BT customer service naff as ever

Ordered Sky Fibre Unlimited Pro on 23rd July, with my install date being today (13th Aug 1-6 PM). Switching from BE unlimited.

Guess what.. BT didn't show up to fit me VDSL modem.

With my existing BE service unplugged this morning. Called Sky at 4:45 with my concerns asking where the heck the guy was, understanding that 2hrs approx is allocated for each install and this would take it to 6:45. Sky replied that its sub contracted and they can work late into the evening.
Now my install would be a rather simple one, require a simple face plate change and to supply VDSL modem, connect and go. no data extensions or moving master sockets required here.
But 10 minutes later receive a text message saying have missed the appointment and may incur a £100 fee. Straight back on the phone to Sky, spoke to their fibre team again who had just had the details come onto their system regarding the missed visit. They understood and looked into it. It appears that cos the BT guy ran out of time today the job will have to be re-booked, anything upto two weeks waiting time. How can this be right?

Exactly the same thing happened to me on Friday except that I didnt even get the courtesy of being informed.

This morning they generated a new appointment date of 31st August!!!!!

Needless to say I have had a "robust" discussion with them and waiting for the outcome.

The reason given was that "it was a resourcing issue".

Due to call them back tomorrow and chase the issue further,
Only saving grace is the new sky router (SR101) is dual firmware and started working on ADSL with sky. BE cut me off at 8am this morning! So not left completely stranded without anything.
Post back if you get anywhere with your little rant. Late Aug sucks BT.

Just a comment that it is BT Openreach that is the issue for you, not BT Retail. Unfortunately, Openreach has a monopoly of FTTC install and behaves accordingly. They also ensure that it is impossible for the end customer to contact them directly, but only via the ISP.

That is not to say BT Retail are perfect: if you look on BT forums you will see a few things to do with ordering:
- BT Retail has no closer practical connection to BT Openreach than any other ISP has. This was an ofcom requirement to ensure competition and level retail sales for ISPs; ofcom never found a way to make Openreach behave competitively or responsibly. So BT Retail are just as liable to suffer from Openreach misdemeanours as Sky or other ISPs.
- BT Retail's own ordering process is severely broken; if once an order starts going wrong they often have to cancel and start over; and they often can't cancel because their own system has put a lock on the order because something went wrong.
- Most people on BT helplines don't know how to deal with the ordering process once it has gone wrong.

That said, my recent order and install went smoothly from both Openreach and BT Retail's side, at least as far as time of install. Openreach failed to fix old wiring correctly, and BT ordering got confused and I ended up with three order numbers and other parts of the order left out.

Edited by StephenTodd (Tue 14-Aug-12 09:22:22)

Regardless who is to blame BT is still in the company name. Phoned Sky again this morning awaiting a new date. BT admitted screwing up. Bottom line.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

Regardless who is to blame BT is still in the company name.

While I understand the sentiment it muddies the water and I don't think it helps us as customers. They are separate and referring to the wrong one or not differentiating can just create confusion and make it harder to resolve problems.

I think most of us here agree that it's good BT was split. Some would like it split even further. The names are confusing and a lot of people aren't aware of the difference and I think BT likes it that way. I think they like being able to hide behind the generic moniker 'BT'. I think that the situation you are in at the moment is at least partly the result of that.

If you ask the typical man in the street if BT accepts calls and complaints from customers they'd say "Yes, of course it does. They are useless half of the time but at least you can talk to them".

Whereas the truth is that only part of BT accepts calls and complaints from customers and it's a part that doesn't actually have responsibility for physical plant. Ironically the situation you think you are in with Sky (where they can only pass your complaint onto 'BT') is actually the same situation you would be in if you were taking the Infinity product since BT Retail is equally powerless and it too could only pass your concerns on.

It's a naff situation in my view and if everyone knew BTor was separate they might decide to put pressure on Ofcom to force BTor to accept calls from the general public. Right now all ISPs (except VM and Kingston) are beholden on BTor to fix things. ISPs are less inclined to shout and kick up a stink with BTor (although some like AAISP will). If we as end-users could get on the phone to them perhaps overall service levels would improve.

Edited by Andrue (Tue 14-Aug-12 11:01:55)

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

Only saving grace is the new sky router (SR101) is dual firmware and started working on ADSL with sky. BE cut me off at 8am this morning! So not left completely stranded without anything.

That sounds as if they've moved you to the ADSL service first, and then doing the shift over to FTTC.

Matt

More a case of Sky fully unbundling my exchange and line with their LLU presence and being able to still connect using there equip.

Bottom line BT screwed up and missed my install slot to change faceplate and provide the VSDL modem. Now waiting for a new install slot which could be a two week wait. Another days holiday required to wait in all day now. Thanks BT

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

More a case of Sky fully unbundling my exchange and line with their LLU presence and being able to still connect using there equip.

Why did Sky put you on their ADSL service? Seems most odd as when you get switched to FTTC ADSL connections no longer work due to being filtered at the cab. What I find hard to understand is why Sky should pay for this work when it is unnecessary for FTTC connections.

There's also more to an FTTC install than replacing the faceplate and supplying a modem, the major part of the work is at your cab where your phone line has to be connected to the FTTC cab where the voice line is split off, returned to the original cab and reconnected to the exchange line.

In reply to a post by MCM:

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

More a case of Sky fully unbundling my exchange and line with their LLU presence and being able to still connect using there equip.

Why did Sky put you on their ADSL service? Seems most odd as when you get switched to FTTC ADSL connections no longer work due to being filtered at the cab. What I find hard to understand is why Sky should pay for this work when it is unnecessary for FTTC connections.

Maybe because you have to take a Sky phoneline they might as well connect you completely to the MSAN at the exchange. Given the cabinet works in this case have failed the OP now has at least some service rather than nothing.