Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2006/02/16/bulldog_action/

Ex-MP takes legal action against Bulldog

Dispute over broadband service

By Tim Richardson

Posted in Networks, 16th February 2006 14:44 GMT

A former Conservative MP is taking legal action against Bulldog Communications "as a last resort", following a dispute with the company.

Phillip Oppenheim, a former Minister in John Major's Government and now owner of the Cubana Cafe & Restaurant in London, agreed to switch to Bulldog's broadband service last July. But when he experienced problems getting hold of the ISP's customer service hotline he changed his mind and tried to cancel the order, which he says he was entitled to do.

But despite phoning and emailing the company to try and stop the order going through, Mr Oppenheim's line was eventually transferred to Bulldog. He maintains that once switched to Bulldog, he was unable to connect to its high speed internet service and was left without a broadband connection.

As a result, he was forced to disconnect from the service and have his BT line reinstated.

He was eventually reconnected to BT in the middle of August, but didn't regain a broadband connection until the end of the month.

In his witness statement seen by The Register, Mr Oppenheim says he tried to take up his complaint directly with Bulldog but this was not resolved satisfactorily.

He also lodged a complaint with telecoms regulator Ofcom and tried to involve the CISAS, the telecoms arbitration service, but says Bulldog failed to respond to this request in time.

As a result, he has taken the matter to the small claims court in a bid to seek redress.

Bulldog said it would not comment directly on the case, but said it would be defending Mr Oppenheim's claim.

"This matter is currently subject to Court proceedings," it said. "However, the only issue which is in dispute before the Court will be the level of compensation to which Mr Oppenheim should be entitled. It is our policy to deal with claims by negotiation where all parties are being reasonable. Mr Oppenheim's claim arose out of particular facts in July 2005. Bulldog has since fully addressed these issues," it said. ®