Horrid, horrid, BT. But, in your situation (assuming the phone line is essential to you), I would pay the bill, and contact Anna Tims at the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/annatims), because she seems to be pretty good at shaming these people. You shouldn't have to do it, but how can you fight something when you can't even talk to someone who knows anything, or can do anything?

... and there I was thinking you'd turn into Al Swearangen. :)

Having dealt with BT in the past in a previous job - which was part and parcel of that job - I firmly believe that the bigger the company gets the worst it's customer support.

You do hear stories of BT, the Revenue, etc, sending out bills that cost less than the actual amount to post it.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

I have now written to BT and the telecom ombudsman* Ofcom to complain, since their customer services people are a) at the end of a 15 minute phone tree / on hold sequence and b) are useless.

*In previous jobs, Rob and I would alleviate the boredom by setting ourselves challenges to include curious words in meetings and discussions throughout the day. A favourite was 'Ombudsman'. He thinks that this BT thread has been one big set-up for me to use that word today.