IOL BB Hassle

NóMur

This might be a bit long boring for some but I need some help on some of the tech points in trying to get a refund from BT regarding overcharging. This is in relation to a lot of the posts from early April of this year regarding people only being upgraded to 1meg connections instead of 2meg connections.

Anyway here's most of an email that I sent to BT regarding my problem:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I'm am still awaiting a refund of 112 Euro, for a total of 14 months overcharging. This refund was due to be issued in one of my previous bills.

The refund to which am I am referring to is due to the following overcharging.

On March 8th 2004 two broadband packages were introduced, one costing 47 Euro per month with a 16GB monthly data transfer allowance and a contention ratio of 24:1. The other lower package cost 39 Euro per month with an 8GB transfer allowance and a contention ratio of 48:1. Both packages had the same speed of 512/128.

As I have been a broadband customer since Dec 2003 I was given the option to either automatically stay on the higher specification product or request a downgrade to the lower package. At the time I chose to stay with the broadband plus package as the better quality service was of great importance to me.

Then on April 4th 2005 (13 months since March '04) a speed upgrade was installed on both packages. The IOL broadband plus speed was increased from 512/128 to 2048/128 with a similar increase in the data transfer allowance. The IOL broadband speed was increased from 512/128 to 1024/128 also with a data transfer allowance increase. The contention ratios on both packages remained the same.

At this point I noticed that my IOL BB+ speed had only increased to 1024/128. After several telephone calls to both technical support and customer care in April it was established that I had incorrectly been on the lower package with the 48:1 contention ratio since March 8th 2004, while still paying for the higher end product!! Up until the time of the speed increase it was impossible for me to check which product I was on, as the contention ratio can not be checked on the customer end.

After April 5th 2005 it took a further month (14 months since March '04) until my connection was finally upgraded to the correct package. I was told the problem was on the Eircom gateway where the connection was incorrectly configured even though the BT systems showed me as broadband plus subscriber.

The price difference between the two products was a total of 8 Euro per month. Therefore for the 14 months of overcharging a refund of 112 Euro is due to be credited to my account immediately.

1) The points I need help with are regarding the contention ratio, basically is the 24:1 or 48:1 ratio set in the telephone exchange?

I know that there may also be further contention down the line.

2) While on the telephone today (customer care not tech) I was told that IOL BB+ was always 1meg speed since March 2004. Does anyone have these details still?

I was almost 100% certain that the speed on both packages was 512/128 until April of this year, otherwise I'd have logged the complaint back in March 2004. I presumed the person on the phone was confusing this with one of their business products. I couldn't find the original literature - the best I could find was this http://www.irelandoffline.org/home/article.php?story=20040301140643250 but it doesn't mention speed.

3) Also does anyone have an email address for people higher up in BT, I recall a Bill Murphy about a year back. Is he still around? Or any email address for someone in COMREG if they're needed.

Thanks for reading this. I'd appreciate any advice anyone has on the matter, is what I'm saying even correct or am I just ranting and raving!

jor el

N&#243 wrote: »

2) While on the telephone today (customer care not tech) I was told that IOL BB+ was always 1meg speed since March 2004. Does anyone have these details still?

I was almost 100% certain that the speed on both packages was 512/128 until April of this year, otherwise I'd have logged the complaint back in March 2004. I presumed the person on the phone was confusing this with one of their business products. I couldn't find the original literature - the best I could find was this http://www.irelandoffline.org/home/article.php?story=20040301140643250 but it doesn't mention speed.

You are correct. Both packages were only 512/128 in March 2004 when BB+ was intorduced. The difference was in download cap and contention ratio. That agent was either lieing or clueless. The speed upgrade didn't happen till April 2005.

Didn't you notice the lower cap though, or do you not download that much anyway? The cap was the only way for the user to notice the difference in the two products.

3) Also does anyone have an email address for people higher up in BT, I recall a Bill Murphy about a year back. Is he still around? Or any email address for someone in COMREG if they're needed.

Unfortunately I don't. Perhaps you should consult a solicitor as this is a clear case of over charging, which is very illegal, and BT haven't a leg to stand on. You could get all your expenses refunded if you win aswell.

NóMur

jor el wrote:

That agent was either lieing or clueless.

Thanks for clearing that up, I don't think it was a deliberate lie the person just didn't know all the facts. I asked her to make a note of her quote on their records.

jor el wrote:

Didn't you notice the lower cap though, or do you not download that much anyway? The cap was the only way for the user to notice the difference in the two products.

I was only a moderate downloader and wouldn't have reached the lower cap, unfortunately my DU meter records for this period are long gone but BT 'should' still have this info. I think I may actually still have received the correct download allowance though as everything on the BT systems seemed correct - the issue was at the exchange I believe.

jor el wrote:

Unfortunately I don't. Perhaps you should consult a solicitor as this is a clear case of over charging, which is very illegal, and BT haven't a leg to stand on. You could get all your expenses refunded if you win aswell.

I may consider this option, I'll see what BT come back with. They're pulling their old tech records.

Thanks very much for the reply, everytime I seem to post on these boards I only have a complaint or some PC tech issue. I must try and come here with good news one of these days.