Thanks BT!
I’ve been known to have a moan, I still like to, although I’ve been a bit more reserved on these pages over the last year or two.
I was looking at the recent posts I’d made and noticed the post for the advertising design for Thomson directories, looking at the design I could see our telephone number bold and bright jumping out at me which incensed me with the thought of BT’s latest mistake I’ve had to deal with, so I thought why not share it with you.
If you don’t already know, we are moving house at the end of Jan. Just before Christmas I was fast approaching the design deadline for the Thomson advert, I had to confirm whether I could take my telephone number with me to the new property. From my understanding of the telephone system this is only possible if your new property uses the same exchange which I knew this wasn’t the case. I made sure I was armed with all my research: current exchange – City Longbow, new exchange – Sherwood, so off I went, first to Sky who provide all my services, TV, Line rental & broadband, department 1 – “can I keep my telephone number, old address, new address, blah blah blah”, not sure? let me pass you to another department, department 2 – oh yeah, cause you can, its the same 0115 number, not a problem, I wasn’t convinced?
Call number 2 – Well you should be able to but we’ll need to check with BT, but we can’t do that until you place the order to move and it’s too early to do that. Now I’m just confused????
Call number 3 – “Hello, we’re moving house and want to take all our services to the new house” – not a problem, just call us 30 days before to give notice, your TV will then stop on the day you move, your broadband will stop within 10 days and the phone line 10 days after that, we’ll then set up your TV at the new property on the day you move, the telephone will be connected 10 days later and the broadband anything up to 14 days after that.
Now I’m stressed!! No phone for 2-3 weeks and no broadband for 4-5 weeks, but hey, no worries I’ll have TV!!! And again they assure me the telephone number can stay!
After several if’s, buts and may be’s, the man at Sky (unofficially) tells me that because the account is in my wifes name, why not take out a new account at the new property in my own name, then take the telephone line rental with BT and get the least amount of down time, plus I get all the added bonus of a new account, £50 of M&S vouchers, a Free Sky HD box and half price installation!!! Thank you, all done and booked in!
So, off to BT to sort out the phone, call number 27 or there abouts, I’ve lost count and don’t really care by this point! “Please can I keep my number?” Yes of course you can Mr Salvin, one moment please, followed by relaxing telephone music, sorry we can’t take the number from Sky to BT between 2 addresses, you’ll need to transfer back to BT at your current property then arrange a home move with us once your line is active with us again, “And I can keep my number” (for the hundredth time!), yes not a problem. OK great, thank you, all done and booked in!
Moving forward to the 8th January, BT have now taken control of the line and I’m ready to make arrangements for moving the service to the new address, yes not a problem Mr Salvin, Blah blah blah blah, let me generate a new telephone number for you, in true audio style, this is where the background music abruptly stops and you hear the needle on the record slide across the surface creating that scratching sound before everything goes silent, “A new number?, but the last 17 people I’ve spoken too, confirmed with, double checked, triple checked, and wasted X amount of hours on the telephone with all said I could take the same number with me?”, no sorry Mr Salvin you’re going to be on a different exchange!
There’s not much more I can say, other than a huge thank you to the man at Thomson directories for accepting the amendment and not loosing me hundreds of pounds on a useless advert with the wrong number! I’m glad it hadn’t already gone to print.
The one fear I’m left with is the statement from BT which read, the new number given isn’t guaranteed until connected. Although this is highly unlikely there’s always a chance and if it does change again I think I’ll just shoot myself.
Thanks BT….
Related posts:
