Wikiposts
Search
Computer/Internet Issues & Troubleshooting Anyone with questions about the terribly complex world of computers or the internet should try here. NOT FOR REPORTING ISSUES WITH PPRuNe FORUMS! Please use the subforum "PPRuNe Problems or Queries."

What's BT ISP like these days

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11th Nov 2009, 18:11
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,410
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What's BT ISP like these days

Looking at changing from Orange. I think I prefer an all in one package. No cable here. Mac OSX
Any opinions please.
BusyB is offline  
Old 11th Nov 2009, 18:13
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 1998
Location: .
Posts: 2,997
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cool

Been with BT for a few years, had a problem once, which was sorted very quickly, up to 8mb normally around 5mb, can't complain.
spannersatcx is offline  
Old 11th Nov 2009, 18:32
  #3 (permalink)  
More bang for your buck
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: land of the clanger
Age: 82
Posts: 3,512
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Been with them for yonks, their help desk is brilliant if a bit over attentive (they have rung me back everyday for a week to make sure the exchange problems have been cured. (speed was going down to less than a meg in the evenings as opposed to 7,5megs during the day) An engineer came out and checked the line over also changed the master skt to a broadband one that doesn't need filters. And I live in a relatively small village.
green granite is offline  
Old 11th Nov 2009, 20:41
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 637
Received 14 Likes on 9 Posts
We've had BT for several years on Bb. Always found them very good.

Only had one problem, a mistake was made when we moved 2 years ago which meant we lost our Bb connection 5 days before we moved and had to use dial up. When I phoned them they immediately apologised for the error and credited my account with £40 as compensation.

Helpline when troubleshooting has been very helpful too (hence the name "Helpline" I suppose), even though the only times I've used it the problem has been down to something daft I've done at my end.
Blues&twos is offline  
Old 11th Nov 2009, 21:13
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: East Ecosse
Age: 71
Posts: 453
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Me too, once re-configured wireless codes remotely from Dehli (!), try to get the very best deal for your buck tho; they're trying to be competitive
mustpost is offline  
Old 11th Nov 2009, 23:17
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Bracknell, Berks, UK
Age: 52
Posts: 1,133
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm not allowed to swear on here am I?

They are UTTERLY UTTERLY horrendous. The only ISP i've ever written to OFCOM about.

Maybe if you only have a need to talk to them once in a blue moon you'll talk to someone who cares, but if you have a job like mine when you get to talk to them on a regular basis you'll find a company who has no ingrained customer service expertise, no idea of what the left and right hand are doing, and a management culture of misinformation and obstruction.

AVOID!
Mike-Bracknell is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2009, 11:37
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: U.K.
Posts: 805
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
www.plus.com: Owned by BT but seem to be totally independent. I have had no problems with their help facilities (all British) and they often receive press accolades with regard to quality and value for money. Been using them ever since my village went broadband over five years ago.
Highly recommended.

P.P.
P.Pilcher is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2009, 16:37
  #8 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,410
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks guys. I'll get a quote.
Mike-B who don't you have to talk to then? Is there one you recommend?
BusyB is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2009, 17:00
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lemonia. Best Greek in the world
Posts: 1,759
Received 6 Likes on 3 Posts
BT

Long term BB customer with them.
I rate them highly. "Assistance" is via an 0800 number, and roughly Half the time you get great help from this number. The other half is not so good, so if you speak to a non-customer oriented moron, ring off and start again.
Their Retail lot are about to do a serious, whole Top team Strategy Review. I think they are going to set themselves even higher Customer Service targets. They could get better.
Ancient Observer is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2009, 22:02
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Bracknell, Berks, UK
Age: 52
Posts: 1,133
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks guys. I'll get a quote.
Mike-B who don't you have to talk to then? Is there one you recommend?
Have a look at thinkbroadband :: The UK's largest independent Broadband / ADSL comparison & review website for unbiased reviews etc.

Personally, whilst my own company offers broadband, I have a lot of time for Be & Eclipse, and if you have an O2 phone or Sky TV then O2 or Sky broadband are decent enough in terms of cost whilst still sitting above BT for customer service (albeit lower than dedicated ISPs such as Be/Eclipse).
Mike-Bracknell is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2009, 14:54
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: UK.
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
O2 owns BE so they offer a similar service (which is pretty good).
Aerouk is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2009, 15:25
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Earth
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What's BT ISP like these days
The same as it's always been ....

The answer is in the initials....

B****Y TERRIBLE.....

Amongst various reasons I could give, one is that I know a handful of people actively looking to leave them.

For a better ISP, I would suggest Zen. Top notch !

(No I don't have any reason to suggest Zen, not an employee or anything..... I've just had nothing but good experiences out of them.... plus they have a 100% UK based support operation staffed by people who do not read off scripts !)
mixture is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2009, 15:29
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Earth
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
they have rung me back everyday for a week to make sure the exchange problems have been cured
They probably only did that because someone forgot to close your support ticket and they're looking to keep the stats up by closing off tickets ASAP. Hence they keep on pestering you
mixture is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2009, 20:00
  #14 (permalink)  
More bang for your buck
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: land of the clanger
Age: 82
Posts: 3,512
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No they rang me back because I asked them too later in the week but they did it everyday instead, they always keep the fault support ticket open for 1 week after the Engineers been, then, if you don't ring, they assume it's ok and close it automatically.
green granite is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2009, 20:11
  #15 (permalink)  
Resident insomniac
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: N54 58 34 W02 01 21
Age: 79
Posts: 1,873
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
So what was the problem, green granite?

Saw an Openwoe engineer up the distribution pole at the top of the street surrounded by 'tails' earlier today but I couldn't ask him what was wrong (he was too high up and the cherry-picker engine was running at ground level). I expected my phone being cut off, but nothing happened.
G-CPTN is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2009, 20:39
  #16 (permalink)  
More bang for your buck
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: land of the clanger
Age: 82
Posts: 3,512
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
So what was the problem, green granite?
Basically the Exchange equipment was being overloaded, due to a faulty rack which they had to take out of service. They've moved my circuit onto a lightly used rack and, so far, my speed now only drops to about 6Megs in the evening instead of less than 1meg.
green granite is offline  
Old 17th Nov 2009, 08:15
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Out in the sticks in DE56
Age: 85
Posts: 565
Received 7 Likes on 5 Posts
Interestingly, I've just encountered BT's helpline: the verdict was 'very helpful'. Briefly, I was installing a Linksys wireless router to replace a BT modem which was faulty, and (although I downloaded the quick install guide from Linksys) had an acute case of the stupids. Just couldn't get the thing to work.

The guy from India - script or not, I don't care - was most patient and to the point; tolerated my continuing stupidity. A couple of times I admitted to making a complete hash and offered to ring off, reset the router and get back to him, but oh no, he insisted that his job was to help me make it work. After 20 minutes we connected.

I'd like to boast that it was all my own work, but in this case that would be a barefaced lie. Thank you BT.
jimtherev is offline  
Old 17th Nov 2009, 08:19
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Earth
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
jimtherev,

Well, I suppose if you've got a few million customers it must be statistically possible to have one or two happy ones.

Well done Jim on getting it fixed, and in the interests of equality and PC equal opportunity thanks for balancing out this thread in favour of BT.

Personally though, I'm still with Mike-Bracknell and others in the too many negative impressions camp.

As the saying goes ..... once bitten twice shy ..... and I've pretty much encountered a swarm....
mixture is offline  
Old 17th Nov 2009, 08:42
  #19 (permalink)  
More bang for your buck
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: land of the clanger
Age: 82
Posts: 3,512
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well, I suppose if you've got a few million customers it must be statistically possible to have one or two happy ones.
Mixture, the converse is also true
green granite is offline  
Old 17th Nov 2009, 10:03
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Earth
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Mixture, the converse is also true
Oh green granite.... of course I know that ..... my original statemet was made in jest, obviously perhaps too well disguised as a statement that appeared factual.

Look, all well and good if you are a BT supporter. However I talk to many ISPs on a regular basis and BT always seem to end up smelling like something you just trod in.

Compared to Easynet, Zen and a few others that I could care to mention, there always seems to be a vast difference.
mixture is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.