BT - 4 weeks with no internet when moving house!

We have a BT phone line and BT broadband, and are moving house in just under
2 weeks (the house we're moving to is new, in a new estate, but it has phone
fittings installed and the houses on either side have been occupied, and
have had working phones, for several months). The BT web site "moving house"
section says that they aim to transfer their services within 5 working days,
and often can do it in less. I tried to arrange transfer of the phone and
internet today, to be told:
- the earliest they can have the phone working at the new house is 5th
November (the first date they gave me was 9th November, but after I
complained to a different operator and quoted their web site she managed to
move it back 4 days - and also told me that she wasn't aware of what the web
site said and that it was wrong);
- they can do nothing about transferring the broadband until the new phone
line has been working for 48 hours;
- we should then contact them again, after which it will take at least 5
working days ("to get the information into the computer") to get broadband
working,

This means that we will be without a phone for about 2 weeks (not serious as
we have mobiles, though reception can be patchy) and without an internet
connection for nearly 4 weeks. Apart from the general inconvenience this
affects my wife's OU course (for which she needs internet access) and my job
searches (I'm currently unemployed, and for the area I work in most jobs are
advertsied on-line and expect applicants to be able to apply and communicate
on-line).

Am I being unreasonable in thinking that it shouldn't take anything like
this long to get an internet connection to a brand-new property working (1
week I could understand, 4 seems excessive). If not, do you have any
suggestions as to who I could complain to (my first thought is to try to
find out the namne of a senior BT manager)?

Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

Chris Jobson

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:26:41 +0000 (UTC), "Chris Jobson"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>We have a BT phone line and BT broadband, and are moving house in just under
>2 weeks (the house we're moving to is new, in a new estate, but it has phone
>fittings installed and the houses on either side have been occupied, and
>have had working phones, for several months). The BT web site "moving house"
>section says that they aim to transfer their services within 5 working days,
>and often can do it in less. I tried to arrange transfer of the phone and
>internet today, to be told:
>- the earliest they can have the phone working at the new house is 5th
>November (the first date they gave me was 9th November, but after I
>complained to a different operator and quoted their web site she managed to
>move it back 4 days - and also told me that she wasn't aware of what the web
>site said and that it was wrong);
>- they can do nothing about transferring the broadband until the new phone
>line has been working for 48 hours;

Presumably you are transferring (or planning to) an existing BT ADSL
service. Why not abandon that and use a new ISP (some can get service
almost immediately a new line is in)?

>- we should then contact them again, after which it will take at least 5
>working days ("to get the information into the computer") to get broadband
>working,
>
>This means that we will be without a phone for about 2 weeks (not serious as
>we have mobiles, though reception can be patchy) and without an internet
>connection for nearly 4 weeks.

You could always hook up through your mobiles perhaps using GPRS for
your internet connection?

>Am I being unreasonable in thinking that it shouldn't take anything like
>this long to get an internet connection to a brand-new property working (1
>week I could understand, 4 seems excessive).

When did you first know you were moving?

> If not, do you have any
>suggestions as to who I could complain to (my first thought is to try to
>find out the namne of a senior BT manager)?
>
>Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

Visit the neighbours - ask to borrow some IP (rather than sugar).

--
Hiram Hackenbacker

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:43:00 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) (Hiram
Hackenbacker) wrote:


>Visit the neighbours - ask to borrow some IP (rather than sugar).

and, in return, lend them a wireless router...
--
FREE phonecalls with other TalkTalk customers: <http://www.bizorg.co.uk/shopping/talktalk/>
Locate your Mobile phone: <http://www.bizorg.co.uk/news.html>

On 12 Oct 2004 in uk.telecom.broadband, David Quinton wrote:

>>Visit the neighbours - ask to borrow some IP (rather than sugar).
>
>and, in return, lend them a wireless router...

and assure them if their access fails, then connecting via yours will
be a possibility... If a wireless router isn't to hand, I've lots of
cable here... all you'd need would be a couple of RJ45 patch leads.
--
runbox.com - 1000 MB of mail storage and 100 MB for files...
30 day free trial... <http://web.vfm-deals.com/runbox/>

On 12 Oct 2004, in uk.telecom.broadband, "Chris Jobson" wrote:

>the earliest they can have the phone working at the new house is 5th
>November (the first date they gave me was 9th November, but after I
>complained to a different operator and quoted their web site she managed
>to move it back 4 days - and also told me that she wasn't aware of what
>the web site said and that it was wrong);

just for fun (well, not fun, but so you can show the Customer Services
Manager they're not performing as well as the website indication) why
not phone to see when a business line could be installed. Do not go
ahead with it, of course, but just ask (so you can get an earliest
date for an engineer... then complain to the CSM (details in front
of the phone book) and say "as there's an engineer available on xx/xx
why can my line not be activated as residential instead of business ?"

If your ISP is BT, you might also ask them, and if they are giving you
the same "it'll be weeks" situation, threaten to leave if they cannot
get it back on ASAP. I know it is pretty frustrating, but for your
wife, is there no library where she can make use of facilities for
her OU course, and similarly for you, given some libraries offer an
hour for free these days... Good luck with it all... Peter M.

--
PlusNet <http://tinyurl.com/24ymz> - I recommend them and save some cash.

this from the ADSLguide website might be of interest

BT Wholesale making moving and PSTN/ADSL provisioning simpler
Author: MrSaffron

BT Wholesale has been running trials to make life easier for people
with ADSL who are moving, and for people wanting to order ADSL and a
phone line (PSTN service) at the same time. From 27th September 2004,
in theory ISPs have been able to order these via the electronic order
systems.

A 'broadband mover' as BT Wholesale calls them, is someone who has an
existing ADSL and PSTN service at the current address and wants both
services provided at their new address (this requires that a BT Retail
PSTN connection is already at the destination address). A combined
ADSL/PSTN provision is for when people want an ADSL service and phone
service delivered on the same day, to either a new or existing
building.

The ISPs do not actually order the PSTN services, the end-user still
needs to do this. So the end-user must still order via BT Retail on
150, for either a 'broadband mover' or 'simultaneous ADSL/PSTN'
provision. In return BT Retail should provide people with a unique
number that can then be given to the ADSL ISP which is used to link
the ADSL order with the BT Retail order at a later point. It is
possible to call the ISP first, and get a unique reference number from
them and pass this onto BT Retail.

As with all of these systems that are ultimately meant to make life
simpler, for the first few weeks, everything is very murky. Over time
things will become clearer, so be prepared for ISPs who are not
handling these options yet, or for BT 150 staff to not be aware of the
process.

Thanks very much Martin, this is very interesting! I shall talk to BT again
tomorrow and point this out..However, because it's a new house we're moving
into, there isn't actually a working phone line at the new address yet -
will this make a difference? You don't happen to have the URL of the
ADSLguide website do you (if not I'll google for it)?
BT have now managed to move the phone line installation forward to 2nd
November (when they told me this they pointed out how lucky I was, as in
some areas it would now apparently be the end of November - so much for
their "within 5 days" on their web site). This is just over a week after we
move in - and if we could get broadband installed at the same time then I'd
be happy.

Regards
Chris Jobson

"Martin Warby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> this from the ADSLguide website might be of interest
>
> BT Wholesale making moving and PSTN/ADSL provisioning simpler
> Author: MrSaffron
>
> BT Wholesale has been running trials to make life easier for people
> with ADSL who are moving, and for people wanting to order ADSL and a
> phone line (PSTN service) at the same time. From 27th September 2004,
> in theory ISPs have been able to order these via the electronic order
> systems.
>
> A 'broadband mover' as BT Wholesale calls them, is someone who has an
> existing ADSL and PSTN service at the current address and wants both
> services provided at their new address (this requires that a BT Retail
> PSTN connection is already at the destination address). A combined
> ADSL/PSTN provision is for when people want an ADSL service and phone
> service delivered on the same day, to either a new or existing
> building.
>
> The ISPs do not actually order the PSTN services, the end-user still
> needs to do this. So the end-user must still order via BT Retail on
> 150, for either a 'broadband mover' or 'simultaneous ADSL/PSTN'
> provision. In return BT Retail should provide people with a unique
> number that can then be given to the ADSL ISP which is used to link
> the ADSL order with the BT Retail order at a later point. It is
> possible to call the ISP first, and get a unique reference number from
> them and pass this onto BT Retail.
>
> As with all of these systems that are ultimately meant to make life
> simpler, for the first few weeks, everything is very murky. Over time
> things will become clearer, so be prepared for ISPs who are not
> handling these options yet, or for BT 150 staff to not be aware of the
> process.

"Hiram Hackenbacker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:26:41 +0000 (UTC), "Chris Jobson"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> Presumably you are transferring (or planning to) an existing BT ADSL
> service. Why not abandon that and use a new ISP (some can get service
> almost immediately a new line is in)?
It's very tempting, but at the moment I've got so much to do preparing for
the move I don't want to spend a lot of time researching the alternatives -
and up to now we've been very satisfied with the BT broadband.

> You could always hook up through your mobiles perhaps using GPRS for
> your internet connection?
Not very practical for me - I find it hard enough using the tiny keys on my
(rather ancient) mobile for phone numbers, and the screen size would also
give me problems.

> When did you first know you were moving?
We've known we'd be moving somewhere for some time, but the actal address
and moving date were only confirmed two days ago. Since the BT web site
claimed a transfer wpould take 5 days or less I saw no need to take actioin
sooner anyway.

Thanks for your comments.
Chris Jobson

"Peter M" <us-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> just for fun (well, not fun, but so you can show the Customer Services
> Manager they're not performing as well as the website indication) why
> not phone to see when a business line could be installed. Do not go
> ahead with it, of course, but just ask (so you can get an earliest
> date for an engineer... then complain to the CSM (details in front
> of the phone book) and say "as there's an engineer available on xx/xx
> why can my line not be activated as residential instead of business ?"
It's tempting, but I've got enough to do preparing for the move at the
moment!

> If your ISP is BT, you might also ask them, and if they are giving you
> the same "it'll be weeks" situation, threaten to leave if they cannot
> get it back on ASAP.
It is and they are. Again, I'd be happy to change if I had more time to
evaluate the alternatives.

> I know it is pretty frustrating, but for your
> wife, is there no library where she can make use of facilities for
> her OU course, and similarly for you, given some libraries offer an
> hour for free these days... Good luck with it all... Peter M.
Yes, we'd already planned to use the library - but conditions for actually
working or concentrating there aren't too good (the computers have no desk
space beside them and are right beside the main flow of people in and out).
And all time there is charged.

Thanks for your suggestions.
Chris Jobson

>URL of the ADSLguide website
www.adslguide.org