BT and OpenReach cust. service and fault resolution; +ve
Discussion
Fwiw and in the interest of some balance, I thought I'd share my surprisingly pleasent experience with BT and Openreach.
(TL:DR - really impressed with BT / OR customer service. Big shock, credit where it's due).
I've been having regular dropouts with BT broadband (FTTC). It became increasingly worse and I followed as much of the diy fixes as I could, wifi analysis etc. etc. With a heavy heart, I decided to call BT. Having worked for them (in a different division) a decade ago, I know how much of a lottery this can be.
I'm really impressed with the response though:
- UK / IE call centres - big plus.
- A broadband engineer came out (next day) and fixed one fault; the cabling inside the BT socket was a mess. That was resolved and stability returned. For a day.
- Having read up, I performed the silent call test - and the line was very noisy. New fault reported.
- Voice engineer turns up, replicates the fault ('rectified loop') on their line, checks the cabinet and then has to pass it to the team which can 'work underground'. At this point, I assumed it would be a month of waiting, tails being chased etc.
- Next day (this morning), an engineer turns up and chases the fault to their underground cabling (our line runs underground to the house). Having fixed the first problem, he finds another which could only be investigated by excavating the drive.
- I asked whether a better solution would be to run a new connection from a nearby telegraph pole. I fully expected this to be a whole new saga taking weeks. To my pleasant surprise, he had the new line up and running in two hours.
I had a suspicion that there could be a number of faults to peel away, but the resolution time and - most of all - their attitude to resolving the problem really was outstanding.
They get a hard time, probably usually deservedly too. I'm probably deep into 'cool story bro' territory, but I just though I'd even it up a bit.
(TL:DR - really impressed with BT / OR customer service. Big shock, credit where it's due).
I've been having regular dropouts with BT broadband (FTTC). It became increasingly worse and I followed as much of the diy fixes as I could, wifi analysis etc. etc. With a heavy heart, I decided to call BT. Having worked for them (in a different division) a decade ago, I know how much of a lottery this can be.
I'm really impressed with the response though:
- UK / IE call centres - big plus.
- A broadband engineer came out (next day) and fixed one fault; the cabling inside the BT socket was a mess. That was resolved and stability returned. For a day.
- Having read up, I performed the silent call test - and the line was very noisy. New fault reported.
- Voice engineer turns up, replicates the fault ('rectified loop') on their line, checks the cabinet and then has to pass it to the team which can 'work underground'. At this point, I assumed it would be a month of waiting, tails being chased etc.
- Next day (this morning), an engineer turns up and chases the fault to their underground cabling (our line runs underground to the house). Having fixed the first problem, he finds another which could only be investigated by excavating the drive.
- I asked whether a better solution would be to run a new connection from a nearby telegraph pole. I fully expected this to be a whole new saga taking weeks. To my pleasant surprise, he had the new line up and running in two hours.
I had a suspicion that there could be a number of faults to peel away, but the resolution time and - most of all - their attitude to resolving the problem really was outstanding.
They get a hard time, probably usually deservedly too. I'm probably deep into 'cool story bro' territory, but I just though I'd even it up a bit.
Edited by PSB1 on Thursday 5th December 16:19
Edited by PSB1 on Thursday 5th December 16:21
Great result, but ultimately, it was down to the engineer who could actually be bothered to sort it, as most can't.
Openreach as a company are horrendous, and yes, that is from multiple experiences!
There is a rumour going around that some, if not all of it are being bought by Deutsche Telekom, so could end up being better/worse.
Openreach as a company are horrendous, and yes, that is from multiple experiences!
There is a rumour going around that some, if not all of it are being bought by Deutsche Telekom, so could end up being better/worse.
Alucidnation said:
Great result, but ultimately, it was down to the engineer who could actually be bothered to sort it, as most can't.
Openreach as a company are horrendous, and yes, that is from multiple experiences!
There is a rumour going around that some, if not all of it are being bought by Deutsche Telekom, so could end up being better/worse.
I get your point, but this wasn't a case of keep going until you get a competent engineer. There was an escalation chain, and all three of them helped focus in on the issue.Openreach as a company are horrendous, and yes, that is from multiple experiences!
There is a rumour going around that some, if not all of it are being bought by Deutsche Telekom, so could end up being better/worse.
Anyway, I've had issues with them before and based on this one example, I think they've significantly improved.
DTAG are very similar in my experience. But would be better than a Labour govt!
I'm sure there are plenty of good experiences, but mine hasn't been one.
New house (new barn conversion) moved in in June, ordered BB in May, BT turned in day after we moved in, there's a mast at the edge of my property so here's me thinking this is an easy job... Oh no, that's not the mast I'd be getting my phone/BB from, it's across a field so would need permission to access the land. Roll forward around 4 months and numerous surveys and finally get a call to say they can install everything.
Engineer rolls up and says why are you having copper when there's fibre on the mast (outside my house)??? And says the copper where I am will give me max 6Mb, so I decline to have this service (copper).
More calls to BT, I've spent probably 10 hours on calls with them at this point, they can't see fibre at the mast and suggest I tweet Openreach... I decide to register my interest on Openreach's page for FTTH... no plans on their site... I decide to register my neighbour, they already have it!!
Eventually after 6 months one single individual in BT takes ownership and gets everything done and dusted, all the hassle got me a good discount and £500 credit to my account for 6 months worth or crap, that's the icing on the cake finally!
New house (new barn conversion) moved in in June, ordered BB in May, BT turned in day after we moved in, there's a mast at the edge of my property so here's me thinking this is an easy job... Oh no, that's not the mast I'd be getting my phone/BB from, it's across a field so would need permission to access the land. Roll forward around 4 months and numerous surveys and finally get a call to say they can install everything.
Engineer rolls up and says why are you having copper when there's fibre on the mast (outside my house)??? And says the copper where I am will give me max 6Mb, so I decline to have this service (copper).
More calls to BT, I've spent probably 10 hours on calls with them at this point, they can't see fibre at the mast and suggest I tweet Openreach... I decide to register my interest on Openreach's page for FTTH... no plans on their site... I decide to register my neighbour, they already have it!!
Eventually after 6 months one single individual in BT takes ownership and gets everything done and dusted, all the hassle got me a good discount and £500 credit to my account for 6 months worth or crap, that's the icing on the cake finally!
Openreach pretty hopeless here, which meant I cancelled my copper BB & kept Virgin
Paid around £50 for line install, although the overhead cable was there from when we used it in the last century, through trees etc
Wouldn’t put a new cable in..
Service was rubbish, slow & dropouts
3 visits, wouldn’t change the ancient cable through the trees, line noisy
I worked at BT in the 80s. Up poles running new drop wires numerous times a day. Ladder on van,
But apparently you need a cherry picker now, I reckon BS
Will never use again
Paid around £50 for line install, although the overhead cable was there from when we used it in the last century, through trees etc
Wouldn’t put a new cable in..
Service was rubbish, slow & dropouts
3 visits, wouldn’t change the ancient cable through the trees, line noisy
I worked at BT in the 80s. Up poles running new drop wires numerous times a day. Ladder on van,
But apparently you need a cherry picker now, I reckon BS
Will never use again
I was a pipex dial man myself.
Then the big boys came in and took them over,
I am now a zen internet boy.
when you ring them up the tech support lads have far more brain cells than the few Ip packets wombling down the wires.
I get the feeling that they have so much time on their hands to give a good service is because their average buyer is a geek who sorts out 99% of the problems before they feel forced to ring up.
It's a symbiotic relationship. No doubt the big boss will sell out like Pipex, make a shed load of money and I then will then have to talk to
Then the big boys came in and took them over,
I am now a zen internet boy.
when you ring them up the tech support lads have far more brain cells than the few Ip packets wombling down the wires.
I get the feeling that they have so much time on their hands to give a good service is because their average buyer is a geek who sorts out 99% of the problems before they feel forced to ring up.
It's a symbiotic relationship. No doubt the big boss will sell out like Pipex, make a shed load of money and I then will then have to talk to
Freakuk said:
I'm sure there are plenty of good experiences, but mine hasn't been one.
New house (new barn conversion) moved in in June, ordered BB in May, BT turned in day after we moved in, there's a mast at the edge of my property so here's me thinking this is an easy job... Oh no, that's not the mast I'd be getting my phone/BB from, it's across a field so would need permission to access the land. Roll forward around 4 months and numerous surveys and finally get a call to say they can install everything.
Engineer rolls up and says why are you having copper when there's fibre on the mast (outside my house)??? And says the copper where I am will give me max 6Mb, so I decline to have this service (copper).
More calls to BT, I've spent probably 10 hours on calls with them at this point, they can't see fibre at the mast and suggest I tweet Openreach... I decide to register my interest on Openreach's page for FTTH... no plans on their site... I decide to register my neighbour, they already have it!!
Eventually after 6 months one single individual in BT takes ownership and gets everything done and dusted, all the hassle got me a good discount and £500 credit to my account for 6 months worth or crap, that's the icing on the cake finally!
Well, that is of course a dogs**t level of service. I must have been lucky!New house (new barn conversion) moved in in June, ordered BB in May, BT turned in day after we moved in, there's a mast at the edge of my property so here's me thinking this is an easy job... Oh no, that's not the mast I'd be getting my phone/BB from, it's across a field so would need permission to access the land. Roll forward around 4 months and numerous surveys and finally get a call to say they can install everything.
Engineer rolls up and says why are you having copper when there's fibre on the mast (outside my house)??? And says the copper where I am will give me max 6Mb, so I decline to have this service (copper).
More calls to BT, I've spent probably 10 hours on calls with them at this point, they can't see fibre at the mast and suggest I tweet Openreach... I decide to register my interest on Openreach's page for FTTH... no plans on their site... I decide to register my neighbour, they already have it!!
Eventually after 6 months one single individual in BT takes ownership and gets everything done and dusted, all the hassle got me a good discount and £500 credit to my account for 6 months worth or crap, that's the icing on the cake finally!
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