could leave them and go to other providers of their choice!?!?

I've not actually read the consultation regarding this but from some of the responses I read, it appears that Ofcom aren't making the issue of MAC's universal and applies to all ISPs (except cable). From what I gather, those on LLU, etc could be exempt (I suppose for a certain degree). I personally believe this is unfair to us customers because many customers wouldn't know or care if they're on an LLU network just so long as their internet works and they can migrate to other suppliers. However, I understand that there are technical problems with this but I do hope these "technical" problems can be worked out so that issuing of MAC codes is compulsory amongst all ADSL broadband ISP's.

TornadoTom

so, what do v21 customers do now ?
I rang netservices and got their answerphone message. It said it couldnt give out mac codes and that we'd be free to find another internet provider from 24th november.
Does this mean we still have to write to v21 and formerly cancel our accounts ?
Tom

bbb_uk

TornadoTom wrote:

I rang netservices and got their answerphone message. It said it couldnt give out mac codes and that we'd be free to find another internet provider from 24th november.

That's not entirely true. Yes, NetServices will ask for the line to be clear of ADSL (ie cease broadband on your BT line) but you CAN'T take up another broadband service until around 11th December 2006 as it takes about 2 weeks for the line to clear so broadband can then be taken again with another provider.

Your only alternative is dial-up internet in the interim period or, for those in cable areas, choose Telewest, etc.