On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 22:56:06 +0000, fred wrote:

In article , Scott
writes
On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 14:59:16 +0000, fred wrote:

In article , Scott
writes
On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:19:23 +0000, fred wrote:

How about laying the blame on the people responsible for the problem,
BT:

"The problem with our site is that there is a link failure. This is
managed by BT and we're currently waiting on them to fix the problem."

Legally, the consumer's contract is with the service provider and it
is their responsibility to ensure performance of the contract. Any
contract between the service provider and their suppliers is their
problem to sort out.

Quoting legal chapter and verse of the consumers' contract will not get
the service restored any quicker if there is no alternative provider for
the link to the main network.

This depends on your view of the 'rule of law'. Personally, I would
say legal rights are quite an important part of civilised society.

If the report of the fault being in the BT operated link is correct then
it they who deserve the flak.

No, I don't agree. If I buy faulty goods from Tesco then Tesco sort
it out (as my contract is with Tesco) then Tesco can make a claim
against their supplier.

Legal remedies are no quick fix, suing Vodafone, even if successful wont
restore the service any quicker if the root cause is the failure of BT
to restore their link.

I don't think anyone has ever suggested that legal remedies are a
quick fix. You go on about BT restoring their link, but have you
considered that there might be an alternative way of serving the mast
- satellite or by some temporary link? What would happen in a civil
emergency? Vodafone's remedy it seems to me is to set up an
alternative (if one exists) then make a claim for damages against BT
for breach of contract.

Using your retail sale analogy, if the manufacturer says they wont be
making another run of the product for six months then there is nothing
you can do to force the retailer to replace a product that is not
available, your sole remedy would be some kind of refund against the
purchase price of the goods.

Suitable alternative product? Upgrade?