0:00:02 > 0:00:06We asked YOU to tell us who's left you feeling ripped-off?
0:00:06 > 0:00:09I think this is very, very, very wrong for what they have done.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13The bank piles charges upon charges upon charges.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14Legally, it was right.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18Morally? That's where the question of doubt comes, in my view.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21And you contacted us in your thousands,
0:00:21 > 0:00:26by post, e-mail, even stopping us in the streets!
0:00:26 > 0:00:28And the message could not be clearer.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31You don't always get a straight answer. They fob you off.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32I'm not happy at all.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35It's always that very small print that's got the clause in
0:00:35 > 0:00:36that you didn't realise.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38We're being ripped off big-time.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Whether it is a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43a simple mistake, or a catch in the small print,
0:00:43 > 0:00:48we'll find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Keep asking the questions. Go to the top if you have to.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54We do get results, that's the interesting thing.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Your stories, your money. This is Rip Off Britain.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Hello, and welcome to Rip Off Britain,
0:01:02 > 0:01:04the program that investigates
0:01:04 > 0:01:07your consumer complaints and battles on your behalf
0:01:07 > 0:01:10to get the answers that you've been fighting for.
0:01:10 > 0:01:11Throughout the series,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14we're shining a light on the companies you've told us about
0:01:14 > 0:01:16that have left you feeling short-changed,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18both big and small organisations.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19And today, well,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22some of the companies that you've contacted us about
0:01:22 > 0:01:23are very big indeed.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Today we're tackling problems to do with your phone
0:01:26 > 0:01:28or your internet connection.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Services provided by some of the country's best-known names.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35But are you always getting what you expect for your money?
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Also coming up on today's programme - we set up our very own pop-up shop
0:01:40 > 0:01:44where you came and told us your consumer concerns.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49The most upsetting thing is that we've lost our telephone number.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Why is that number so important to you?
0:01:51 > 0:01:53We've had it for 35 years.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57And how frustrations at slow broadband connections
0:01:57 > 0:02:00can make you reach boiling point.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02At times I just feel as though
0:02:02 > 0:02:05I want to throw the PC out the window,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07and rip my hair out!
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Now, for many of us, whether it's at work or at home,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14the internet has become an essential part of everyday life.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18In fact, 19 million households are now online.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21But exactly how fast your internet connection will be
0:02:21 > 0:02:22still, I'm afraid, very much depends
0:02:22 > 0:02:25on which part of the country you live in.
0:02:25 > 0:02:26Now, in rural areas especially,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30trying to get online can be frustratingly slow.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34Martin and Diane Verlaine are amongst the people angry about that.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37They don't like the fact that they're paying the same
0:02:37 > 0:02:39as people who enjoy faster speeds.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42And they also reckon that their slow Internet connection
0:02:42 > 0:02:44is actually damaging their business.
0:02:44 > 0:02:50Two years ago, Martin and Diane Verlaine swapped this...
0:02:50 > 0:02:52for this.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55We're both workaholics and we were like ships that pass in the night.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58I was an IT project manager
0:02:58 > 0:03:00and quite often I would do a 48-hour stint.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03I said to Martin that we need to find something else,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06because otherwise we'll cark at our desks
0:03:06 > 0:03:09and the taxman will get all our money.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11We didn't want that,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15so we started looking around for something else we could do.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19And here is that "something" - a holiday cottage business
0:03:19 > 0:03:22tucked away in a beautiful corner of Devon.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27But there's a downside to living in such a remote area -
0:03:27 > 0:03:30the speed of their broadband internet connection,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33which is very slow indeed.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37They've got downloadable lessons now which they haven't had before.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- That's good.- Yeah, it's good,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42but it takes so long to download them
0:03:42 > 0:03:44and for them to play,
0:03:44 > 0:03:48that it's... It's virtually useless.
0:03:48 > 0:03:49Here we go, look.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51See? Goes slow.
0:03:52 > 0:03:59The most that we've ever got is one meg. 1.1, I think.
0:03:59 > 0:04:011.2 at an absolute push,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03but that's when I'm using it at 6.30 in the morning
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and there's no other interference on the line, nobody else using it.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11Martin and Diane don't just need a faster connection for fun,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14they need it for their holiday cottage business,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17so that they can take bookings online.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20We'd like to be able to run the business ourselves,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24but we can't, because we have to rely on the booking agent
0:04:24 > 0:04:27to get the customers in.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30If I can have my own website and I can take my own bookings,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33I need to be able to take payments via the internet.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36I can't do any of that with this kind of broadband speed.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41The problem is that broadband is still a postcode lottery.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43If you live in a big city,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46chances are that you'll have a fast connection.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50In rural areas, where the infrastructure hasn't been upgraded,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53it's likely to be much slower.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57And though Martin and Diane's guests come to get away from it all,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01like the rest of us, they've learned to expect fast internet access
0:05:01 > 0:05:02wherever they are.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06They may be getting five or six-Meg broadband where they are
0:05:06 > 0:05:10and expecting, you know, to be able to have a very similar response
0:05:10 > 0:05:12when they come away.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Unfortunately, you have to tell them, "It's very disappointing.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17"I'm sorry, this is all we can get."
0:05:17 > 0:05:21And what's especially galling for the couple is that
0:05:21 > 0:05:25they still have to pay the same amount to BT as everyone else!
0:05:25 > 0:05:31That's £19 a month for advertised speeds of up to 20 megabits.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35They knew they'd never achieve the highest speeds living here,
0:05:35 > 0:05:40but hadn't imagined it would be as slow and unpredictable as it is.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Or that it would have such an impact.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46I don't think we thought,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49having lived in London and in major towns,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52that to have such a slow broadband connection
0:05:52 > 0:05:56was something that we needed to take into consideration.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58I don't think we believed that it was a situation
0:05:58 > 0:06:00that there wasn't a solution to.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04The couple say the reason BT have given them for the slow connection
0:06:04 > 0:06:07is that they're a long way from the exchange
0:06:07 > 0:06:11and the system uses the original copper wiring.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15And it's not like they can switch to another provider.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Because we have copper wire and there is no fibre optics,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22some companies won't entertain us at all,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24other companies will offer us a service,
0:06:24 > 0:06:28but with no better speed, but costing us much more money -
0:06:28 > 0:06:30almost triple what we're paying now.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32And I can't afford that.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Michael Phillips is the broadband expert
0:06:35 > 0:06:38for the price comparison site Consumer Choices.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40We've ended up in a situation
0:06:40 > 0:06:44where rural people have poor broadband speeds
0:06:44 > 0:06:47because there's never been the investment framework
0:06:47 > 0:06:50to support commercial organisations.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Very few people live in rural communities,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55so there's never been the incentive
0:06:55 > 0:06:58for private companies to make the investment
0:06:58 > 0:07:00to bring those areas up to speed.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Broadband is now one of life's essentials.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05It's like the fourth utility.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09So not having a useful broadband connection
0:07:09 > 0:07:12can be a massive inconvenience on people's lives.
0:07:12 > 0:07:18But that is magnified by an enormous extent for businesses.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22We are a technology economy, we're a service economy,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24so it's almost impossible to operate
0:07:24 > 0:07:27if you don't have a fast broadband connection.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33And that's something the industry regulator, Ofcom, has recognised.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36It's ruled that BT should cut what it charges
0:07:36 > 0:07:39to other suppliers who used its network in rural areas.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43It remains to be seen if this is going to bring more choice
0:07:43 > 0:07:45to people like Martin and Diane,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48but in the meantime, they know what they'd like to see.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51If you're providing a service that's vastly inferior
0:07:51 > 0:07:54than someone in the middle of London can get to people,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56then you have to charge less.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58And until Ofcom, or someone,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01has the power to force British Telecom to do that,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04there will be no movement from where we are.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08BT told Rip Off Britain that their policy has always been
0:08:08 > 0:08:10to give customers an...
0:08:13 > 0:08:15..before they sign up.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18And they say that their pricing is based on...
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Including usage limits and security features.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27They've confirmed that Martin and Diane currently receive the...
0:08:32 > 0:08:35But there is another glimmer of hope on the horizon.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40The government has invested £530 million
0:08:40 > 0:08:42to increase broadband speed.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46Martin and Diane's area is set for improvements next summer.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48The couple hope that that's not too late
0:08:48 > 0:08:50for them to realise their dreams
0:08:50 > 0:08:54and make a success of their business.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56I'm incredibly frustrated by it.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58I can't grow my business
0:08:58 > 0:09:02because I can't offer the services to my customers and my guests
0:09:02 > 0:09:07that they feel - and I feel - they should have.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08I just can't grow my business.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15At a time when money's tighter than ever,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18you need to know that your cash is working hard for you,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21avoiding rip-offs along the way.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23So we've put together a booklet of tips and advice
0:09:23 > 0:09:26to help safeguard your money.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29You can find a link to the free guide on our website.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37Or, to receive a copy in the post, send an A5 self-addressed envelope
0:09:37 > 0:09:41to the address that we'll be giving at the end of the programme.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50The mobile phone - over 30 million are sold in the UK every year.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53The question is, how did we cope without them?
0:09:53 > 0:09:54But what happens if you lose yours?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Well, the latest Home Office figures show that,
0:09:57 > 0:10:02in a 12-month period, 850,000 people have had their mobile phone stolen,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06leaving them not only incommunicado but also out of pocket.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Sam Arnold is a student and he relies heavily on his phone.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14But the 21-year-old doesn't make any calls -
0:10:14 > 0:10:17he only uses it for text messages, because he's severely deaf.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21I constantly use mobile phones, every day,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24and I constantly have them with me all the time,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26because it's very important for me to contact people
0:10:26 > 0:10:28and I can't live without my phone.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31But while studying for his final exams at university,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Sam lost his telephone after a night out with pals.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37The next day, I just noticed
0:10:37 > 0:10:39that I haven't got my phone with me.
0:10:39 > 0:10:44So I contact my mates to say, "Have I left my phone in your house?"
0:10:44 > 0:10:47But the house was a bit messy, so they said they'll find it.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51When the phone wasn't found, his dad, Paul,
0:10:51 > 0:10:53called the mobile provider -
0:10:53 > 0:10:56in this case, Orange - to cancel the contract.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I asked in that normal, casual way, "Has the phone been used?"
0:10:59 > 0:11:01They say, "Yes, the phone has been used."
0:11:01 > 0:11:03They start to reel off the countries -
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Somalia, UAE,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Nigeria, Netherlands...
0:11:09 > 0:11:11I'm sitting there, thinking, "My gosh.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15"This bill is getting bigger every time they say another name."
0:11:15 > 0:11:17So I said, "What's the total bill?"
0:11:17 > 0:11:21They said, "Well, right now, it's up to about £1,450."
0:11:21 > 0:11:24So, of course, I just felt that real knot in my stomach.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27No wonder, because Sam and his dad
0:11:27 > 0:11:29were told it was them that had to foot the bill.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31And that's not unusual.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33If your mobile is lost or stolen,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35it's generally YOU who will be liable
0:11:35 > 0:11:39for the cost of calls made on it up to when you reported the loss.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44Even though, in this case, clearly Sam had not made them.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48When Orange told us to pay £1,452,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51I was a bit, like, in shock,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54because I never make phone calls because I'm deaf.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56He never makes a phone call.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58He just used it for text.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59So surely when a phone moves
0:11:59 > 0:12:02from being text-only to being mainly phone calls,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04surely something should be triggered there?
0:12:04 > 0:12:07So you went to Brussels, Belarus, Greece...
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Paul wonders why the phone company didn't spot the unusual calls
0:12:11 > 0:12:14straight away and let them know about the situation.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16I was actually quite disgusted,
0:12:16 > 0:12:20because how could a bill that is normally about £30, £35,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24jump to £1,500 and there's no communication back?
0:12:24 > 0:12:27They're a communications company!
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Why are they not talking to me?
0:12:29 > 0:12:32You'd think they'd do something. Particularly if it goes from
0:12:32 > 0:12:36just texting to voicing, then wouldn't you do something about that?
0:12:36 > 0:12:37And actually, therefore,
0:12:37 > 0:12:43when it goes from £30 to £60 to £90 to £120, £150, up to £1,500,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46surely you own some responsibility for doing something.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Where are you protecting our rights?
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Orange told us that when unusual usage is flagged up by the system,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56they take appropriate action as and when required.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59But they stress that it's the customer's responsibility
0:12:59 > 0:13:02to tell them as soon as the phone goes missing,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04as only then can they stop calls being charged to an account.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06In this case,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10they say it was two days before they were notified of the phone's loss.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13They recommend their customers use the security PIN on their phones
0:13:13 > 0:13:15to prevent unauthorised loss.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18And they say that situations like this
0:13:18 > 0:13:23could be avoided by requesting a bar on international calls.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Even so, the company did eventually agree
0:13:26 > 0:13:31to cancel the outstanding bill of £1,452.94.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35But Sam and Paul still feel that the calls
0:13:35 > 0:13:37should never have been allowed to get so high.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39It was stressful,
0:13:39 > 0:13:41money was hard to come by,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44to then suddenly have to find £1,500 out of nowhere
0:13:44 > 0:13:46to pay this bill was horrible.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52And I just felt that it just didn't seem right that this should happen.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56If you've had a similar problem
0:13:56 > 0:13:59and you're stuck about what to do next, then worry not.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03We've found an expert to guide you through those choppy waters.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Most mobile phones now give you the functionality
0:14:06 > 0:14:07to set up a PIN to protect it,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10so you've got to key your PIN in before it can be used.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13It's well worth taking advantage and making use of that,
0:14:13 > 0:14:15because if somebody gets hold of your phone,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18it makes it much harder for them to get into it to use it.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Unfortunately, lots of people get shock bills on their mobile -
0:14:24 > 0:14:27they don't realise how it's being used until the bill arrives.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30If this happens, the first thing to say is, don't panic,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33but you do need to dig out the terms of your contract,
0:14:34 > 0:14:35dig out the deal and the tariff that you're on,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37find out exactly what you're being charged for
0:14:37 > 0:14:40and try and identify where the cost has been incurred.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Then you're armed with all the information you need
0:14:43 > 0:14:46and you can then contact your mobile network provider
0:14:46 > 0:14:50and see if they'll refund you the money.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52If you lose your mobile or have it stolen,
0:14:52 > 0:14:53you've got to act quickly,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56because your mobile provider's under no obligation
0:14:56 > 0:14:58to refund any money that's spent on it.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01So as soon as you know that your phone's missing,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03contact your mobile provider.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06It can put a block on it so you don't have to cancel the phone,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09in case you find it again, but that will just protect it
0:15:09 > 0:15:11in case it has fallen into the wrong hands.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Even if you have mobile phone insurance,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18you've still got to notify your mobile provider
0:15:18 > 0:15:20if your phone goes missing or it's stolen.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23So you've got 12 hours from noticing that you've lost your phone
0:15:23 > 0:15:26within which you can contact your network provider.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28You then need to report it to the police
0:15:28 > 0:15:30and get a crime or lost property reference number.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Once you've got those pieces of information
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and you've done that, then's the time to contact the insurer
0:15:35 > 0:15:37and it can start processing the claim.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44Now, earlier in the programme, we met Martin and Diane,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46who were having their patience really tested
0:15:46 > 0:15:48by slow internet speeds.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Well, Michael McCue has contacted us with a similar problem.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54He lives in a small village in the northeast of England
0:15:54 > 0:15:56and relies very heavily on the internet
0:15:56 > 0:15:59to keep him in touch with the rest of the world.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04But the time it takes him to get online is driving him mad!
0:16:04 > 0:16:07In the village of Medomsley
0:16:07 > 0:16:09lives a man named Mike McCue.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14Mike's village has just 300 houses and the nearest big city, Durham,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18is ten miles away, which, most of the time,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21is just the way Mike likes it.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24I prefer living in a rural area, because it's quiet.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28And there's no rush. You've got...
0:16:29 > 0:16:33all the time in the world. Even more so now we're retired.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37But I lived in town. Didn't like it.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Because Mike and his wife have health problems,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43they don't venture out of the house a lot.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48The wife, being an invalid, she can't get about much.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52I get very breathless if I try and do anything.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Walking up to the shop to get the paper,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57I've got to stand there for a couple of minutes,
0:16:57 > 0:16:59getting my breath back before I go in the shop!
0:16:59 > 0:17:03Mike's health problems don't stop him leading a full life
0:17:03 > 0:17:06and these days, the retired bus driver
0:17:06 > 0:17:09uses the internet as his window on the world.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12I think the internet is a marvellous thing.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15It helps you keep in contact with people.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18I'm waiting at the moment to be able to pass on news
0:17:18 > 0:17:22to a lot of my relatives that I've become a great-grandad again.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27Shopping - I find I can get things that I can't normally get locally.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Such as an old-fashioned shaving stick.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34I can get that on the internet.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37I would like to watch films on the internet
0:17:37 > 0:17:41when the wife is down here watching soaps.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45But there's a major snag whenever Mike goes online.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Like Martin and Diane, whom we met earlier,
0:17:49 > 0:17:55Mike gets very frustrated at how slow his internet connection is.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57He pays £17 a month for broadband with BT,
0:17:57 > 0:18:03on a package that promises speeds of up to 20 megabits a second.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07But Mike says his connection falls far short of that figure.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12The trouble with my internet is that it is that slow,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16I cannot watch a lot of the videos.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19And, of course, it keeps on stopping.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23You just give up. You watch a couple of seconds and then it's blank
0:18:23 > 0:18:25for a while, then you watch another couple of seconds.
0:18:25 > 0:18:31So exactly how fast - or slow - is Mike's broadband?
0:18:31 > 0:18:33This is a speed test that I did earlier.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38It says the download speed is just under half a megabit
0:18:38 > 0:18:42on a 20 megabit line.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Although that was 40 times slower
0:18:45 > 0:18:47than the most he could apparently hope for,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49the website told Mike
0:18:49 > 0:18:52THAT speed was normal for his area.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55In fact, anything between 0.04 megabits
0:18:55 > 0:18:58and 0.5 megabits,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01is classed as acceptable where he lives.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03And when he complained to BT,
0:19:03 > 0:19:07they pointed out that the terms and conditions did say
0:19:07 > 0:19:11he would only get, "up to 20 megabits".
0:19:11 > 0:19:12I felt cheated.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15That they couldn't give me the speed that I wanted.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18They say one thing, then give you another
0:19:18 > 0:19:21and say, "Ah, but it says on the small print."
0:19:21 > 0:19:28But you go onto the BT helpdesk, as they call it,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31you check the speed through them,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33and it says this is acceptable.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Unlike Martin and Diane in Devon,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Mike is unlikely to benefit from the government's £530-million pledge
0:19:40 > 0:19:42to improve broadband speeds.
0:19:42 > 0:19:48His area is too far away from the nearest exchange.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52The government's planning to ensure that 90% of homes
0:19:52 > 0:19:58will be able to access a speed of 25 meg across the UK.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00It does mean, though, that 10% of households
0:20:00 > 0:20:04are only going to be working to a promise of 2 meg.
0:20:04 > 0:20:082Mb is a significant improvement on nothing,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11but in terms of being able to watch a video online,
0:20:11 > 0:20:16it's barely able to support something like BBC iPlayer.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19So customers, in 2015, when things will have moved on,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21will still be lagging behind.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26That's bad news for Mike, who hasn't even the option of leaving BT
0:20:26 > 0:20:28and trying another supplier.
0:20:28 > 0:20:29I've looked at the other ones
0:20:29 > 0:20:34and they're all more or less the same.
0:20:34 > 0:20:40It doesn't care what internet service that's in this area,
0:20:40 > 0:20:47there's no other internet service can give you much faster speeds.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50It all comes through BT telephone exchange.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52So what I get, they get.
0:20:52 > 0:20:57BT say they have NOT misled Mike over his speed
0:20:57 > 0:21:01and would never have promised he'd get the full 20 megabits.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05Their pricing isn't just based on speed,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09but they have made some adjustments to make his connection a bit faster.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13He can now receive close to 2 megabits -
0:21:13 > 0:21:17a fastest possible for his area.
0:21:17 > 0:21:23Even so, Mike's still left feeling frustrated every time he logs on.
0:21:23 > 0:21:30At times, I just feel as though I want to throw the PC out the window
0:21:30 > 0:21:33and rip my hair out.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Especially when I'm sat there watching it.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Oh!
0:21:37 > 0:21:39It can be very bad.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48BT says it is committed to expanding its super-fast broadband
0:21:48 > 0:21:50to 90% of the UK by 2015,
0:21:50 > 0:21:56and they're testing new technologies to fill in the final 10%.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59So there is hope for faster connection for Mike -
0:21:59 > 0:22:01but not straight away.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03In the meantime, his speed is now slightly up,
0:22:03 > 0:22:05but as far as he's concerned,
0:22:05 > 0:22:09until he can get the same fast service as everyone else,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12he really doesn't see why he should pay the same price.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18We're here at the Trafford Centre in Manchester where,
0:22:18 > 0:22:23for one weekend, we've opened Rip Off Britain's first pop-up shop.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26We've teamed up with BBC Learning
0:22:26 > 0:22:29who are on hand with numeracy advice.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31And we've a great selection of experts here
0:22:31 > 0:22:34to point people in the right direction.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Mobile and broadband specialist Mike Wilson is expecting a busy desk
0:22:38 > 0:22:42and there's one rip-off he sees quite regularly.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Typically, it's customers who've been put on to packages
0:22:45 > 0:22:48that probably aren't really suitable for them.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Often they pay over the odds, both for broadband and for mobiles.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57It's not long before Mike starts meeting his first customers.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02The most upsetting thing is that we've lost our telephone number.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06As soon as the first provider knocked off our line,
0:23:06 > 0:23:07we've lost the provider.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Why is that telephone number so important to you?
0:23:10 > 0:23:12We've had it for 35 years.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16- I'm complaining about my mobile phone company.- Yeah.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Basically, I've been paying two lots of line rentals since '99.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23On one phone? 'Communications are clearly letting people down,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26as our next case shows.'
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Larry, you're talking to Mike here,
0:23:28 > 0:23:30who's our broadband and telephone expert.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32- What's your problem?- The problem is,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35I received a letter through the post
0:23:35 > 0:23:40offering me a service with television, broadband and telephone
0:23:40 > 0:23:44at a much cheaper rate than I was getting from another company.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48- How much was that going to cost? - £30 a month, according to the blurb I got through the post.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51How much did it end up costing you?
0:23:51 > 0:23:55I began to notice that the bills were saying £57 a month
0:23:55 > 0:23:58before I started paying for anything else.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00What was going on here, Mike?
0:24:00 > 0:24:03What it looks like, is that when Larry signed up for the products,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05they put him on a really expensive package,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07one of the top packages you can get,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11probably more suited to a family of five than Larry and his son.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13- Larry, you're 82 now?- I wish!
0:24:13 > 0:24:19- Add another four and count. - You're 86?- I am, plus.- Right.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21So clearly he didn't need the package
0:24:21 > 0:24:23that was suitable for a family of five.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26I think we'd all hope that the provider would recognise
0:24:26 > 0:24:29if you're on the wrong tariff and get in touch with you.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32But have a look at the bill at the end of the month and say,
0:24:32 > 0:24:34realistically, what am I using?
0:24:34 > 0:24:37A lot of people sign up for TV packages, all singing,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40all dancing, all 900 channels when they don't need half of them.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Check if you're getting charged over your standard package
0:24:43 > 0:24:46and make sure you ask them for an itemised bill
0:24:46 > 0:24:49and where these costs are coming from.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52- Mike, is there anything else we can do for Larry?- Absolutely.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55I'll look at the itemised bills for the telephone package
0:24:55 > 0:24:58and make sure you're on the best deal for you.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- A result.- Very much, yes. - Nice to meet you, Larry.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05- It's been very nice. - Arrivederci!- Arrivederci.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Coming up - want to make some money from your old mobile phone?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Lots of people do, but here's one Rip-Off viewer who's been
0:25:18 > 0:25:22left hanging on by one particular phone recycling company.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26I'm pretty disgusted. I think I've been ripped off.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Today, we've been hearing from people
0:25:31 > 0:25:34who feel they've been slightly left behind
0:25:34 > 0:25:36by the phone and broadband companies,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38not able to communicate as fast as they'd like to.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40And that's how things used to be
0:25:40 > 0:25:44for the residents of the small fishing village of Robin Hood's Bay
0:25:44 > 0:25:45on the Yorkshire coast.
0:25:45 > 0:25:46But not any more.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49They got so fed up of being told they couldn't get broadband,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52they decided to do something about it.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56This is Robin Hood's Bay on the North Yorkshire coast.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59For years, this seaside village
0:25:59 > 0:26:04simply had no access to a broadband internet connection -
0:26:04 > 0:26:07until the residents took matters into their own hands.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11A local businessman, Cliff Southcombe, kicked things off
0:26:11 > 0:26:14after realising his old-school dial-up connection
0:26:14 > 0:26:17just wasn't coping with his business needs.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19People were using the internet more,
0:26:19 > 0:26:23businesses were using email, Skype, those sort of things.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25So if things didn't change quickly,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27we would be in trouble.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31Worried that without broadband, his business could suffer,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Cliff began looking for a solution.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38I spotted that there was a government-run scheme
0:26:38 > 0:26:42to try and encourage broadband in the region
0:26:42 > 0:26:46and a number of businesses were being offered free broadband
0:26:46 > 0:26:49through a satellite dish for a year.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51I applied and was fortunate enough
0:26:51 > 0:26:53to be one of the ones lucky enough to get it.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55And he loved having it.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57But, as the end of that free year approached,
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Cliff was left with two big problems.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03One was that, at the end of the year,
0:27:03 > 0:27:07I - or our business - was going to have to pay for that.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11And even at a cut rate, it was about £260 a month
0:27:11 > 0:27:13for the broadband.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16And secondly, it wasn't a good position
0:27:16 > 0:27:18to be the only one in the village with broadband.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21That was something that didn't seem fair.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Cliff got together with some of the other locals
0:27:24 > 0:27:27and together they came up with the answer.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32They formed a cooperative company and used the technical know-how of a couple of residents
0:27:32 > 0:27:34to build their own broadband network
0:27:34 > 0:27:37using a system of boxes and aerials
0:27:37 > 0:27:38that could bounce the signal
0:27:38 > 0:27:41from one central point to everyone in the village.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Their ramshackle system worked a treat.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48When, a few years later, BT installed an advanced telephone line,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50they were able to use that
0:27:50 > 0:27:53to iron out the final few problems.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Another plus point was that, having Wi-Fi round the village,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59we have a lot of visitors coming to Robin Hood's Bay,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01so they could pick up broadband as well.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04And it provides a nice income for the cooperative as well
0:28:04 > 0:28:07to help us keep the prices down for those people who live here.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10In fact, the cooperative charges users
0:28:10 > 0:28:12just £5 a month for the service
0:28:12 > 0:28:15and it seems to be going from strength to strength.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Other broadband services have since become available in the area,
0:28:18 > 0:28:22but many prefer to stick with the home-grown provider.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24It's cheap, reliable,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26always looking to extend and improve.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28The next thing we're looking at
0:28:28 > 0:28:31is the link to the fibre-optic cable in Whitby.
0:28:31 > 0:28:36We need to do that via a relay over the hill at High Normanby.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39And any customer service issues
0:28:39 > 0:28:41can easily be dealt with over a pint at the pub.
0:28:41 > 0:28:46Internet just didn't exist before we all got together.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Downloading a web page and you could go and have a cup of coffee
0:28:50 > 0:28:51and read the newspaper.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Uploading web pages was a terrible business.
0:28:54 > 0:28:59You hardly ever did it because it took so long.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Having broadband installed,
0:29:02 > 0:29:03it's a lot easier.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08You can go onto different information sites, er, even news,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11you can get up-to-date news instantly, it's there.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14What the locals have achieved here
0:29:14 > 0:29:17is something they think could easily be copied elsewhere.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20With a bit of determination and know-how,
0:29:20 > 0:29:24they've shown that, even if you have to do it yourself,
0:29:24 > 0:29:29it is possible to get online, even in the unlikeliest of places.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Now, what happens to your old mobile phone
0:29:36 > 0:29:39when you abandon them for a newer, smarter, cleverer model?
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Well, sadly, not much at all.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45There's thought to be a staggering 80 million old handsets
0:29:45 > 0:29:47lying forgotten in our homes,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50and if that seems a complete waste,
0:29:50 > 0:29:52you can understand why companies offering
0:29:52 > 0:29:56to recycle your old mobile have become so very popular.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00You can get rid of your old handset and earn cashback at the same time.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04But when Mark Colby chose a company called Skyphones
0:30:04 > 0:30:05to recycle his phone,
0:30:05 > 0:30:08things did not go according to plan.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13H's Cafe in Kent is a favourite with bikers.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17We asked some of them what they do with their old mobile phones.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21I put them in a drawer, forget about them,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23or pass them on to family, friends, or the kids.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26If not, they stay in there until they get thrown away.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28I do have a couple of mobile phones at home,
0:30:28 > 0:30:31just on the side, just in case I need them again.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35I've got lots of mobile phones at home, just keep them in a drawer.
0:30:35 > 0:30:36Don't ever recycle them.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40Our bikers could be missing out on some cash
0:30:40 > 0:30:42by NOT selling their handsets
0:30:42 > 0:30:44to a mobile phone recycling company.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46A growing number of people do
0:30:46 > 0:30:49via websites that offer to buy your old phone
0:30:49 > 0:30:53for sometimes very tempting prices.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56But Rip Off Britain has had complaints
0:30:56 > 0:30:59that some of these companies don't pay as much as they promise,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03and one name in particular, Skyphones, came up again and again.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09Mark Colby is one of the people who has contacted us about them.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13Father of two, and seriously addicted to biking,
0:31:13 > 0:31:17Mark spends lots of time and money on Baby,
0:31:17 > 0:31:18his pride and joy.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20And he likes nothing better
0:31:20 > 0:31:23than to be taken for a ride, but NOT when it comes to his cash!
0:31:29 > 0:31:32Mark uses his phone a lot, and when he decided
0:31:32 > 0:31:34that it was time for an upgrade,
0:31:34 > 0:31:36he wanted to recycle his old phone.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40I looked on a compare website and that's where I found Skyphones.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44They had the best price for my phone, about £30,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46which sounded good to me.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49So Mark packed his old phone off,
0:31:49 > 0:31:53eagerly awaiting the £30 that would soon come his way.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55He waited, but nothing happened.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58And then he received an e-mail.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01The e-mail just said it had a few scratches on the screen
0:32:01 > 0:32:05and on the...casing
0:32:05 > 0:32:10and that they were going to send me an undisclosed reduced amount
0:32:10 > 0:32:13for the phone.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16And if I wanted the phone to come back to me, I'd have to pay £12
0:32:16 > 0:32:18for them to send it back.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24Like most phone recycling companies, Skyphones reduces its payments
0:32:24 > 0:32:27for phones that it claims have scratches or other damage,
0:32:27 > 0:32:31which surprised Mark, who says that when he sent his phone off,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34it was fine. But what really made him mad
0:32:34 > 0:32:37was that they didn't say how much they'd now be paying,
0:32:37 > 0:32:42and if he wasn't happy, he'd have to pay to get the phone back!
0:32:42 > 0:32:44I e-mailed them again, stressing my unhappiness
0:32:44 > 0:32:48and disgust in the way they were handling it,
0:32:48 > 0:32:52and the amount of time it took for them to respond,
0:32:52 > 0:32:56and also why they would have to charge me this £12
0:32:56 > 0:32:59for me to get my phone back if I wanted it back.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03From that point onwards, alarm bells started to ring.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06They sent me an e-mail back, not addressing any issues at all,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09just telling me they would be sending me out
0:33:09 > 0:33:12an undisclosed amount within 14-21 days.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14It seemed like an automated e-mail to me.
0:33:16 > 0:33:21But the 21 days came and went, and Mark had heard nothing.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25I e-mailed again, basically asking where the cheque was,
0:33:25 > 0:33:31I hadn't received it and I said that I may take this further
0:33:31 > 0:33:35if I don't hear anything within the next 14 days.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39I didn't hear anything from there onwards.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43- About 12 weeks now and I still haven't received anything. - And he probably never will.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Because, it seems, Skyphones, and its sister company Fone Craze,
0:33:47 > 0:33:49have ceased trading.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53After receiving almost 240 complaints,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Trading Standards is now investigating the companies.
0:33:56 > 0:34:01But it's little consolation to Mark - he didn't get any cash
0:34:01 > 0:34:03and THEY still have his phone.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06I'm pretty disgusted. I think I've been ripped off.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14We tried to contact Skyphones for an explanation, but our letters
0:34:14 > 0:34:19were returned and they didn't answer any calls or e-mails.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21If you're interested in recycling your phone,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24here's Dominic Balachevsky from Mobile Choices with some advice.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Mobile phone recycling is a growing market place
0:34:28 > 0:34:31with lots of companies offering the service.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33It's an environmentally friendly way
0:34:33 > 0:34:35to get rid of your old, unwanted phone
0:34:35 > 0:34:38and it's also a way to pocket a few extra pounds as well.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41When recycling your phone, it's important to shop around
0:34:41 > 0:34:44because prices vary substantially between one site and the next.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46It's also useful to use a comparison site,
0:34:46 > 0:34:51as that will help you do your homework in finding the best deal.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53But make sure to check with the site directly
0:34:53 > 0:34:55as you'll find the latest price,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58and also details and terms and conditions
0:34:58 > 0:35:01as to how much they'll pay or what they'll knock off if your phone is damaged
0:35:01 > 0:35:05or if there's something slightly wrong with it.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08A reputable company will be a member of the CheckMEND Service.
0:35:08 > 0:35:09This is designed to prevent phones
0:35:09 > 0:35:11being sold to the second-hand markets
0:35:11 > 0:35:13if they are declared as stolen
0:35:13 > 0:35:15or have been claimed on insurance beforehand.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20Before sending your phone off,
0:35:20 > 0:35:22it's always worth taking a picture of it.
0:35:22 > 0:35:23That way you'll have proof
0:35:23 > 0:35:26as to exactly what condition it was in before sending.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28Take a picture of the front and the back
0:35:28 > 0:35:30to show what the surround is like,
0:35:30 > 0:35:32and also with the phone on to prove that it works.
0:35:36 > 0:35:41Most sites will offer you a pre-paid postal envelope, although a lot of times these aren't padded.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44It's always worth popping to your local stationer's
0:35:44 > 0:35:45to pick up some bubble wrap
0:35:45 > 0:35:48to make sure that you can wrap your phone safely and securely.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50Also, wrap it with plenty of Sellotape
0:35:50 > 0:35:52and mark "Fragile" on the packaging
0:35:52 > 0:35:56to ensure that it gets a smooth ride in the postal system.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00When it comes to actually posting the phone, I would recommend opting
0:36:00 > 0:36:02for next-day or special delivery
0:36:02 > 0:36:04because that way you can track your parcel
0:36:04 > 0:36:07and it's insured should it get lost in the postal system.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09If you are offered a reduced price
0:36:09 > 0:36:13because your handset is slightly damaged, it's worth making sure
0:36:13 > 0:36:16that you decline the offer if you're not happy with it immediately,
0:36:16 > 0:36:18as some sites will assume
0:36:18 > 0:36:21that if they haven't heard from you within two to three days
0:36:21 > 0:36:22that you're happy to go ahead.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27In today's programme, we've been hearing from people
0:36:27 > 0:36:31who feel really frustrated with their broadband services,
0:36:31 > 0:36:34and in some cases feel totally ripped off.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Well, I've come to Ofcom in London to meet Stuart McIntosh
0:36:37 > 0:36:40to see if he's got any encouraging solutions.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Stuart, I'm very glad you could join us on the programme.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Obviously, most of us depend on the internet these days
0:36:47 > 0:36:49for business, for pleasure.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52And yet, we've been looking at the rural side of it and I think
0:36:52 > 0:36:54that a lot of the rural customers
0:36:54 > 0:36:57are really left out in the cold a bit with very slow broadband.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01So it seems a bit unfair, really, doesn't it?
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Well, there are technical constraints
0:37:03 > 0:37:06on what you can deliver over telecommunications networks.
0:37:06 > 0:37:07And in most rural locations,
0:37:07 > 0:37:11people tend to live quite far from the telephone exchange.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13That really is the determining factor.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16If you live more than say, two, or two and a half miles away
0:37:16 > 0:37:18from the telephone exchange,
0:37:18 > 0:37:20you will see a degradation in your service.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Many people have been in touch to say that they go along,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26they get a package to say, for X number of pounds,
0:37:26 > 0:37:32you will get 20 megabits and yet there they are, with maybe only 2 megabits.
0:37:32 > 0:37:33That seems grossly unfair.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36Yes, I can well understand consumers' frustration over that.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39And it is partly a reflection, unfortunately,
0:37:39 > 0:37:40of the underlying economics.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Communications networks depend on scale.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47If you have a very large number of customers and density,
0:37:47 > 0:37:49if you have them all together in the one place,
0:37:49 > 0:37:53you can build a network which is relatively low-cost.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55So that's what large towns and cities are like.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58If you look at rural locations, however,
0:37:58 > 0:37:59people do tend to be spread out
0:37:59 > 0:38:01and they do tend to be smaller in number.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03What that unfortunately means
0:38:03 > 0:38:06is that the average cost of providing the service
0:38:06 > 0:38:07is actually higher.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11It is a bit like buying a first-class ticket and having to go steerage.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13It doesn't work, in a way.
0:38:13 > 0:38:14It goes back a little bit
0:38:14 > 0:38:18to the actual cost of upgrading those networks, which is very high.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Let me give you some illustrative numbers.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25To provide higher speed services in most of the urban locations,
0:38:25 > 0:38:29BT is spending somewhere in the region of £2.5 billion,
0:38:29 > 0:38:32- that is what they're spending. - Billion?- Billion, yes.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Virgin Media have also spent quite considerable amounts
0:38:35 > 0:38:38in order to upgrade their networks.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42To achieve similar speeds in the rural parts of the UK,
0:38:42 > 0:38:44will take multiples of that,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47simply because the costs are quite a bit higher.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50So what you are saying is, you have to bite the bullet
0:38:50 > 0:38:52and wait until all these improvements happen.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56Bite the bullet a little, but hopefully, it will not be too long.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57The other factor is
0:38:57 > 0:39:01that because government is putting up some quite significant money,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05the government has already committed over half a billion pounds
0:39:05 > 0:39:07to a programme to promote the development
0:39:07 > 0:39:12of much higher speed broadband services in rural locations -
0:39:12 > 0:39:14that will help keep the prices down
0:39:14 > 0:39:15so they are more comparable
0:39:15 > 0:39:18with the prices which apply in urban locations.
0:39:18 > 0:39:19Just to sum it all up,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23what would you say to our viewers who are very frustrated, very angry,
0:39:23 > 0:39:25if they are not getting their service,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27what hope would you give them for the future?
0:39:27 > 0:39:29If you're unhappy with the service today,
0:39:29 > 0:39:32do not assume that that's the best you can get.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34There may be some technical things in relation to -
0:39:34 > 0:39:37you may be able to buy a small £5 filter, for example,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40which will improve things. Secondly,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43it could well be that there is something specific to your line.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45So you need to check that.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48The third thing is, make sure that you are up-to-date
0:39:48 > 0:39:50with all the options available to you.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53There are a number of sites which we have accredited
0:39:53 > 0:39:56where consumers can go and check the services
0:39:56 > 0:39:59which are available in their location,
0:39:59 > 0:40:01check the prices, the speed.
0:40:01 > 0:40:02So if you do all those things,
0:40:02 > 0:40:06it may well be that you can get a better service at a better price.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09And in the long run, be assured that a lot of billions
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- are going into improving the service. - Absolutely.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15And we can expect within relatively short order,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18within 2 to 3 years' time, to see a further revolution
0:40:18 > 0:40:20in the provision of broadband services in the UK.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23- And if all else fails, I'm going to ring you!- Please do.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29Here at Rip Off Britain,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35Confused over your bills?
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Trying to wade through endless small print
0:40:38 > 0:40:39that leaves you none the wiser?
0:40:39 > 0:40:41I might have been stupid for not reading it,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44or I've read it and not took it in.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46I could kick myself. I really could.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out,
0:40:50 > 0:40:54and that so-called great deal has ended up costing you money?
0:40:54 > 0:40:56I thought, "This cannot be true."
0:40:56 > 0:40:59It's totally unacceptable. I was so angry.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02You might have a cautionary tale of your own,
0:41:02 > 0:41:04and want to share the mistakes you made with us,
0:41:04 > 0:41:06so others don't do the same.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09No-one knows about this
0:41:09 > 0:41:10so this is very, very strange to me
0:41:10 > 0:41:13and I really would like to get this much clearer.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15You can write to us at -
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Or send us an e-mail to -
0:41:31 > 0:41:36The Rip Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:41:39 > 0:41:40And that is it for today.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42But we can all learn something
0:41:42 > 0:41:45from the locals we saw earlier in Robin Hood's Bay.
0:41:45 > 0:41:46Didn't they do very well?
0:41:46 > 0:41:48If you are unhappy with service,
0:41:48 > 0:41:50not just from your broadband supplier,
0:41:50 > 0:41:52but anyone you do business with,
0:41:52 > 0:41:55then for goodness sake, do something about it.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58At the very least, speak up and complain, is what we always say.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00Absolutely. Make your voices heard.
0:42:00 > 0:42:01Meanwhile, we are rather hoping
0:42:01 > 0:42:04that the government's plans to upgrade most of us
0:42:04 > 0:42:07to the fastest broadband system in Europe,
0:42:07 > 0:42:09is going to signal an end to the sort of problems
0:42:09 > 0:42:11that you've been telling us about today.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14But do let us know how things pan out in your area.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17And also, if it looks like the communications revolution
0:42:17 > 0:42:19is leaving you behind.
0:42:19 > 0:42:20In the meantime, do join us again
0:42:20 > 0:42:23when we will be investigating more of your stories
0:42:23 > 0:42:27and showing you how to avoid being ripped off. Till next time, goodbye.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29- Bye-bye.- From all of us, bye-bye.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:42:51 > 0:42:54E-mail: subtitling@bbc.co.uk