Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Many thanks for the background info. I was a subscriber to the supplier that NTL took over from many years ago. However, loss of service for a week and now what looks like a a box that has died is not in my opinion, "alignment", it is a complete and utter failure to provide a professional subscriber service. If service was substandard then it should have been updated before alignment.

I do not have the service that I had 10 days, not because of my actions but
because of the actions of my supplier. The Telewest platform may be superior to the old cable and wireless one. BUT that does not excuse NTL for effectively terminating the service to long term customers.

As for jam tomorrow, a bit late when the waiter has just nicked the bread.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Well to the both of you, spiderplant has opened himself wide to requsts of help for sorting these types of problems, probably far more than I'm qulified to do. So, as long as spider doesn't mind, you know who to respond to....

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

There is an Oscar Wilde comment on fox hunting I could quote.
Spider did get me back for 3 days but he is not superman.

NTL has failed to provide a service. By their actions they have terminated
a contract. I unlike others will not be going the sky route, I will purchase a freeview set. Something i have considered for the bedroom tv. I will be cancelling all tv services, and going for the free option. Premium movie channels are no longer worth the money and paying an exra fiver for one channel you might want amongst many you don't is not sensible. I will then review my telephone options and consider the broadband options.

NTL cancelled me

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Who, Videotron? That's who you've got to thank, not C&W. In fact, TW and ex-C&W ntl are rather similar in terms of equipment, naming conventions, billing, etc. The culprit (at least in London CR1 areas) is the old shoddy cabling that's been dug up and replaced at the cost of ouch quid over the last couple of years.

The channel renumbering on the other hand (best not go into it, suffice to say that I've got great sympathy with everyone affected. It had to be done, but not like this).

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

I don't normally post in 2 forums but I have done on this occasion because I want as many people as possible who are lucky enough to have no problems with NTL to know what some of us have to go through.

Called NTL this morning, they can't fix my cable TV over the phone so an engineer will have to come out again on Monday, that will be Day 13 without the service. It's hard to estimate how long I've been on the phone to them in total, either in conversation or listening to their hold music but I'd say 2, maybe 3 hours, plus of course the 6 hours I waited in yesterday for an engineer who didn't arrive until just before 7PM.

In the course of the latest conversation, it turns out that they overbilled me last month. They gave me free Talk Unlimited 24 (along with a BB discount) for a year from July because my BB was off more than it was on, or so it seemed. Except in October they just "forgot" about that and started billing me for TU24 again.

You just despair don't you. Once the credit is up, it's Sky for me. I don't see that there is any other option, incompetance is ingrained at NTL, maybe not with individual staff, but as an organisation certainly. I just keep giving them another chance and they keep fouling up. BB, billing, TV, phone...you name it, they've bungled it.

If anyone has any comments or even thinks I'm being unfair I'd love to hear from you.

Regards
Alan

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

My thanks go to Spiderplant for trying to fix the problem. In the end after 9 days I had an engineer come out on Friday afternoon who replaced the box and everything is now working.

I would dearly love to be able to get rid of NTL TV but unfortunately I am unable to receive Sky at my address and I am not yet prepared to move house for the sake of getting a decent TV service!

I will however be writing to NTL regarding the appaling service that I have received in the last 2 weeks.

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Spider checked my box saturday and declared it should not buy a new scart. It ceased within half an hour. So I no longer have an operating tv service via my cable. I purchased a freeview set which i have previously resisted as my aerial was resting in the beams of my loft. I saw a box in comet that had 20 quid off, astratec, it worked like a dream for £30. picture quality as good as ntl, menu far superior. A recommended fix

Sky was never an alternative to me as I have been considering broadband with cable, not sure if it comes through the telephone line or through the tv line and box.

Bottom deal is intend removing all the movie channels, would prefer a sky based prog of choosing mix on preferences not free + more + much more.

Will have to do the hour wait to get a call service rep to arrange a new box, is it best to say broadband and recompensation at same time or just write

Re: STB stuck on "starting"
 

Well finally, after 2 weeks without any service, an engineer came out and replaced my STB. Replaced it twice actually as the first one didn't work! Both this one and the working replacement were identical to the original in appearance except for the ntl badge where it previously said Cable and Wireless. PACE boxes all of them. I did ask whtehr I could have a Samsung because I'd heard much more positive feedback about their STBs but was told that ntl only give them to new customers. So much for rewarding customer loyalty and patience! When I pressed the point i was told not to worry because around the end of 2006 ntl are planning to upgrade everyone's boxes to the Samsungs. I suggested that they could save another visit to my house by doing it there and then but my polite offer was declined.
Has anyone else heard of any plans to upgrade the boxes?