This companies customer service is shocking. Been trying to switch ISP to O2 Broadband for nearly 5 months. These are the attempts.

1. Tried to switch online. System did not recognise my bank.

2. E-mailed. Told to call Sales. Got a grumpy Scottish call centre worker who said my home phone number of several years did not exist. No attempt to resolve the matter.

3. E-mailed again. Told to visit an O2 store. Finally my order was accepted. Received a letter saying the switch was imminent. Nothing ever happened.

4. Called customer services. Did not know what the problem was. Someone would call back. No one ever called.

5. Called customer services another 2 times. Told switch would be soon. Nothing.

6. Sent letter to O2 complaints dept. Again no response.

I am probably lucky that I never switched to O2 if this is the kind of service it provides. Just how difficult is it for them to communicate. As a O2 customer with 2 mobile accounts that I am about to cancel it does make me wonder whether they want peoples business or not.

Yup, that's o2 for you.

I have had a long running battle to get a broadband service that they sold to me. They have never been able to provide the service they sold me in writing. Then...get this, because I have complained vociferously about this... they have decided to give me a MAC code, told me to go to another provider and if I don't... they will cut me off anyway by a certain date.

True. You would think that I had hurled abuse. But no. I am a journalist by trade and I am absolutely shocked that this could have happened. Yes, if you were dealing with cowboys you might expect this kind of response but o2. By the way the "all the monies" is pennies as I have only been with them for a short time.

But if anyone else has any problems, ask for all your money back. We didn't we just wanted the service we were sold and sold in writing!

Here's the letter.

Dear Mrxxxxx

Thank you for your email of 31 October 2008 addressed to Matthew Key.

I'm sorry to learn that you remain unhappy with our responses to the issues you've raised about the speed of your broadband connection. I can appreciate the frustration this has caused you in recent months.

I've reviewed your complaint going back to the first email you sent to Jonathan Moore about this in July 2008, along with the Head of O2 Broadband and my senior manager, and am happy with the speed of our response to you, and the level of detail provided, at every stage.

After a full review, I've come to the conclusion that, unfortunately, we cannot offer you the speed that you say you were sold at the start of your contract and therefore we're offering to release you from your contract without penalty, along with a full refund of all monies paid to us for your broadband service. I have raised a request to generate a MAC key so you can transfer your broadband service to another provider. If you do not use this by the time it expires, which is 30 days from the date it's generated, we will disconnect your broadband service. Once your broadband account is disconnected, I'll send you a cheque refund.

I have updated Matthew Key's office with this information, and, that from now on, we will only respond to you in writing only.

I'm sorry that we have not be able to resolve the matter to your satisfaction, however, as the relationship between you and O2 has deteriorated over the past four months, I feel it's best that we part company.

Regards

Jonathan Attwell Executive Relations Team Manager

t 0845 330 0683