kinkysluts.be

Yes, I am an unhappy Belgacom customer. For foreign visitors, Belgacom is one of the 2 big players on the Belgian market providing Digital TV and other telecom solutions to customers and companies. This isn't the worst part yet, as it was formerly state owned, so it is undoubtedly an organizational mess. As I wanted to have Digital TV, I looked at several possibilities. - Telenet Digital: My appartement cable lines are too old - TV Vlaanderen: I needed to drill some holes through solid concrete which is highly impractical. - Belgacom TV: I had already a ADSL line provided by Scarlet (one of Belgacom daughter firms). So I couldn't just switch providers (Belgacom TV obliges you also to take an ADSL line with Belgacom.) This dilemma in mind, I visited Vandenborre, which is one of the main electronic and hifi stores in Belgium and explained them my problem. They advised me to take the Belgacom TV option although I had a contract with another provider lasting still 9 months. They convinced me that the subscription and contract with Scarlet would not be a problem as Scarlet was a daughter firm of Belgacom (the contract would simply be taken over. ). I verified the request form which stated especially: "Customer has an active DSL line (Scarlet) which should be taken over". The salesman also gives me the advise to recheck with Belgacom that the takeover will be done (contact support and verify state) As I still had time to think about the subscription, I first wanted to be sure the last mention was certain. I called Belgacom themselves (Mom always said, never trust salesmen ;-) ) to reverify my request and check that they know about the active Scarlet line. I especially state it is an active line and the contract obliges me to stay 9 further months. The very nice Belgacom lady gives me the info that my request was already received and that the provider will be notified. Furthermore Belgacom would take over the contract so I would not be breaching the Scarlet contract. I should not worry about anything and all Scarlet communication can be ignored. My Belgacom TV gets installed, which is done quite professionaly (something I cannot complain of) and the subscription is activated. One month later I received a first invoice of Scarlet which I ignored. Two months later the warning came in together with a second invoice. I found this quite weird so I contacted Belgacom to recheck what is the status. The response is again reassuring. In my naivety, I thought all these phone calls were handled and that actions were taking course but this was not the case at all. 2 months later I receive a final warning of Scarlet. Believing, I don't have to worry, I pay the open note for Scarlet. (Naive I know) Enraged I call Belgacom Support which apparently has no clue what I am talking about. Apparently my file states that the request has been send. I made sure she understood I was sick and tired of this situation and wanted a solid solution in the following days. 1 month later (yes it was a year full of travelling and excitement) no response and again invoices coming in. I have sent quite a polite letter to Belgacom and Scarlet at the end of May which both received the next morning (I have the receive slips). Scarlet immediately (the next morning) informed me: My subscription was being Cancelled. JOY! Belgacom answered only 3 weeks later in a totally other way than expected: A summary of the discussion: The women did not know any details of my contract, accused me of lying. Did not check my file, and did not even check the Service desk logs (she did not find calls from my fixed number, I have no fixed number). Belgacom has not even my installation request copy. This was smalltalk compared to the rest. As Belgacom did 'not' know about this issue, they could not do anything about it. The woman that called didn't even know what Scarlet was and said they never had communication with them, although she also confirmed me the line with Scarlet was terminated (hmmm how would they know...). In the end all she could say to me in a raw and very impolite manner is that the contract should be followed, that I owed money to Scarlet and they could not do anything about it as she didn't know what Scarlet was. She blabbered on that the salesman had no right to give that promise, that the telesupport should have told me that this was not possible. The next question I had was, how come Belgacom has taken over a subscription line of another company without having contact with them or any of the companies contacting me. She could not answer me this question. Anyway the b*tch told me that I was too late to complain. I had to call the support service in a 3 month timeframe after the request for installation. (I called Belgacom already 3 times for this problem in that timeframe). The only thing she could offer was a commercial settlement. I answered: "as you state you haven't done anything wrong, why would you give me a settlement".... She ended the conversation I have contacted the Belgian Ombudsdienst (government watchdog) and I will see what options I have in this discussion. I will stay with Belgacom until the end of my year's contract. I will change my provider to Dommel and TV-Vlaanderen. Yes I will drill through concrete, I honestly don't care anymore!