[jambutty]

I just got my phone bill this morning and I was astounded to discover that BT are charging me $4.50 for presenting me with the bill and processing the payment when I make it or as they put it – “This charge has been made by BT Payment Services Ltd for processing your payment.” TALK ABOUT A RIP OFF! I vaguely remember reading something about this charge on Ceefax but I wasn’t sure if it was true or not.

So take it as read that the next few lines are filled with every expletive that you have ever heard of.

OK! I’m calm now and only quietly fuming.

Yet another Quango Otelo (Otelo is the Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman. Our job is to sort out disagreements between public communications providers and their customers.) has very unhelpful office hours of Monday to Friday only but they do have a web site at www.otelo.org.uk However they are a fat load of use because they won’t get involved until 12 weeks have passed since your complaint to BT and that 12 weeks starts AFTER BT have not addressed the issue in question.

Contacting BT to lodge a complaint about this charge is easy enough except the lines are always busy and you are left in the ever present queue. But no worries you can keep your place in the queue and get them to ring you back when your turn comes simply by tapping in your phone number. Fine except that bit of the system doesn’t work or at least it didn’t today.

Time to kick BT into touch and find someone else to supply my telephone requirements.