[access-uk] Re: Choosing broadband provider
- From: "Robin Clayden" <r.clayden@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 11:41:36 -0000
Hi Voldi and all,
Ok, apologies to the list and moderators, this will be the last post on this
issue. I will continue if need be off list on this subject from now on, but
just to clear all this up for everyone's benefit.
This whole matter started in 2003, when BT linked up their partnership with
Yahoo, and at that time, existing btinternet broadband customers, perhaps all
btinternet ones, I'm not sure, were informed that their accounts would be moved
over to this new regime. No need to do anything, e mail addresses and webspace
etc would all be unchanged. We didn't have a choice. Then, they developed the
BT Yahoo browser software and blew their trumpets at how revolutionary it was
and we should all download the software and try it out. I did, and it simply
froze up my pc, the brief reason, as I've mentioned already, was accessibility.
The keystrokes of JFW, just like with Netscape, conflicted with the structure
of the browser.
Then they started to introduce features for BT customers but these features
could only be installed via their browser. That's when I got a bit annoyed and
started to ask about accessible alternatives to installing these features,
explaining all about screen reading technology, at least as much as I knew
about it, and Julie Howell came onto the scene at this point to support my case.
After several months of harrassing, we eventually got news from Voldi, that a
meeting was being arranged between BT customer liaison and the technical gurus
from both BT and Yahoo's browser designers, and over a period of a few months,
they asked me to test out some modifications they had made. There was certainly
some improvement, but at the end of the day, it was far from acceptable. I
think some of you who tried Yahoo messenger and JFW for example, may relate to
the poor navigational issues I'm hinting at.
So, we're now at around Easter time 2004, and I said to the technical contact I
had, that it was pretty clear we were never going to get their browser software
to run smoothly with JFW, and accepted like Netscape, it was just going to be
something we just leave alone, but my parting comments wer that it was unfair
that I should have to pay the same rates as a sighted customer, for a product
that was altered to the point of being unuseable for me, yet not for a sighted
person, and no accessible alternative was found.
This must have tweeked an alarm bell somewhere, as I soon received an e mail
from a senior customer relations person, saying that more efforts would be made
to resolving the matter and I would be contacted in the coming months when
further technical developments would be made. Never heard any more since, and
like I mentioned, well I just gave up, as I can do what I want to do without
their software, but, I still say it's fundamentally wrong that pc users
dependent on screen readers shouldn't have to pay full whack for new additional
features in a product they cannot install, through no fault of their own.
The answer? You should be able to use all the features of BT Yahoo, cross
browser, simple huh?
Ok, that's brightened up my wet and windy dreech Scottish morning!
Cheers, Robin.
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: 07 January 2005 10:45
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Choosing broadband provider
Hi Robin and all,
I realise that the following isn't strictly for the list but, as my name was
mentioned, I feel it necessary to reply to the list and to say that if anyone
contacts me with an accessibility issue relating to BT's products and services
I will do my best to ensure that it is dealt with by the right people.
Robin, I've not heard from you for some months and, as I don't work directly
for BT/Yahoo, am not aware of any outstanding issues you may have with them.
I think it is fair to point out that this hasn't died a death. Much good work
has gone on over the past few months and is continuing to improve the
accessibility of the BT/Yahoo browser, the installation experience and the web
site. I've raised my concern over customer communication with BT/Yahoo, who
will be contacting you. Please feel free to get in touch with me if you don't
hear from them.
Best wishes,
Voldi
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
Robin Clayden
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 16:01
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Choosing broadband provider
Hi Catharine,
I'm with BT broadband at home , but am loathe to change because of all the
contacts etc and log in references related to my e mail address, but you'll
find that BT Yahoo will encourage you to download their BT Yahoo browser
software, because to enjoy many of the bells and whistles from BT Yahoo, you
must run them through this browser.
It is incompatible with Jaws, it's worse than Netscape, and despite a bit of
mumping and moaning from me in the last year or so, the BT and Yahoo technical
design team never did resolve compatibility issues for screen reading
customers. I eventually had to give up and just accept that I couldn't utilise
all those little extras, but questioned BT on why I should have to pay the
£26.99 like every other Joe Bloggs, yet not have access to the full features. I
just got fed up with the robotic standard responses.
These aren't crucial, they give you a pop up blocker, parental control
features, online briefcase storage, online help, firewall and spyblocker stuff,
that well, you can get elsewhere for next to nothing, and continue unperturbed
with good old reliable Internet Explorer. They also offer you Yahoo messenger,
which I believe isn't that friendly with Jaws users, but well, MSN works fine,
or in my case, the XP built in Windows Messenger.
I had liaised with Julie Howell at RNIB, and BT's customer relations, through
Voldi Galens, but it all sort of died a death.
I remember looking at something like broadband bargains, or cheap broadband in
the Google searchbox, and I found a great comparison site for all Broadband
sellers. Remember and check out if cable is in your area too, and just for the
record, if I did decide to ditch BT, I think I'd be tempted to take a closer
look at Tiscali, as they seemed to offer a good range of packages.
But, that's just my own opinion.
Hth, Robin.
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Catherine Turner
Sent: 05 January 2005 15:38
To: Access-UK
Subject: [access-uk] Choosing broadband provider
Hi,
I'm finally going to make the step into broadband, and am wondering if anyone
recommends any sites for comparing broadband providers or for info on it?
Also, is there anything I need to be aware of in terms of accesisibility - I
seem to remember something about accessibility or some other kind of problems
with bt yahoo?
Catherine
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