BT broadband 'Scam'

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spookym
spookym Posts: 5 Forumite
in Broadband & internet access
Tried to take advantage of the latest MSE BT infinity offer today. Everything clicked through ok until I checked my phone number, then the package changed. After online chat it appears that it is because infinity is not available at my address. This is despite having had BT infinity before and currently getting fibre broadband from plusnet.
The issue is that because we are a long distance from the cabinet, we have never been able to get full infinity speeds, with max being around 10mb (although this is way better than the non infinity speeds we would get). So now BT wont allow me to take on Infinity but instead offer "Faster Unlimited Broadband" which is 10Mb-15Mb. The problem is that there is no offer on this (and have never seen one before) so it would cost £10 per month MORE than infinity, for a lower service! Complained online, complained on the phone and they are not interested. Any other suggestions other than the ombudsman?? Seems like a real scam to stop people being able to take up Infinity offers
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  • kwikbreaks
    kwikbreaks Posts: 9,187 Forumite
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    BT won't sell the branded Infinity product unless your line can deliver at least 15Mbps. Nobody can force a company to sell something they don't want to so I think you are pretty much scuppered on that. If you check around other ISPs will probably sell their own FTTC products cheaper than BT's option.

    It's probable that longer lines will have more faults and that is why they won't discount their "faster broadband" offering.
  • poppasmurf_bewdley
    poppasmurf_bewdley Posts: 5,909 Forumite
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    It could also be that BT don't have any Infinity capacity in your area. Just because you had it previously doesn't mean they haven't sold on the capacity to someone else.
    "There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe a 'Princess Coronation' locomotive in full cry. We shall never see their like again". O S Nock
  • mije1983
    mije1983 Posts: 3,665 Forumite
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    I'm longing for a day when a thread with 'scam' in the title is an actual scam, and not just 'I haven't got what I want'.
  • spookym
    spookym Posts: 5 Forumite
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    mije1983 wrote: »
    I'm longing for a day when a thread with 'scam' in the title is an actual scam, and not just 'I haven't got what I want'.
    Well to me, a company that charges significantly more for an inferior product, by changing who is 'allowed' to purchase that product, thereby restricting the market is a 'scam'
  • spookym
    spookym Posts: 5 Forumite
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    poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »
    It could also be that BT don't have any Infinity capacity in your area. Just because you had it previously doesn't mean they haven't sold on the capacity to someone else.
    Thanks but dont see how this can be the case as I currently have what was previously called 'infinity' (but now seems to be called 'faster unlimited broadband'), but provided by plusnet so whatever infrastructure is required is still allocated to me.
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
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    Check what you can get with other ISPs .
    As i understand from a recent engineer chat BT are no longer offering fibre to marginal premises due to on line errors /faults .
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 5,186 Forumite
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    spookym wrote: »
    Thanks but dont see how this can be the case as I currently have what was previously called 'infinity' (but now seems to be called 'faster unlimited broadband'), but provided by plusnet so whatever infrastructure is required is still allocated to me.

    Plusnet will have their own quota of bandwidth/connections so it's not related to what BT have (or are willing) to offer. The ombudsman will just laugh at you and say 'no'.

    And it's still not a 'scam'.
  • mije1983
    mije1983 Posts: 3,665 Forumite
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    edited 19 May 2017 at 1:04PM
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    spookym wrote: »
    Well to me, a company that charges significantly more for an inferior product, by changing who is 'allowed' to purchase that product, thereby restricting the market is a 'scam'

    Any business is the country is 'allowed' to decide who to sell to, and at a price they choose. As long as they are not refusing to sell to you based on your sex/race/religion/disability etc then that is perfectly legal, and as such not a 'scam'.

    As a consumer, you are then 'allowed' to decide whether or not you wish to deal with said company, or go elsewhere.

    A scam would be not telling you that Infinity was unavailable, connecting you up and then saying 'tough, you've still got to pay for a lesser service'.


    In fact, the MSE write up even says
    If you fit the bill, 83% of the UK can get it - you're told if you can when applying.
    So it seems like you are in the other 17%. That is millions of properties across the country so you aren't being singled out.

    As others have said, just look about for other ISPs. They may offer you fibre at a lower speed, or have available capacity in your area. Sky quite often have offers on for new customers, and sometimes through MSE as well. Failing that, call Plusnet and haggle with them. Use the BT offer to see if they will get close to it.
  • teddysmum
    teddysmum Posts: 9,471 Forumite
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    They are actually being responsible by refusing to sell a product which will not be up to standard and , if you took it then realised its limitations, you would soon be on forums like this complaining about a what a poor service it was.
  • iniltous
    iniltous Posts: 3,082 Forumite
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    edited 19 May 2017 at 4:39PM
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    teddysmum wrote: »
    They are actually being responsible by refusing to sell a product which will not be up to standard and , if you took it then realised its limitations, you would soon be on forums like this complaining about a what a poor service it was.
    spookym wrote: »
    Well to me, a company that charges significantly more for an inferior product, by changing who is 'allowed' to purchase that product, thereby restricting the market is a 'scam'

    Some company's won't sell people their regular broadband if the potential speed is below 2Mb, because lots of customers on poor speed will drag the average speed of their customer base down and these days ISP's have to use the speed the 'average' speed their customers can get in their adverts, , so it could be argued that at least BT didn't just say 'take a hike' as you would detrimentally affect their Infinity 'average', but did offer you an alternative product, even if there isn't any offers on that product..
    You are under no obligation to use BT there are lots of alternative providers, if BT are uncompetitive , use someone else
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