Broadband Internet Availability Issues

BT, Sky Digital, Bank of Ireland & OFCOM

Outline History of Problems
(Up To May 19th 2008)

--- On Mon, 19/5/08, margaret.mckeen@bt.com <margaret.mckeen@bt.com> wrote: From: margaret.mckeen@bt.com <margaret.mckeen@bt.com> Subject: RE: BOL 011-9793672841 >>> Earlier ref 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] To: newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk Date: Monday, 19 May, 2008, 3:54 PM   Good Afternoon Mr.Finnerty I have just got this info back when I checked as to what action  you need to take now. Regards Margaret   Hi Margaret   I picked up Mr Finnerty's latest email.  I would advise you to refer him to www.broadbandiscoming.com/satellitebroadband (which is printed in his satellite letter).  In this website he will find more information about satellite broadband and he will also find contact details for participating providers whom he can contact directly and discuss the issues he has raised in his email below.   Hope this helps you out!    From: William Finnerty [mailto:newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 18 May 2008 11:42 To: McKeen,M,Margaret,MJM84 R Cc: nibroadbandavailability G; Child,M,Mark,MJE84E C; BT Broadband Support Team); BT Broadband Classic KANA29 T Subject: RE: BOL 011-9793672841 >>> Earlier ref 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424]    Margaret,    I yesterday received the BT letter "offering you a satellite service", referred to in the BT "Thursday, 15 May, 2008, 8:39 AM" e-mail below.  (The letter in question was from Michael Spiers, Wholesale Broadband Manager, BT Northern Ireland.)    Mr Spiers has recommended in his letter to me (dated May 14th 2008) that I should "contact my Internet Service Provider"  -- which is BT -- "as soon as possible".      Consequently, I would therefore be very grateful if you could now please let me have answers to the following two questions:      a) When can BT provide me with this satellite service?      and      b) How much will it cost me?    I look forward to hearing from you regarding the above two questions, as soon as you reasonably can please.    William (Finnerty).    PS:  For some reason, the "dial-up modem" Internet Service BT is at present providing me with seems to be getting slower and slower by the day. Today it is down to "7.2 kbs" .     ============== 1 --- On Thu, 15/5/08, nibroadbandavailability@bt.com <nibroadbandavailability@bt.com> wrote:   From: nibroadbandavailability@bt.com <nibroadbandavailability@bt.com> Subject: RE: BOL 011-9793672841 >>> Earlier ref 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] To: newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk Date: Thursday, 15 May, 2008, 8:39 AM Dear Mr Finnerty Thank you for the recent emails which are attached below. We were made aware of the content of your query by Margaret McKeen, with whom you had been corresponding with up until Tuesday. As ADSL broadband is a distance dependent service you are, as you have found out, unable to avail of this particular type of broadband. You will be offered a satellite broadband solution; a letter to this effect will be posted to you today. You can visit the following website and enquire about satellite broadband: www.broadbandiscoming.com/satellitebroadband .  This URL will also appear on your letter. With regards to your query about the possibility of having broadband via optical fibre, I can confirm that there is an ongoing fibre trial in your area but due to OFCOM regulations, the trial cannot accommodate any further applicants. With reference to getting a refund from your broadband service provider, I would suggest you contact them again, highlighting that despite every effort, ADSL broadband will not currently work on your line. The letter offering you a satellite service should be used as a reference point when dealing with your service provider as it refers to the fact that a fixed line broadband service is currently not available to you due to the distance from your local telephone exchange. Regards Northern Ireland Broadband Team   From: William Finnerty [mailto:newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 13 May 2008 19:04 To: nibroadbandavailability G Cc: newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk Subject: BOL 011-9793672841 >>> Earlier ref 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] Dear Broadband Team, Thank you for today's e-mail. In case that by any chance you might not be aware of it, and as your e-mail of today makes no mention of them, please note that I have had a long string of problems (dating back to before Christmas 2006) relating to my efforts to be provided with an Internet Broadband Service using the the BT telephone line to my home in Greencastle -- as can be seen in the e-mails reproduced below. I look forward to hearing from you again within the coming seven days. Regards, William Finnerty. ================ nibroadbandavailability@bt.com wrote: Subject: Broadband Inquiry Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 11:34:32 +0100 From: <nibroadbandavailability@bt.com> To: <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> Dear Mr Finnerty   Thank you for your enquiry about broadband availability. We will commence our investigation and contact you within the next week.   Regards   The Northern Ireland Broadband Team   British Telecommunications plc Registered office: 81 Newgate Street London EC1A 7AJ Registered in England no. 1800000   =============== William Finnerty <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 12:18:01 +0100 (BST) From: William Finnerty <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: BOL 011-9793672841 >>> Earlier ref 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] To: margaret.mckeen@bt.com CC: mark.child@bt.com, "BT Broadband Support Team)" <Broadbandsupport@btinternet.com>, British Telecom Broadband Service <btbroadband@bt.com>, "Kathleen McElduff, Bank of Ireland Manager, Omagh Branch , Northern Ireland " <Kathleen.McElduff@boimail.com> Margaret,   As your records should show, a lady in India advised me last Saturday (May 10th 2008) that a member of the BT Technical Team would need to visit my home in order to get the BT Broadband Service working.   Consequently, she made an appointment for someone to call at my home between 8am and 1 pm today (May 12th 2008).   However, at around 10 am this morning I received a phone call from a BT man who told me his name was Luke Deyzel; and, he informed me that my telephone line still cannot support the Broadband Internet Service. Consequently, and for obvious reasons, he felt there was no point in he calling at my home today. (Please note that this is exactly the same as what I was told by a BT person before Christmas 2006 - some weeks after I moved from Gortin to Greencastle.)   I understand (from what he told me) that Mr Deyzel is based with the BT Omagh Service Department (the mobile telephone number he gave me for himself is 077 408 16943), and that he is thoroughly familiar with the local area regarding BT Broadband Services.    Mr Deyzel further advised me that my "best option" would be to have my telephone line connected to the fibre optic link which is available in Greencastle (where my home is located).  However, Mr Deyzel stated that he cannot make this connection without the permission of his superiors at BT; and, that at the present time, he does not have that permission.    In addition, Mr Deyzel suggested that BT could provide me with a Satellite Internet Broadband service. However, he was unable to provide me with any details of the costs involved, or the time it would take to get this service up-and-running -- and he suggested that I contact BT again myself regarding this alternative "second option" for a BT Internet Broadband Service.     With reference to the £294.32 that Sky Digital have been paid (by myself) -- mostly taken from my bank account by direct debit -- for the Internet Broadband Service which I never received from them (the situation is as outlined below), Mr Deyzel seemed to believe, that provided the right people in BT knew about this situation, they would advise Sky Digital about the ongoing difficulties relating to my telephone line (regarding the provision of a Broadband Service), and that I should then get my money back from Sky.   I look forward to hearing from you (or from one of your BT colleagues) regarding the above matters as soon as possible please.   It would be much appreciated if you could let me have a written reply please (preferably by e-mail).    Best wishes,   William (Finnerty). =================== William Finnerty <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:   Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 16:06:36 +0100 (BST) From: William Finnerty <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: BOL 011-9793672841 >>> Earlier ref 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] To: margaret.mckeen@bt.com CC: mark.child@bt.com Margaret, Thank you for your help this afternoon. Mark (Belfast Tech Team) carried out some tests on my line just after I spoke with you, and my understanding is that he believes there is either an "exchange fault" or a "line problem" on my BT telephone line: and that is why the green "Broadband Light" is still not lighting up on the BT hub-unit in my home. This is exactly the same problem I had with the Sky hub-unit in January 2007 (please see below.) I further understand that Mark will (straight away) be passing on the line test results he got this afternoon to the BT "Diagnostics Team". Mark also gave me a new BT fault reference number, which is the one I have quoted above in the "Subject" section; and, he seemed to know nothing at all of the information listed under the older "16335055" reference number used in the e-mails reproduced below: which I am forwarding to Mark -- on the understanding that both he, and his supervisor (at present in a meeting), will look at them later today, particularly in regard to: a) The £294.32 that Sky Digital have taken from by Bank of Ireland (for an Internet Broadband Service they falsely claim to have supplied me with on the BT line which cannot support the Internet broadband service at the present time); and, b) The following information (from one of the e-mails copied below): "Also, I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I spoke with two members of the BT engineering staff I happened to see working near my home recently; and, assuming I understood them correctly, they informed me that the 'electronics' are now all in place for them to connect my BT landline phone to the BT Internet Broadband fibre optic link which now runs from the BT exchange in Gortin to Greencastle (where I live at the present time). They seemed to believe that all they need now is to be given the 'go ahead' from BT administrators to complete the physical connection from the fibre optic cable to the BT line into my home. If that is in fact the case, I would very much appreciate it if you could arrange for this go-ahead to be given to the BT engineering staff as soon as possible please.  The two BT people in question further suggested that if (for any reason) I had trouble getting the necessary go-ahead from BT for the fibre optic broadband connection mentioned in the paragraph just above, that I should ask to be connected to the BT satellite broadband service." Best wishes, William (Finnerty). ============ margaret.mckeen@bt.com wrote: Subject: RE: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 16:25:27 +0100 From: <margaret.mckeen@bt.com> To: <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> Mr Finnerty I am due to leave the office now and will not be back to Wednesday. I have given your info to William from our Belfast Tech Team will contact you on Monday… Regards Margaret   From: William Finnerty [mailto:newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 02 May 2008 15:54 To: McKeen,M,Margaret,MJM84 R Cc: newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk Subject: RE: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424]   Margaret, I'm very grateful to you for your e-mail reply, which gives me some hope that the various problems will eventually get sorted out. However, and through no fault of yours, I have (at this stage) lost all confidence on what BT and Sky people (apart from yourself) tell me on the phone. Consequently, I don't feel at all safe about participating in the phone call you are suggesting with the BT tech team, in the sense that far from solving the technical (or political, scam, or whatever???) problems in question, I believe such a phone conversation would in all probability just prolong and further complicate the whole overall business from my viewpoint. The best way forward (it seems to me) would be for you, or for one of your BT colleagues, to let me have written confirmation, by e-mail please, that BT do in fact hope to be able remedy the Broadband Service problem on my telephone line within the coming three days: assuming of course you believe any such assurance the tech team give you to be genuine. Regards, William (Finnerty). PS: I was using my BT landline phone when I dialled the "150" number this morning -- but I still ended up talking to a person who told me he was located in Dundee, Scotland . =============== margaret.mckeen@bt.com wrote:   Subject: RE: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 15:25:42 +0100 From: <margaret.mckeen@bt.com> To: <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> If you are using a BT land line phone that should bring you into Belfast if you email back to me I will get the tech team to ring your house NOW. Margaret   From: William Finnerty [mailto:newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 02 May 2008 14:29 To: McKeen,M,Margaret,MJM84 R Cc: BT Broadband Support Team); BT Broadband Classic KANA29 T; Kathleen McElduff, Bank of Ireland Manager, Omagh Branch, Northern Ireland; Which (Consumer Protection Organisation); Sky Broadband Service (For attention of Ms Charlene Brown, Customer Relations); Chief Police Constable Sir Hugh Orde OBE Subject: RE: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424]   Margaret, I tried to phone you this morning using the BT "150" number. This resulted in a conversation with a man who told me he was in Dundee ( Scotland ). The person in question informed me he could not find a telephone number for you. He did however advise me that he would transfer the call to the BT Office in Belfast , which I assume he tried to do. Nevertheless, the transferred call he initiated just kept ringing, and ringing, and in the end I had to give up. I then tried the BT "0800 111 4567" number, and ended up talking to a man in India . After following the various instructions the man in question provided me with, please note the problem with the green "Broadband" light on the Hub unit still remains. Provided I have understood the Indian person in question correctly, he thinks there is a wiring fault of some kind on my telephone line: still, and in spite of all the many times, and different ways, I have reported this exact same problem to BT, and to Sky Digital, during the past 16 months or so. Please note that, in so far as I am aware, Sky Digital are still holding on to the money they took out of my bank account for the Broadband Service that I never received from them, and which the Bank of Ireland are at present trying to get back for me on my behalf.   Apart from a £40 "up-front" payment, which was paid to Sky using a credit card, the remainder of the £294.32 in question they took from my account by simply altering the direct debit arrangement I already had with them (for a completely different and separate TV service).  When I asked the bank to alter the direct debit arrangement back to what it was (before the failed attempt to get the Sky Digital Broadband Service), they informed me that: a) they could not make any such alterations, and b) that if I cancelled the direct debit arrangement with Sky entirely (which the bank told me they could do), there was a very real risk I would end up with a bad credit rating, in addition of course to having the Sky TV Service switched off.  Assuming I understood him correctly, the man I spoke with in India this morning seems to believe that BT will be able to correct the "wiring" problem within the coming three days. I would be very grateful if you could now please let me have written confirmation, by e-mail please, that BT do in fact hope to be able remedy the Broadband Service problem on my telephone line within the coming three days. Regards, William (Finnerty). =========== margaret.mckeen@bt.com wrote:   Subject: RE: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 15:21:34 +0100 From: <margaret.mckeen@bt.com> To: <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> Mr Finnerty I have just got a email back from tech support they have said that you should ring here and someone will talk with you if you want to ring me I can pass you to the tech team. Cheers Margaret   From: William Finnerty [mailto:newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 01 May 2008 14:03 To: McKeen,M,Margaret,MJM84 R Cc: BT Broadband Support Team); BT Broadband Classic KANA29 T Subject: Ref: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424]   Margaret, Thank you for your reply. Please note that, on account of the nature of the difficulty, I cannot see how my phoning the tech team will help me at this particular stage, and my worry is that doing so will just lead to additional confusion and frustration (for me): as has already happened on many occasions in the past. "Please bear in mind that your new broadband line may not be activated until 8 pm on your activation day. When you get to step 4, you'll be able to tell when the broadband service is active as your Hub's Broadband light will glow green." The above excerpt is from page 5 of the "user guide" booklet BT have recently supplied me with. The light in question is still not growing green: and I assume this is because the broadband service has not been activated by BT?  Could you please advise me if this assumption is correct? I feel I just cannot cope with any more telephone conversations until (and if) you can let me have written confirmation that my broadband service has been activated by BT.  As stated above, and elsewhere, please note that I've already had a very long string of upsetting experiences regarding failed attempts to resolve the difficulties in question by telephone conversations. I've ended up feeling that I'm just being taken around and around in circles (which lead nowhere), and being made a complete fool of. I trust you will understand, and I look forward to hearing from you again please regarding what is for me the core issue (just now): have BT activated my telephone line for the internet broadband service or not; and, if not, why not? Regards, William (Finnerty). =================== margaret.mckeen@bt.com wrote:   Subject: RE: BT Ref: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:59:30 +0100 From: <margaret.mckeen@bt.com> To: <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> Good Morning I have just come back to day after being on holiday. Please can you ring 150 and speak with Broadband tech help they are based in Northern Ireland and they will talk you through any problems… Once again apology for not getting back to you but I have been away for 1 week. Margaret   From: William Finnerty [mailto:newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 29 April 2008 16:59 To: McKeen,M,Margaret,MJM84 R Cc: BT Broadband Support Team); BT Broadband Classic KANA29 T Subject: BT Ref: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424]   Margaret, I have not had any reply to my e-mail to you below (dated Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:55:49).   As related below, there is a problem at "Step 4" -- in that the "Hub's Broadband light" is NOT glowing green  -- and I cannot get beyond this step. Are BT doing anything to remedy this problem? I would be very grateful if you could let me know please. Regards, William (Finnerty). ============== William Finnerty <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:55:49 +0100 (BST) From: William Finnerty <newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: BT Ref: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] To: "Margaret McKeen \(British Telecom\)" <margaret.mckeen@bt.com> CC: "BT Broadband Support Team\)" <Broadbandsupport@btinternet.com>, British Telecom Broadband Service <btbroadband@bt.com>, "Kathleen McElduff, Bank of Ireland Manager, Omagh Branch , Northern Ireland " <Kathleen.McElduff@boimail.com>, "Which \(Consumer Protection Organisation\)" <which@which.co.uk>, Chief Police Constable Sir Hugh Orde OBE <information@nipolicingboard.org.uk> Margaret,   I am very puzzled by the "your line has been ceased" comment in the response from Roushan Jha (04/25/2008 07:04 AM today), which can be viewed in full below.   Up to a few moments ago at least, my BT line continues to function in the normal way.   Please note that I feel unable to discuss the very complicated and long drawn set of problems involved on the telephone, as Roushan Jha has suggested to me today (please see below); and, I believe that any attempt by me to do so will only make things yet more complicated and more expensive (for me).   Consequently, I would be very grateful if BT could please reply to me by e-mail.   Can BT provide me with an Internet Broadband Service at the present time or not? -- this is the basic issue I would like to have a written answer to from BT just now please.   If not, perhaps BT might wish to briefly explain to me why they are unable to provide me with a Broadband Internet Service at the present time?    I am copying this e-mail to Kathleen McElduff (Bank of Ireland Manager, Omagh Branch, Northern Ireland) because the Bank of Ireland has advised me that they are trying to get the £294.32 mentioned below back from SKY, on my behalf.   I am also copying this e-mail to the police because I believe SKY have committed crime against me by fraudulently taking money from my bank account -- by monthly instalments over a period of a year or so (via a Direct Debit arrangement I had with them for a totally different purpose) -- for an Internet Broadband Service they know perfectly well I have never received: and which they were supposed to provide me with using the BT telephone line in my home in Greencastle.   I look forward to receiving a written reply from BT to this e-mail please.   Best wishes,   William (Finnerty). ===================== "Broadbandsupport@btinternet.com" <Broadbandsupport@btinternet.com> wrote:   From: "Broadbandsupport@btinternet.com" <Broadbandsupport@btinternet.com> To: newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:04:28 +0000 (GMT) Subject: BT Ref: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) [Incident: 080425-000424] Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response. If this issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may reopen it within the next 7 days. Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you. --------------------------------------------------------------- Response (Roushan Jha) - 04/25/2008 07:04 AM Dear Mr. Finnerty, Thank you for your e-mail dated 25th, April 2008. It has been logged under the reference number VOL011-9793672841. I understand from your e-mail that you have received the order for which I would like to congratulate you and would also like to apologise for the broadband line on the Home Hub which is not glowing while setting up the equipments. In this regard, I would like to inform you that I have gone through the records and came to know that your line has been ceased and one of our colleagues tried to contact you and sent you an SMS as well regarding the same. So, I would request you to contact the services department on 0800-800-150 (open 0730 hours to 2200 hours Monday to Saturday 0900 hours to 1800 hours Sunday) to clarify on this matter. Be assured they would provide you with correct information for this issue. For any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us or use our BT Broadband Self Help website http://www.bt.com/broadband/help Thank you for using BT Total Broadband Support Roushan Jha BT Total Broadband ======================= Margaret, The BT parcel containing the BROADBAND "hub" did arrive at my home yesterday - as you said it would. Many thanks. However, when I tried to install the hardware this morning, I find there is a problem at "Step 4" -- in that the "Hub's Broadband light" is NOT glowing green. Consequently, I cannot get beyond Step 4 at the present time. I would be grateful if you and your colleagues at BT could have this problem looked into, and rectified please. Please note the "Wireless" light on the hub is glowing green - which suggests to me that the hub unit itself is probably all working okay. Have BT actually "activated" the service yet on my phone line (I'm wondering)? Should BT have any difficulties in correcting this "Step 4" problem, it would be much appreciated if you could advise me by e-mail please. Regards, William (Finnerty). ================== From: margaret.mckeen@bt.com <margaret.mckeen@bt.com> Subject: RE: BT Ref: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) To: newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk Date: Monday, 21 April, 2008, 4:00 PM Mr Finnerty The hub will arrive with you on the 23rd April. Do you know that we can offer you Choose to refuse onto your telephone line, this is a service that we give you a code and when you put it into your phone unwanted calls will be not be able to get through even if you do not have the phone number calling you, you can still stop the call coming in….The Choose to Refuse can be put onto your line free for 1 month and if you want to keep it on after that it will be £10.05 per quarter… Regards Margaret --------------------------------- From: William Finnerty [mailto:newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 21 April 2008 15:48 To: McKeen,M,Margaret,MJM84 R Cc: BT Broadband Classic KANA29 T Margaret, I have not heard anything yet from anybody at BT (other than yourself) about the April 22nd "Broadband" business mentioned below. Can I expect to receive "broadband" software through the post (before April 22nd) to carry out the installation? I would be grateful if somebody could advice me by e-mail please. As I have mentioned to you, on account of unwanted phone calls I've been receiving, I'm not answering my phone at the present time. Best wishes, William Finnerty. ================ William Finnerty wrote: Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:31:08 +0100 (BST) From: William Finnerty To: margaret.mckeen@bt.com Margaret, Thanks for your help. Can I expect to receive "broadband" software through the post (before April 22nd) to carry out the installation? Kind regards, William (Finnerty). =================== From: margaret.mckeen@bt.com <margaret.mckeen@bt.com> Subject: RE: BT Ref: 16335055 (Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital, and broadband BT connection) (KMM44583226I24871L0KM) To: newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk Date: Tuesday, 15 April, 2008, 11:53 AM Good Morning I have received information back to day that the required date for your broadband to go on will be 22nd April and the speed is around 512. On the 22nd please wait to after 8pm to install. Regards Margaret --------------------------------- From: William Finnerty [mailto:newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 11 April 2008 13:21 To: McKeen,M,Margaret,MJM84 R Dear Margaret, Thank you for your e-mail, which I have just received. Please find below the "BT Ref: 16335055" information I mentioned to you in our telephone conversation a little earlier today. It would be much appreciated if you could please take particular note of the following two excerpts (which I have copied from the "Wed, 2 Apr 2008" e-mail below): 1): "Also, I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I spoke with two members of the BT engineering staff I happened to see working near my home recently; and, assuming I understood them correctly, they informed me that the 'electronics' are now all in place for them to connect my BT landline phone to a BT Internet Broadband fibre optic link which now runs from the BT exchange in Gortin to Greencastle (where I live at the present time). They seemed to believe that all they need now is to be given the 'go ahead' from BT administrators to complete the physical connection from the fibre optic cable to the BT line into my home. If that is in fact the case, I would very much appreciate it if you could arrange for this go-ahead to be given to the BT engineering staff as soon as possible please." 2): "The two BT people in question further suggested that if (for any reason) I had trouble getting the necessary go-ahead from BT for the fibre optic broadband connection mentioned in the paragraph just above, that I should ask to be connected to the BT Satellite Broadband Service." I look forward to hearing from you again, and I hope you will be able to arrange a broadband service for me soon. If not, then it is my intention to try again to find a Broadband Internet service elsewhere (i.e. from some other supplier), and, if I manage to find one, to cancel all existing arrangements with BT. As you will no doubt know, the BT "modem" service I am still having to use is unusable (in practice) for all of the several Internet services involving video - which I feel I should be able to receive with ease: having due regard for the monthly £15.99 BT are being paid by direct debit from my bank account, which is entirely for the very primitive and very slow Internet service I am at present receiving. Finally, I would like to confirm that the "Option 1" BT Broadband Service is the one I would like to start with. Kind regards, William Finnerty. ================ BT Broadband wrote: Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 06:15:24 +0100 (BST) From: BT Broadband To: William Finnerty Dear William Finnerty, Thank you for your e-mail dated 1/4/08. If you would prefer to discuss BT Broadband by telephone, please contact us on freephone 0800 800 150 any time between the hours of 8.00am - 8.00pm Monday to Saturday where we will be happy to help. If you should have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us again via e-mail. Thank you for contacting BT. Yours sincerely, Kunal Singh eContact Customer Service Ref: 16335055 ------------------------ Dear Mr Singh, Thank you for contacting me. On account of unwanted telephone calls I've been receiving in recent months, I'm not answering my phone at the present time. Would it be possible for me to phone you? If so, I'd be grateful if you could let me have a number I can contact you at. Ideally, I would like to talk with you during UK office hours tomorrow. Also, I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I spoke with two members of the BT engineering staff I happened to see working near my home recently; and, assuming I understood them correctly, they informed me that the "electronics" are now all in place for them to connect my BT landline phone to a BT Internet Broadband fibre optic link which now runs from the BT exchange in Gortin to Greencastle (where I live at the present time). They seemed to believe that all they need now is to be given the "go ahead" from BT administrators to complete the physical connection from the fibre optic cable to the BT line into my home. If that is in fact the case, I would very much appreciate it if you could arrange for this go-ahead to be given to the BT engineering staff as soon as possible please. The two BT people in question further suggested that if (for any reason) I had trouble getting the necessary go-ahead from BT for the fibre optic broadband connection mentioned in the paragraph just above, that I should ask to be connected to the BT satellite broadband service. Hopefully, I will be able to discuss these BT broadband connection matters, and other issues relating to my "Sky" situation (outlined below), with you tomorrow. Thanks again for contacting me. Yours sincerely, William Finnerty. ============== BT Broadband wrote: Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 11:54:01 +0100 (BST) From: BT Broadband To: William Finnerty Dear William Finnerty, Thank you for your e-mail dated 26/3/08 about Direct Debit payments to Sky Digital. I am sorry about the length of time it has taken to reply . I can figure out that your complaint hasn't been resolved after a chain of emails. Could you please forward your daytime contact number in reply. I will call you at earliest to discuss this matter. If you should have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us again via e-mail. Thank you for contacting BT. Yours sincerely, Kunal Singh eContact Customer Service Ref: 16335055 Original Message Follows: ------------------------ Dear Ms Hennigan, I have now received confirmation from the Post Office that my Recorded Delivery letter dated December 28th 2007 to Ms Charlene Brown (Sky Customer Relations) was delivered on December 29th 2007. Later today, I will send you a copy of the Post Office evidence in question, together with a printed and signed copy of this e-mail through the normal post. I have also now got the Sky password you requested, and I will handwrite that onto the printed copy of this e-mail I plan to send you later today through the normal post. As stated below, in my e-mail dated January 30th 2008 to Mrs McElduff (Manager, Bank of Ireland) Sky Digital have taken a total of £294.32 from my account using direct debits over a period of approximately 12 months: for an Internet Broadband Service which I have never received. The above mentioned figure of £294.32 arises from the calculations explained in earlier e-mails, which are also reproduced below. Note particularly please the e-mail below (to Sky) dated December 3rd 2007. Please note I am copying this e-mail to BT because I believe it is possible they may be able to confirm that Sky Digital have NEVER delivered any Internet Broadband service whatsoever on the BT telephone line connected to my home. My BT account Number is NI 4527 0662. You may also wish to note the monthly direct debit payments from my account for £15.99 to BT during the 12 month or so period in question: which is for the very slow and primitive "modem" Internet Service BT provides me with: in circumstances whereby they have informed me that the BT telephone line to my home is unable to provide an Internet Broadband service - because my home Greencastle is too far from the telephone exchange in Gortin. I am also sending a copy of this e-mail to the police: because I continue to believe that Sky Digital is committing crime against me in a number of ways, which includes additional financial losses to those mentioned elsewhere in this e-mail - as a result of all the unpaid work I am having to do to try and recover the above mentioned £294.32 which Sky Digital have fraudulently taken out of my bank account, for a service they know perfectly well they have never provided, and cannot in fact provide for the reason stated in the paragraph immediately above. Yours, William Finnerty. ========================== William Finnerty wrote: Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:08:58 +0000 (GMT) From: William Finnerty To: "Lisa McVey (Bank of Ireland )" CC: "Margaret Hennigan (Bank of Ireland , Omagh)" , Chief Police Constable Sir Hugh Orde OBE , Dear Ms McVey, It would be much appreciated if you would please take careful note of the e-mails reproduced below: particularly in relation to my request to cancel the direct debit arrangement I have with Sky Digital. If this direct debit arrangement is not cancelled promptly by the Bank of Ireland, I am concerned that Sky Digital will fraudulently take yet more money from my account. I would be very grateful if you could please let me have written confirmation of the cancellation when it is completed. I would also like information on the other issues I have raised in my e-mail of yesterday (reproduced below) to Kathleen McElduff. Yours sincerely, William Finnerty. ======================== Kathleen.McElduff@boimail.com wrote: Subject: Kathleen McElduff/RETAIL/BOIGROUP is out of the office. From: Kathleen.McElduff@boimail.com To: William Finnerty Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:02:58 +0000 I will be out of the office starting 29/01/2008 and will not return until 04/02/2008. I am currently out of the office. Please redirect my mail to: lisa.mcvey@boimail.com ************************** William Finnerty wrote: Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:28:24 +0000 (GMT) From: William Finnerty To: "Kathleen McElduff (Manager, Bank of Ireland Omagh Branch)" CC: "Margaret Hennigan (Bank of Ireland, Omagh)" , "Sky Broadband Service (For attention of Ms Charlene Brown, Customer Relations)" , British Telecom Broadband Service , "Which (Consumer Protection Organisation)" , Chief Police Constable Sir Hugh Orde OBE Dear Mrs McElduff, A recent check of my bank balance shows that Sky Digital have taken yet another lot of £34 from my account at your branch on January 16th 2008: in spite of the contents of the communication attempts in the e-mails reproduced below. All things considered, I feel I now have to ask you to cancel the direct debit arrangement through which Sky Digital are continuing to take money from my account: regardless of the warnings your colleague Mr Andy Palmer (Assistant Manager) has related to me on a number of occasions during personal visits I have made to your branch regarding this matter. As I have pointed out in my e-mail of December 11th 2007 (reproduced below), Mr Palmer has warned me that if I cancel the direct debit arrangement with Sky Digital (as I am now requesting you to do), there is a risk that Sky Digital will take steps to ensure I end up with a “bad credit listing”. As I’m not really sure what a “bad credit listing” would mean in practice, I would be grateful if you could briefly explain the possible consequences to me please. Also, what (if anything) can I do to challenge any “bad credit listing” that Sky Digital might implement – and how to I find out if I have been given one (as a result of this request to cancel my direct debit arrangement with Sky Digital)? Finally, I would be grateful if you could please advise me if the Bank of Ireland might be able to help me in any way recover the financial loss I have suffered through the direct debit arrangement I have had with Sky Digital: having due regard for the fact that I have reported the problem in question to your bank on a number of occasions throughout the past 12 months or so? When the £34 pounds taken from my account by Sky Digital on January 16th 2008 is added to the sum of £260.32 mentioned below, this brings the total to £294.32: so that Sky Digital have now taken £294.32 from my account for a Broadband Internet service they know perfectly well they have never provided me with; and, which British Telecom have advised me that neither themselves, nor Sky, could not have provided (because my home in Greencastle is too far from the British Telecom Exchange in Gortin). Later today I will send a printed and signed copy of this e-mail to you through the recorded delivery post. I hope to be in receipt of a written reply from you, regarding the issues referred to above, within the coming seven days please. Please note that I am particularly anxious to receive written confirmation from you that you have fully cancelled the direct debit arrangement I have with Sky Digital, and that they cannot – under any circumstances - take ANY more money from my bank account. Yours sincerely, William Finnerty. ==================== William Finnerty wrote: Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:23:49 +0000 (GMT) From: William Finnerty To: "Margaret Hennigan (Bank of Ireland, Omagh)" CC: "Kathleen McElduff (Manager, Bank of Ireland Omagh Branch)" , "Sky Broadband Service (For attention of Ms Charlene Brown, Customer Relations)" , British Telecom Broadband Service , "Which (Consumer Protection Organisation)" , Chief Police Constable Sir Hugh Orde OBE Dear Ms Hennigan, I have not received any reply from Sky to my e-mail below of last Wednesday (i.e. January 9th 2008). This may mean that Sky are planning to take yet another £34 from my account sometime within the coming few days? Also, and as can be seen from the Sky letter I showed you last Wednesday, it is obvious they have no intention whatsoever of paying me back the £260.32 referred to below. Sky know perfectly well that I have never received any broadband Internet service from them. All things considered, I now believe that what Sky are doing regarding the money they have been taking from my Bank of Ireland account during the past year or so (for the Internet broadband service) is both fraudulent and criminal. Consequently, I am coping this e-mail to Northern Ireland Chief Police Constable Sir Hugh Orde OBE: in the hope that the police will investigate this whole matter as soon as possible. Yours sincerely, William Finnerty. ======================== William Finnerty wrote: Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2008 18:38:14 +0000 (GMT) From: William Finnerty To: "Sky Broadband Service (For attention of Ms Charlene Brown, Customer Relations)" CC: "Margaret Hennigan (Bank of Ireland, Omagh)" , "Kathleen McElduff (Manager, Bank of Ireland Omagh Branch)" , British Telecom Broadband Service , "Which (Consumer Protection Organisation)" Dear Ms Brown, With reference to your letter to me dated December 12th 2007, I checked with Margaret Hennigan (Bank of Ireland, Omagh) today regarding the direct debit you have advised me would be deactivated on December 30th 2007. Unfortunately, Ms Hennigan informed me today that (from the Bank of Ireland's viewpoint) Sky have not deactivated the direct debit in question. With due regard for the contents of the e-mails reproduced below, it would be much appreciated if you could please let me have written confirmation that the direct debit arrangement has been deactivated by Sky. I hope to receive written confirmation from you before this coming Saturday (i.e. January 12th 2008) at the address I am sending this e-mail from (i.e. newinngalway@yahoo.co.uk ). Yours sincerely, William Finnerty. ========================== William Finnerty wrote: Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:49:30 +0000 (GMT) From: William Finnerty To: "Sky Broadband Service (For attention of Ms Charlene Brown, Customer Relations)" CC: "Margaret Hennigan (Bank of Ireland, Omagh)" , British Telecom Broadband Service , "Which (Consumer Protection Organisation)" Dear Ms Brown, Thank you for your letter dated December 12th 2007 which I have recently received. Please note that the problems I have been having with the Sky Broadband Service have been going on for over a year now, and that they are not "recent" as you have mentioned in your letter. Neither is it the case that my last "point of contact regarding any broadband issues" was on 18/1/2007 (as you have also stated in your letter). I sent an e-mail to the help@skybroadband.com address on February 5th 2007 (for example), after speaking with a woman who told me her name was Kim Moore (on the day before, i.e. February 4th 2007). Ms Moore also informed me that she worked for the Sky Broadband Help Centre in Belfast , and that Sky were carrying out tests on my British Telecom telephone line at that time. Though I specifically requested (to be informed regarding) the results of these tests (in my e-mail of February 5th 2007), I have never received them. I wish to stress that since February 5th 2007 I have made numerous other attempts to point out to Sky that the broadband Internet service they offered me has never worked, and that it cannot work in fact because the British Telecom landline is not capable of carrying the internet Broadband service (for technical reasons). However, up to the point when I received your letter dated December 12th 2007, Sky have completely ignored all such information that I have tried very hard to provided Sky with: but, at the same time, Sky have kept on helping themselves to money from my bank account (via the direct debit arrangement) for a broadband Internet service they were unable to supply. Though I am not a lawyer, I do have access to basic information regarding contract law; and, I believe the "contract" you write about was void from the very beginning (i.e. not legally binding), because (among other things) Sky had no "capacity" to contract: on account of the fact that the British Telecom telephone line to my home which Sky planned to use is unable to support the Internet broadband service. I notice that Sky took a further £34 from my account on December 17th 2007 - despite my recorded delivery letter to Sky of December 3rd 2007 (which is reproduced below). When added to the £226.32 (also mentioned below), this brings the total sum Sky have taken from my bank account for the Internet broadband service to £260.32. It would be much appreciated if Sky would please return this sum of £260.32 to my bank account at your earliest convenience please. Later today, I will send a printed and signed copy of this e-mail to you through the recorded delivery post, and I hope to receive a written reply from you relating to the above matters within the coming 14 days please. Yours sincerely, William Finnerty. ========================= William Finnerty wrote: Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:17:40 +0000 (GMT) From: William Finnerty To: "Mr Andy Palmer \(Assistant Manager, Bank of Ireland Omagh Branch, County Tyrone , Northern Ireland\ )" CC: Sky Broadband Service , "Which \(Consumer Protection Organisation\)" Dear Mr Palmer, Following our discussion of yesterday (in your office), I tried to use the e-mail address you gave me for Mrs Kathleen McElduff (Branch Manager, Omagh), and found it did not work - possibly because I wrote it down incorrectly yesterday(?). On explaining the difficulty to Bank of Ireland Customer Services earlier today, they gave me your e-mail address, and suggested that I write to you. Customer Services also pointed out that you can forward my e-mail to Mrs McElduff. As you already know, I am concerned that (1) if I cancel the Sky direct debit, there is (as you have pointed out) a risk that it might well result in a bad credit listing for me; and (2) if I do not cancel the direct debit, and allowing for the fact that (as you informed me yesterday) Sky have not cancelled it, it spite of the letter I sent to them (recorded delivery) on December 3rd 2007 (text reproduced below), they will keep on helping themselves to my money. As my bank account records will show, Sky normally take the money from my account on or around the 15th of the month. For obvious reasons, I trust Mrs McElduff will look into this matter on my behalf, and that Sky will not be allowed to take any more money from my account. Please note that, as far as I know, no contract WHATSOEVER exists for Sky to take money from my bank account for the Internet Broadband service referred to in the e-mail reproduced below: certainly not one that is legally valid - having due regarded for the fact that I have NEVER received ANY broadband Internet service from Sky (for the reason stated in the e-mail reproduced below). It would be much appreciated if you (or Mrs McElduff) could let me have a written reply to this e-mail please. Yours sincerely, William Finnerty Bank of Ireland Account Number: 11535289 (Omagh Branch). ============================ William Finnerty wrote: Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2007 16:12:17 +0000 (GMT) From: William Finnerty To: Sky Broadband Service CC: "Which \(Consumer Protection Organisation\)" Dear Sir/Madam, On November 8th 2006 I spoke on the telephone with a lady at Sky named Arleen, and agreed to pay a total of £120 to be connected to your Satellite TV Service. (The payments in question were to be taken by direct debit from my account over a 12 month period, at the rate of £10 per month.) On December 16th 2006, after being given to understand that Sky could provide me with an Internet Broadband service (via the Sky Satellite Service which I was by that time receiving), I paid £40 to Sky by Visa Card as an "up-front" payment to have the Internet Broadband Service connected. Please note however it later became clear to me that, instead of providing the service via satellite, Sky were intending to use my BT telephone line: which is NOT capable of supporting the Internet Broadband Service. Consequently, I have NEVER had ANY Internet Broadband service from your company. On checking back through my bank accounts today, I find that a total of £346.32 (which includes the £40 Visa payment mentioned above) has now been paid by me to Sky. Despite the fact that I have reported the basic problem regarding the non-existent Internet Broadband Service on numerous occasions to Sky, it appears that Sky continue to take monthly payments for it (via direct debit) from my account. The most recent payment taken (by direct debit) from my account by Sky was for £34, on November 15th 2007. I would be very grateful if a) Sky would please STOP (immediately) taking money from my account by direct debit, and b) return to me the money which has been taken over-and-above the original £120 I agreed to pay for the Sky Satellite TV Service: which I calculate comes to £226.32 (i.e. £346.32 - £120). I look forward to hearing from you regarding the above matter at your earliest convenience please. Later today, I will send a printed and signed copy of this e-mail through the Recorded Delivery post to: Mr. Mark Anderson, Customer Marketing Director, Sky Subscribers Ltd, PO Box 43, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 7DD. Yours sincerely, William Finnerty (Sky Account Number: 621028634015) * *********, Greencastle, Omagh, County Tyrone , Northern Ireland BT79 7QW. Copy to: Bank of Ireland (Omagh Branch, County Tyrone , Northern Ireland ).