Ofcom confirms Bulldog probe - Latest

[gem]

From The Register

Ofcom confirms Bulldog probe
By Tim Richardson
Published Friday 2nd September 2005 09:53 GMT

Ofcom has launched an official investigation into broadband ISP Bulldog after receiving hundreds of complaints from customers.

The regulator said today it would probe complaints about billing and the way the ISP handled customers' complaints.

In a statement Ofcom said: "Ofcom has opened an investigation to consider whether Bulldog has contravened General Condition 11.1, which prohibits Communications Providers from billing customers for services that have not been provided.

"Ofcom will also investigate whether Bulldog has contravened General Condition 14.2, which requires Communications Providers to establish and maintain complaints-handling procedures that conform to a Code of Practice.

"The opening of this investigation follows the receipt of a number of consumer complaints about these issues, including complaints referred via the Bulldog Action Group, a consumer representation group."

Over the last couple of months The Register has received an unprecedented number of complaints about Bulldog with customers telling how they've been left without phone and broadband services and have been wrongly billed.

The sheer volume of complaints suggested that there were serious problems at the ISP. Consumers' frustration has been compounded by difficulties contacting the Cable & Wireless (C&W)-owned company and getting their complaints resolved.

A spokesman for C&W told us that the offer from Bulldog had proved popular with consumers but he acknowledged that the ISP had experienced problems over the summer.

Although Bulldog is "close to resolving most of the issues" the ISP will "co-operate with the Ofcom investigation", he said.

In July C&W chairman Richard Lapthorne appeared to blame BT for some of its problems claiming that "in the area of provisioning in particular, the level of service remains inconsistent as we work with BT - after their relatively recent introduction of automated procedures - to enhance the quality and accuracy with which telephone lines are transferred to the Bulldog network".

This, though, was rejected by BT which said that it holds daily face-to-face meetings with Bulldog and that this was the first time that the ISP has brought up these concerns.®

[Hawkeye]

and not a day too soon.

It's a shame people like Ofcom have to get involved and make these companies provide the service we have been paying for.

I was waiting 5 months for a water meter to be fitted at home by Thames Water and had no luck in getting a date from them to fit it. Finally I decided to pump out () a complaint to Ofwat regarding Thames Water. I received a reply from Ofwat saying they have forwarded the email to Thames Water and that if Thames water do not respond on the subject within the next 48 hrs that they are automatically required to give you £20 (btw).
The day after I sent the email to Ofwat I came home and turned on the tap and lots air was in the pipes with the water, popped downstairs and noticed that they have put in the meter ! mind you, they did not leave a calling card or let me know if was fitted.

In future I'll continue to go to the horses head. I hope Ofcom kick Bulldogs asse$ bad and we existing users get 6 months free line rental to make up for the grief. :-)

gj Ofcom + Ofwat n1

[gem]

From The Register

Ofcom gives Bulldog the all clear
ISP promises to behave from now on
By Tim Richardson
Published Wednesday 19th October 2005 10:57 GMT

Ofcom has closed its investigation into Bulldog after receiving assurances from the broadband ISP that it's introduced a range of measures to improve customer service.

Bulldog has also promised to compensate punters who were with the ISP back in July during the height of the problems.

And the ISP - which is owned by Cable & Wireless (C&W) - has agreed to update Ofcom each month to ensure that it doesn't see a recurrence of the problems.

Ofcom launched an official investigation into Bulldog at the end of August after receiving hundreds of complaints from customers that they had been left without phone and broadband services.

In its statement today Ofcom said it had obtained "detailed information from Bulldog relating to the operation of its business, including details of the circumstances leading to the difficulties some customers experienced during the summer".

"The information Bulldog provided...indicates that Bulldog has implemented a range of steps to improve its customer service operations. Since August 2005, a number of indicators of customer service, such as call waiting times and call abandonment rates, have shown significant improvement.

"Bulldog has also presented evidence to Ofcom demonstrating that it has implemented a number of improvements to both its billing and operational processes."

It went on: "Ofcom is satisfied that as a result of these measures, customers affected by Bulldog's earlier service issues will receive, in aggregate, a material level of credit.

"Ofcom is also satisfied that Bulldog has put in place, and committed to adhere to through the provision of monthly reports to Ofcom, practices to help avoid any recurrence going forwards. Accordingly, Ofcom has closed this investigation."

But Bulldog isn't off the leash yet with Ofcom prepared to re-open the investigation if it receives another spike in complaints about the ISP.

In a statement Bulldog said: "We regret the customer support issues that occurred during summer 2005, which have been addressed. We have implemented a wide range of measures to ensure that we are now able to deliver and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction." ®

[gem]

From MediaGuardian

Bulldog compensates for poor customer service
Richard Wray
Thursday October 20, 2005
The Guardian

Ofcom yesterday ended the inquiry into Bulldog Communications that followed complaints about the broadband provider's poor service, after it promised compensation.

Bulldog, owned by Cable & Wireless, will give one month's free line rental to people signed up for its voice and internet service in July. Other customers will get individual compensation. Bulldog will provide Ofcom with customer service reports for the next six months. Bulldog's chief executive Emanuele Angelidis said: "We regret the customer support issues that occurred during summer 2005, which have been addressed."

[seaviewuk]

Bully for them.

Maybe they can explain why this morning I received a monthly bill from them which has been accumulating on a month by month basis and now stands at nearly £400. Quite humourous really as i haven't been with their service since May!

[gem]

Promises, promises ....

Then why not take it up with Ofcom, copy to Bulldog of course.

[silver]

the cust service for technical questions has improved but they managed to mess up my bill (the first one I have received!) they've put the billing enquiry line onto recorded message saying there is a problem with the bills and it is being sorted out,,.

so still more than a few teething problems it seems...

Sil

[oldboy2000]

I had a phone call last week from Bulldog trying to sell me their services....I wasted no time in telling them what to do with their services, don't think they will phone me again, I should think I have been black listed...I hope!

[silver]

I had a phone call last week from Bulldog trying to sell me their services....I wasted no time in telling them what to do with their services, don't think they will phone me again, I should think I have been black listed...I hope!

Originally Posted by oldboy2000

Even if I count all the problems I've had with them I don't regret signing up (well I assumed their would be some issues to start with) you simply can't get an 8 meg down and 1/2 meg up service via BT and it's very reasonably priced considering the speeds and that it's unlimited

Sil

[oldboy2000]

Are they cable ?

[silver]

is one of a handful of adsl providers who do 'local loop unbundling' - not all exchanges can use it and it still runs over standard bt lines but only upto the exchange after that you are on the ISPs lines (it's not a resold bt wholesale connection like most adsl ISPs are),.

they still have some issues but I think they are being sorted and things should improve

Sil

[silver]

ps, to be clear I should say 'upto 8 megs' rather than 8 megs,. I get 4 megs down and 1/2 meg up - which is due to line and distance from exchange rather than anything else but it's the upload speed I care about most

it's likely BT will do 8 megs soon - but who knows when and what the upload will be..

[seaviewuk]

I don't like the way they force you to have a Bulldog telephone line with their LLU service.

Might suit some people but not for me.

[silver]

I don't like the way they force you to have a Bulldog telephone line with their LLU service.

Might suit some people but not for me.

Originally Posted by seaviewuk

be nice to have the choice but they put in a new line for a quid,. I kept the bt line for another adsl

Sil

[seaviewuk]

be nice to have the choice but they put in a new line for a quid,. I kept the bt line for another adsl

Sil

Originally Posted by silver

ahh! That's pretty reasonable then.

[oldboy2000]

ahh! That's pretty reasonable then.

Originally Posted by seaviewuk

Not so reasonable....it must be two lots of Line Rental surely!?

[Hawkeye]

As far as line speed goes it has always been inconsistant. I connect at 6 mb but have only ever get a maximum of nearly 4mb down and 512 (if that) up.

I would check what your getting. They are capping people. 8 mb down should be 8mb down.

[silver]

As far as line speed goes it has always been inconsistant. I connect at 6 mb but have only ever get a maximum of nearly 4mb down and 512 (if that) up.

I would check what your getting. They are capping people. 8 mb down should be 8mb down.

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

it depends how far you are from the exchange and the quality of your phone line,. most ppl on 8 meg adsl do not get 8 megs - *regardless of ISP*

sign up for another 8 meg provider and see if it makes any difference

Sil