At My Wits End - Please Help Before I Contact OFCO...

Question

I have been loyal BT customer since... well having a landline in my name.
We have been experiencing problems with BT / BT Broadband now for over 3 months. During this period we have had over 6 engineer visits an countless phone calls to BT Customer Services and also their Priority Care desk and the problem is still not resolved.
Over 3 weeks ago I also sent an email to BT asking for contact from someone residing in the UK that could assist with the issue. I asked for a response within 10 working days and stated failure to respond would result in contacting OFCOM, watchdog and/or Trading Standards.
The problem comprises of two issues -
1] very slow broadband connection - no more than 0.13Mb/s at best (and that is when we have a connection at all
2] zero broadband connection
The telephone line crackles badly too, but as the landline is only there for the broadband this doesn't really concern us too much. We use our mobiles for phone calls.
A similar fault stems back to 2008 when we started experiencing slowing connection speeds, but after a service visit the fault appeared to be fixed until this time last year it slowed to a death again. Following another engineer visit connection stabilised at around 1Mb/s. Then 3 months ago the problem started all over again.
Whenever I call the customer service line, we get routed to their call centre in India where we just keep being fobbed off by engineer visits by engineers that are either not capable of doing the work or do not have the time allocated to do a comprehensive service.
We have been told a huge number of excuses (From aluminium in the ground running next to the cables to faults with our equipment in the house (which has all been replaced for new within the last 3 months) to "we can't find a problem") as to why the service is unstable and slow.
Another Engineer is booked for tomorrow morning, but I am fairly confident they will not solve the issue.
The lack of service is causing problems trying to sort out year end Self Assessment, book holidays, online banking etc... over and above communicating with family living abroad (via Skype) and general surfing - all things we can not do from work.
I have a brief record of all the attempts to resolve the issue including records of speed tests. I can also get the entire case history from BT if necessary (as I think they are compiled by law to hand over any notes they have taken). I also obviously have a copy of the email sent to direct to BT.
Can someone here please, please help or advise who I need to contact to get the issue sorted out for once and for all before I take the matter further?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Answer 1

1) What is the maximum speed you can get in your area? Type your number into the box on the right of the following web page:
http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProd​ucts/displayTopic.do?topicId=29017
It will tell you whether you can get BT Infinity and what your potential line speed is for your area.
2) What package are you on? All BT packages are subject to a Fair Usage policy. Even if you are on the 'Unlimited' package your speed will be slowed down if you are a heavy user. Contact BT (call 150 from a BT landline) and choose the options concerning questions about products. Don't choose the fault options else you'll be put through to India. This way you will hopefully be put through to somebody in England as I was, and you can get the matter solved more easily. Try and find out whether your account / line has been put under Network Management.
3) What products do you connect to the Internet with? Xbox? BT Vision? Give us a full list.
4) As the above user imjolly said, run the BT speedtester and post some of your router information. A moderator then may be able to provide assistance.