Problems with BT - suggestions please
Discussion
I've been unable to access my BT account details since April this year. The help desk has cut me off twice, some BT emails refuse to open, and I'm getting a sore ear from holding my phone to it. I've been unable to access my itemised bills, not to mention offers when it was renewal time. Their contact systems are appalling.
I've had no problems with BT since I was advised to use them by A G Bell, but I'm considering changing supplier. I currently have the full broadband, TV and EE phone package. It all runs well enough but there are, according to Which?, better and cheaper providers. I have full fibre installed.
I'm happy with EE, the coverage in my area, and those I regularly visit is great. However, if I can't check my bill . . .
Broadband and TV is easy enough to replace, especially with the help of Which?, and I can find an alternative email service provider, but changing phone provider, phone numbers, and all that fills me with dread. I'm bound to forget someone important.
Any advice welcome, as is a cure for frustration. I'm in the process of complaining to the ombudsman.
Mind you, how can I cancel BT without having access to my account?
I've had no problems with BT since I was advised to use them by A G Bell, but I'm considering changing supplier. I currently have the full broadband, TV and EE phone package. It all runs well enough but there are, according to Which?, better and cheaper providers. I have full fibre installed.
I'm happy with EE, the coverage in my area, and those I regularly visit is great. However, if I can't check my bill . . .
Broadband and TV is easy enough to replace, especially with the help of Which?, and I can find an alternative email service provider, but changing phone provider, phone numbers, and all that fills me with dread. I'm bound to forget someone important.
Any advice welcome, as is a cure for frustration. I'm in the process of complaining to the ombudsman.
Mind you, how can I cancel BT without having access to my account?
If you move your mobile contract to a new provider your number can/will move with you - simply ask BT/EE for a PAC code and give that to the new provider, in 1 day it will move across and nobody will even know you've changed.
For your email, is there a free email with BT? You don't really want to be changing emails unless you have to, I would have thought BT would offer a basic one for free even for customers who had left.
For your email, is there a free email with BT? You don't really want to be changing emails unless you have to, I would have thought BT would offer a basic one for free even for customers who had left.
Why can't you access your BT account? Wrong password? Have you got the EE app on your phone? Can you access that?
As above porting your existing mobile number to a new provider is easy. Ditto your home number if you still need it. But as you have found you'll likely need access to your BT account.
Never use an email service provided by an ISP, it ties you to that provider. Get yourself a Gmail account and start moving stuff over now.
As above porting your existing mobile number to a new provider is easy. Ditto your home number if you still need it. But as you have found you'll likely need access to your BT account.
Never use an email service provided by an ISP, it ties you to that provider. Get yourself a Gmail account and start moving stuff over now.
Edited by megaphone on Friday 18th September 07:40
Try asking on the BT Community forum - it's a bit random but the mods there will sometimes pick stuff up and get it dealt with.
https://community.bt.com/
https://community.bt.com/
megaphone said:
Why can't you access your BT account? Wrong password? Have you got the EE app on your phone? Can you access that?
As above porting your existing mobile number to a new provider is easy. Ditto your home number if you still need it. But as you have found you'll likely need access to your BT account.
Never use an email service provided by an ISP, it ties you to that provider. Get yourself a Gmail account and start moving stuff over now.
When I put in my ID and password, I get the fault window telling me one of them is incorrect. If I try to change the password I'm told my email address doesn't exist, this despite still receiving emails from BT at that address. Some emails refuse to open.As above porting your existing mobile number to a new provider is easy. Ditto your home number if you still need it. But as you have found you'll likely need access to your BT account.
Never use an email service provided by an ISP, it ties you to that provider. Get yourself a Gmail account and start moving stuff over now.
Edited by megaphone on Friday 18th September 07:40
Sheepshanks said:
Try asking on the BT Community forum - it's a bit random but the mods there will sometimes pick stuff up and get it dealt with.
https://community.bt.com/
If you go onto the forum and search for Unable to access My BT you will find I'm not the only one to feel frustrated with BT's inability to help. There's a lot of us. I know BT has a large number of customers, and the percentage having problems is low, but when one of them is you, excuses don't matter so much.https://community.bt.com/
For my old landline now digital voice whilst their portal recognises my user and passwords it has always refused to accept / add the account details.
I gave up trying to speak to someone about it.
Whilst it costs me £12 per year to receive bills now once a quarter I’m quite happy to pay it but maybe that was deliberate behaviour from them ?!
I gave up trying to speak to someone about it.
Whilst it costs me £12 per year to receive bills now once a quarter I’m quite happy to pay it but maybe that was deliberate behaviour from them ?!
alscar said:
Whilst it costs me £12 per year to receive bills now once a quarter I m quite happy to pay it but maybe that was deliberate behaviour from them ?!
Does that appear as a separate charge on your bill?I’ve heard of them doing that, but I’ve never been charged it unless it’s rolled into monthly price. I pay exactly what the standard rate appears to be, less a monthly discount - maybe I get less discount?
Oddly they did tell me it was going to increase in price by £3/mth from May (I think) but it went up £4 exactly as advertised.
MrBen.911 said:
Have you ever used another email address to access the account? At one point, my email was our BT login, but all email updates etc would go to my wife! So don't presume the one the messages come to is the login!
Thanks for the suggestion, but I've tried them all. I am allowed to change the password on them, but not my main one. The £12 pa might be worth it, and maybe more so with my complaint. I will say given their dreadful customer service, I expect it free of charge.
Sheepshanks said:
alscar said:
Whilst it costs me £12 per year to receive bills now once a quarter I m quite happy to pay it but maybe that was deliberate behaviour from them ?!
Does that appear as a separate charge on your bill?I ve heard of them doing that, but I ve never been charged it unless it s rolled into monthly price. I pay exactly what the standard rate appears to be, less a monthly discount - maybe I get less discount?
Oddly they did tell me it was going to increase in price by £3/mth from May (I think) but it went up £4 exactly as advertised.
They tell me on the same bill that I could save £3 if I switch to paperless and then we get back to square 1.
alscar said:
Yup the £3 appears each quarter when the paper bill arrives.
They tell me on the same bill that I could save £3 if I switch to paperless and then we get back to square 1.
They tell me on the same bill that I could save £3 if I switch to paperless and then we get back to square 1.
How odd that I’ve never been charged that, and normally I never get away with anything.
Our post is now arriving so late that I’ve had to download the last couple of bills anyway.
shed driver said:
It's not something really simple such as anyone@gmail.com vs anyone@googlemail.com? Both will come to your inbox seamlessly, but they will be treated by BT as different addresses.
SD.
You can also put a . (dot) anywhere in the first part of your Gmail address such as any.one@gmail.com and Gmail will ignore it and deliver it all the same, handy to know who's sold your address for junk!SD.
Condi said:
For your email, is there a free email with BT? You don't really want to be changing emails unless you have to, I would have thought BT would offer a basic one for free even for customers who had left.
BT do offer a really basic email for customers who have left - so basic that is web only access through the BT website, and no apps or email clients will work with it.If you want to use any email clients with the email after you have left then it will cost you £7.50 a month.
https://www.bt.com/help/email/bt-email-products
I've finally had a resolution to my problem.
It would appear my account details for MYBT were deleted for some reason. The fourth agent I got stuck with it for two hours. The 'Try this' right at the death had a faint glow of hope. I feel really positive now, despite it taking six months. I was mysteriously cut off from the previous three agents. The too difficult light can be blinding.
Fair enough, it seems it might have been an obscure problem, but still.
It would appear my account details for MYBT were deleted for some reason. The fourth agent I got stuck with it for two hours. The 'Try this' right at the death had a faint glow of hope. I feel really positive now, despite it taking six months. I was mysteriously cut off from the previous three agents. The too difficult light can be blinding.
Fair enough, it seems it might have been an obscure problem, but still.
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