Apologies in advance for a rambling tale
The background
I had a one person business and an account with BT Business for some years in the 1990’s . BT Business hosted my domain name ( lets call it xyz.co.uk) and looked after my email. I assume BT Business used Microsoft for the email . About 8 years ago I moved to a different email provider. Although I didn’t know at the time ( I am not technical ) This new provider used an open source email system. This meant that they didn’t use Microsoft products. They set up my email and hosted my domain xyz.co.uk. Everything was fine for a few years. Recently I had some problems and was not getting very good support. I had retired, but wanted to keep my own domain. Here’s where the trouble started.
The trouble
I moved my domain name to a big domain hosting company. I asked them to set up email and told the open source people that I was moving. That all seemed very straightforward . The nameservers were changed etc.
I came to set up email and then I hit the buffers. It turns out that BT Business had retained my domain on their books. In my non tech language, someone had forgotten to remove the domain and it still shows as a BT Business controlled domain.
Microsoft sent this automated response
“We have confirmed that you own xyz.co.uk, but we can't add it to your account because the domain is already added to a different Microsoft 365 organization: bt1042702p1.onmicrosoft.com.
Sign in to the admin center as an admin for that organization, and remove the domain xyz.co.uk. Try resetting the admin password if you can't sign in. You should be able to add the domain xyz.co.uk here after taking that step.
If you can't access bt1042702p1.onmicrosoft.com, please contact our support team for help."
Ok you say – Well that’s easy just give BT Business a ring – They have high powered tech guys coming out of your ears they will solve this in an instant. I couldn’t sign in as an administrator because I haven’t had an account with BT Biz for years.
Blood sweat and tears
Ha ha – Not the case. 3 days of phone calls, chat lines , very rude BT Business staff, very kind BT Business staff – numerous phone numbers and suggestions. (even a BT Business guy who said he couldn’t help – but whilst I was on the chat line they had some great deals in laptops and phones – I nearly threw my pc out of the window!!)
I am no further forward. The principal problem is that because I don’t have a BT business current account nobody can or will talk to me. Some people were really sympathetic and would give me phone numbers. None of them came to anything.
I got really excited when I was told by a BT Business Tech guy that there is a department called BT Business Microsoft activation – They must be the team!! – Oh no – Sorry pal – You phone them and you are asked repeatedly for a PIN number . aaaargh – I don’t have a PIN number – well then you can’t get any further and the phone cuts off.
I thought maybe contact Microsoft support might be a shout- - has anyone tried to do that . It’s probably easier to get an audience with the Pope.
My new providers are trying – but the frustrating thing is that this is obviously a simple correction- al that is needed by a technical person in BT Business is to unhook this domain from their systems and let me get my email address set up. . My domain is of no interest to BT Business, and they clearly wouldn’t want to retain it on their systems.
What is really unfair is that BT Business don’t have a system for dealing with this kind of problem. No one says - yes – I can see this is something we need to sort out we are a big honourable company and we should get this sorted out for you. Even more laughable is when I get no help and then am asked to answer a long questionnaire about all the help I got! .
I suppose there are loads of people with problems like this but I am totally wrung out stressed and exhausted. I can’t get emails and I can’t get anyone to respond. I don’t know if this community have any ideas. – But I hope it does.
The solution
A BT Business Tech person who knows about how to solve this problem could kindly contact me and sort it out.
Hi,
Can you direct message me please and I will try and assist you.
Can you send me your name, mobile number and email address please. Also what is the full domain in question?
If you have no BT Business account and you are not paying BT Business for any services the issue for my colleagues will be they have no way of confirming you should be discussing any domain names with them.
Thank you
Adam