DABS.COM - A Cautionary Tale

Dabs.com - A Cautionary Tale

How not to buy on the web

June 13, 2004

I had ADSL installed at the end of November 2002. I know that one needs filters (often called 'splitters' as they look like a std BT line splitter)
I bought Dabs ADSL MicroFilter (654-010-0010). These did very little. With them I got high local gain (often giving feedback howl), low remote gain, and a lot of hissing. In fact this was very like using the line without any filtering.
.... and this was with all my phones (std UK, UK dect, US, old BT 60s phone and so on) connected one by one to the master socket. BT even tested the line and said there was no fault.

A colleague pointed me to a usenet group:

alt.internet.providers.uk.aaisp:

From: dino.fancellu <dinoATdinofancelluDOTcom>:
Had some hassles with the ADSL filters. Got some ultra cheap ones (\2435) from Dabs.
Basically did very little, i.e. loads of hissing on the line after my router connects.
Bought some slightly more expensive Fujitsu FDX100 filters (7+VAT) and these work a treat, no hissing at all.
Dino.

I did this (Dabs Fujitsu 654-420-0020) and the problem went away - the analogue line was back to normal.

Look at http://www.ftel.co.uk/uk/products/consumer/microfilters.html

Dabs never really addressed my evidence.
Some quotes from them:
"This must be a compatibility issue as not all 4 would display same fault."
"The Distance Selling Regulation states that we must accept back unopened goods if they are unsuitable for a customer as long as we are informed of this within 7days of dispatch. We extended this as a good will gesture to 10 days. As it is now over 10 days since dispatch, we cannot accept the return on this occasion."
"We understand your comments but find it difficult to agree that all four could be possibly faulty. You can return them if you like but if they are found to be in working order then they will be returned to yourself."

I was over the 10 days as I bought the Fujitsu ones to try them out before telling Dabs of my problem - I wanted to be 100% sure first. I was trying to be fair to them!

I asked them what they might be incompatible with - 6 different phones, my standard ADSL line, which shows no faults and is giving top in/out speed. I also have their 'dabsvalue' ADSL router - incompatible with that? I think not (8-)#
.... but they have not commented in detail.

The value is so small it is not even worth me paying to return them - as they clearly won't. I am considering the small claims court.

You can draw whatever conclusions you want - I simply state the facts.

I would be very interested in hearing if anyone else has had the same experience.