Disgruntled customer hits out at BT over a fibre internet fiasco

Portchester man David Hill and his family were left without internet for weeks after making an order from the telecoms firm in January.

The 63-year-old had previously cancelled a redundant secondary line into his home and was ordering a new link to get BT Sport and Sky Sports for his frail mother-in-law.

However, Mr Hill claims it took BT almost a month to tell him that the company would not be able to fit the fibre link into his home, forcing him to change suppliers.

Mr Hill, who works at the printing press in Hilsea, was flabbergasted by the news.

He said: ‘It’s been absolutely horrendous. They’re a communications company but they can’t communicate. It’s pitiful.

‘It took them three-and-a-half weeks to let us know we couldn’t have the line.

‘They kept stringing us along with dates that they would look at it.’

Mr Hill, of Beaulieu Avenue, said the situation had upset his elderly mother-in-law who returned home from hospital this week.

‘My mother-in-law is extremely distressed,’ he added. ‘She can’t comprehend why she hasn’t got BT Sport. I am now the villain because I have had to cancel the service.

‘My main concern is that my mother-in-law is extremely frail and ill. She is 92. She has no other life or communication with the outside world.

‘This is her life. BT Sport and Sky Sport is her life. She lives and dies for it. She is in quite a critical condition.’

A spokesman for BT said the firm had offered Mr Hill additional opitions.

He said: ‘We’ve spoken to Mr Hill and explained that the line into his property is unable to support the BT package he has requested.

‘We’ve offered to place a copper broadband order and cover the cost of a dongle, while we wait for the fibre service required to support the package requested.

‘Mr Hill has declined the offer, has cancelled the order and is going to another supplier. We’ve written to Mr Hill to say that we’ve taken all the steps we can to investigate his complaint and that we’re sorry we haven’t agreed on the outcome.

‘We’ve given Mr Hill our contact details in case he needs to get in touch with us or has any further questions.’

Mr Hill has since taken on a deal with Sky for sports channels. He added the firm was fitting him with fibre optic broadband next week.