Bad Buzby!

In February 2008 BT Retail (very quietly) announced that they intend to change their terms and conditions for business customers who have a Business Single Business Analogue Line – which in turn is the majority of you who are reading this article!!

It is understood that BT will convert these lines to a new line category with Call Divert included as part of the package – this means that all customers who do not advise BT that they do not wish to do so will be automatically converted to a 12 month contract!

So should you be bothered about this? Yes on a number of fronts – are you happy for BT to work on an opt-out basis? Are you aware that you can have your line rental billed by another supplier at a lower rate than BT and this will stop you being able to do that? Are you happy that to now get out of your contract with BT you will be penalised for the remaining rental charges of the contract?

The industry regulator, Ofcom, stated in the closure of a complaint last year, that “ the use of ‘negative opt-out letters’, which advise customers that they will be transferred unless they object to the transfer, is unlawful in most circumstances, and that Ofcom will take swift action in the event that providers attempt to transfer customers without their consent” and “Ofcom’s rules require that customers should know what service they’re buying” www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/comp_bull_index/comp_bull_ccases/closed_all/cw_924/. We will see!!