BT :( help please

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Guys i'm having a nightmare with BT

Got my in law's pc setup and its running vista, tried installing his bt broadband software on it from his old installation disc and it said error please phone helpdesk...

I phone bt helpdesk and the guy tells me that the BT voyager 105 ADSL modem is not compatable with Vista and that we would need to purchase a router from BT !!

I'm gonna phone BT tomorrow and tell them they should supply us a router free of charge if their old hardware doesn't work on vista systems !!


Whats my best plan if BT won't give us a router ?

 

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btw I have to vent after speaking to BT most of the night and being given lots of incorrect info by them.......one of them called Naga tried to tell me i needed to install Norton to get the internet connection working....

 

I don't know the particular modem, but if is is a USB modem then it is quite likely not compatable with Vista.

There are *many* things not compatible with Vista, and the suggestion to get a proper router is not unreasonable IMHO.


Harry.

 

hahaha yeah, like thats gonna work

 

QFT

No reason at all for BT to provide free upgrades to their equipment just because MS has decided to roll out a poncy new OS. If MS all of a sudden decide that they are going to stop supporting USB modems altogether and only allow network connections to be made via Ethernet (which would be entirely understandable, since using a modem to connect directly to the Internet with only a software firewall to protect you is plain daft in any case) then surely that is MS' responsibility - not BT's!

 

how long have your in laws left on there contract for broadband with bt?

if its less than a couple of months and they still want their broadband from bt. it really is worth phoning BT and pulling the old i'd like to cancel my broadband as from such and such a date. because so and so is offering me a better deal and i guarantee an offer of a free home hub and hub phone

 

sorted it now. after being passed to every department in the company !!

I won't be recommending BT as an ISP to anyone after this.

I don't see why its microsofts problem, they've upgraded their software and its down to ISP's to be compatable with that software if they want to supply a service to people who are using that software, always been that way.

 

That's complete rubbish m8.They supplied you with the correct equipment in the first instance! They've abided by the terms and conditions - you haven't! Read the small print, you cannot expect an ISP to upgrade your equipment when a dodgy OS like Vista comes out...ESPECIALLY since XP is still supported by M$.

I hate BT as much as the next person, but on this occasion they are in the right!

 

I agree with drum. You should have done some research to make sure the new equipment you bought would work with your existing stuff. It is not the isp fault that MS decide to change standards with their products that no one else has yet. If you want to complain to someone tell it to MS. They are the ones selling a prouduct that works with about nothing anyone has out there. I ran into this a couple of months ago with routers. Seems cisco was about the only ones you had home routers that would work with vista. MS really dropped the ball on this one.

 

BT are utterly crap, I wouldn't ever go back with them. I had a lot of bother with Ping time on games when I moved house and took BT (no idea what I was thinking). It took me around 2 months and a 7 page complaint letter to get out of their stupid contract. They did refund me my ADSL charges though

They advertised Gaming as part of the package and I managed to convince them that 50ms to UK is not a 'reasonable' Ping time for UK players to have. I used a lot of silly law talk (my gf is a law student) and they eventually let me go

In this case though, I would say they are correct to not offer a free upgrade though, I doubt many ISP's would do this either. Saying that though, BT doesn't have a lot to offer as an internet provider in comparison with the other big boys, Virgin for e.g. out does BT with ease for quality and service.

P.S I don't normally use large companies for ADSL but Virgin is Telewest/Blueyonder, which I've wanted since I had ADSL (which I had in a non cable area) :P

 

Good point but it would of made no difference, the ISP told me the modem was compatible with vista so i would have taken their word for it.

 

Good point and maybe i am letting their poor service cloud my vision...however.

My in law's have had BT broadband for a good 3 years, if he was a recent customer he would have had a compatible router...if he switched provider he would get a free compatible router.

When you have a contract mobile phone they provide you with free handsets every year.


Just seems unfair to me that they punish older existing customers.

 

Thanks mate , yeah it is thank god. Vista is definitely having some teething problems.

 

Thanks for the advice in here guys.

 

Hah, once again BT fail on benefits for existing/old customers. It's no wonder so many people leave them. If I was you, I would get your in-laws to leave BT just so they are not paying them any more to them.

I can't believe they won't upgrade existing customers! This refusal to upgrade is the main problem with the countries pathetic internet in general. They monopolize the whole industry except the few areas in which cable is available!

There as much better options out there anyway, I would advise getting them onto Virgin, you can get it in cable or standard ADSL and you get good TV with it (not sure if you can get TV with normal ADSL) and you wouldn't be paying BT line rental, if they are in a cable area.

 

I worked for BT's COT(Customer Options Team) for a good couple of years who delt with people leaving and returing to BT, Always remember if you do decide to leave the grass isn't always greener on the other side. I could tell you some stories good and bad about BT and other large providers

but i don't see hows its there fault about the modem, and if the op said it was supported in then call the complain they got a 100% call record

 

BT suck end of.

I don't understand BT's thinking here and deffo don't agree, I don't see why you do?

The customer had been with them for 3 years, that deserves loyalty (not that BT provide it) and a simple modem upgrade isn't much to ask. After 3 years I wouldn't say upgrading your PC isn't unexpected really..

The fact that new customers can join and get vista compatible hardware/software while older customers can't is ridiculous! Blueyonder used to upgrade their existing customers for free and let them continue paying less than new sign up customers.

BT clearly don't understand the meaning of retaining customers, had the customer in this case not received the cheap crap homehub, which BT try to make sound great, they would have either had to buy one or join another ISP who offer vista compatible modem/routers on joining.

 

Unfortunatly none of these ISPs have a clue on how to retain their customers! On www.thinkbroadband.org they're lots of people leaving Virgin to go back to BT. I'm with Blueyonder at the moment and have been for 6 years - I've still got my old motorola surfboard modem but still no sign of 20mbit in my area even tho I'm paying for it as I'm a 10mbit customer!

 

Incase you are unaware, Virgin IS Blueyonder