30 MAY 1987, Page 21

Sir: I read with sympathy your apology printed on page

five (16 May). My London telephone has been out of order for over a week and the telephone engineers are most reluctant to give me any idea of when the fault will be put right.

I remember in the bad old days of nationalisation repairs were usually done within 24 hours. I see no evidence that British Telecom is now more efficient than when it was state-owned, and I do not think that privatisation has been such a big deal for consumers, whatever benefits may have conferred on its board and sharehold- ers.

Ian McCall

Foxhill, Guiting Power, Near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire