Got a date for moving house 27^th March – great.

20^th April inform Orange of house move. They say cant do anything until line is live.

Called BT – no problem – they said line live 28^th March. BT asked if I wanted to keep my number – I replied don’t care as I only use it as a line to carry orange broadband and orange home phone and sky TV. I did ask if it would make any difference with setting up broadband they said probably faster if I keep the same number so I said hey I’ll keep the same number then.

Called Orange back – even with same BT number nothing can be done until line physically live.

Fri 28^th March move in. Get a text message from BT about midday to say new line on – great. Call orange to switch broadband. Orange say nothing they can do until BT line activated which is 2 working days – GGGRRRR! Call BT they say they know nothing about line activation. Call orange back they insist they cannot see the line until it is activated by BT (even though its live and working!!!).

Tue 1^st April call Orange hooray the line is activated, can you switch my broadband now please please please. Er no ……… the marker must be removed!! Er what marker? The marker associated with my already existing account with orange – so its my marker on my line but it has to be removed. This will take up to 5 working days – GGGRRR!! I called BT wholesale / markers team, they say it might have been quicker if I had not taken my number with me but instead was issued a new number, contrary to what I was told by B T – GGGRRR!!. I asked them what if I change my mind now and as for a new number recognizing that orange would then need 2days again to wait for line activation but that then a marker would not be on a new number – but silly me BT tell me a new number might still have a marker on it and its not worth the risk – GGGRRR!! So I’ve got to wait 5days. I progress with Orange – they suggest ringing at end of week to see if it has progressed any faster.

Fri 4^th April – Call orange to see how marker removal going – they now have a date for removal – its Wednesday 9^th April – but I say hey that’s 6working days you told me 5. Nothing they can do as its all done by BT. Called BT nothing they can do its in the system. Call orange back to at least see if we can progress my new order now we have a date for marker removal. No chance marker must be removed before they can progress new order.

Wed 9^th April late afternoon. Call Orange to see if my marker has been removed. Orange contact BT while I wait on line reply is that there has been a delay and BT has told Orange to call bac on Friday for an update (not even a new date for removal – just an update). Not always believeing what Orange say I call BT marker team. They confirm the delay on Wed 9^th April but tell me its due for removal next day Thur 10^th April. I call back Thur 10^th april 3pm but this time call BT first – they tell me it has been delayed and is now due to be removed Tuesday 15^th April (That’s 10days after Orange told me it would be 5days).

Now if it happens on Tuesday 15^th and then the new broadband takes the max7days after that this means that I would have been without broadband for 27 days.

Now I am not technically minded but my simple mind would suggest that in todays world of tehnology and communications that this system is diabolical at best. It takes far too long, these organizations (in my case BT and Orange) do not communicate and give their customers wrong and misleading information almost constantly.

Hope it gets sorted out soon. Don't always take the Customer Service staff's word as truth - in my (Tiscali) experience, they''ll say anything to stall for time and fob you off!