Service is probably the wrong word to use considering that we've not once heard of anybody getting connected.

Despite this, the highly controversial and much criticised UK broadband ADSL offering ISP Freedial has finally quit the broadband business!:

Subsequent to the last round of high level meetings with BT Wholesale we regret to inform that due to BT reneging on our agreements and special arrangements we are forced to suspend all our broadband operations.

Accounts with status showing as pending, processing or awaiting line check will not be processed further nor will any payments be taken.

We would like to make it clear that these delays in activation have never been to do with our business model, pricing policy or financial standard - we have always placed BT in funds of required amounts on request - this situation has arisen through absolutely no fault of FreeDial.

Our priority has always been the connection of our customers in the quickest possible time frame and we have striven to achieve this even to the extent that we were persuaded by BT to trial their new MOPS provisioning system and Shared Pipe platform (we were the first ISP to sign up to this service) as they were convinced this would be the quickest solution. Obviously this has not been the case, they have not kept to promised time frames or undertakings and we are left with no alternative but to pursue every course of redress against them (BT).

We have placed official complaints with all relevant bodies and in the interests of our customers we are preparing our dossier for pending legal action.

Unfortunately we are unable to go into further detail at present for legal reasons, but rest assured we will do all in our power to inform you of the full circumstances as soon as we are able to.

We apologise for not being able to provide the service as intended.

FreeDial Broadband Team

Unfortunately this latest move makes Freedial look extremely bad in the light of any remaining subscribers, whom have always felt that something was seriously wrong. Not least with the price tag of £12.99 per month, a subsidised service, they claimed, could make this possible; we’ve yet to see it.

We can’t help but wonder what will happen to the mythical few whom Freedial reported as being connected, providing they existed in the first place? Those whom paid with a credit card would be well advised to take it up with the bank and get any outstanding money back via s.75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

We’ve heard from readers that East Sussex Trading Standards are now “taking appropriate action”, whatever that means. Our next port of call will be to try and get an urgent response out of BT.

However it’s not over, several readers have spotted the following at the bottom of Freedials site!: This product will be available from Monday 02 June, 2003.