bt cut off infinity post install

A little background:
I had BT ADSL service almost as soon as it was available in my area of central London, turquoise blue dsl 'aliens' modem, £150 install fee and all.
I tried at one point to change to cable but C&W never did my road while the next roads north and south were done. So when LLU came I switched to a new supplier. Unfortunately at that time BT still insisted that the competition installed their own hardware in the exchanges. So when I tried to switch again a couple of years later, I was told it was not possible because my line was not on BT hardware.

BT themselves wanted either a new line install (over £100) or an internet outage of 2-4 weeks after they switched the line back and I just could not be bothered. I toyed with the new line idea periodically over the years; meanwhile my original supplier (bulldog I think) got taken over by pipex and then home telecom.

Then I read that BT infinity 2 offers free new line install if you sign up, and 80mb speed for less than my existing supplier. I go ahead and order including new line.
I get a call from BT to say that as its fibre I can switch my existing line, which I am ok with as they assure me that maximum likely outage is less than one day. They cancel the order and I am told replace it with an order not requiring a new line. BT Engineer install a new faceplate modem etc and all works well until 2 weeks later internet stops. Phone still works so it isn't the guys digging up the drains outside.
I suspect that billing has cut me off but I cannot sort out billing as my BT account will not accept the account number that I was sent by letter.

I call BT and am told that no order was placed and my phone is still with competitor. I explain the above but since it is not on their script they can do nothing and offer an new install in 5 weeks time. 5 weeks with no internet!
Subsequent calls reduce this to 2.5 weeks but it is still a huge pain. They insist that they can do nothing without an engineer visit. The BT kit was working so I am sure it is just billing cutting off the service in software
Certainly the old kit with old username/password doesn't work either.

Anyone had a similar experience, or have any idea if there is a department in BT that could help sort this a bit quicker?

Bulldog was full LLU so BT Retail should be able to take it over.

Sounds like they have messed up, or while the order was going through previous supplier has tried to cancel the move perhaps.

Down to BT Retail to sort it out now.

Does the OPenreach modem show a DSL sync light?

There are LEDs towards the front top (away from sockets) side of the modem and the one marked DSL is steadily lit.

The BT hub / wireless box shows the middle 'broadband' symbol flashing amber rather than steady blue as it was before.

In which case it may be that the openreach side is still running and BT Retail and their supplier BT Wholesale just need to do their stuff, i.e. press a few buttons on keyboards.

If you are really getting no where over the telephone, then email me on Thursday morning [email protected] with a brief synopsis and timeline, and telephone number/address and will pass onto BT Group to see if someone can be woken up

Thanks Andrew, I may have another go at them tomorrow on the phone, but it seems hard to get anywhere with problems which don't conform to the 'script' which I suppose is fair enough to run with as long as escalation is possible.

Can I ask an apparently silly question?

What sort of download speed were you getting on Infinity before it was cut off?

I think I did a speed test and got 50 or 60 Mb but I could not swear to it, memory is shocking these days

That's OK. I just wanted to make sure you had in fact ever been on Infinity, as opposed to them saying and you believing you were. Wierder things have happened.

After a bit more digging today it appears that the phone line move may have been cancelled by the current supplier lacking written confirmation from me. They emailed an old and little used address. So that is why the line is still with them.

I am still fairly sure BT supplied me with internet for two weeks. It would be interesting if the broadband were separate from phone service. I generally do not even have a physical phone plugged into the socket as it only gets called by robodiallers. Voice for me is all cellphone or skype so I would not buy phone service except that noone seems to sell internet alone, I suppose that if they did it wouldn't be any cheaper and I would lose the marginal benefit of landline backup.

You shouldn't have needed to confirm to the losing CP that the phone line could be taken from them. All the ones I have seen or heard of notify the customer and say if you want to stop it you have to let them know PDQ.

However, that said, if that's what happene, as as BT require you to have the line rental with them to have Infinity, you could be on the track. Though it would seem a bit heavy-handed if done without notice.