MSE News: BT reveals price rises - but you can escape the hikes

Zanderman

I've just spent the afternoon trying to get a simple answer out of BT - will they be charging for 1571 and Caller Display on a BT Broadband Talk line (their own VOIP system, only available now on older systems I think).

The answer should have been either Yes, or No.

But live chat and then telephone conversations with 5 individuals (they managed to cut me off in the middle, of course) failed to achieve any answer.

I was told No, Yes, No, Maybe, I'll have to look into that, what an unusual question, etc etc.

All attempted to give me the advice for landlines - i.e. go to bt.com/freecallerdisplay etc - but that doesn't accept a Broadband Talk number.

The last one was the worst, to begin with, totally misunderstanding. And then, apparently, the best, promising he would make 1571 and C Display free on our BBand Talk number - and that he would confirm by email.

I have to report that, sadly but unsurprisingly, that email has not arrived - so I am still in the dark.

Just how difficult can this be? A simple answer to a simple question!

BT_company_representative

Hi Zanderman,

Use the link in under my forum profile to send over your details and we'll be happy to look into this for you.

Thanks

Neil

Zanderman

BT_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Zanderman,

Use the link in under my forum profile to send over your details and we'll be happy to look into this for you.

Thanks

Neil

Thanks for offering to 'look into this' Neil. You have, unfortunately, simply repeated the error: What I need to know is clearly stated in my post above - what you need to do, if you really want to help, is provide the answer to my question (which is Yes, or No, hardly difficult) - not offer to 'look into this'.

For the record I did submit a complaint to BT after my posting here using the form at https://bt.custhelp.com/app/contact_email/c/5642,5681

The reply today states

I am very sorry to hear of the trouble you faced recently trying to find out is some broadband talk services would be chargeable; I can understand this must be quite frustrating for you. I can confirm that there is no charge for the 1571 on your broadband talk service. The caller display service for this line is the same.

A fairly simple answer - just what I wanted! The simple version is simply No, you will not charge for 1571 and C Display on Bband Talk lines.

Now why was that simple statement so difficult to obtain? And why can't BT Rep Neil give it here instead of 'looking into it'?

My reply from BT today is signed off with a statement about BT's Values:

Our Values: Trustworthy - we do what we say we will. Helpful - we work as one team. Inspiring - we create new possibilities. Straightforward - we make things clear. Heart - we believe in what we do

If BT Rep Neil really wants something to 'look into' he might start with that 'Values' statement - as the "Helpful - we work as one team" is, in my recent experience, clearly utterly untrue, as is the " Straightforward - we make things clear" which is actually laughable.

penrhyn

Can't see why people are moaning about BT price increases, they bribe you with free BT Sport with BT broadband, some one has to pay for it.

Zanderman

penrhyn wrote: »

Can't see why people are moaning about BT price increases, they bribe you with free BT Sport with BT broadband, some one has to pay for it.

Maybe... but we don't all need, or even want, to watch BT Sport.

I use, and want, BT for phone and broadband services - not for Sport.

penrhyn

My point exactly.

butterflymum

Zanderman wrote: »

Our Values: Trustworthy - we do what we say we will. Helpful - we work as one team. Inspiring - we create new possibilities. Straightforward - we make things clear. Heart - we believe in what we do.

Hadn't noticed their Values Statement before, so thanks, Zanderman.

I've just quoted the statement as part of a response to BT via their 'satisfaction survey', sent to ask me how satisfied I was with a recent customer service contact.

I explained why I was unhappy (ie that as usual, and here I quoted past similar experience, CS staff were avoiding (and indeed it seemed they were trained thus to do) fully answering and/or answering at all, question/s raised and that whilst I would like to believe and trust their values statement, at present, I couldn't.

penrhyn

The trouble with BT is that it still acts as if its a monopoly.

An ongoing problem is that its still only BT who maintain the 'last mile' to subscribers, and maintain telephone exchanges.

You are paying for BT Sport.

Mergic

Zanderman wrote: »

Thanks for offering to 'look into this' Neil. You have, unfortunately, simply repeated the error: What I need to know is clearly stated in my post above - what you need to do, if you really want to help, is provide the answer to my question (which is Yes, or No, hardly difficult) - not offer to 'look into this'.

I can understand your frustration Zanderman when you just want a straight answer. But to be fair to Neil he doesn't have any personal account information so can only base a response on what you have said. By asking for your details he can check your account, give you a clear accurate response based on your personal circumstances. If he gave you a general response and had misunderstood your circumstances you would be more annoyed that his response was inaccurate. I feel by offering this personal service he is helping to meet the company values.

Quentin

Mergic wrote: »

.... I feel by offering this personal service he is helping to meet the company values.....

You can't have seen how badly let down by the "values" shown by BT Rep over the issue in this thread!

(We were wrongly advised by BT rep that we could not leave without penalty over the price increases, but would have to forfeit any advance line rental paid. This advice was wrong, but many will have taken it as gospel as it came from the "Official BT Rep", and will now be tied in to BT and the price rises when the truth was that the Rep should have advised the advanced rental was rrefundable, and we could indeed leave "without penalty")