WYP
News Guru
These new Ofcom Rules will be enforced after a 15-month implementation period.
Read more on Ofcom's new automatic compensation scheme.
Read more on Ofcom's new automatic compensation scheme.
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New Ofcom rules will force UK ISPs to give automatic refunds to users when things go
- Thread starter WYP
- Start date
AngryGoldfish
Old N Gold
Glad to see this implemented. Telephone and broadband providers tend to walk all over their customers.
g0ggles1994
Active member
Agreed, I'm glad we have Ofcom for all this kind of stuff. I hope more of this kind of regulation done in other industries as well
I said it before when this was only a suggestion, and I will say it again this is a complete joke.
Just get ready for the price increases to cover the potential payouts because utility companies and others don't do the required pre-checks to ensure, where they are digging doesn't cause damage to a ISP's main feeds.
My home internet went down on Monday night, didn't come back up till late last night, not the fault of my ISP but United Utilities who decided to cut the main feed coming out of the head end, new cable had to be put on a rush order because they just don't have 288F cables laying around, pulled in and spliced up cost quite abit of money to fix.
I still had internet though, because I just tethered my phone to my pc and was still getting over 20Mb download speeds, not quite the same as 220Mb that I get on my home internet but still was enough.
Just get ready for the price increases to cover the potential payouts because utility companies and others don't do the required pre-checks to ensure, where they are digging doesn't cause damage to a ISP's main feeds.
My home internet went down on Monday night, didn't come back up till late last night, not the fault of my ISP but United Utilities who decided to cut the main feed coming out of the head end, new cable had to be put on a rush order because they just don't have 288F cables laying around, pulled in and spliced up cost quite abit of money to fix.
I still had internet though, because I just tethered my phone to my pc and was still getting over 20Mb download speeds, not quite the same as 220Mb that I get on my home internet but still was enough.
AngryGoldfish
Old N Gold
I'm not sure I understand. Isn't it your ISP's responsibility to claim from United Utilities for their mistake, not your responsibility? In essence, you're being punished for someone else's mistake. Yes, your service provider shouldn't be punished (in your case at least), but neither should you. Your ISP should claim from United Utilities, or whoever made the blunder.
As someone who has had terrible Internet for years and years, I stand by this system. My ISP penalises me for living in an area they can't be assed to service properly. I pay the same rate as my next door neighbour 500m down the road who has twice the speed and no drops. I pay more than my brother who has 1000% faster speeds, just because he lives in a built up area. I think it's atrocious that we are penalised for living rurally. I don't expect to have all of the same amenities as everyone else, but I expect to be charged accordingly. The fact that I have to pay through the roof for something so meagre is unfair. The fact that I've been charged for years when my Internet just would not connect is frustrating.
AlienALX
Well-known member
If you even so much as mention Ofcom to ISPs these days they crap their pants.
Case in point..
So when my ex and I split I wanted off of Plusnet any way. They refused to switch the account (which is fair enough, a name change is not possible) so I asked my ex to leave it as it was and I would switch it out of her name onto another ISP in my name. I arranged the switch twice, and both times it failed. What I didn't know at that time was that my ex had arranged a closure which then puts a freeze on the line itself. So you can't switch, because Plusnet own the line etc.
So basically you have to pay £100 for a new line, plus a £30 connection charge and then whatever for the equipment. I knew this was the likely outcome, thanks to my ex's shenanigans.
I phoned BT (figuring hey, they're BT they install the lines) and the guy on the phone assured me it could be switched (even though I told him there was a freeze on the line) and it would cost me around £70 to get connected. I thought this was OK, and agreed (he was in a big old hurry to tuck me up even though I told him I was disabled etc).
Any way, about two hours later I am sitting down to eat my dinner (was at my mother's house, no phone at home) and they call back. Some dude telling me I had to pay a further £130. I got mad, refused, and said "Go and listen to the phone call". I lodged a complaint, then said "Now if you don't mind I will get back to eating my dinner" and hung up.
A few days went by and nothing. Then this woman at BT calls me and leaves a message at mum's house. She was the top brass, ruler of all that is BT. Any way, she said the line could not be switched but she would arrange me a new line for a total cost of £9.99. I was pretty thrilled.
Then, which was odd, a modem arrived about three days later. Even though she told me if I got any emails ignore them etc. I phoned her back, asked her what to do and she said "Sell it". Sweet, got £40 for it lmfao.
When all was said and done I was +£30 and now fully connected. BT phoned me back and pretty much begged me to close the complaint. I now know why.. Basically if they cannot close the complaint within a certain amount of time Ofcom get wind of it and fine the f**k out of them. A mate of mine refused to close his, and got £350 of credit (basically the whole first year free).
So basically? don't put up with BS and don't take any. Just mention Ofcom and they will very quickly poo their pants.
Case in point..
So when my ex and I split I wanted off of Plusnet any way. They refused to switch the account (which is fair enough, a name change is not possible) so I asked my ex to leave it as it was and I would switch it out of her name onto another ISP in my name. I arranged the switch twice, and both times it failed. What I didn't know at that time was that my ex had arranged a closure which then puts a freeze on the line itself. So you can't switch, because Plusnet own the line etc.
So basically you have to pay £100 for a new line, plus a £30 connection charge and then whatever for the equipment. I knew this was the likely outcome, thanks to my ex's shenanigans.
I phoned BT (figuring hey, they're BT they install the lines) and the guy on the phone assured me it could be switched (even though I told him there was a freeze on the line) and it would cost me around £70 to get connected. I thought this was OK, and agreed (he was in a big old hurry to tuck me up even though I told him I was disabled etc).
Any way, about two hours later I am sitting down to eat my dinner (was at my mother's house, no phone at home) and they call back. Some dude telling me I had to pay a further £130. I got mad, refused, and said "Go and listen to the phone call". I lodged a complaint, then said "Now if you don't mind I will get back to eating my dinner" and hung up.
A few days went by and nothing. Then this woman at BT calls me and leaves a message at mum's house. She was the top brass, ruler of all that is BT. Any way, she said the line could not be switched but she would arrange me a new line for a total cost of £9.99. I was pretty thrilled.
Then, which was odd, a modem arrived about three days later. Even though she told me if I got any emails ignore them etc. I phoned her back, asked her what to do and she said "Sell it". Sweet, got £40 for it lmfao.
When all was said and done I was +£30 and now fully connected. BT phoned me back and pretty much begged me to close the complaint. I now know why.. Basically if they cannot close the complaint within a certain amount of time Ofcom get wind of it and fine the f**k out of them. A mate of mine refused to close his, and got £350 of credit (basically the whole first year free).
So basically? don't put up with BS and don't take any. Just mention Ofcom and they will very quickly poo their pants.
AngryGoldfish
Old N Gold
While it's great you were able to earn what's rightfully yours, I'm sure if everyone got wind of how the system worked consumers would abuse it and start threatening Ofcom retaliation. Even if they have no grounds for it and the ISP knew it, it could still mire their reputation or cost them legal fees. It's the same crap that twits in the States seem to be doing these days when a police officer pulls them over for a regular checkup. They read on Facebook that they don't have to talk to anyone, so instead of politely opening the window and offering a cordial discourse, they refuse to disclose anything, sometimes with the repercussion of being arrested and paying for a broken window. When regular idiots get wind of a new 'justice' revelation, they start throwing it around like it's Gandalf's staff.
Dicehunter
Resident Newb
Reading about it and seeing it happen are 2 different things especially as a lot of the people in ofcom have large shares in a lot of the big companies in the UK.
AlienALX
Well-known member
Well to be fair you do need reasonable grounds for complaint. I did not phone BT to sign up for their broadband. I only phoned to see if they could switch it (as it's their engineers who fit and disconnect the lines). Once he told me they could I thought "hey, go on then" because I was sick of having no net and no phone. That is dangerous for some one like me, tbh. If I have no contact with the outside world I very quickly get cabin fever and want out...
Any way, what was awesome was that as soon as you sign up for BT (like, that very moment) you can use your login details that you use to view your account and bills to get BTFON. Basically it lets you connect to other BT user's accounts when they are inactive etc. So during the day it was fast as feck (I never even noticed the difference tbh).
Had I signed with any one else? I'd have gone 6 weeks unable to phone doc, shrink, chemist, mother etc.
Also, had I not been fluent in "Call centre" I would have been unaware that they record the call and thus it's a contract. Works both ways, usually they use it on *you* but in this case it fell on them.
Loads of people used to lie in the centre I used to work in. It's a dead end no hope job so you basically do whatever you have to do to make more money. Whenever some one complained? yeah, auditors straight onto that call like a ferret down a rabbit hole.
TBH up until very recently phone and ISP suppliers treated people like absolute dirt. It was so bad it was all over the local news about some poor old Doris having no phone for two months etc. It's about time these companies are held accountable. Our Plusnet was out for about 10 days once. Nothing offered to compensate, and they charged us for bugger all. Bill was the same as usual.
I had the same thing on Zen once too, and that was £50 a month !
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I like the idea, I just see it being heavily abused. Everyone will try to find loop holes for sure. Then policies will need to be amended, or looked at again.
In that time, ISP will be forced to raise pricing "slightly" to cover costs of claimants, meaning you may see some shut down or get bought out..
As minor is it seems, this will hit ISP companies hard.
I think what needs to be addressed is the fact that you have to pay for some speed packages e.g. 40/40, leaving you with no alternatives, even though its impossible for you to get that 40/40 speed due to location etc. With that in mind, why should you have to pay for something you are not getting. This can also lead to massive ISP complaints through Ofcom's new plans.
In that time, ISP will be forced to raise pricing "slightly" to cover costs of claimants, meaning you may see some shut down or get bought out..
As minor is it seems, this will hit ISP companies hard.
I think what needs to be addressed is the fact that you have to pay for some speed packages e.g. 40/40, leaving you with no alternatives, even though its impossible for you to get that 40/40 speed due to location etc. With that in mind, why should you have to pay for something you are not getting. This can also lead to massive ISP complaints through Ofcom's new plans.
AngryGoldfish
Old N Gold
I know this is what I've already said in this thread, but I'm just glad to see someone else know how frustrating it is to pay more or the same for an inferior service just because of location. I don't expect 100Mb broadband in the middle of nowhere, but I don't expect to pay for 100Mb broadband either when I can only get 4Mb.
I dont have that issue anymore, but I certainly did 2 years ago. I had to pay for a 100/80 even though I could only get 20/10.
Luckily the company paid for it and then stepped in to give me the speeds in my signature since they didnt want their engineers trying to save the countries network while working from an unstable connection
AlienALX
Well-known member
See that is the ironic part. Twice now I have lived in the sticks (once literally) and both times I paid £50 a month for the internet and had a 60/100gb cap and got about 4mb. Bear in mind that the £50 was just for the internet, not the line rental.
I move to a busy area, all of a sudden I can have 76mb unlimited for £43 a month all in, phone and all (and the call packages for all day calling etc).
AngryGoldfish
Old N Gold
Yep. It's horrendous. I think it's just laziness on their part for not bothering to set up a variable pricing structure. They just want a fixed charge on everyone because it's easier. That's my theory; could be wrong.
AlienALX
Well-known member
In the areas I was in it was simple tightness and nothing more. The lines were 40 years old and they didn't want to spend the money updating them because there was nothing in it for them. So they over charged, over sold (my net would come to a crawl at times) and took the pee. Zen (who I was with when I lived here, £50 a month for 100gb down) told me that the lines were literally close to collapse. BT had over sold them and over sold bandwidth. I hated it, because no matter what ISP you signed up with here you got the same crappy terrible service. There was no getting away from it, it was all on the old BT lines
Since I moved out of my mother's Sky came along and put in fibre thank god, so the first thing I did was switch my mother onto that... £15 a month cheaper and she has 70+mb free calls etc.
