how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I got the brochure with my bill offering new customers 50% off for 3 months blah blah.

So rang up ntl, the first 2 times I got redirected and the 3d time I spoke to a women who I wont name here, she refused to give me the offer so I politely hung up and was going to give up. But I am very annoyed as I have read that a few people have managed to get discounts so I rang back again this time stating that I want to make a complaint that leaflets are been sent out to customers that they dont apply to, and they can't honour the discount and this time the guy tried to upgrade me and give me the discount but he said the system wouldn't let him and he even reported it to his supervisor for me.

So how is it people manage to get discounts out of ntl?

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Seems a bit stupid sending out leaflets for services you can't actually have - but it wouldn't exactly be the first time ntl have done this. I usually have a leaflet extolling the virtues of broadband with my bill, even had some separate mailshots doing the same thing.

I've been on BB for about 4 years now!

From a business point of view this not only makes customers think that ntl can't even tell which products you have, but (talking about the separate mailshots now) is a monumental waste of money.

BTW, read the T&C's on the brochure, if there is no mention of only being available to non-existing customers then you can have them for false advertising.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

the brochure does say its for new customer's only but I think that is besides the point, I still shouldn't be getting the brochure if I am a existing customer. The women who was refusing to give me the upgrade was saying I already had my own deal when I signed up but when I signed I got no such deal I paid full price from day 1, and the guy who tried to give me the discount was saying the system doesnt allow existing customers to be given discounts, so it beggars belief how others have been managing to get discounts, I have 1 friend who has been on 1mbit(1.5) for a year and is still paying the 600kbit(750) rate. So I am not even fully sure if the guy really couldn't do it or was just fobbing me off, some comments from ntl staff on this would be nice as I am really angry at the moment.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

well there is no comments, can't say I am not surprised however I wont be letting this rest, on monday I plan to ring one of ntl's senior management to make the complaint, if I cant get hold of them on the phone I will send a letter recorded delivery.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Why? You don't qualify for the discount and you don't know the full facts surrounding people who have managed to get it. If they have been allowed to have it then it's likely to have been discretionary.

I'll be very surprised if you get anywhere with this.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Blimey haven't we become a nation of grabbers

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

if you are in the first 14 days of install you can cancel because you are still in the cooling off period. Then sign up online to get the offer.... http://www.home.ntl.com/icat/broadband

all the prices there are showing the 3months half price at the moment :)

However, the offers are to actract new customers, so it makes business sense to only offer them to new subscribers- you will find this is a feature of every company- the mobile phone companies do it really often.

ntl always have some other or other running, i think the last one was 2 months free, so surely when you signed up you got some kind of special offer....?

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

When BB first came to Manchester these reduction offers was not around. Infact I had to pay for a TV package I didn't want or use just to get BB. :shrug:

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

No, this is not correct.

The 14 day cooling off period applies only in the following circumstances:

1) The customer must have been contacted by ntl and sold the service (as opposed to the cutomer contacting ntl themslves.
2) The service must NOT have been installed.

In other words, a customer approached on their doorstep or outbound-called by sales has 14 days from the date the order is placed to change their minds BUT IF INSTALL TAKES PLACE THIS PERIOD ENDS.

It is a common mistake to think that the 14 day period (which is statutory under the distance selling regulations) is some sort of 'trial' of the service to make sure you like it. It is NOT, it is a cooling off period to give you time to change your mind if you have pressured into signing something you don't really want.

I reiterate again...once install has taken place, that's it. 12 month contract and there is absolutely NO getout clause.

Separate to this, a customer who cancelled and then reapplied just to get a discount they were not entitled to, would still not be entitled to that discount. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

Anyone doubting this...get yourself double glazing installed and then demand they remove it and refit your old windows under the '14 day cooling off period'....not a chance, and ntl is no different.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I stand corrected.... I assumed that because the t&cs were not agreed to until online registration, that this was when the contractual period began.

I bow to your superior knowledge :nworthy:

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

The contract period DOES commence at install/registration, however the cooling off period is 'pre-install' if you see what I mean :D

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Soooooooooo true :)

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Quite a bold statement to make isn't it? :)

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Just a slight correction to this....

The distance selling regulations apply whether or not you called ntl.

However, there is NO cooling-off period if you invite someone to come to you (for example ask for a salesman to come to your house).

A statutory cooling-off period applies if you were cold-called on the doorstep and signed there and then, but not if the salesman on the doorstep agrees to come back at a date which is agreed (i.e. if he books and appointment to come back) and then you sign.

Most outfits such as those wretched Kirby cleaners do this, they cold call you, book an appointment for later in the day (offering a free carpet clean) thereby making sure you forefit your right to cancel when (if) you do sign up.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Well, yes, but that's the correct position.

Now, that isn't to say that in special circumstances exceptions might be made to it. But that's the legal position to which a customer CAN be held, by ntl or any other company (BT use exactly the same system). A company can, of course, choose to waive this at its discretion.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Ive never tried answering any of these mailshots, but i agree they are annoying.
Atm i have had cable just over 2 yrs and the phone with NTL, but no digital tv.
Yet they send me everything to do with what i have, and very little if anything about digital tv. My point of view is why keep sending me out offers i cant have, i'm on 1.5 meg, so i cant even be upgraded there. Still its their paper to waste, but i'd rather it went to people who might read it. ;)

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Just a little true story about what is happening to my daughter at the moment that I think illustrates more than one get out clause is possible.

Some weeks ago my daughter and her boyfriend moved into a house in Leicester, postcode LE3 9xx. Just before they moved the boyfriend was approached by a NTL salesperson in a shopping centre who persuaded him to sign up for Digital TV, telephone and Broadband.

An install date was arranged but NTL did not turn up. A new install date arranged and guess what? They didn't turn up. After each no show and after every problem experienced throughout this tale either my daughter or her boyfriend rang NTL on their mobile to try to get matters sorted out. It has cost them a fortune in mobile phone calls and it has olso cost myself and others a fortune when having to ring them on thjeir mobiles because of their lack of a landline.

Eventually a NTL installer did arrive and one of the first things he told them was that he couldn't complete the install as it would need a two man team to pull cables through to the property. He said he would do the internal work as far as he could in readiness for them.

A few days later the second install team arrived and pulled the cables. They installed a STB and told my daughter that it would take a few hours to get the channels sent to it. They then asked them about the broadband and what was their telephone number. The installers said that they knew nothing about the broadband and didn't have a modem for them. They also said that NTL should have already informed them of their new telephone number but as they hadn't they dialled a certain number which told them the number of that line.

Off went the installers leaving another call to NTL to be made. Just as they were about to use their new phone for a free call at last to NTL the phone rang. A foreign gentleman speaking his native language was on the other end. As they were trying to work out what he wanted another foreign voice came on the line. It transpired that their new line was connected to an existing line of another customer and both their telephones rang when someone called the number. Another call to NTL who said that the problem would be sorted out in a few days and the engineer would install the broadband as well as sorting out the telephone.

Afew days later they still did not have all the channels they should have and also discovered that they had analogue TV instead of digital with a STB that looked out of the ark.

Eventually an engineer arrived to sort out the telephone and broadband. What broadband was his response when asked about it. Another lengthy call to NTL resulted in them being told that DTV and BB were not available in their area. Pushing this with NTL they were then told that it would be about a year before DTV and BB were available to them but they were trying to link them to the other side of the road which had DTV and BB availability.

So the only part of their order that was done correctly was the telephone. Wrong!!!!! The next time they tried to use the phone there was nothing there, dead as a dodo.

Now I don't think in this case that NTL could force them to stay for 12 months. do you? With all the problems they have endured, all the time that they have had to waste waiting for install teams that didn't arrive, all the money they have had to spend using their mobiles ( not only for calls to NTL but also every other call that could have been made from the contracted landline)and the hours spent on the phone they should qualify for everything free for the 12 months. I should also get a free month for what it has cost me ringing their mobiles instead of their NTL landline at 5p per hour.

There is a moral to this story, but daughters have an habit of thinking they know better than their parents. ;)

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

BT use 3 month contracts though.

As for the offer. Cancel your service and then signup again, make your appointment for the same day (if you really want to go to Ntl for your services).

On the point about there being no get out clause, in fact there dosen't need to be. If Ntl cant provide you with a service to the spec they advertised (as happened with me) you can get out anyway :)

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I don't understand what this would achieve :confused: the offer is only for new customers.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Yes it is but I have also known NTL customers get these offers infact one person has had three different offers in the last 2 yrs. Maybe if the powers at be could look at ways to allow a perk for those who have stayed loyal customers far beyond the 12 month contract... then they wouldn't be loking for ways to get the perks used to bribe new customers into signing on the dotted line...........

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Ok so I'm probably going to get spanked for not searching for the answer to this but here goes.....

How long do I have to wait between cancelling my contract and asking for a new one to be considered as a new customer?

I was thinking of going for the broadband again.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Not for broadband they don't.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

That wouldn't work. You'de advised that as you'd had services in the last 12 months you were ineligible.

That's correct...if the service cannot be provided correctly and ntl are unable to fix it, then of course you won't be held to contract.

The whole point of contracts is not to 'screw' customers....if the company totally stuff up, they'll not try and pin you to contract. It's to protect the company against people who sign up, allow ntl to install (at great cost to the company) and then weeks later say 'I've changed my mind' and then start ranting when they are told 'hard luck'.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

It's classed as 12 months in most cases.

What region are you in?

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

ok some points to make as to why I am peeved off.

1 - Like kits I had no such discount when I signed up I paid the full price the same as existing customers.
2 - Yes it is true BT and other companies do similiar things to get new customers but they dont send out the leaflets to existing customer's this is the main difference, why do I want to know about a special offer that I cannot get? This is what made me upset in the first place.
3 - Existing customers do get discounts, but it seems to be pot luck in if you can get it or not, like Kits mentioned the 1 guy who had it 3 times in 2 years, I know a friend who has been paying 24.99 for the top tier package for a year.
4 - "Offers are discretionary and if one isnt offered to you then tough luck" Sorry I dont buy this, if NTL are not prepared to give me this deal then dont send me the crap in the post that offers it.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

The fact still stands - you don't qualify for a discount.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

There are two main reasons why NTL (or any company for that matter) give discounts. To win new customers and to retain customers that they are in danger of losing. The services that NTL provide are ones that you don't change every week unlike things like grocery shopping where you can shop at different outlets every week and loyalty discounts can affect your choice.

NTL and many other companies have retention departments who look at every cancellation to see if there is any way that they can retain the customer and what the costs / losses will be. If you were to ring them up and demand a discount or else you will cancel your services you will probably be offered nothing. If you actually give notice that you are cancelling then you may be offered some incentive to stay.

It probably costs NTL less to include a offer leaflet with every bill that it sends out than it would to be selective and only insert leaflets with the bills of customers who may benefit from the offer.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

They do...........I always used to get rubbish about coming back to BT (through the letter box) when I was a BT Customer and Getting Sky Digital Family Pack when I was with Sky Sports and Movies. Or a classic in the BT bill, get Broadband when my exchange wasnt even enabled.

Its Junk mail every company does it with offers.

You can tell, if its a offer specifically targetted at you it will most likely have your name on and come in its own envelope

If its something everyone gets, it will just be a flyer. The person who puts the leaflets in wont know who subscribes to what.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

What is the moral to the story?

Other than them going somewhere else? where this is equally likely to happen.

Unfortunately in this country with every single communications company, its luck of the draw, obviously on this occassion they have had the worst possible experience with ntl.

Not one single one provides exceptional levels of service be it BT, ntl or Sky, and if they fail to provide you with a service they arent partcularly bothered because there are plenty of mugs out there who will contniue paying and not bother complaining aout substandard service.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I'm in bedfordshire.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Hmm, I don't think I can assist directly there, as I can only do ex-Cable & Wireless, but I will try and find out who deals with Retentions for your area and see what can be done.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Thanks, it's not %100 urgent yet as my current ISP's 12month contract doesn't expire untill the end of january.

Thanks for checking tho :)

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

No problem.

If you don't crrently have broadband, I believe you would probably be entitled to a new customer discount anyway...the last brief i read on this did expressly state that it applied to any customer taking broadband, even if they had existing services. May vary region to region but I'd wager you could have one anyway, you'd need to speak to sales though. After all, it's not like you just cancelled last week to get it. I don't think you'll have a problem.

Sadly I probably won't be around in January to do anything but I cannot see a problem here.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

You are not taking the other job with NTL then?

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I don't know for certain yet, but the way things are going, possibly not.

I am sorely tempted by a fresh start with a new employer and also, more importantly, a juicy wad of cash.

I like working for ntl and overall they are good employers, but the promotional prospects for me personally are absolute zero, and I have to think of the future.

On the flip side, the department I would go into is well run and with many satisfied staff and a manager I have worked with before and respect. So it's by no means an easy choice.

I am indecisive but the point of no return fast approaches now. You could ask me tomorrow and I might want to stay here for ever more. I just don't know. It's one of the toughest choices I've had to make in recent years.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I wish you luck in whatever you choose! and hope you continue to post here whatever you choose to do as you are valuable member of the team :)

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Thanks.

I like CableForum and I think the way it has matured as a forum since its inception (I was around in the early days!) has made it somewhere you can't not visit.

I had earlier said if I leave the company I'd have to leave here, but I can't do that. As a forum owner myself, it's worth coming here to see the development of the community, if nothing else. So I'll still be around if I leave, though my usefulness and input would be limited. Not that I'm all that prolific now.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I wish you luck whatever you decide for the best way forward for you. I also would like to thank you for help you have given on these forums and off. Someone NTL will find hard to replace

Good luck what ever you decide the future is never that easy a path to find. I hope you find yours and good luck.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

They rang me back yesterday and I have the discount, just waiting for them to do the action now.
They also correcting my signup date ntl's new system thinks I have been a customer since june 2004 when I actually signed up in august 2003.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

When some one does this how do you think it makes the other customers feel.. You have been with them for so little time you had to have joined on a special offer.

Those who joined at the beginning got none I have been with them since July 2000 we didn't have any perks infact had to pay for a service we didn't want just to get BB.

To proudly parade the forums with your success only leaves the older customers feel ripped off. You had no right to the perk they are for new customers only and I they should make your start date with the company the date you was given this reduction as technically you are now a new customer.....

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I am not parading, but am pointing out there is is light at the end of the tunnel. You have your own deal if I remember kits been allowed not to have the tv in your package, I dont hold you bad for it. In truth if ntl didnt send me the brochure in the first place then this would never have happened.

I pay for tv, when in truth I am happy with just the free to air channels.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I never had any special offers with ntl (other than the staff discount which ended after I left). You were not entitled to that discount just as I wouldn't. What makes you feel you deserved it?

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Its that

Giveme
Giveme
Giveme

Jumps up and down and says i will leave if you dont.

if it was a child you would tell them off :rolleyes:


oh well what can you do.

As kits said

Your Dammed If You Do And You Dammed If You Dont

Sits back and waits for red rep

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I paid for three years for a service that wasn't wanted or ever used. I wasn't allowed to cancel it until NTL had started to allow Ex Cable and wireless areas to use SACM.. Its not a perk as you call it many thought I was mad to pay in the first place but having an NTL line handicapped you for 56K internet.

Sorry but I feel that what you have done is morally wrong and NTL need to realise others will want what you have just been given. This could end up costing NTL loads of money and possibly another reason for NTL reducing staff that customers need. It isnââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t needed and unless you have had such a crap service that need a perk then it shouldnââ‚à ‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t have been given. No matter how many reasons, excuses you say you are an old customer so as such you do not qualify. I hand mine over to friends who are not customers..

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I'm with Bill on this - it's the "I want something for nothing" culture which is spreading through just about every industry this country has.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

:clap:

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Then if it was me i would have asked for a SACM. If it was me.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

well kits I can grab your attitude and say get back to paying the proper price, officially there is no broadband only package, you should have phone and tv if you want internet.

There is 2 arguments to this, and I happen to think its morally wrong to shove a special offer down someone's throat who it doesnt apply to, and I had a ntl staff member telling me from customer service's that I HAD the same offer when I signed up, well excuse me I didnt.

Of course there are people who will defend ntl to the death, I will defend them when I think its right but I wont defend them to the death,


----edit----

when they rang me back after i left a message to the regional director, I never mentioned once I wanted the discount I just wanted to voice my concerning over getting the leaflet and the fact my signup date was wrong, I only tried to get the discount from customer services.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I have a SACM, but I still have to have tv, its in the contract. I don't dispute that tho, have just accepted it.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

What if it went to you by mistake? Human error? Should you pay when you make a simple mistake?

If my boss tells me he thought I had started my job on £15 per hour but in actual fact I was only on £10 per hour, is it right for me to have a tantrum until he gives me a raise?

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Before you get yourself into a big hole :dig: I do have a phone with the BB and NTL do supply the Internet without any other service. Open your eyes and instead of trying to grab anything and everything around you read first..

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

"If my boss tells me he thought I had started my job on £15 per hour but in actual fact I was only on £10 per hour, is it right for me to have a tantrum until he gives me a raise?"

Different situation that is boss and worker. This is company and customer.

Slam me all you like, apperently its ok for yourselves to get half packages which are not in the contract and for others to threaten to cancel get discount then at end of discount period repeat (permanent discount) but not ok for me to voice my concerns.

1 - I have had no previous discounts
2 - Never cancelled
3 - Have for most of my time at ntl been on the top tier broadband package and been using low traffic.
4 - Rarely need support so not ringing them up much
5 - This has been my first official complaint.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I dont work in customer service. i am a engineer however i am sure you can have phone and broadband only if you wish. I could drop my tv tomorrow if i wanted too would just take a quick phone call.


Waiting for red reps

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

yes but you have no cable TV package which other customer's need to have if they want the phone service. But you dont see this as morally wrong because it is yourself, it is irrelevant if you dont use it or not. But you dont see my comparison as fair.

I wont be replying to this thread again because it will just go on and on without agreement.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

My car cost me circa £15,000 . If I go to Rover for a service and they mistakenly tell me it only cost me £10,000 , should I go after them for the extra £5,000? Do you think I'd get anywhere with that?

No-one is against you voicing your concerns. What we object to is you throwing a tantrum to get a discount which you were not entitled to.

Me neither (apart from staff discount which all ntl employees are entitled to after a qualifying period)

Ditto

Same here

With you so far

All the more reason for you to have been denied the discount you were not entitled to.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Nowadays you can have phone on its own, broadband on its own, but you can't have TV on its own. If you want TV you also have to have telephone.

Edit. I had a discount for a year, or rather got free talk unlimited for a year because I wrote and cancelled my TV and telephone. This was because TV reception was problematic and for my usage BT was cheaper than NTL for phone. I took the offer and kept both for the 12 months but then dropped the TV as it was still problematic and Sky+ was too good to miss. I kept the telephone because NTL changed their telephone pricing and their 5p per hour plan was more competitive than the BT plan for my usage. Both myself and NTL benefitted from this arrangement. I did not ask for any discount or special deal, it was offered to me by the retention department.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

In fact

The guy next door has phone and sacm only.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

I have used NTL since July 2000, Never cancelled.
Been on the top internet package until this year. You are not unique except for your attitude to think you have some God given right to what new customers are being given.

Sorry Russ but the God given is the only words that fitted.

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Oh you will go stright to hell for that one. Name that film. :)

Re: how to get discounts? the latest half price offer
 

Good morning Vietnam.

Do I win £5 or a discount or some such?