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Hanging on the telephone - again
Chorley woman Lynne Lancaster is outraged at being cut off from the internet for the second time – but delighted to be back online after the Consumer Champion intervened.
The 52-year-old, of Chorley Road, Withnell, first got in touch with the Champ in October last year after getting cut off from BT broadband following a dispute over a 37.85 bill, which the Champ managed to get written off.
The college tutor says she relies on the internet to help do her job and was devastated after encountering problems when she switched to internet provider Supanet.
She asked for a 9.99 a month broadband deal in April but has not been able to get on to the web.
Such is her desperation she considered changing provider for a third time, but decided to approach the Champ first.
Ms Lancaster asked Supanet to release a MAC code, which she needed to pass on to any new internet service provider, but that proved easier said than done.
She said: "The procedure was for me to ring the Supanet customer service number to get a MAC code and all you hear is a crackling noise and no person on the other line.
"Then I wrote a letter explaining that I was unhappy and that I wanted the MAC code, but they just wrote back saying I had to phone the service number.
"If you can't cancel then they can keep charging you."
The Consumer Champion got in touch with Supanet and managed to get Ms Lancaster back online.
A spokesman for Supanet, which is based in Bolton, said: "We strive to offer excellent and fair service to all of our customers and I recently wrote to Ms Lancaster to address her issues which were raised in a complaint received by Ofcom.
"In the letter dated August 8, I gave Ms Lancaster a free phone number to call to discuss the issue and advised only a BT Openreach engineer was able to determine whether she was able to get the broadband service or not and we would need to arrange an engineer visit prior to cancelling her account without charge.
"We received no calls to the free phone number and I can confirm we have had no issues with this line.
"On August 13 we received a second complaint from Ofcom regarding Ms Lancaster's difficulties obtaining a MAC code.
"A letter was sent on August 15 stating a cancellation had been processed and a MAC code would be sent within five working days as per Ofcom's regulations.
"Ms Lancaster was also advised she would be held to the remaining months of her contract as she had not allowed us to book an engineer visit.
"We are trying to resolve Ms Lancaster's complaint to her satisfaction."
If you have a similar problem write to Otelo, The Telecommunications Ombudsman, PO Box 730, Warrington, WA4 6WU or call 01925 430049.
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Weather for Chorley
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
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Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
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