Who reports "temporarily out of action"?

[sa6raya]

I am speechless ... I tried to ring my elderly parents (who were expecting my call) to be told that their number is "temporary out of action." So I rang their neighbours who, unfortunately, were out. So how could I report the fault? I rang BT for their "line testing" service to be told that it's not a BT line. Therefore had to go on-line to find a number to ring the number to report their phone out of action. Oh deary me ... I couldn't believe how difficult it can be. Having typed in various options, finally found a number but was told, after ringing, that their offices are only open in during specified hours and if it's an emergency to leave a message. Which I did ... but I'm not holding my breath.

Who's emergency ... my parents? or mine? Definitely mine, because they were expecting a call 2 hours ago! I've had to send my husband on a 20 mile round trip to ask them to report the problem too.

I cannot believe in this age of 21st century technology that NTL offer an 19th century service. I had looked in the BT phone book for their number but to no avail, so how does one able to report such a fault? How are these poor pensioners, one of whom is disabled, able to know that because their phone hasn't rung will to know that their phone is out of action? Only having access to the internet was I able to find their "recorded message" service.

NTL may offer a reduced price for subscribers but at a much reduced service and, I for one, should it be available in my area (which currently it's not) would not subscribe.

Good luck to those who have it.

S

[Stuart]

:welcome: to the forum.
If need be, you can call 0800 052 2000 (I believe faults is option 2).

If you need to use a text phone, then the number is 0800 052 9735.

[Scrubbs]

maybe it's time to get them an emergency mobile? pay as you go? for just this occasion, as it could happen again.

[Marge]

Having done faults previously quite a lot of telephone faults are not actual faults at all, most common being a phone off the hook or a cordless phone not being charged properly etc... Diagnostics need to be done to determine whether it is the equipment or the line and also at the switch so it's for these reasons why the customer needs to be at home and the CS can run through it with them.

The customer is made aware that if it is faulty equipment that there is a callout charge and not forgetting the DPA so this is why you wouldn't be able to report a fault on their behalf. I would think this is probably the same with BT although I can't say for sure.

[Paul K]

Third partys can report faults with BT but there is only so much that the BT repair staff can do for a 3rd party. If a fault is detected we can sort it or get an engineer out if it's not within the customers property but if it is within the property we can't do anything and have to wait till they get home and call us.
We can't however give the 3rd party much info about why they can't call the number.
You can't report a fault on an NTL (or other providers') line to BT and the same works the other way around as the line cannot be touched/ tested if it does not belong to the company you are reporting the fault to.