BT - stitching me up??

scorpio_princess

I've recently moved, so called BT to get the phone line up and runnning. No problem, that was done in one afternoon. They asked me if I wanted a brand new number or keep the number that was there before - I said i'm not bothered about it being a 'recycled' number, so told them i'd keep it. DD set up, phone working in a matter of hours - excellent.

BUT (and it's a big, infuriating but!!) after calling Tiscali (who i've decided to go with for broadband) I discovered that there is already broadband registered on my phone line. :eek: I didn't agree to any broadband through BT - in fact, I emphatically declined as I thought they offered poor value for money. I told the girl from Tiscali this, and she said 'it's probably due to the people who were there before you having broadband, and it's left a marker on the line which only BT can clear - she then gave me the BT wholesale department number, which I called but it didn't work She also told me that it's the third call she'd had that day complaining about there being broadband already on the phone line!

I then called BT to ask what the bleep is going on, and they simply said 'there's no broadband registered on your line' :mad: :mad: So asked how come I can't sign up with another broadband provider, and he said that Tiscali need to contact the wholesale department themselves. So, back on the phone to Tiscali - who then said (as I thought they would) that they can't discuss someone else's details with any other company due to Data Protection. So, back to BT -I then got put through to the broadband department where I was told the line is blocked, and they can't see who the previous provider is. I was initially told when I set the phone line up that I have to wait 48 hours to get broadband with anyone, which I did. But then on this last call they told me that I need to wait 5 working days, then the line 'should be cleared'!!

Has anyone else experienced this complete balls up? Why is this happening!! I'm starting to do some work from home, but can't until this is sorted out. What I don't get is why i'm being affected by what somebody else did or didn't have on their line - why should this be my problem? BT even asked me if I can contact the previous tenants to ask who their provider is!! Unbelievable!! It's my name on the account and i'm paying the bill, so this really shouldn't be happening.

Sorry for the long post, but this is really stressing me out!! This is so unfair.

Would I be able to call BT to change my number to a brand new one - ie one that couldn't possibly have a broadband line registered to it? Can I threaten them with OFCOM?

wifeforlife

Just want to offer support, I know what its like hanging on a phone just wanting 1 person to take responsibility. You can definately change your number to a brand new one, I would also write a letter aof complaint detailing all that has been said and send a copy to OFCOM, note it in the letter thats what your doing though, keep calm and be persistent!

Goodluck though
Cath

scorpio_princess

cathy2702 wrote:

Just want to offer support, I know what its like hanging on a phone just wanting 1 person to take responsibility. You can definately change your number to a brand new one, I would also write a letter aof complaint detailing all that has been said and send a copy to OFCOM, note it in the letter thats what your doing though, keep calm and be persistent!

Goodluck though
Cath

Thanks Cath - I have actually got somewhere now! I went on the OFCOM website, where I found a link detailing what to do if you have a 'tag' on your phone line. It then gave BTs Wholesale department phone number - called that and hey presto! The line will be clear by 7.30 tomorrow evening!

I just don't know why someone from either BT or Tiscali couldn't tell me that! When I asked to be put through to their wholesale dept. BT were next to useless.

Thanks again - the OFCOM suggestion was a good one :j

normanmark

Basically when you move into your new property the line there had broadband installed on it. No matter how many times you have renumbers or new numbers on the line, the broadband is on the physical line not the number! So the cancellation needs to be done to get the old tennants service off the line (from what i can read the wheels are in motion)

scorpio_princess wrote:

It then gave BTs Wholesale department phone number - called that and hey presto! The line will be clear by 7.30 tomorrow evening!

So from that description it was some broadband from the previous tennant thats just being ceased off the line. The order will close 7.30, but the earliest you can order will be on the Saturday morning (9th) as systems will automate up till midnight that night!

scorpio_princess wrote:

I just don't know why someone from either BT or Tiscali couldn't tell me that! When I asked to be put through to their wholesale dept. BT were next to useless.

Basically, neither BT Retail nor Tiscali have the facility or power to see what ADSL exists on someones line. The only people that have the power to see that is BT Wholesale, hence why you were referred there. So its not a case of them being awkward, they cant actually see it themselves!!

So from the sounds of it Tiscali threw a few wild assumptions in the mix & sent you on a chase, thankfully it's sorted for you tomorrow! But I hope that clears up some confusion!

MJB

Yes- Hope this all goes through for you- but I dont get how BT wholesale can claim to have no power to remove the tag in my case (where i paid line rental for the flat but a previous tenant had the broadband) as opposed to this case where the person paying the line rental is also different- why should BT say they have power to take off previous broadband in one case and not another? there's something odd going on there, no?
Do you have inside knowledge of
BT wholesale, normanmark, and can you clarify?

normanmark

MJB wrote:

Yes- Hope this all goes through for you- but I dont get how BT wholesale can claim to have no power to remove the tag in my case (where i paid line rental for the flat but a previous tenant had the broadband) as opposed to this case where the person paying the line rental is also different- why should BT say they have power to take off previous broadband in one case and not another? there's something odd going on there, no?
Do you have inside knowledge of
BT wholesale, normanmark, and can you clarify?

The only time Wholesale can remove ADSL in the tag issue is when theres a clear termination of the PSTN contract, ie. Someone new has moved in, taken up telephone service & the broadband on the line is belonging the previous tennant. Thats the only time they can remove it.

In your situation, your ISP sounds like they havent ceased the service & until they place a cease order, BTW cant do anything. End users are a direct customer of BTW, the ISP is, so they cant place ceases for someone who isnt a customer of theres.

Hope that helps (and doesnt confuse too much! )