HOUSEHOLDS were unable to use their gadgets when BT internet went down this afternoon.
Users said that their Ring doorbells, Alexa smart speakers and PlayStation Network (PSN) stopped working.
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The outage only seemed to affect devices, not internet connections, and the issues have now been resolved.
A BT spokesperson said: “Earlier today some BT broadband customers were unable to connect to some third party applications.
“This was fixed quickly and customers can access these applications again.
“We’re very sorry for any inconvenience caused.”
According to Downdetector.com, which offers real-time status and outage information, there were over 1,000 reports of BT outages over the last 24 hours.
Customers reported the outages on Twitter.
One user said: “Ring Doorbell completely down over here in the UK.
“Internet provider is BT and no other issues with anything else, but ring is not working.
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“The app doesn’t say anything about any issues, which I believe it should especially if you know there are issues.”
Another wrote: “NAT Type down on PS5 and I cant enjoy my day off and play some Fortnite….or even use the internet properly….what is going on?”
Others are reporting further issues with their service, with one saying: “Broadband partially down, I can browse the internet but my doorbell isn’t working and Alexa is freaking out.
“Looks like a nationwide issue. What say you?”
Ring has replied to a customer saying that it is aware of an outage.
A spokesperson said: “Thank you for reaching out.
“We are aware of an internet service provider issue impacting some of our neighbours in the UK.
“If the issues you are seeing are only impacting your Ring devices, please send us a DM, and we will be happy to work to resolve them.”
Amazon Alexa smart speakers, which usually act as virtual assistants by answering questions and giving out information, had stopped talking to many users.
Ring video doorbells which detect motion outside your home were not working either.
PlayStation users also experienced issues on PSN – an online gaming and media content distribution service that allows gamers to play.
Am I entitled to compensation?
It’s worth noting that because this outage only affected devices, it’s not clear at the moment what compensation is on offer.
Internet firms usually pay out £8 for each day broadband and home phone services are not repaired after two full days of no service.
They will also pay £25 for each missed appointment, or for appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice, plus you’ll get £5 for each calendar day delay to the start of the new service.
This is usually automatic.
If you’re a mobile customer and you suffer from a lack of service then depending on the circumstance you may be entitled to a refund or account credit.
If you’re without service for a sustained period of time then you may also have the right to leave without incurring a fee, although neither of these are automatic – you need to ask your provider.
If your problem is still unresolved after eight weeks, you can complain to an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme.
BT is signed up to the Automatic Compensation Scheme alongside other broadband providers.
This makes it easier for customers to get money back when there’s an outage.
If your service goes down then it’s worth asking for compensation, even if it doesn’t fall into one of these categories.
It comes as Instagram also reportedly went down across the country as well.
Droves of users mysteriously had their accounts suspended, according to Tweets.
