MRS P Horne's letter regarding problems with BT rang a bell (January 11). Last week I phoned BT to cancel a direct debit and request a refund of the amount held in credit.

After going through four lots of options, I was told, by an electronic voice, that BT was busy and that, if I left my number, someone would ring me back.

Two minutes later the phone rang. It was BT returning my call.

The young man at BT was obviously of Indian origin. I could not make him understand what I wanted, and I could not really understand him. After about three minutes, I was debating whether to hang up or ask to speak to someone who spoke better English. He must have been thinking the same, as he gave me another BT number to ring.

I rang the number, spoke to a Scottish woman, and within one minute my business was concluded. Just trying to get past the electronic voices to speak to someone at BT is a marathon, but is it too much to ask for the right to speak to someone who speaks good English in my own country?

Mr R Osborne,

Springbank Avenue,

Dunnington, York.

Updated: 10:51 Monday, January 16, 2006