BT makes it complex - again : Simon Perry: Schemes, dreams & trivia

Words can't say what I mean. Chantelle (Source: Colemanballs, Private Eye)

BT makes it complex - again

15th October 2002 by Simon

I just wanted to change the name on my BT phone bill. Sounds simple enough but as that happens to be the phone line that my ADSL service is provided on, it turned out to be anything but.

After a number of phone calls through various BT departments, I was told to ring BTOpenworld as I was listed as a broadband customer. Slightly confusing as my ADSL service comes from another company, but I though perhaps that was from an old record from the 1999 ADSL trial I was on.

BT Openworld had no record of an ADSL account in any of their databases. But I was given a vital piece of advice – if you change the name on your phone bill, you will loose your ADSL service, no matter who provides it. They suggested that I speak to my ADSL provider in advance of any changes to my BT phone account.

A call to my ADSL provider confirmed, yes, if you want change the name on the phone account, BT standard process is to close the account and then open another account in the new name – cutting of all services in the process. I would need to reapply for an ADSL account, which would mean a seven to ten days loss of service AND I would be charged another signup fee. Not really what I was looking for.

During another call to BT on 0800 800 156 I was helped enormously by two BT employees in different departments.

Here’s the secret if you find yourself in this predicament,. There’s two ways to change the name on your phone bill, the first is described above but after over half a dozen phone calls and an hour of my time, I found the better way. Ask them to adjust the name on the account and none of the ADSL related problems should occur.

Still, with this knowledge, I’m sitting here with crossed fingers (which makes it pretty hard to type) hoping it will go through in the way promised and that I won’t have any break in service.

If you don’t hear from me for a while – you’ll know it didn’t go as expected.

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