BT, Sky and Virgin users get 48-hour broadband reminder - don't ignore it
With Storm Isha wreaking havoc across the UK now is a good time to get up to speed if something goes wrong with your broadband. Homes across the country have been hit by power outages and although Britain's internet infrastructure appears to have held up well against the battering, experts have issued useful advice to anyone affected by annoying outages.
Even if your Wi-Fi has survived the storm, the best part about these latest tips is that they can be used at any time throughout the year should things grind to a halt.
"Millions of Brits will be waking up this morning to see the effects of Storm Isha, and for broadband customers, it could mean experiencing problems with your connection", said Alex Tofts, broadband expert at Broadband Genie.
“This will be particularly frustrating to home workers who rely on a speedy connection and cannot afford to take time off work because of outages."
The first top tip from Tofts is to check that it's actually your supplier that is having issues and it's not simply an error in your home or a power cut in our street.
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“If your internet is not working, make sure it’s a genuine broadband outage before contacting your provider. You can also do a speed test to see if the speeds you are receiving are what you would normally expect," Tofts explained.
“Firstly, rule out the possibility of a power cut in your area or an issue with your router. Social media channels and services such as Downdetector can also be useful to see if other users are experiencing difficulties."
If you have no broadband, you can connect to the web using your 4G/5G phone. Then head to your Internet Service Providers (ISPs) status page and see what's going on. If an outage is confirmed it's a good idea to log the time and date as you could find you get compensation.
Most ISPs will dish out automatic repayments after a 48-hour stoppage but you might find you can get money back after 24 hours as well.
“You may be entitled to compensation if you are experiencing an outage caused by a fault with their equipment. In order to qualify, you first have to report that your broadband or landline service is not working," Tofts explained.
“If the service is not fixed after two working days, you would automatically qualify for compensation and shouldn’t need to contact your provider to receive that."
In a post on its website Virgin Media explained more about how its 48-hour compensation works and it's worth checking with your provider to see what they offer.
"Your broadband or fixed phone line aren’t working at all?" Virgin said.
"Check to see if there’s an outage in your area on our handy service checker. You can report the issue to us by registering it online or alternatively, calling us. If we haven’t fixed the fault within 48 hours from the end of that day, you will be entitled to £9.33 credit per day until it’s sorted.
"Once you’ve reported the issue to us and service has been fully restored, any credit owed will be automatically calculated and applied to your bill – so there’s no need to call us to credit you."
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