The advantage of privatisation is that we are no longer forced to use BT.

So tell him to stop feckin' moaning then!

Who else fits telephone lines though?

not meaning to sound like the top hat capitalist hardliner or anything, but if your not happy with BT's service, change companies! Simple. Thats the wonderful thing about a free market. We've all been there where a company treats the customer unjustly, but stop moaning Dale and change sides if it bothers you that much.

@Alex,

It's not as simple with BT though I understand? Although with Local Loop Unbundling 3rd party companies provide certain services the 'plumbing' is still taken care of by BT?

BT is undoubtedly in a real mess, comparible with Royal Mail, where competition was introduced but who were then restricted from 'competing' even though they had to provide the 'final mile'(aka unprofitable) element. It definetely seems an example of the law of unintended consequences.

I'm a little young to really remember BT as a state company (was a child, couldn't have cared less) but if such poor customer service, crappy broadband and ancient infrastructure is the legacy of privatisation it does make one wonder what all the fuss was about!

I am going off topic here but I crave your indulgence.

Bob, several times in the past you have mentioned David Davis is a mocking manor. You ridiculed his 'resignation' last year and you have suggested that his commitment to Civil Liberties might be suspect.

Perhaps you would like to comment on this story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8139622.stm

It is certainly not the kind of issue you would expect the average Tory to raise and hardly something that benefits Davis politically.

I don't post this as an attack on you because I understand your cynicism about Mr Davis but I feel you should revise your opinion in light of this evidence.

Precisely one of the biggest myths of capitalism is that it operates as a "free market" - utter bollox! There may be a fleeting approximation of a free market in small corners of the economy but as soon as one player gains some kind of leverage, legal or otherwise, monopoly (if not criminal) practises arise.

In telecoms there are essentially a small group of near-monopoly players. My past experiences of BT confirm poor Mr Dale's woes (couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke though, eh?!) and I am now with Virgin Media. A tolerable service that they keep running to a reasonable standard but if anything goes wrong they are at least as bad as BT. If I recall correctly the muzack on their customer service line is a loop tape of the chant: "You're shit and you know you are!" - a very accurate summary of their attitude to customer service.

To paraphrase (ludicrously): "It's capitalism Dale, but not as you would have us believe it to be."
And as I might add: "Deal with it sucker!"

Ian, spot on!

Richard, I will post something on this.