Hallelujah! It may have *only* (sarcasm? us? no..) taken them three months, yet thankfully Ofcom has finally cottoned on to the problems at UK ISP E7even. The regulator has opened an investigation into the providers billing of services that haven't been delivered and its complaints handling procedures.

The full text of the case, which was technically opened on 12th April, is as follows:

Ofcom has opened an investigation to consider whether E7even has contravened General Condition 11.1, which prohibits Communications Providers from billing customers for services that have not been provided.

Ofcom will also investigate whether E7even has contravened General Condition 14.2, which requires Communications Providers to establish and maintain complaints-handling procedures that conform to a Code of Practice.

The opening of this investigation follows a number of consumer complaints that Ofcom has received regarding the provision of broadband services by E7even. If Ofcom's investigation concludes that E7even is not complying with its obligations under the General Conditions, Ofcom will decide what action is appropriate to ensure that consumer interests are protected.

E7even's problems are certainly nothing new to ISPreview's readership, yet it's a sorry state of affairs when it takes this long for the regulator to catch up.

To date they still haven't responded to our prodding for action, although today's news is at least something in the way of progress, which hopefully doesn’t come too late.

It is our hope that Ofcom will also backdate their investigation to the start of this year, although either way we may have to wait a few more weeks/months (no indication of time given) for some sort of result.

Those that have suffered or continue to suffer problems would do well to drop Ofcom a line: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/internet/ .