BT - How do you actually get anything done?? HELP needed!

[krakan]

Hi all,

 

I ordered a new phone line, online, on September 20th, because I've moved into a new house which doesn't have one.

On September 27th I got a message saying that my line would be installed on the 1st of October.

I took the 1st off work to wait, but nobody turned up.

I called them late on in the afternoon, spoke to a kid who didn't seem to work there - or at least had no idea what to do! Took a few details that they had anyway and said he'd get someone from the back office to call me back. Nobody called back.

Contacted them through their website, both as a query and a complaint.

Phoned again on the 3rd, waited in a queue for 30 minutes and had to give up.

Phoned again on the 5th, gave up after 26 minutes in a queue. Tried again, spoke to another department and got the address for cancellations.

Got a message on my voicemail, and an email, telling me that my line had been activated without the need for an engineer visit and that I need only plug in my telephone. Problem is of course, I ordered the line in the first place because there physically isn't a line into this house and never has been.

Then the Postal Strike happened, so I didn't bother writing a letter because I figured it wouldn't arrive anyway.

Called again on the 12th, finally spoke to someone who sounded like they knew what they were doing. She

said that the system must have confused my address with my neighbours, and that it had re-activated an old line of theirs. She cancelled the order, placed a new one and actually spoke to BT Openreach to confirm the installation appointment for October 22nd. She then sent me a SMS message to confirm.

 

Today, as you may have spotted, is the 22nd October. The people I have seen today, on my second day off work, include:

 

Tesco Direct delivery man

Post Man

Neighbours

Neighbours Kids (damn half term)

 

Note that none of those person did, or even *could* install a new phone line.

 

I tried phoning BT at 3.30 and every ten minutes since then. All I get is a message saying 'Thank you for calling BT. We are experiencing a high demand for this service and as such we cannot respond to your request at present. Please try again later.' (Or words to that effect) at which time the call is terminated. Nice touch, that.

 

So, I ask you, what can I do now? I can't talk to them, I've now essentially placed the same order twice, and got no phone line on either occasion. I'm getting desperate, and of course the Freephone number isn't free at all if you're calling from a Mobile on account of not having a phone line! I'm hopelessly lost for ideas, can anyone please, please offer me some advice on how to get a phone line?!

 

I just want the damn line!

 

 

Thanks (desperately)

Chris

[buzby]

You'll be due compensation for a missed appointment, this will be applied as a bill credit, so look forward to a much welcome rebate and keep that blood-pressure down!

[krakan]

I would like to remain optimistic, but a bill credit would not soothe my nerves just yet, as that would mean getting a bill - and since I don't have a phone line that would rather be adding insult to injury! A Credit is no use to me unless I can plug my phone into it and/or order ADSL over it...