Esat / BT Ireland connection fee info

dan

Hi Folks,

I'm wondering if anyone on this thread might be able to provide some info regarding a complaint I'm currently going through with Esat/BT Ireland...

Back in December 2005, I was looking for broadband so I signed up with BT. I didn't have a line with Eircom so BT said they'd set one up. When they did, it wasn't passing the broadband tests so I requested that it be cancelled immediately (I only wanted it for broadband and was a bit miffed). So they sent me a form and I filled it in and sent it back. I later called and confirmed that the line was cancelled and I wouldn't be charged.

Long story short, 4 months later I have almost 300 euro taken from my bank account by BT so I send a complaint. The result of the complaint is that they acknowledge that a mistake was made by them and they will be paying back my line rental but not the connection fee (129.99). One of the reasons I signed up back in December was because there was no connection fee at the time, but I only have sales representative's word for that.

So, what I was wondering was: is there anyone here who set up with EsatBT in December 2005? If so: did you have to pay a connection fee? I'm almost 100% sure that there was none in place (otherwise I wouldn't have gone for the deal) however I'm looking for proof to accompany my "escalated" complaint.

Any help or information on this would be appreciated, many thanks,

dan

philologos

BT Ireland Site wrote:

* If you would like to upgrade your existing active telephone line to High Speed you will be charged a once-off connection fee of €112.55 (inc. VAT at 13.5%). A once-off connection charge of €229.80 (inc. VAT at 13.5%) applies for premises that have never had previous service or where line work needs to be completed. If your premises previously had telephone service and all line work is still in place, you will be charged a once-off connection fee of €137.54 (€24.99 + €112.55) (inc. VAT).

thats all the info they have on it

dan

cheers for that. I'm pretty sure that there was an offer on in december '05 where they were waiving that fee. That's what they told me!

any other takers?

jor el

dan wrote:

I didn't have a line with Eircom so BT said they'd set one up.

Was there no line installed in the house at all, or just a line that wasn't operational. To re-connect an existing 'dead' line, Eircom charge €20+VAT. To install a new line it's about €130 I think.

BT would have to have paid this fee to Eircom to install the line in the first place and would pass this charge on to you. As no line can be tested for broadband before being active you're probably stuck with that one. How long did you wait with the new line before cancelling it? A newly connected line will show as a fail for up to a month before Eircom actually check the line.

Are you sure the free connection referred to a new line and not to the Broadband connection fee (normally €50 but often waived as an incentive)? I can't remember if BT had a free BB connection around December last, I know they did in May if you moved your line rental and calls over aswell and it may have gone on till the end of the year.

Eircom sometimes do free line installs, which would mean the re-sellers would likely pass on this freebie too, but I'm not sure if they were offering that in December. If Eircom weren't then it's unlikely that BT would pay it for you.

Did you get the rest of the money back yet? BT have a habbit of saying they're refunding overcharged money, but then not. Keep at them till they cough up.

Sorry this doesn't really help much. If you're sure that they were offering the free install, with no minimum contract term or anything like that, then you're probably due a full refund. It may take a Small Claims Court procedure to get it though as BT ain't that fortcoming with refunds.

dan

jor el wrote:

Was there no line installed in the house at all, or just a line that wasn't operational. To re-connect an existing 'dead' line, Eircom charge €20+VAT. To install a new line it's about €130 I think.

There had been a working line in the house before I bought it.

jor el wrote:

How long did you wait with the new line before cancelling it?

It was a number of days from the time I requested a cancellation form until they got it back from me.

jor el wrote:

Are you sure the free connection referred to a new line and not to the Broadband connection fee

That's what I was led to believe: I was going for an "all in" package constisting of a line and broadband. I was never told about a 130 connection fee (I asked when I was ordering would there be any and they said that there would not be). As soon as the line they gave me failed the BB tests, I cancelled it since it was of no use to me.

jor el wrote:

Did you get the rest of the money back yet? BT have a habbit of saying they're refunding overcharged money, but then not. Keep at them till they cough up.

Not yet, but I have it in writing from their complaints manager that I'll be getting the mis-charged line rental. It'll be about 5 weeks from now.

jor el wrote:

It may take a Small Claims Court procedure to get it though as BT ain't that fortcoming with refunds.

Thats the plan! I just want to get my facts in order for the claim.
Thanks for the help.

dan

jor el

Well since it's only a re-activation of an old line the fee should be, at most, €25. This is what eircom charge to enable the line. Some operators, Smart I think anyway, waive this fee for new sign-ups. BT are screwing you by charging €130 for this, that's the price of a whole new line and not activation.

I hope you get it sorted out, just keep at them. I found the threat of legal action was enough to get my issues sorted in the past. If needs be though, don't be afraid of going to the Small Claims court. I read here that some people have done this with BT and had their money returned. Only costs €7 too, which I'm sure you could even add to your claim.