Be Broadband looking for pilot sign-ups for their 24meg Broadband - 20 quid a month!
- Thread starter dogmatique
- Start date
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
dogmatique said:
How long did it take to get connected from the day you ordered it? Also, if you know, what's the customer service like?
dogmatique
merde alors
*Takes deep breath, jabs pipe at young'un*
That, my friend is a long story. Sitting comfortably?
First applied for a line back at the beginning of September. Got my MAC code from Pipex, all is well, waiting for BT to activate ADSL2 equipment in Tulse Hill.
Couple of weeks pass, not to worry, I expected it to be sluggish at first - new company, new technology, new automated systems with BT, it's still a trial period etc etc. Company still has goodwill on it's side.
Towards end of September I notice that my MAC code is going to run out in a week or so.
Raise a ticket in their online support area telling them that I'm a bit concerned that it will expire, and should I realistically ask for a new one.
It states on the site that tickets will be answered "within four hours".
Three days later and no reply. Call the customer support number. Welcome to the Indian call centre! Where all they can do! Is very cheerfully repeat! Things you already know! Ah, but will I need a new MAC code? No sir! It will be fine!
Yeah right. Three days later get email saying, "Dear customer, your MAC code has expired, therefore your order has been cancelled."
No shit! Really? Um, okay, back to square one. Request new MAC code. Send it to Be. Get confirmation that it has been changed.
Then get reply to my ticket. Apparently it was BT's fault. Isn't it always? And because it was BT's fault, they're going to press on using the old MAC code. I tell them it probably isn't a good idea, and sit back for a week to wait for a reply.
Week later, get a reply. BT don't like my old MAC code. REALLY? NO SHIT! I could have told you that, in fact, come to think of it... I DID!
Point this out. This time get a response within 5 days! More apologies, more finger pointing at BT, and a promise that my line will be activated on the 11th of November. The day after my second MAC code expires. Hmm, a bit tight there, but hey! What can I do?
So, the big day comes... and passes. On the 12th, I get an email congratulating me on recieving my new modem, and telling me I will be connected on the 17th. New modem? No, haven't recieved that, and actually, it looks like I was connected yesterday, as I no longer have internet access, though I can see a connection to my exchange through my existing router.
Call India. So Sir, congratulations on recieving your new modem!! No. I haven't got it. But sir, it says dispatched here! When you say "dispatched" do you mean it's actually on it's way to me? Yes Sir! It is being prepared for dispatch! At our manufacturers! So it hasn't been "dispatched" really has it? Yes Sir! It is dispatched to you! Within 48 hours!
Okay, whatever. I'll wait. Can I just check the delivery address you have, heh, call me a pessimist, but I don't want to put anything to chance.
Okay Sir! No problem!
Last Friday, get an email with a tracking link so I can see where my modem is. "Not despatched yet". Really? To be honest, I wasn't expecting it this week, so, never mind. Monday AM. "Dispatched. Confirmed for delivery. Monday PM. Returned to Mitcham Depot. Incorrect address.
ARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!! Call an excruciatingly cheerful India. Hello Sir!! Why. Did. You. Send. It. To. The. WRONGFUCKINGADDRESS??? Not so cheerful. Very sorry Sir. Where are you? Central London. Where? Central London. Sorry, where? Can you repeat that? Central LONDON. LONDON, LONDON, LONDON. IT'S A LARGE TOWN IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND. YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF IT.
Very sorry sir, please hold. Sir, we are very sorry, I am going to send an email to our UK office, who will email our distributer in the UK, who will then email your Royal Mail, who will then change the address.
How long will this take? You will get it tomorrow sir!! (Cheerful again.) Really? Somehow I don't believe you. Right. Give me the Royal Mail tracking number, and the depot address. I'll go and get it myself. There's far too many things that can go wrong. I mean, it's only a Tuesday morning, there's nothing else I was planning to do, like work or anything. How difficult can it be getting to Micham Junction?
What was that address again? Unit 9 Willow Lane...
Couple of trains and a bus later. Arrive at Willow Lane.
Kind of sums up the whole experience really.
Walk a mile or so down sealed and abandoned road, with only a few Croydonite hoodie gluesniffers for company. Finally find the actual estate (Willow Lane is rather long), get the package, go home, plug it in, and praise god, it works. First time. Though I'm yet to see it go any faster than about 8meg.
Would recommend them to anyone else? Hmm.
That, my friend is a long story. Sitting comfortably?
First applied for a line back at the beginning of September. Got my MAC code from Pipex, all is well, waiting for BT to activate ADSL2 equipment in Tulse Hill.
Couple of weeks pass, not to worry, I expected it to be sluggish at first - new company, new technology, new automated systems with BT, it's still a trial period etc etc. Company still has goodwill on it's side.
Towards end of September I notice that my MAC code is going to run out in a week or so.
Raise a ticket in their online support area telling them that I'm a bit concerned that it will expire, and should I realistically ask for a new one.
It states on the site that tickets will be answered "within four hours".
Three days later and no reply. Call the customer support number. Welcome to the Indian call centre! Where all they can do! Is very cheerfully repeat! Things you already know! Ah, but will I need a new MAC code? No sir! It will be fine!
Yeah right. Three days later get email saying, "Dear customer, your MAC code has expired, therefore your order has been cancelled."
No shit! Really? Um, okay, back to square one. Request new MAC code. Send it to Be. Get confirmation that it has been changed.
Then get reply to my ticket. Apparently it was BT's fault. Isn't it always? And because it was BT's fault, they're going to press on using the old MAC code. I tell them it probably isn't a good idea, and sit back for a week to wait for a reply.
Week later, get a reply. BT don't like my old MAC code. REALLY? NO SHIT! I could have told you that, in fact, come to think of it... I DID!
Point this out. This time get a response within 5 days! More apologies, more finger pointing at BT, and a promise that my line will be activated on the 11th of November. The day after my second MAC code expires. Hmm, a bit tight there, but hey! What can I do?
So, the big day comes... and passes. On the 12th, I get an email congratulating me on recieving my new modem, and telling me I will be connected on the 17th. New modem? No, haven't recieved that, and actually, it looks like I was connected yesterday, as I no longer have internet access, though I can see a connection to my exchange through my existing router.
Call India. So Sir, congratulations on recieving your new modem!! No. I haven't got it. But sir, it says dispatched here! When you say "dispatched" do you mean it's actually on it's way to me? Yes Sir! It is being prepared for dispatch! At our manufacturers! So it hasn't been "dispatched" really has it? Yes Sir! It is dispatched to you! Within 48 hours!
Okay, whatever. I'll wait. Can I just check the delivery address you have, heh, call me a pessimist, but I don't want to put anything to chance.
Okay Sir! No problem!
Last Friday, get an email with a tracking link so I can see where my modem is. "Not despatched yet". Really? To be honest, I wasn't expecting it this week, so, never mind. Monday AM. "Dispatched. Confirmed for delivery. Monday PM. Returned to Mitcham Depot. Incorrect address.
ARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!! Call an excruciatingly cheerful India. Hello Sir!! Why. Did. You. Send. It. To. The. WRONGFUCKINGADDRESS??? Not so cheerful. Very sorry Sir. Where are you? Central London. Where? Central London. Sorry, where? Can you repeat that? Central LONDON. LONDON, LONDON, LONDON. IT'S A LARGE TOWN IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND. YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF IT.
Very sorry sir, please hold. Sir, we are very sorry, I am going to send an email to our UK office, who will email our distributer in the UK, who will then email your Royal Mail, who will then change the address.
How long will this take? You will get it tomorrow sir!! (Cheerful again.) Really? Somehow I don't believe you. Right. Give me the Royal Mail tracking number, and the depot address. I'll go and get it myself. There's far too many things that can go wrong. I mean, it's only a Tuesday morning, there's nothing else I was planning to do, like work or anything. How difficult can it be getting to Micham Junction?
What was that address again? Unit 9 Willow Lane...
Couple of trains and a bus later. Arrive at Willow Lane.
Kind of sums up the whole experience really.
Walk a mile or so down sealed and abandoned road, with only a few Croydonite hoodie gluesniffers for company. Finally find the actual estate (Willow Lane is rather long), get the package, go home, plug it in, and praise god, it works. First time. Though I'm yet to see it go any faster than about 8meg.
Would recommend them to anyone else? Hmm.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
@dogmatique
Sorry to open old wounds but thanks for the feedback! Would you say alot of this was to do with you changing ISPs? The reason I ask is I have a friend who is looking to get his first broadband connection and he has no mac address to worry about etc and likes the look of Be. Tbh though 8meg for £25 aint to bad (and also they only say up to 24meg...)...
Sorry to open old wounds but thanks for the feedback! Would you say alot of this was to do with you changing ISPs? The reason I ask is I have a friend who is looking to get his first broadband connection and he has no mac address to worry about etc and likes the look of Be. Tbh though 8meg for £25 aint to bad (and also they only say up to 24meg...)...
dogmatique
merde alors
Dask said:
Ohh my gosh... If I'd known about that, I may well have cancelled... Well, I'm connected now, and I won't pass judgement on their connection reliability till there's a problem.
Mind you, just had another look... who's the only person browsing the problems? Brett Coles - their head of Customer Service.
dogmatique
merde alors
Kid_Eternity said:
I think a lot of it is down to it being a new company, with new equipment, which needs to be installed in exchanges by engineers that work for BT, not them, new ordering systems having to be put into place, and poor reporting between their subcontractors, them and their customers. The problems with MAC codes are more indicative of how long it was taking and the poor communication than being a stumbling block in themselves. It still really is early days for them, though the bethere forums above look pretty scary for my next 12 months of internet access...
Ironically, at the same time as ordering the connection from Be, I also ordered an 8meg Bulldog line as a spare for myself at work - and yes, I did know their reputation for crapulence before I ordered, but it was the fastest line I could get at our address. I had the equipment within 5 days of ordering, and the line was up and running within 14 days. I had a percieved DNS problem in the first couple of days, but that was a problem at our end - their engineer called four times until he got through to me. Quite impressed - Bulldog had publically announced that they were employing more staff. This seems to have paid off.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
I heard Bulldog have got better since Ofcom investigated them, we just got it at work and it’s been fine with good customer service too…
dogmatique
merde alors
tom k&e said:
Just looking at Be's figures, that's not actually a bad point from the auld curmudgeon. In my case, Be are already down £168.38 (ex VAT) to BT for connecting me, 90 odd quid for the "BeBox" modem, Speedtouch Thompson router, which they've chosen to configure themselves before dispatch.
And I'm only paying 20 quid a month, supposedly guaranteed not to change "for life" (yeah right) as I was one of the guinea pigs.
It's going to take them at least 18 months for them to break even on my account.
Fingers
From Tuscany SE22
had bulldog installed this week, no problems whatsoever, promp service, sent a BT engineer round to fix the line, worked straight away and i am getting 7mb (1/2 km from exchange)
All sorted out in two weeks.
Far better than the shables that were my last service provider, Fast24 (are they still in business?)
Bulldog seem to have sorted out their act
All sorted out in two weeks.
Far better than the shables that were my last service provider, Fast24 (are they still in business?)
Bulldog seem to have sorted out their act
I migrated to Be from Zen. On the 2nd November my Zen service stopped and I received an email from Be saying I'd have my modem and connection up in a few days.
Nothing happened. Over the next few weeks I emailed and phoned them to get an update on what was happening and all I got was "thank you for your patience, it's in the final stage...."
My patience has just run out, I've cancelled my order but because they can't give me a MAC code I'm going to have to pay a connection fee to whoever I go with next. AND they say that BT has to re-bundlke my local loop back to ADSL compatible. Which is ANOTHER "5 working days" from yesterday.
So I'm going to end up having been without broadband for about 6 weeks. For the first few weeks of my connection being "imminent" I was on pay as you go dial-up which will be even more expense when my phone bill arrives (I'm on flat-rate now).
Nothing happened. Over the next few weeks I emailed and phoned them to get an update on what was happening and all I got was "thank you for your patience, it's in the final stage...."
My patience has just run out, I've cancelled my order but because they can't give me a MAC code I'm going to have to pay a connection fee to whoever I go with next. AND they say that BT has to re-bundlke my local loop back to ADSL compatible. Which is ANOTHER "5 working days" from yesterday.
So I'm going to end up having been without broadband for about 6 weeks. For the first few weeks of my connection being "imminent" I was on pay as you go dial-up which will be even more expense when my phone bill arrives (I'm on flat-rate now).
dogmatique
merde alors
That sounds really crap, but unfortunately all too familiar with Be* - They've been overwhelmed by all accounts. I suppose I should count myself lucky - despite all of the messing around, my broadband was only down for just under a week, and since I've been connected the speeds have been excellent - (about 18meg).
If you haven't already have a look here at the unofficial Be* users forum as mentioned above. There are direct phone numbers for the London office so that you don't have to go through a call centre. People seem to have a lot more success that way.
If you haven't already have a look here at the unofficial Be* users forum as mentioned above. There are direct phone numbers for the London office so that you don't have to go through a call centre. People seem to have a lot more success that way.
Velouria
Long time lurker
Do it, you know they are shiteditor said:
How many times have you turned up in chat asking if the boards are down ... but it turns out to be your flaky BT internet connection (or more accuratly their proxies going belly up)? 
Expect a lot of hassle migrating away.
Make preparations now. At least you are lucky in owning several domains and can set up a mail forward on urban75.com/net to replace your private BT email address. Start telling people. Then start the process of shopping around ...
I'm using Demon ... some say they are good, some bad. I think it depends on their capacity in your area. Up here in Scotland I seem fine
. You might not want to go back to Demon tho so I dunno 
. Heck tho if I could get 24 meg broadband.... Velouria said:Heck tho if I could get 24 meg broadband....
Check your phone number on their website again. It said no for me a few months ago, but I tried again a couple of weeks back and it had an activation date of Feb 2006. Don't think I'll be bothering changing over after reading this thread, though!
gentlegreen
I hummus, therefore I am ...
your UPload speed is 2.5 MBytes per second ?dogmatique said:
dogmatique
merde alors
gentlegreen said:
No, 1.3 meg up, 18meg down - once it left me it came back in about 4 seconds.
dogmatique
merde alors
Great. My first downtime. Router says "connecting to DHCP server" constantly. Which means that I am connected, but I don't have the small matter of an IP address, and therefore cannot do anything with it.
Called their ever crapulent call centre - "it means you don't have an IP address sir!" Yeah? I just told you that. "It is because of your exchange, sir!" Really? The ADSL equipment at the local exchange contains DHCP servers? I assumed that they would be at your equipment HQ in Data City (big hub place in the City), is that not the case? "Yes sir, with your dynamic IP, you need a new IP each time you connect" I know this, that's not what I asked. "Yes sir, you need an IP when you connect" Yes, I know, I was connected, I did have one, and now, obviously I don't, I just wanted to know where the problem lay. "Yes sir, you need an IP" - ALRIGHT. Thank you I KNOW, this isn't really going anywhere is it? "Yes sir". Sigh. Goodbye. "Have a good day, sir, thank you for calling!"
Called their ever crapulent call centre - "it means you don't have an IP address sir!" Yeah? I just told you that. "It is because of your exchange, sir!" Really? The ADSL equipment at the local exchange contains DHCP servers? I assumed that they would be at your equipment HQ in Data City (big hub place in the City), is that not the case? "Yes sir, with your dynamic IP, you need a new IP each time you connect" I know this, that's not what I asked. "Yes sir, you need an IP when you connect" Yes, I know, I was connected, I did have one, and now, obviously I don't, I just wanted to know where the problem lay. "Yes sir, you need an IP" - ALRIGHT. Thank you I KNOW, this isn't really going anywhere is it? "Yes sir". Sigh. Goodbye. "Have a good day, sir, thank you for calling!"
Sunray
Its sunny somewhere.
With DHCP servers, you don't actually need to get a new one every time, it depends on the expiry time set when they set the DHCP server up. Check it out when they restart the server.
Getting one every time is often overkill. Sometimes you can just use an old one, if that doesn't work keep adding one till it does.
Getting one every time is often overkill. Sometimes you can just use an old one, if that doesn't work keep adding one till it does.
dogmatique
merde alors
It's happened twice now - you're quite happily connected, when all of a sudden you can't reach anything, and the router says "RoutedEthoA - Connecting to DHCP server" continually. So it's not actually getting the IP that's the problem, it's no-one being able to see it, and therefore me. I think.
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