topic Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies? in Broadband & Landline

EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

MBEE — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 11:56:45 GMT

COOL STORY BRO! 😄

Here goes...

My EE standard non-fibre broadband contract which has risen from £23 to £27 monthly over the last 2 years is up at the end of the month so I called in early last week to renew as it'll rise to £29 once I'm out of contract; I've been with EE / Orange for 16 years but the best they'd offer was the same as I was seeing under the current Summer sale online, which is standard fibre for £24 monthly or fibre plus for £26 monthly; they did offer me the first month free however. They agreed to call me back on the Friday whilst I gave it a thought but no one ever did.

Meantime, I got an email 2 days ago reminding me I'm about to go out of contract offering me renewal of my standard non-fibre broadband at £26 monthly or standard fibre at £31 monthly, no mention of fibre plus. Obviously these prices are nowhere near as good as I was offered previously so I ring back and get offered £24 fibre, £27 fibre plus (slightly higher and no free month offered this time) OR £21 standard non-fibre. I agree this last option with the agent as our standard non-fibre has been doing us fine all this time, still perfectly happy with it.

Agent then puts me on hold (not sure why), comes back on and tells me both his manager and indeed EE's systems are no longer letting him renew my standard non-fibre contract; very sorry and I should never have been offered it over the phone or email; I get told all this is because Openreach are actively trying to retire standard non-fibre connections in my area with a view to getting everyone onto fibre.

This strikes me as sales tactics, so I politely explain that being coerced into a 2 year fibre contract I neither need nor want doesn't sit well with me, especially given there's no EE fibre max in my area, whilst the very highly regarded Box broadband have already offered me 100mbps or 300mbps symmetrical FTTP at £20 and £23 monthly respectively (plus one whole year free to make up for any early exit fees should I need to break contract early with EE!), speeds which frankly wipe the floor with all the current EE offerings. I explain that at this point, I'm minded to simply allow my contract to run out and see what happens after month end as my current price will 'only' rise by £2. I'm betting Openreach aren't simply going to cut my non-fibre broadband off. Agent says he understands but there is nothing more he can do and suggests I watch for any further emails over the next couple of weeks which may provide some alternatives.

After the call, I have another look at my address on the EE online broadband checker and lo and behold, all special prices are gone, even though the Summer sale is still on at time of writing!

I guess if EE can't clarify and make this shambles right I'll be directing all this to Ofcom, as I was misinformed via both email and phone.

If anyone from EE Community Support wants to send me a PM and take this on, or arrange a callback for me, I'm all ears! 🙂

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

XRaySpeX — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 12:49:05 GMT

@MBEE wrote:

I get told all this is because Openreach are actively trying to retire standard non-fibre connections in my area with a view to getting everyone onto fibre.

Even the EE Fibre & Fibre Plus you've been offered are delivered over a copper landline & are no diff in this respect from the standard ADSL BB that you have.

What does BT Wholesale Broadband Availability Checker estimate for your phone number? Post just the whole table and the line above it, blanking out your phone number. If it doesn't recognise your phone number or you don't have one, use the Address Checker.

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

Christopher_G — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:19:26 GMT

Hi @MBEE

I'm sorry to hear of your experience. The online address checker should tell you exactly what's available in your area. If the person you spoke to were able to put that offer through for you, I'm sure they would have.

If you would like to discuss this further, or form a complaint, I'd recommend getting in touch with our Mobile Care team. There is a form for complaints on our website too. The complaints team will look into it and contact you back.

Chris

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

Mustrum — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:35:25 GMT

@MBEE the answer will become clearer from the results of the BTW Checker in @XRaySpeX post.

The PSTN (phone system) is due to close by the end of 2025, and many exchanges will be closed before then.

Whilst your broadband is delivered over copper wires, it comes all the way from the exchange, whereas FTTC will come from a local cabinet, hence is different to what you have. My guess is your exchange is closing hence why you are not being offered ADSL. I also guess you don't use your phone?

HTH

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

MBEE — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:48:10 GMT

Nice checker link, not used before! Table below; it even shows my proper max download speed, up to around 20mb which is what I tend to get in practice and what I see in my router settings and speed tests, although my official estimates from EE are only around half that.

Re. the FTTP = not available: it's not available to my front door for now, however there is what looks like a new Box broadband cabinet nearby and lots of their black boxes mounted on the phone masts with brand new cabling up to them within spitting distance. Lots of engineers about over the last year. I was told they're liaising with Openreach over a 'collapsed conduit' which is to be fixed imminently; allegedly..!

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

MBEE — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:51:57 GMT

Thanks @Christopher_G and @Mustrum ; as @XRaySpeX mentions, I am aware I am currently on FTTC copper.

Yes, I do have a phoneline which is connected but no, don't use it!

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

XRaySpeX — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:55:31 GMT

No, you're not on FTTC but on ADSL BB (both are copper to the home).

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

MBEE — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 14:16:09 GMT

OK, so I'm on copper one way or the other; I've been happy with copper thus far and again, none of this changes the facts that I was misinformed over both phone and email, nobody from CS got back to me as promised and I can no longer see any existing customer sale prices (see pic).

If I could renew to fibre for £24 OR copper for £21, I probably would still but CS aren't ringing back.

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

XRaySpeX — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 14:51:01 GMT

What does it offer you from your MyEE for BB under Change your broadband plan ?

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

MBEE — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:19:57 GMT

£28 fibre, £31 fibre plus, so exact same as last post, unfortunately.

This is nowhere to be seen:

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

Mustrum — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:58:11 GMT

@MBEE if/when you do speak to them again it might be worth motioning than PN currently have an offer for standard 36Mbps fibre for £24.99 / month as you speak to them nicely. 😎

Also EE do SOGEA which is FTTC without the voice element which used to offer a £2/month saving on standard FTTC.

Should be worth another call to the Broadband Care Team.

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

XRaySpeX — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 16:34:37 GMT

@Mustrum wrote:
Also EE do SOGEA which is FTTC without the voice element which used to offer a £2/month saving on standard FTTC.

EE's advertised prices for fibre are for no landline services. With landline would be another £2.28 extra.

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

MBEE — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 13:56:42 GMT

It was, in the end: managed to bag the original fibre plus at the £26 monthly which I'd seen the week before, with a month free to boot. I got rid of the landline and have just been sent a new Smart router (which I thought was for Fibre Max plans only but maybe not?). Anyway, thanks all!

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

Mustrum — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 14:00:23 GMT

Great stuff @MBEE thanks for letting us know, and glad you got a decent result.

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

EAM2 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 15:04:52 GMT

I have the same problem - I've been an Orange/EE customer for years on Standard broadband which serves my needs adequately. Cost has gone up to £26.25 per month and I'm out of contract in about 5 weeks. When I go onto Upgrade Plan , it says I have to go onto a Full Fibre plan FFTP. The cheapest option is for 100Mb (more than I require) foe £27 for EE mobile customer, which I'm not, or £30 for new customers, which I'm nt. There is no option for longstanding broadband customers! So, I went to an EE store to see what they could offer. Again, they said i would have to take a Full Fibre option and offered me the 100Mb.....for £35 per month! So much for customer loyalty. I guess I'm off to find a deal elsewhere.

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

XRaySpeX — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 15:21:52 GMT

@EAM2 : What does BT Wholesale Broadband Availability Checker estimate for your phone number? Post just the whole table and the line above it, blanking out your phone number. If it doesn't recognise your phone number or you don't have one, use the Address Checker.

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

EAM2 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:12:31 GMT

I had a Live Chat with EE - they can offer 100Mb for £30 per month, as per new customer.

I know FTTP is available - I just don't need it as I have no smart devices. The can also offer 36Mb for £27.

Time to look around elsewhere, I think

Re: EE Broadband renewal - Mistake, misinformation or lies?

XRaySpeX — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:16:33 GMT

You should be able to get up to 80 Meg EE Fibre & Fibre + (FTTC/VDSL2) w/out Landline there.