British Bastard Telecom

Here we go again. On Thursday I was called by BT and promised a call back later on at 7pm. 7 passed and I had other things to do. They called at 9.15 in the end. Good job no woman would let me impregnate her and produce children, good job that I was actually down the gym at the time.

After an email to the complaints and technical teams I was promised a call back on Saturday after 12.30. That didn't happen and a call back eventually occured at 1pm on Sunday5th. Note, the only communication from the complaints team so far has been automated replies and some words about the floods causing a huge backlog of cases - how long ago was that then?

Anyway this callback led to high hilarity. The caller had actually read some of my email which is always dangerous and we had a nice conversation however the call took the usual turn for the worse.

1. The slow down was blamed on a number of reasons none of which were support by any evidence. Contention at the exchange was put forward - well yes but would that result in the line speed fall or just the download rate - the download rate I would suggest. Additionally the line speed falls has been a slowish deteriation over 2-3 months.

2. Then the slower speed was blamed on the contention BUT that BT were limiting the line speed to ensure a better service. How halving my line speed when I only had a paltry amount in the first place and without slowing down my Father in Law who's on the same exchange and still gets 7 meg is a better service is beyond me. This would be funny if it wasn't for the reason that what BT have done is increased the margin to resolve the line drops that were occuring due to the poor quality of their line - we didn't have the issue for 18 months and now we do. So the line is crap and apparently always has been, despite being fine for so many years previously. Now what they've done is increased the margin on the line - it's now 9. This isn't responsible for the line slowing down, that had alrady occured and the margin increase actually occured after a phone call in June - conversation at lunch time, margin set at 9 on my return home.
This of course is the equivalent of a dodgy garage saying your car is ok, it used to do 100 mph but now it's not that good so only do 50 to hide the crappy repairs. Oh and we want the same money despite offering a crumier service. Ultimately if this was the sole reason then I'd have a speed of 928 or so and loads of margin spare - but despite what the Bt man says they don't set the line speed just the margin. My line speed would be faster than now and the margin around 9.0 But it's not, its around 7 and 960 this morning so things are still going down the toilet.

The line team were contacted (no idea if they were as I didn't talk to them) and the usual excuses were offered - the line will only support 512k, blah blah blah. Of course it will - NOW! Now it's degenerated. No comment on how it could have gone from 1600-1800 down to 828/960 as it is now. Apparently I should just continue to cough up my money despite a line running at half the speed and a provider that frankly doesn't give a shit and passes you off to a crumby call centre where they all try hard but work from scripts.

Same old BBT.