1. Latest bill comes in which includes a charge of 93p for a 1 second call to 118 500 that we could never have made.
2. Email comes saying saying charge for exceeding download limit goes to £1 per Gb over the limit ( I have a special deal on basic broadband option that they won't transfer to options 2 or 3 so it has made sense for me to stay on option 1 and pay the lower excess charges for the couple of times I've gone over the limit)
3. I want to talk to somebody about both these
4. Automated telephone system doesn't let me talk to anyone human
5. Online system won't let me query bill or talk to human
6. I decide I want to cancel
7. Automated telephone system doesn't let me talk to anyone human ( I tried every option)
8. I call OFCOM and challenge them to query or cancel an account
9. OFCOM give me a special telephone number and a complaint reference, saying this is what you have to do to speak to a human at BT
10. I explain whats happened and the BT guy isn't bothered and is quite happy to cancel my account
11. I sign up with talktalk and save £40 per month overall

12. Now I've got to wat until 17th March when the phone line and broadband change over and I'll see if anything works lol

*shrug* BT lose out in the end, you voted with your feet and it's their loss.

Hope you have a better experience with Talktalk!

£40 a month is a heck of a saving, even TT dont use
a figure like that in their adverts ( I think they use a
figure of about £110 per year and thats based on a
favourable 'basket' of call charges).
TT and BT line rental are about the same, broadband
from TT cheaper than BT's ( £8-9/month) if you will save
over £30 on call charges then you were not on the most
suitable call plan with BT
having said that, you are right, sometimes BT's customer
service is pathetic and getting to speak to a human can
be near impossible

Keep pressing 0. It will say that the option you have selected is invalid, and then after about 3 or 4 times, it will transfer you to an operator. I did this 2 weeks ago and it worked.

Just to update on original rant - because I had recently been having problems with my HomeHub 1, I'd called BT 3 months ago and they sent a HH 2 as long as it started a new contract with them.

When I finally got to cancel the BT account, the first two levels of BT CS said I'd have to pay a termination fee. But if you read the BT Terms and Conditions, I do not have to pay a termination fee if they have changed the contract to my material disadvantage. Finally, I got to speak with somebody there in senior complaints and they agreed that the lower levels of staff had got it wrong and I was entitled to cancel without penalty.

I haven't had the final bill yet though.

TalkTalk router and booklet have arrived and swapover date is 7th March

£40 month saving might seem high I call internationally on business a lot and if I've read the TalkTalk tariffs correctly, my regular calls to Germany and Holland are included in basic tariff
Last edited by nickcuk : 04-03-2009 at 16:45