Directory Enquiries entry

[Joe Lee]

On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 06:39:54 -0800 (PST), Fred

For various historical reasons my phone number can be found under
the name of someone who hasn't lived at this address for a long
while. It's a pain as I'm now getting debt related phone calls for
them. What's worse is that the number can't be found under my name.
I'm now with Tiscali in my name and was wondering who keeps the log
of who is on what number? It's a BT line but I don't pay them
anything, only Tiscali.
I contacted Tiscali and they said to ring their premium rate number
to talk to their directory enquiries, something I'm just not going
to do!
Any help or suggestions please?

Is it in the BT phonebook?

In the BT phonebook and online the number is under the other person's
name and not mine. Is it BT who keep the national records?
It's whoever you have a contract with for supplying your phone line.
BT did change to a new system called "One View" about 4 months
ago and caused havoc, they lost a lot of records and put people on
the wrong call packages. I now get a bill for the previous occupant
of this address from 15 years ago, BT refuse to acknowledge that
I took a new contract with them some years ago. I pay the bill, have
a new phone number and they insist on putting a different customers
name on the bill ! I have complained 4 times each month and had people
call back and promise it has been corrected, but it never is.
BTs new system is now insecure as it is matching WRONG
bank and card details with peoples accounts! Watch out for any
fraudulent activity or if you feel your bill is high. You are
probably paying someone elses, so also check the direct debit amounts.
OFCOM say they will not get involved n this latest problem.

Wow!!
I don't often suggest this but I think that's worth bringing to the notice
of Watchdog.

[Mortimer]

On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 06:39:54 -0800 (PST), Fred

For various historical reasons my phone number can be found under
the name of someone who hasn't lived at this address for a long
while. It's a pain as I'm now getting debt related phone calls for
them. What's worse is that the number can't be found under my name.
I'm now with Tiscali in my name and was wondering who keeps the log
of who is on what number? It's a BT line but I don't pay them
anything, only Tiscali.

I looked into this because when I moved from BT to TalkTalk (still BT line)
the guy mis-spelled my surname on the application form. The first I knew
about this was when my first bill came through.

TalkTalk corrected it in their customer database very quickly, but the data
that they had supplied to the various phone books and directory enquiries
databases such as the BT phone book was wrong.

And now neither TalkTalk nor BT will correct it. TT say that BT is
responsible for correcting info in their book/database, BT say that they can
only publish what they are given if you are not a BT customer and that third
parties produce a standard list of their own customers which is supplied to
all other directory databases.

I spent several days on lengthy phone calls to BT, Oftel and Talk Talk. The
people at BT and Oftel were both adamant that it is up to TalkTalk to
instruct Bt etc to correct the info, and they were quite happy for someone
from TalkTalk to ring them on their direct line to confirm this, but
TalkTalk were so sure that they were right that they refused to do this and
became quite abusive. I even sent them a letter by recorded delivery
officially requesting the correction, but they never even replied to it.

Result: my directory entry has been wrong for several years so I am
effectively ex-directory, but I just can't be arsed to waste even more time
pursuing it.

[GS]

Post by Mortimer

On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 06:39:54 -0800 (PST), Fred

For various historical reasons my phone number can be found under
the name of someone who hasn't lived at this address for a long
while. It's a pain as I'm now getting debt related phone calls for
them. What's worse is that the number can't be found under my name.
I'm now with Tiscali in my name and was wondering who keeps the log
of who is on what number? It's a BT line but I don't pay them
anything, only Tiscali.

I looked into this because when I moved from BT to TalkTalk (still BT
line) the guy mis-spelled my surname on the application form. The first I
knew about this was when my first bill came through.
TalkTalk corrected it in their customer database very quickly, but the
data that they had supplied to the various phone books and directory
enquiries databases such as the BT phone book was wrong.
And now neither TalkTalk nor BT will correct it. TT say that BT is
responsible for correcting info in their book/database, BT say that they
can only publish what they are given if you are not a BT customer and that
third parties produce a standard list of their own customers which is
supplied to all other directory databases.
I spent several days on lengthy phone calls to BT, Oftel and Talk Talk.
The people at BT and Oftel were both adamant that it is up to TalkTalk to
instruct Bt etc to correct the info, and they were quite happy for someone
from TalkTalk to ring them on their direct line to confirm this, but
TalkTalk were so sure that they were right that they refused to do this
and became quite abusive. I even sent them a letter by recorded delivery
officially requesting the correction, but they never even replied to it.
Result: my directory entry has been wrong for several years so I am
effectively ex-directory, but I just can't be arsed to waste even more
time pursuing it.

I believe that under the UK data protection legislation you are not only
entitled to see what information is held about you but also to have errors
corrected. The Information Commissioner's web site may be helpful.

[Ivor Jones]

In news:***@bt.com,
GS <***@home.com> typed, for some strange, unexplained reason:
: "Mortimer" <***@privacy.net> wrote in message

[snip]

: > Result: my directory entry has been wrong for several years so I am
: > effectively ex-directory, but I just can't be arsed to waste even
: > more time pursuing it.
:
: I believe that under the UK data protection legislation you are not
: only entitled to see what information is held about you but also to
: have errors corrected. The Information Commissioner's web site may be
: helpful.

You're entitled to see it, but at a price. It may not be worth the cost.

Ivor

[GS]

Post by Ivor Jones
[snip]
: > Result: my directory entry has been wrong for several years so I am
: > effectively ex-directory, but I just can't be arsed to waste even
: > more time pursuing it.
: I believe that under the UK data protection legislation you are not
: only entitled to see what information is held about you but also to
: have errors corrected. The Information Commissioner's web site may be
: helpful.
You're entitled to see it, but at a price. It may not be worth the cost.

The organisation is entitled to make a reasonable charge for administrative
expense in providing the information in response to a request. There's no
charge for having wrong information corrected. Since the information is
already known to be wrong, I don't see how a charge could be applied. OTOH,
if the organisation refuses to make a correction, a complaint to the
Information Commissioner could be worth pursuing.

[Chris Davies]

I believe that under the UK data protection legislation you are not
only entitled to see what information is held about you but also to
have errors corrected. The Information Commissioner's web site may be
helpful.
You're entitled to see it, but at a price. It may not be worth the cost.

£10 maximum charge
Chris