Mrwall

[Leon]

Hi peoples

just a quick note to let you know whats going on, my BT line has a problem, BT are blaming the bad weather, they are saying water has run into my phone line and is causing intermittent problems with my phone and broadband , £130 just to come and tell us we have a problem then the price of the repair ontop!!...at the moment we can't afford this so I may not have net access for a while, I'm having to use my phone!

so I'll get on when I can in between the line crashes...please don't forget little old Leon :)

[Heather]

as if we could forget you lol, hope you get it sorted soon Leon :)

[Denis]

Good luck mate,

We had a power failure here for a few hours on the 29th Dec, being without the internet for just those hours was...harrowing! Good grief, I didnt realise just how much I rely on being connected, or comes to that having basic electricity!

If water gets in BT's equipment, surely thats their fault!

[annie]

leon..................as if i could forget you!

hope it all sorts quickly for you.

[Leon]

Good luck mate,

We had a power failure here for a few hours on the 29th Dec, being without the internet for just those hours was...harrowing! Good grief, I didnt realise just how much I rely on being connected, or comes to that having basic electricity!

If water gets in BT's equipment, surely thats their fault!

apparently it's only BT's concern upto the end of the phone line attached to the soffit on the outside of the house!

[Guest DaveW]

I always thought it was to the junction box on the wall where you plug your phone in? Seems to be several opinions on the web though:-

"As mentioned above, the line up to the master socket is BT's responsibility to fix. The only exception would be if you had done something to damage their line."

"The wire on your property before it gets to the master socket belongs to open reach but is YOUR responsibility, so if you let it get wet, damaged, cut ,broke, squashed, burnt, eaten, nibbled, pecked, nipped, twisted, stretched, concreted in, buried, exposed, damp your going to pay to get it fixed, a bit like your electric cable, water mains or gas pipe. One visit charge plus one hours work should cover it."

"I've just had a repair done for a loss of service and was told if the fault was in my equipment I would be charged. However, it was an old frayed cable leading to my property but BT still charged me and have refused to refund it. They claim it was damaged by a tree so it was my responsibility but the engineer said it was because it was an old type of cable that hasn't been used for years. Either way, I don't see why I should pay to repair BT's infrastructure. If a tree brings down an electric cable beyond my property, or a water main bursts, the utility company repairs it. BT is a major utility company with a monopoly on the infrastructure so they should repair it. I've written to them but not hopeful of a result!"

Here is BT's Code of Conduct. I would suggest if you are not happy with BT's excuse you write to the chairman and tell him you will be contacting the Ombudsman listed in their Code of Conduct. Far more notice is taken of a letter marked "to the chairman" than an email or phone call to the underlings. Often if faced with the hassle of being reported to the Ombudsman and having to try and prove their case they will back down since it will cost them more than that in time and effort preparing their defence.

http://www.btplc.com/Thegroup/RegulatoryandPublicaffairs/Codeofpractice/Consumercodeofpractice/BTResidentialCodeofPractice.pdf

People who don't shout loud enough and make a fuss don't get heard! If I am having trouble with a firm a letter immediately goes to their Chairman, and it's surprising how quick things get dealt with when they come down from the top and not up from the bottom through normal channels. BT tried to charge me for a fault on the line once which was their problem not my equipment, but I soon stopped them at that game.

Edited January 10, 2013 by DaveW

[Leon]

BT are coming out Wednesday morning, as I do not have an original BT socket inside my house it looks like it will cost me £99 + vat for a £7 socket!!

[Leon]

well I now have a crackly line and an amazing 0.29 meg speed...........almost broadband, sure dial up was faster, 2nd visit from BT tomorrow!!

[FUJI]

well I now have a crackly line and an amazing 0.29 meg speed...........almost broadband, sure dial up was faster, 2nd visit from BT tomorrow!!

Are you stretching the cord between the two tins tight enough Mr Wall????

FUJI

[colinb]

Are you stretching the cord between the two tins tight enough Mr Wall????

FUJI

very good - and nice to hear BT have improved since the bad old days of the 1970's

oh and and 1980's

probably the 90's too :hope:

[Leon]

lol, cheers fuuuji!!

they have changed the line but it's still up and down like a bride's nightie!!...more complaints!!

I'll be back soon hopefully with some good snowy pictures :)

[NannyFerret]

My daughter had a lot of trouble with her BT line and they kept saying that it was inside. She had a second engineer out who said that it was the line underground that was disintigrating because of it's age, and she had to wait weeks for BT to get permission to dig up the ground outside, despite the fact that she told them that she needed the landline because her husbands lifeline was connected to it.

He was bedridden with MS and was so poorly that he died the year before last.

Bt could have got in touch with the council to hurry it up, but they didn't and it didn't get done for about six weeks.

I hope you have more joy with them.

Edited January 17, 2013 by NannyFerret

[Leon]

I have had 2 visits on consecutive days, I have just sent a snotty email, the trouble is if I leave BT Virgin and sky are just as bad! I will not give up!!....also going for compensation for a wasted day off work too :)

[Guest]

well I now have a crackly line and an amazing 0.29 meg speed...........almost broadband, sure dial up was faster, 2nd visit from BT tomorrow!!

I had exactly the same 12 months ago. BT did not want to know, could not get their Indian call centre to even test my line, Switched to Plusnet and instantly got good, consistent speed again.

[Phil]

the trouble is if I leave BT Virgin and sky are just as bad!

Not sure if it's just me but I've been with Sky for 4 years now with no problems at all. My only gripe would be the standard wireless router they supply (remember mine is 5 years old), I get a range of 20 feet assuming there are no walls in the way then it's down to 10 feet. Hence my recent question about tethering, the daughters bedroom is just 15 feet from the router but there are 2 walls in the way so the signal doesn't reach :(

[Leon]

I'm back upto speed

after a very heated conversation and lots of faffing and discussing I know have broadband running at the speed it should

I'll upload some pictures after I put the sproggs to bed :)

[NannyFerret]

Glad you are up and running again. :thumbup: