OT: dirty BT business practices...

[RJK]

As we all know, in the UK, BT is more expensive than all other broadband
suppliers. Other "sole providers" for voice telephone+broadband offer much
cheaper packages. And it was not so long ago, with the development and
rapid popularity of increased adsl speeds, and domestic wireless products
for home computing, that BT was "displeased," (to say the very
least), when it became possible for people, (e.g. neighbours), to share an
ADSL/ISP connection, and share the cost. I suspect that BT has, (ever
since
wifi was introduced), over-priced its' services on the mistaken (IMO)
assumption
that most of its' subscribers to broadband are sharing a connection, some
with LAN leads, most with wireless.

In any event I believe my brother was mis-sold BT broadband. The house he's
just moved into had only an old analogue 'phone line, and so the line had to
be ADSL surveyed/upgraded/enabled by BT - which - as I've always
understood - is carried out by BT - when they receive a "works order,"
either
form a 3rd party ISP and/or sole package provider such as Orange,
TalkTalk, Tiscali/now Carphone Warehouse etc, or for BT itself.

And the latest incredible insult from BT, (as I understand it), is that it
wants it's subscribers to provide local wifi hotspots - free of charge,
....as though this is a "trendy" and "desirable" thing to want to do ! So
BT
is excessively charging its' subscribers for its' ISP service, and then has
the
mind-boggling audacity to want its' customers to offer a free wifi
connection to the
general public. This simply beggars belief !!
(...ok...ok I know that the wifi component would have to be left open and
un-password protected etc. but, there is the consideration that most users
plug'n'play and never even check the default settings in their
adsl/router/wifi unit - indeed most of them wouldn't even know how to get in
there and have a look around. i.e. try telling someone on the 'phone to tap
http:\\192.168.*.* into their browsers' URL slot and their eyes just glaze
over!).

My brother has been with BT for only a few days, and after some initial
teething problems his "BT Home hub," had it's firmware upgraded - and the
option in that firmware to switch off wireless was removed !
Now, the first thing he did with the BT Home hub was switch wireless off.
Not because he was too mean to provide free wifi to the general public at
large but, because sitting at his PC with the BT Home Hub nearby, the
wireless emissions made the side of his face and neck tingle ! And seeing
as
he doesn't have or use a wifi laptop or notebook etc. he didn't need it
switched on
anyway ! And to have wifi switched back on via a firmware update, without
his permission, and also to have the firmware switch to turn wireless off
removed, is simply mind boggling !
After a little investigation, he had to log on to BT's "BTFON" page to
request wifi to be switched of - which can take up to 48 hours ! HAVE YOU
EVER HEARD OF ANYTHING SO TOTALLY RIDICULOUS !?!

<quote my brother>
A short look on google about it and I found this:
http://beta.bt.com/bta/forums/message.jspa?messageID=64875

Specifically - the last two posts on the page:
Peter Williams
Posts: 32
Registered: 12/4/03
Re: Cannot disable wireless on BT Homehub 2.0 type-A after firmware
update
Posted: Jun 27, 2009 10:01 PM in response to: Mike O
Reply
Hi Mike,
How strange. I had wireless off and it remained off after the
firmware upgrade to 8.1.H.G. You need to get FON off before you can turn
wireless off. On the hub home page is there an option to turn FON off?
Peter
Peter Williams
Posts: 32
Registered: 12/4/03
Re: Cannot disable wireless on BT Homehub 2.0 type-A after firmware
update
Posted: Jun 27, 2009 10:21 PM in response to: Mike O
Reply
Hi Mike,
I have just discovered this " From the middle of March 09 all
new Total Broadband customer will be automatically opted into BTFON".
Go to www.bt.com/btfon - click on "Check Status" - you can then
opt out.
Peter

<end-quote my brother>

In any event, I've just dug out an old BEWAN pci/adsl card, unearthed the
drivers and put them on cd and usb pen-drive, and tomorrow I shall drive 50
miles to his house and fit it, so that he can have less wires, and no chance
of firmware updates to an adsl/router/wifi unit that has operational control
removed from the user by ignorant and incompetent ISP/'phone provider BT
!!!

regards, Richard

 

[Malke]

As we all know, in the UK, BT is more expensive than all other broadband
suppliers. Other "sole providers" for voice telephone+broadband offer

(snip amazingly long OT post)

Just putting "OT" in from of your subject line doesn't make it OK to post
here. A good place to post problems, comments, etc. about Internet Service
Providers is www.dslreports.com. They cover far more than DSL as you will
see if you go there.

Not only did you post a message that has absolutely *nothing* to do with
Microsoft Windows, you cross-posted it to a bunch of equally inappropriate
newsgroups. Not appreciated.


Malke

 

[DL]

You are spouting total nonsence, try getting your fact straight first, eg
how to protect your connection, as a start

 

[RJK]

You are spouting total nonsence, try getting your fact straight first, eg
how to protect your connection, as a start

I know how "protect connection" i.e. configure wifi - thankyou very much !

regards, Richard

 

[Guest]

Richard,

Many readers & contributors are in other countries & won't understand what
the UK people have to go through

I wouldn't use BT even if it was totally free & their BT Home Hub adverts
saying about the distance of the coverage is incorrect as I know many users
getting disconnected because of their signal strength even in an open area.
Don't forget the dead sports caused by concrete walls, metal-framed
buildings etc

Malke is right though. Things like your post should never be posted here.
Maybe send to BBC Watchdog & see if they can get BT to explain things. I
have forgotten the name of the consumer service that governs the UK adsl
rules but you can search that on Google

Get a different ISP & use Skype for the calls because BT don't like high-end
users like myself not that they would ever get my vote or my money

 

[Twayne]

f'ups to microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics due to excessive ether
consumption.

As we all know, in the UK, BT is more expensive than all other
broadband suppliers. Other "sole providers" for voice
telephone+broadband offer much cheaper packages. And it was not so
long ago, with the development and rapid popularity of increased adsl

....

Sorry but I'm not about to read 9k of data to see if there's a question
there. If there isn't, you wasted ether for no good reason. Your
excessive cross-post is also inexcusable for this type of missive,
whatever the reason for it. But at least you did use OT and a crosspost
instead of a multiposting, so thanks for that!

Whatever the reason for your vent, all you've done is make a spectacle
of yourself, drew a few giggles I'm sure, and inserted your post into
the archives at Google and several other places that collect posts, so
it can be seen for many more years to come.

I don't object to the occasional "OT" marked post in general but what
you've done IMO amounts to abuse of the system for personal, instant
gratification. I doubt very much you'll find any responses that will be
of any use to you. After all, this is just a group of users like
yourself but generally more respectful of the use of the groups.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Why not just set up a protected wifi connection and give the rest of us a
break?

All wireless routers are sold with wireless enabled, and all ISPs assume
that the user of a wireless router will set up appropriate protection.

Have I ever heard of anything so totally ridiculous? No, not until reading
your 'stuff'..

 

[ANONYMOUS]

What do you want us to do now about this? Do you want our support for
this? Do you want us to say "oh what a bad business practice BT is
operating"? Please simplify your message so that appropriate response
can be given.

Presumably, you or your brother can move to another company right?

WE CALL IT VOTING WITH OUR FEET!!

Now don't tell us British soldiers dying in Afghanistan didn't know
war is a dangerous business!!

As we all know, in the UK, BT is more expensive than all other broadband
suppliers.  Other "sole providers" for voice telephone+broadband offer much
cheaper packages.   And it was not so long ago, with the development and
rapid popularity of increased adsl speeds, and domestic wireless products
 for home computing, that BT was "displeased," (to say the very

<snipped>

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Why not just set up a protected wifi connection and give the rest of us a
break?

All wireless routers are sold with wireless enabled, and all ISPs assume
that the user of a wireless router will set up appropriate protection.

Have I ever heard of anything so totally ridiculous? No, not until reading
your 'stuff'..

You will be wise to ignore any message that is bothering you in here
because you will get heart attack if you get involved with matters
that has nothing to do with you.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

You will be wise to ignore any message that is bothering you in here
because you will get heart attack if you get involved with matters
that has nothing to do with you.

???

 

[Guest]

Anonymous,

In the UK you sign up for a minimum of 12 months. so unless Richard or his
brother pay them off they cannot move to another ISP

--
SPAMCOP User


What do you want us to do now about this? Do you want our support for
this? Do you want us to say "oh what a bad business practice BT is
operating"? Please simplify your message so that appropriate response
can be given.

Presumably, you or your brother can move to another company right?

WE CALL IT VOTING WITH OUR FEET!!

Now don't tell us British soldiers dying in Afghanistan didn't know
war is a dangerous business!!

As we all know, in the UK, BT is more expensive than all other broadband
suppliers. Other "sole providers" for voice telephone+broadband offer much
cheaper packages. And it was not so long ago, with the development and
rapid popularity of increased adsl speeds, and domestic wireless products
for home computing, that BT was "displeased," (to say the very

<snipped>

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Anonymous,

In the UK you sign up for a minimum of 12 months. so unless Richard or his
brother pay them off they cannot move to another ISP

I know that. I live in Central London but there is always a way out
of the contractual agreement. You just need to call Pig-Bear some
child ****** etc etc and he will report you to BT. BT will have no
option but to cut you off. So they (BT) are unilaterally rescinding
their contractual agreement.

I thought the OP wanted our sympathies for his plight.

 

[Chuck]

Actually, I believe that such a practice was proposed for businesses in the
US, and external wi fi users had to subscribe to the carrier to use the
service. I don't know if there was any real "consideration" given to the
business with the router supplying such service. I just noticed that one of
the local bookstores had such a service, and that it was now a "free"
service.

The intent was obvious on the part of the carriers. Our (now sold) condo in
Florida had a wi fi service hosted by one of the owners. Seems that the
local IP wanted a small fortune to wire the complex, and the local cable
companies preexisting system was "not good enough" to support cable modems.
Running one cable to one unit for a cable modem was a heck of a lot less
expensive.

 

[Anteaus]

One answer is to get another router.

I've never been keen on the idea of someone else being able to 'push'
updates to equipment on my site without my knowledge or consent.

Besides, these BT routers have issues with Intel 2200 wireless adaptors
(which are extremely common)

 

[RJK]

One answer is to get another router.

I've never been keen on the idea of someone else being able to 'push'
updates to equipment on my site without my knowledge or consent.

Besides, these BT routers have issues with Intel 2200 wireless adaptors
(which are extremely common)

Many thanks,

I dorve down there yesterday and fitted an old but hardly ever used, Bewan
adsl modem pci card that has been rattling around here for several years,
and he, (my brother), is now happy because the BT Home Hub has gone back
into its' box ready to be sent back to BT when he dumps them as his ISP in
12 months time ! His broadband appears to be 1.5 mbits faster and is
reporting 7.9 mbits connection speed whereas sthe BT Home Hub was reprting
6.4

So he's no longer annoyed that BT switched the wifi on, and "upgraded" the
firmware in it with a version that had the option to switch wifi on or off
removed, because it's now back in its' box where BT can't get at it !

regards, Richard