Due to the numerous problems I have had with Talk Talk Business (some blogged here) I have decided to leave them. After some research I chose to have my telephone with BT and my broadband with Titan ADSL. The change over date is 10th May 2012, which is still 3 weeks away. This should be very straightforward. But it is not.
Here is a copy of my 3rd request to BT. I am really copying it here as after sending an enquiry through their online form, that is the last you see of it. No copy is sent to your email for future reference.
In short, I am having a real headache getting BT to cooperate with my broadband supplier. So far the 2 people I spoke to cannot even grasp the concept of having telephone and Internet with different people. 3 times I had to tell one customer care worker on the phone “no, I do not want broadband with BT, do not sign me up, I am getting it from Titan ADSL”.
For clarification, here is BT’s explanation of LORN:
“LORN: Linked Order Reference Number. Used to link the two orders together in our computer systems to switch broadband and telephone services over on the same day.” – openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/aboutus/glossary.do
So they do know exactly what it is, and what it is for. At least, the glossary knows, BT Care do not.
This is my third email.
Please read this all before calling.
I need a LORN (Linked Order Reference Number).
I have been informed that the VOL011-63571913739 is NOT a LORN.
I need a number that (possibly) starts with DFQ – this is the format of BT Linked Order Reference Numbers.
If you cannot provide a LORN then we need to cancel and then set up the order again with a “simultaneous provide” added so that Titan ADSL can synchronise the broadband with you.
This is standard practice by all accounts, many people have done this before with BT, it is nothing new.
If you are not sure about these PLEASE ESCALATE IT IMMEDIATELY. Please do not telephone me back and say the VOL is the LORN for a third time.
Some further information on this:
” If you get a VOL or BTCOM ten digit number back and not a DFQ or similar short number then you’ve not got the right one. You should get two numbers. ”
http://takeoneonion.org/archives/2010/11/moving-house-and-adsl-in.htmlHere is the ThinkBroadband advice that I discussed with Michael (no surname given) earlier:
“Contact your chosen telephone line rental provider, and tell them you are wanting to order their service using the Simultaneous Provide (sometimes shorted to Sim Provide) method, and will require a Linked Order Reference Number (LORN) from them.
Once you have the Linked Order Reference Number, contact your chosen broadband provider and provide them with the number.
The Linked Order Reference Number is often called a LORN and will be used to link the two orders together in the Openreach computer systems and should hopefully result in broadband and telephone services switching over on the same day.”
http://thinkbroadband.com/faq/sections/migration.html
Hopefully someone at BT who has dealt with this will actually read the message this time. Although I suspect I will get another phone call. On the second message I sent I specifically requested that they did not call me unless they could resolve it. They ignored that simple request!
Wish me luck.
I spoke to Titan ADSL and they said simply;
“If they (BT) cant provide you with this number then we will have to wait till the line has been activated before ordering the broadband then it will be a few days after that before your up and running.“
So I may be without Internet for a few days. Maybe time to get a dongle …..
Friday Update
I received a call this morning. Once again, at first the caller had no idea what LORN was. I explained and she said, “I have never heard of that”. I told her that I wrote on my last mail that if the person who picked up the query did not understand they should escalate it, as I really had enough of people from BT calling me to tell me that they do not know what it is!
She was very nice. She put me on hold and spoke to somebody who did know what it is. BT have cancelled my order and I am now waiting for the new order to come in. She even said “we need to cancel your order and then set up a new one with a SIM transfer attached”.
Cool. Looks like I am getting there. Still got just over 2 weeks to get it sorted!
