12hours? Pffft
 

I've been waiting since Friday September 30th!
A 're-pull' crew "fixed" a problem with my cable and managed to screw my phone line.
First appointment for someone to come and fix it was this morning ("between 08:00 and 13:00, and we'll charge £20.00 if you're not there!"). He hasn't shown up and the next appointment won't be until NEXT Saturday.

I shouldn't be surprised; the cable problem has been ongoing since February (although ntl only admit to having it recorded since June) and during that time I've already taken 5 days off work to be here for ntl engineers who haven't shown up, or have come at the wrong time (even after a text confirmation of it).

The week previous to screwing my phone up, they screwed my cable up (which is why they were here in the first place when they screwed the phone up).

I called them Tuesday 26th Sept to complain about that and, after an hour holding on, one of their twits promised to call me back "to save you holding on any longer". He didn't. I called them back the next evening and held on for a total of TWO hours even though I was cut-off by another twit after the first hour. That week I spent a total of FIVE hours holding on for this useless company!

I asked for compensation, bearing in mind I haven't had the proper cable service I've been paying for since February, the five days I've had to take off to accomodate their repair people, and only the five hours I've wasted on the phone to them that I've already mentioned. They offered me GBP 19.50.

My advice to anyone looking for a cable company?
DO NOT GET NTL!!!!

When it all goes wrong it will cost you a small fortune!

I'm looking for someone else. Screw ntl!


[Edit: I've also sent e-mails complaining that I don't have a phone line.
They replied saying I should phone them about it.]

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Update.

A technician did call yesterday, an hour and a half late.

Apparently it was "£10.00" I was told I would have to pay if I was not present for his appointment between 08:00 and 13:00 hours and "No!" he will not be paying me a similar amount for not being present himself between these times.

He re-connected my phone but informed me that the RG11 cable (the installation of which, replacing my existing RG6 cable, had given rise to this latest issue in the first place) had not been. What three re-pull crews had actually done was to insert a second RG6 cable, alongside the existing one and that is apparently the reason that the original problem still persists.

I now have to report this via ntl's dreadful and frustrating "C-u-s-t-o-m-e-r S-e-r-v-i-c-e" telephone system to get the RG11 cable correctly installed as it should have been a month ago and thus, I find I'm back to where I started six months ago, square one.

At least they've made it a free-phone line now (possibly recognising the amount of money their customers are wasting while they try to achieve even the most basic level of "s-e-r-v-i-c-e", but that still doesn't compensate me for hours of the blasted taped messages I now have to endure all over again!

[edit: The technician was actually very jolly and helpful. Until recently so were the phone staff. Why doesn't the person who trains them also train the management, whom I blame for all the service problems through not providing ntl staff with adequate facilities and tools to do their jobs well?]

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

If you're paying for calling them send them a stern (but as polite as possible) letter with a copy of your phone bill, and all the charges regarding this matter highlighted.

I would also be pushing for mucho compensation regarding the "if you're not in" business - talk about a smack in the teeth.

I wouldn't bother phoning any more complaints - send it recorded delivery, put in a reasonable timescale for their reply and say that if you don't get it within that time you'll be escalating the complaint.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Thx for the advice but I don't believe the people that the problem would be escalated to give a rats... about it either.
I have my own ideas to get it sorted.
This may not get me my money, and wasted time, back but will at least provide me with a small amount of entertainment and cost ntl some of their money.
Eye for an eye.
These people will only sit up and do anything when something's irritating them.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

For the 3rd time since my last post I tuned in to Sky1 to see the legend, "You are not subscribed to this channel".
Same on most other channels including ITV1, Channel 4, and Channel 5.
After spending yet another hour tonight holding on for 'faults' to send a signal which would 'cure the problem in a couple of hour' (after faults have gone home), I gave up.
Disregarding the problems I have with the phone and broadband services, I decided not to argue with the message any longer and unsubscribed for real. At least in 30 days this message will be correct.

There's a technician due this week to "once and for all" sort out the broadband/cable issue. I have no faith left and, once he's announced that he needs to call someone else out, I shall cancel the broadband and phone part of the contract too.

If anyone's reading this thinking of going ntl, please factor into your calculations the endless hours of hanging on to their fault lines and waiting for technicians to visit that you will need to set aside once a fault develops nowadays.

I used to defend ntl to critics trying to warn me of what I'm telling you now.
No more.

Good luck!

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

hmm, an appalling history of problems. If you want us to escalate this issue into the higher echelons of ntl, we can do this for you.

Please PM me some details - account number, name and address, together with a daytime phone number. If you can also give some more specific information on dates that you have had contact with ntl, or expected someone to call, please do so. We'll forward all this, and see what our contact can do for you.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Let us know how you get on, I was considering switching, but I think stuff like that only happens to people like me (and you!) :confused:

Good luck and i think you've been very patient until now, I'd have stopped the direct debit - i bet that would get a reaction.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

At least you got £19.50 compensation....I only got a tenner when they left me without services for 2 weeks.

I told the helpdesk person what to do with it.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Rob_C - Many thx for your offer but my last vestige of patience has departed. I really feel as if someone at ntl has been having a laugh at my expense with the tribulations I've been through and the money / time they've cost me. Even if something's done about it now, I know that I'll still have to keep going through the same torrid waiting around to fix any other problems that may crop up because ntl management don't give a rats' about their clients (or something would have been done already - see rest of forum).
Unless we do something about it, nothing will change. I'm doing something about it.
I have a technician due Saturday (to "fix" the ongoing cable issue) and really I'm just going through the motions to see if I laugh when he says that he needs to call someone else out once he's here. After that I can put an end to it and cancel the phone and cable parts of the contract too.

superbiatch - I'd like to, but unfortunately that would put me in the wrong, and I would end up having to pay them compensation.

brettbuckley - I did not get £19.50 compensation. I refused it. Had I accepted it, I would not be able to make any further claim later. Frankly, I figure they owe me at least £1000.00 in time off work and time spent sitting around holding on the phone for them. That doesn't take into consideration the loss of services, which they are still happily billing me for. 2%? No.

I don't blame the help-desk people. I believe most do as well as they possibly can but ntl, as a company, needs to invest more in resources and sort their procedures out. They've cut the slices too thin. We customers can hear ntl staff morale and expectation is as low as our own when we ask for help. Even they know their customer service isn't up to scratch but there's nothing they can do about it.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Lo, and behold.
Despite my spending all this time hanging on the phone and explaining the problem to ntl again (that all they needed to do was to arrange a re-pull crew to install an RG11 cable instead of the two RG6 cables they've left me with), they sent a technician who (I already know) is nothing to do with it.

After explaining the situation and history to him, he sounded very confident it would be fixed so (for entertainment, if nothing else), I'll carry on a bit longer. I've not yet cancelled the cable/phone contract as the technician was another nice guy and promised they'd over-ride ntl's procedures and get a re-pull crew out next week and definitely sort it all out.

Apart from that, I'd like to see this through just to find out if that really was the problem. I'm keeping records of this to pass on to everyone who asks me to recommend an ISP in future (satisfyingly for me, that's a rather large number. LOL).

The word 'imbecile' is oft' heard these days but I feel ntl have made, and are making, a concerted effort to claim outright ownership.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

UPDATE

*Sigh* I'm almost speechless.

Recently (see my post on 25th October), I cancelled the t.v. part of my agreement with ntl because they were happily accepting payments from me for a t.v. package which, more often than not, they weren't actually providing me with.

They asked to collect the set-top box and wanted to arrange a time that a representative could call to complete the transaction. However, after I had explained how much time I had already donated to the ntl cause on the phone, or in days away from my office waiting on various ntl representatives, I was told that they would not need to collect the set top box after all.

Instead they would simply change the subscription requirement from their end, which effectively (apparently) turns the set-top box into a free-view box and it lives happily ever after.

Today I get home to find a note from a collection agency, on behalf of ntl. They've been trying to contact me to arrange to collect my set-top box.

Am I in a dreamworld, or an alternate universe?


I hope this thread is read by as many people (considering ntl) as possible, and that it has a heavy influence on their decision.

[edit: Turned the cable on earlier to see the same "You are not subscribed" legend again. Not that I care any more; It's just more entertaining than their t.v. is.]

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Guess what.
It didn't happen.
Wasted another day.

Anyone still wanna sign up with ntl?
LOL

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Called ntl faults to report the previous post.
Helpful as ever:-
Passed from pillar to post for 45 minutes, then told to ring another number.
Called that to find they'd gone home an hour earlier.
Tried to call faults back only to find they'd gone home in the interim.
Do they shut the monkeys in as early as ntl do at other zoos?

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Calling ntl empoyees monkeys on here isn't too likely to get you any additional help.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Indeed

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

I understand you're frustrated but as the above says, you're aren't likely to get any extra help if that's how you refer to the very people who might otherwise step in to assist.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

As if to add to the humour of the problem I've suffered from being an ntl client, I received the following message for my earlier post from 'Paul_M':-

Pity. I don't think it was out of order, especially considering some of the behaviour and events I've suffered at their hands, but there you are. Just making everyone aware that you can't do this.

---------- Post added at 14:37 ---------- Previous post was at 14:32 ----------

Appreciate the advice Russ.
If you work for ntl, they say they record phone calls "for training purposes", go and see how many I've had to make, how long I've had to spend making 'em, have a listen to some of the 'help and advice' I've received, see how much I've had to call back to complain they haven't happened, and the length of time this has taken place for.

[confused]Help? ntl?[/confused]

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

i think the point that was trying to be made was it is the wrong place to fire off insults to all ntl:Tw staff.

granted the way you were spoken to was very wrong and should have something done about it, however the staff that visit this board do so in their own time to help customers like you.

calling all ntl staff monkeys probably isnt the best way to get someone to go into work half an hour early to sort out your problem

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

None of the admin team on this site work for NTL, however the members of the site who do work for them will occasionally offer help, voluntarily and often in their own time.

I'd suggest that you have probably 'blown' any chance of that priviledge being extended to looking into your problems - when you want a taxi, do you walk into the office saying 'can I get a cab, please', or 'which one of you monkeys is going to take me to the station?'

No-one is suggesting that NTL don't have problems, but insulting the very people whom may have been able to assist is not the most logical way to get the problem solved, in my opinion....

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Your recent remarks, show you have no respect for ntl employees as a whole. Many are working within the limits of their own systems, and whilst this is not good for the customer, they aren't able to cut through the red tape very easily.

I had offered you the opportunity for your issues to be escalated through this site's contact, who are ntl staff at high level and who have proven track records of slicing up the red tape and getting results. Unfortunately, your remarks have now removed that route, leaving you on your own.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Ntl_Sux made a figure of speech, the NTL people that treat him, they way they did, deserve the name calling! ....and NTL_Sux has the right to vent some steam!

If the rest of the NTL employees want to stand by, do nothing and just sulk, for the name calling, that's fine too! ... but is THIS the right attitude?

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Our resident ntl guys help out here because they want to. It's no issue to them if they don't. It's their own time, I'm sure most/all of them have families and lives away from this site, so to come here and see someone tar them all with the same brush and get insulted along the way, I can understand them not wanting anything to do with people like that.

You've got some darned good people on here - you go and find another site where people with Bill C's knowledge willing to help people out for free.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

When help is offered on here voluntarily, out of plain courtesy it is preferable to be polite, not abusive. As for 'sulking' - that is your interpretation, people have no 'right' to free help from this site and if it is not offered we have no grounds to criticise.

Yes NTL_Sux has every right to vent steam, but personal abuse of NTL staff on here is NOT going to get them to help, when they simply do not have to.

I wouldn't help someone, in my own time, if they were abusive to me - I don't have any problem with anyone holding a similar view ....

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

I have no reason to disagree with the above statement.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

If the NTL employees on here want to help people, that is their business. Although the site does have contacts within NTL, none of the admin team work for NTL. Put simply, we are not (and never will be) an official NTL site, even though nthellworld.com was toward the end.

As such, we cannot offer staff any inducement to work on here, so those that do, do so because they want to. Those that offer help do so because they wish to help customers.

NTL Sux's comment implied he that he though all NTL staff were (to use his term) "Monkeys". This is not true. NTL, like all companies, employ good and bad staff. By definition, the bad staff wouldn't bother with a forum such as this.

He has every right to rant, but it doesn't make much sense to just blindly rant at people who may start off willing to help.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Ok, you do not like "sulk", what would you call it?

If my fellow employees treated a customer as NTL_sux was treated, then my priority would be to sort it out ---forget free time--next time that I am at work. ;)

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Hmmm it seems people here pick and choose who they help!

I to in a previous post called NTL employees Muppet's yet I was offered help and did not get a warning!

OK I was in the wrong because the lady who helped me was friendly and new her stuff. I am grateful to her to this day as well as the person who forwarded my details on to her! :tu:

However I can't help but see this little community gang up on some members just because they say something in the spur of the moment or because they get angry after days or weeks of the run around!

I have also read posts in the past that get some people in trouble yet regular forum members post things in a similar contrast but nothing is said!

Ohhh and before people ask for links etc... I'm not about to go searching for them i'll just let people make their own minds up!

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

I have no reason to disagree with the above, althought I do not think for a moment that NTL_Sux really believes that all NTL stuff are Monkeys, it was figure of speech! We all get upset and make stupid generalizations!

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

You are missing my point - NTL employees on here are NOT at work, any help they give is ENTIRELY voluntary, so why should they help someone who insults them. Figure of speech, or not, if people don't want to be misunderstood they shouldn't make 'stupid generalisations'.

- my alternative to 'sulk' would be 'display indifference', there really is no onus on them to do anything else, while on here. I am not arguing that NTL_Sux wasn't badly treated, just that his/her method of trying to get something done about it was 'less than optimal'.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

That's fine. This is a forum. They can rant.

Ok, so, they can afford to 'display indifference' for the behaviour of their colleagues, when they go to work next day, and they know that

(i) NTL keeps losing customers
(ii) their fellow employees keep messing everything up
(iii) NTL/telewest will sack 1700 (? is this accurate) people.

To me it's called "sweeping under the carpet",

They need people to be proud to work for
Langley/Bromley/Diamond/Telewest/NTL/C&W/younameit /It's-an-embarrassing-company-to-work-for,

ok, they are working on it,

virgin media :rolleyes:

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

do you, yourself, take part in any 'extra-curricular' activity, in the public domain, for your employer? - I know I don't...

Lucky then, that you, and me, are not exposed to the vitriol of unhappy customers, in the public domain....

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Thank you, to those that have, for those words of support.

As far as my 'general or sweeping statements about ntl staff' goes, this just illustrates my point.

As I said in posts on page 1 of this thread:
But still some don't listen. Some don't pay attention. Some take offence. And instead of fixing the problem, I end up having to take another day off work to meet someone who doesn't turn up, or spend another hour holding on the phone for someone to either cut me off or re-direct me to another department (which has already left for the day) to get me off the phone so they can go home.

I repeat:- "I believe most do as well as they possibly can but ntl, as a company, needs to invest more in resources and sort their procedures out. They've cut the slices too thin. We customers can hear ntl staff morale and expectation is as low as our own when we ask for help. Even they know their customer service isn't up to scratch but there's nothing they can do about it."

And when the boys at the top (who are happy to rake in the money without putting any of it back into their laughingly named "Customer Service") eventually see their customer figures in freefall, they'll act.
And THEN ntl staff won't have to come here to sort ntl customer problems out in their own time because they'll be able to do it where it should have been dealt with in the first place; in ntl's own "support" lines!

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

very well said, I don't have any problems with that :tu:

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Hi everyone,
Another update for anyone thinking of signing up with ntl.

My latest appointment for a cable repull crew was Saturday (13:00 to 16:00), all confirmed by text to my mobile.
Hands up everyone who thinks they turned up....
Sorry, you're all wrong.
They didn't.
Not even a call, after all the other 'ghost' appointments, to let me know they wouldn't be able to make it yet again.



But it gets better;
Remember how I was saying earlier in the thread that I finally had enough of the poor t.v. service and cancelled it? Weeeeeelll I went through the instructions for this in "3 to 11 year old" mode and then had them read it back so I knew they understood that I wanted the t.v. service terminated but that the cable and telephone service should remain unchanged.

Despite asking them to read it back to me, it still apparently wasn't simple enough. Todsay is my first day back onlin since last Wednesday when they shut off my t.v. and internet access.
For 3 days they told me it was a local fault and promised to resolve it the next day. This didn't happen and on Saturday, I found out by accident whet had really happened.

The young lady I spoke to (I note down names btw) was very apologetic. I spoke to her calmly, politely, respectfully and she had a word with her 'manager' and between them promised to have me back online by 18:00 hours Saturday evening.

Hands up everyone who thinks they did anything.
Sorry, you're all wrong.

Had to call and complain again today.
Also complained about the re-pull crew and am waiting to hear about the new appointment for their next opportunity ot to show up.
I'll call again on Saturady because I won't have heard back by then either.


This will all come to an end shortly as I have had to admit to myself that maybe this company is not physically capable or interested in following simple instructions/requests. Later this morning I re-signed with B.T. and will soon sign up with Sky Broadband who can offer me a faster service than ntl for less.

Bearing in mind my comments from earlier threads which were not aimed at specific individuals (though some seemed to feel they were in the firing line), I am extremely disappointed with ntl. If they really believe they have anything like a customer service number or even a support facility they are really mistaken.

I take what I've endured as signs of a company in deep distress.
It has a sick and very weak management team and I will be very interested to see if it still exists in its current, or any other form, in a couple of years.
If the ntl employees that visit also have shares in their employer, I would think seriously about whether you are likely to see any return from them or if you should dump them now, fast, before the markets start seeing what's going on. Because then they will go into freefall.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Man, ntl have given me a good LOL this morning.
Woke up to this month's invoice.
Accompanying it was a letter from Steve Stewart (Director of "Customer Care" - must be a small Dept) which begins, "We hope you're enjoying ntl".

Anyway, now they've invoiced me £25.00 for re-cabling costs.
LMAO!

a) It's to correct their own fault.
b) No-one's suggested I would have to pay even more for ntl to fulfil it's contractual obligation to me.
c) They still haven't actually done it.
d) Wait until they get MY bill for MY costs incurred by taking days off and waiting around for people who don't turn up or hanging on the phone for hours on end.

I was contemplating my relationship with ntl last night.
I can honestly say that if ntl were to offer to pay me the amount they bill me each month, instead of me paying them, to continue being their customer I wouldn't.

Anyone have Steve Stewart's phone number?
I wouldn't mind having a quiet word some time to educate him about his performance and how much I've enjoyed ntl.

New customers beware.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

An amusing thread from the point of view that of all your complaints you have, most of the replys are from yourself with a latest update. The second you have a go at the crap cs that we've all had to put up with then everyone comes down on you like a ton of s*** wagging their fingers. Guess some people like the rose tinted specs just a little too much!

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

lol.
I like replying to it so it keeps current and any potential ntl customers can see what they may be in for. They don't exactly highlight their poor after-sales service in their ad's so I like to think I'm doing it for them. I also like to think the loss in sales (of people I'm educating about ntl) will cost them far more than they've cost me. :)

I noticed they've made two more errors on my invoice as well.

1) They've charged me for 'Talk Unlimited', which was given to me "free-for-a-year" as part-compensation for some of the problems I'd endured earlier in the year.

And
2) They've charged me for the t.v. line rental that's been dis-connected.

I hear there's a re-pull crew due today.
Nobody has arranged it with me, I just found out from complainaing about my bill yesterday.
Hands up, everyone who thinks they'll show up this time.......

ntl - Up there with all of our other great comedy teams.
lolol

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Guess what?
You were all wrong.
They still haven't managed it.
Seventh appointment they haven't kept this year.

I'm voting for next year's Oxford English Dictionary to include a new entry against the words 'incompetent' and 'atrocious'.
I don't feel any need to elaborate.

Thank god I don't have to endure this farce much longer!

---------- Post added at 17:56 ---------- Previous post was at 17:10 ----------

Big shout-out to Mandy @ ntl (surname witheld to protect the innocent) who has gone above and beyond this evening trying to sort some of my ntl problems out.

She's resolved the Talk Unlimited issue for me and pointed out that I was mistaken about the t.v. charge as it's actually for the line rental, which I should be paying (they've shown 't.v.' by it which made me think I was still being invoiced for it).

We still don't know where the re-pull crew have got to, but she's calling me back when she's got hold of the contractor's manager to explain.

Thanks Mandy.

---------- Post added at 19:28 ---------- Previous post was at 17:56 ----------

Ah well,
Mandy tried.
She called me back but was unable to get anyone else to answer their phone so she had to transfer me to 'faults'.
Unfortunately, they weren't so helpful and told me I had to ring 'Customer Service'.
I did try explaining that they had transferred me to Faults in the first place but it doesn't get you any where.
Start all over again in the morning I suppose.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Phone's down again.

Can't wait until I get shot of this company.
Imbeciles.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Apparently my phone has been disconnected.

Ironic as it will have to be next year when I transfer back to BT but, in the meantime, I've held on ntl's phone for another hour, transferred from pillar to post again, only to be told that they can't do anything because their system's down.
It was working well enough to disconnect me in the first place though.

I'm afraid I am not being as polite as I have been previously.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

My advice is YES DO GET NTL!!!!

Had years and years of fantastic service and im very happy!!

I understand this doesnt help your predicament, but just wanted folk to know there are plenty of satisfied customers! :D

---------- Post added at 22:16 ---------- Previous post was at 22:14 ----------

You can be rude to me, go on i can take it :D

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

ntl isn't as good as sky and that's a fact.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

I just love it when you say FACT :)

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

sky is cheaper
sky works
sky has faster software
sky has free broadband
sky works

end of.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Then Gary

Go to Sky.

You keep saying it but you don't do it. No one is stopping you. Its your decision who you have as your service provider. :rolleyes:

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

SKy TV may work, but as for the broadband, I've seen plenty of complaints that you can't always get it. Remember the ADSL broadband that Sky can provide, will be dependent on distance from BT exchange. Thus, for many it will not be anywhere near as good, potentially, as NTL:Telewest's potential offerings.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

I'm hoping that one day they will actually provide me with a service that's equivalent with the money I've pumped into them.

NTL has all the ingredients to provide a great service but fails time after time. :td:

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

I used to say the same thing before 2006.
Often took ntl's side against critics.
I hope you never endure the journey they took me on this year.
I shan't ever be on that side of the fence again.

Incidentally, when I was sorting the latest problem out with them (which still didn't get anywhere near fixing the original problem which all the others stemmed from) the girl said, "so, let me just check; you're on 4mb cable...."
"No" I said, "I was originally on 1Mb which was upgraded to 2Mb".
"Oh, someone's entered your service down as 4mb on the system. Are you paying for 4Mb?".
"Try it. See how much you get."

Phone goes to BT on Friday.
Next step; Sky cable.
Final step; Trying to get this story to an even wider audience.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Yes you have had a bad experience with NTL. So yes leaving is the best bet for you. But the majority on NTL have a good experience. I for one. Never had much trouble with them. I did have some bad bb for 2 months from September through October this year. But been sorted now. I get 2mb through a 250 modem. That is anytime of day or night. And tv is working okay also. And no trouble with phone either.:)

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Try the BBC then or New of the world, because while the vast amount of customers are getting a 'good' service noone will care for your thoughts.

I'm not being nasty here, because if ntl:telewest was that bad right across the board more people like you would have left & this forum would be swarmed with angry people.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

That's great news.
But, looking through the threads on this forum, the problem seems to be more widespread than you portray it.
In any case, if I was the only person who'd had to go through this, would that make it more acceptable?
I have never said every ntl customer goes through this whereas I have said that I used to be quite satisfied and even took the position, which you've adopted, of defending them against critics who were describing what I've since experienced.
I'm letting people know what happened to me when I did encounter a problem.
With correct information people will make their own informed decisions, hopefully in time, should a similar problem even think about raising it's ugly head in their own situation.
Ideally I would like everyone to know these problems DO exist, people DO have to deal with them at their own expense, and think twice before even signing up with ntl in the first place.
In my business good service is all.
ntl isn't.
Apparently, you do.

:)

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

I'm not being nasty here, but please tell me why is NTL's retentions line swarmed with angry people, demanding and getting ridiculous discounts?

Read all about it here, 19 pages of it

NTL made his life miserable, let him vent his spleen.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Quite.
TY Lobby.
:)

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

It's started.
lolol

Poor Branson.
He's going to have his work cut out trying to keep the Virgin name out of the mire with this deal.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

simple - because NTL aren't price competitive when it comes to broadband. ie. SKY and TalkTalk are offering it as a 'free' extra when taking other products.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

My commiserations to those who have had bad/unacceptable levels of service, but it is my belief you are in the minority (doesn't help you much, I know).

If you look at a lot of the latest forums (traffic shaping, speed problems), quite a few of the issues have been resolved by helpful posters re proxy changes (big up to BillC) and stuff like ZA firewalls causing issues. It doesn't appear to be as black/white as sometimes is posted.

In the words of the late, great Robert Heinlein - "TANSTAAFL" - there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

I've got an idea - why don't we do price based service levels (only meant as a joke, but you never know, someone might take it up).

Level 1a - paying standard prices - standard level of services
Level 1b - paying reduced price for a period of time, due to issues/problems - standard level of services

Level 2 - paying reduced prices due to threat of leaving - reduced level of service (your problem gets fixed after Level 1a & 1b) - this should be made clear to the customer at time of retention/haggling. You get a better deal, less responsiveness (with swings come roundabouts).

Basic economics - look after your full paying customers first ;)

btw, I pay £52 pm for 4mb, Family Pack, and Talk Evenings and Weekends - I think this is a fair price. Others may not; they have options.

---------- Post added at 12:57 ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 ----------

And that's the problem - 'free' as in quotes, or, 'free' as in you need to get a BT line installed and paid for, and you will have to pay for the Sky install as well.

Why do advertisers get away this this? It is either free or it isn't - just like someone can't be 'dead' - they are just dead.

Anyway, market economics - if people don't like the price, use other options. I have had reliable service at what I consider to be a fair price - why would I risk that for a couple of pounds per month?

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

yeah but you'll a lot of existing and new sky subscribers already have the BT line and dont mind the small 'hit' of an install charge for the benefit of a long term 'free' product. simple for me - I can get it 'free' from SKY if I reconnect my BT line or get a deal from NTL - so if NTL charge more than around £15-£20 a month then it's better to go for SKY ADSL (probably).

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Here's me thinking I was paying NTL £100 a month for a laugh!! :dozey:

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

No but your post's being so witty, intelligent and worthwhile to the community on this forum make me :rofl:

Sniff sniff yep the bull**** artist Gary Parsons is about again .

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

£100 per month for Broadband - what package are you on - 30mb? :D

Or do you have problems with your TV/Telephone as well?

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

:LOL:

You had to ask. You will be next for his bull****. oh and BTW his real posting name is GaryParsons.

His list will be long and distinguished but one of his gripes is he has a settop that takes 30 minutes to change channel for instance but he STILL continues to pay for the service. :)

:LOL:

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Here's a 'spot the ball' competition for anyone. Tell me where it says broadband in my above quote and you'll get a prize.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

TV? who doesn't?

:mad: freezing pictures
:mad: freezing channels
:mad: slow channel changes
:mad: crap epg
:mad: tv guide too short
:mad: about to lose favourites

:td:

You asked!

:rolleyes:

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

And your such a sport for keeping the service instead of jumping ship like some would if they actualy did have those problems. Lets face it you have complained constanly for years about the same issues. So are you stupid or just a glutton for punisment Gary ?. If i had that level of service i would have moved no problem. So WHY do you pay for a service you say is totaly crap ?.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Not sure how many times I have to say this for it to sink into thick skulls but here it is once again.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Not sure how many times the team have to say this for it to sink in to 'thick skulls' but here it is once again:

Goading and inflammatory comments will earn permanent bannings from CF.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

So what you trying to say GARY your a glutton for punishment ?

Do you have a stick marked NTL and hit yourself with it. Then shout

Thank you NTL please can i have some more ?.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Someones doctor needs to turn the dosage down :)

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

In fact, IIRC, you did move services when you had trouble...

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Hadn't meant for this to turn into an inter-forum insulting thread, just to let ntl's potential customers know what can happen.

Anyway.
I thought I was all done with this but no.
It turns out I'm not.
ntl still have little surprises left for me.

So. Having 'sorted that out' I forget about it and assume it's died a death.

WRONG:-
Today I awoke to a letter threatening legal action and bailiff's if I hadn't handed their damned box back within 5 days of posting their letter.
I phoned them and told them to be here tomorrow morning. I do hope that whoever they send is of large enough physical dimensions to prevent me from shoving it up his....!

If I don't post for a while after tomorrow morning, you'll know they've stuffed that up as well! I just know I'm going to get cut off again, and that they'll try and invoice me for it again!

T.V. and phone now gone elsewhere.
Only broadband left (though I have a feeling that will be disappearing by default in the morning).

If you're reading this and thinking of taking out any kind of contract with ntl, just read some of what I've been through in the last year. If there's even the slightest chance you might have to go through it as well, would you really want to?

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Not really a surprise, but they didn't turn up.

Appointment for 08:30 to 12:30.
It's now 12:38.

Another morning of my time wasted.
And now I have to wait in for the rest of the day to see if they bother to turn up at all or are just late.

---------- Post added at 13:25 ---------- Previous post was at 12:40 ----------

So far 30 minutes holding on to ntl's "customer service" line, being constantly reminded that my call is "very important".

---------- Post added at 13:42 ---------- Previous post was at 13:25 ----------

45 minutes.

---------- Post added at 13:42 ---------- Previous post was at 13:42 ----------

Finally!

Took 60 minutes to get an answer in the end.

Then I was told that actually, despite being on ntl paper and bearing an ntl reference, the letter is a mistake anyway and should not have been sent out as the set-top box need not be returned to ntl after all, which is where I was four months ago!

YE GODS!!!!!!
What is wrong with this company????

Now I have to waste more time getting something in writing to cancel it, because I know damned well what will happen if I don't!

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

It's always the way when you point out NTL's many many faults.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

You always have the customer's final option.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

The guy turned up at 17:00.
Swapped the set-top box for a cable modem and everything works.
Couldn't have apologised more for being late; He showed me his visit schedule for today.
He'd been told to make 31 appointments.
All this morning.
Over a 50 square mile area.
Left me at 17:15, with two more 'morning' visits still to do.

Interesting speaking to the guys on the front line, hearing just how sick they are of their employer and having to suffer all the customer complaints about them. So many people here tell me I'm in the minority, I sometimes forget they have a vested interest in trying to get me (and others) to believe it.
The staff I spoke to today are the ones who deal with the clients leaving ntl.
I am apparently not in the minority after all, contrary to some opinions.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

why would anyone have a vested intrest in getting you to believe you are in a minority? this site isnt run by ntl, its not run for ntl. i work for ntl and TBH i could give two hoots what you believe.

Think about it this way your on a website that used to be called nthell. now whichever way you look at it, the majority of people that come to this website are here because they have had some sort of problem with ntl and are looking to get it resolved. i would very much doubt that there are many people here that have never had a problem with ntl but thought they would have a look because they just wanted a chat with another ntl user.

also you had a faults engineer out. ofcourse they are going to be dealing with complaints! they only ever go out when somethings not working. i have yet to see ntl or anyone for that matter sending round an engineer just to make sure everythings working fine.

yes there are problems with ntl, i should know i work in CS and take calls about it everyday. but for anyone to take you seriously you really should take some perspective on it. although your screen name hardly sugests an unbiased view

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

I am truly sorry for you.
I wouldn't be able to work for them.
Luckily for me, I'm able to pick and choose who I work with, or for, and do.

Now, please read the thread properly. Other of your colleagues have already come unstuck by posting what they 'think' I've said. This may be why ntl make so many mistakes.

Until this time last year, I used to defend ntl's service when I saw threads like this (not in this forum) because I figured it was fair that, as I was enjoying a good service, I should present the counter side of the argument.

Read what I've put up with and tell me I'm being unfair now. That's why I took this name. I think I've been more than patient, and more than fair.

I'm really not worried whether you, or anyone, else takes me seriously.
But being an ntl customer is now a very serious, if not sad, matter.
I hope I'm helping to warn potential customers of what really lies behind ntl's advertising spin (and a 'customer charter' that's just being blatantly flouted) and what potential customers can really expect once they've handed over their money.
I hope all goes well for them and they don't have to go through what I have.
I acknowledge some don't have problems.
I wish I was still one of them.

Merely by making your post you have proved that actually, you do give two hoots.

Thank you for your love and participation.
:angel:

[edit: One other thing, the faults engineer? Dealing with complaints? Yes. That's what they do. I didn't say who told me. That wasn't my source. He was just showing me the list of calls he'd been told to do in the morning because he was so late getting to me. And, for info, when I called to make the appointment, I quite clearly said twice when asked, that I would be in all day and the time was irrelevant to me. It was the ntl operator who insisted it should be in the morning. How bout recognising that people are cross because of your systems and do something to CHANGE them. Then you can chatter on all you want about how great your employer is and how wrong I, your customer, am.]

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Unfortunately the ntl contact I spoke to on Saturday (yet again very helpful and pleasant, and called me back when she said she would, btw) spoke to the department who issued the letter threatening legal action / bailiffs this morning but was unable to convince them of the need to give me either a correction to the letter, acknowledging that the matter had been resolved and that the letter should not have been sent out or referred to any legal representatives or debt collection agencies, nor an apology.
I was less surprised than she.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Got a new letter today, again on an ntl letterhead.

This one gives instructions on how I should access broadband when their engineer calls to install it.

I've been an ntl broadband customer for years.
It was a problem with their damn broadband that began this stupidity.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Virgin Media engineer called today.
To install the modem ntl installed 3 weeks ago.
I even called them to make sure they understood that they'd installed it and that they didn't have to send anyone else out.
TWICE.
Nice to know Virgin are able to continue offering the same level of stupidity.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Well, well, well, well.
For all those who insisted that my complaint is unique and that I was in the minority and that the majority of ntl customers were satisfied ,and generally happy, little bunnies;
That appeared on the BBC News website today.
I guess it isn't unique, and that I wasn't really in the minority after all.

I suppose that now ntl/Virgin Media will HAVE to sit up and stop ignoring its customers.
I am glad to have been able to help you all in some small way.
However, I will be long gone and with the 'competition', coz ntl has had enough of my patience, time and money already.

Good luck, Sir Richard.
You're gonna need it on this one!

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Yeah - that would be this site - now renamed Cable Forum (just go check out http://www.nthellworld.co.uk and click the links to the forums and you'll find yourself back here.)

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Not everybody has problems with them you know. I've never had a problem, and I've been with them since 98/99. In fact, when we moved to this house and transferred the services, the installation engineer phoned me up on the day of installation (booked for the afternoon) and asked me if they could come round at about 10.30am to do the installation. Nice.

Secondly, about a month ago, the TV box died. Phoned them up, and two days later an engineer came out with a new one and changed it. Sorted.

But some people do seem to get major problems with them.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

I agree. We've been with NTL (Now VM) on and off since about 1989. I say on and off due to living in non-cable areas at times. We have had nothing but good, trouble free service. Just waiting for our V+ service to be installed in 2 weeks. Fingers crossed!!!

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

1) Thanks, and yes, I realise this site is the phoenix of NTHell.

2) If you read the thread you'll find out I was the same as you, sticking up for ntl, until just over a year ago.

Just received a Virgin Media invoice in today.
I've been billed for the "L" size T.V. package.
I used to have the basic (free) t.v. package (I never watch it).
However, I am especially interested in this invoice as I discontinued ALL t.v. services with them last year and they've even just removed my set-top box and installed a modem because of it (despite telling me they didn't need to do this... never mind; read the thread if you're that interested).

Been holding on the phone now for 15 minutes to report it. If they're true to form it'll be another 15 minutes minimum before I even get an answer and then another 30 minutes explaining who I am, my current status and why I'm calliing this time. Then they'll say "Ohhhhh I see, let me see if I can help get this sorted out for you", go away and set up some other package I don't want and in another month I'll have to go through the whole process again.

So yeh, I guess you're right, they're the most efficient supplier ever.

NOT !

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

It’s funny to see all the NTL\VM fan boys jumping up & down stamping their feet in this thread.

NTL_Sux
I applaud you for your calmness during these incidents, if it were me I would be the total opposite.
It is disgusting the way a company the size of NTL\VM can and does treat customers such as yourself. There are far too many sycophants ready to jump onboard to try and gain points with this site\NTL\VM by having a go at someone with a very genuine grievance.
Maybe if the shoe\STB were on the other foot\TV they would be more sympathetic to your tale.

It is also deplorable the PM you received from Paul M, (yes I know I’m a few months late on commenting on this as I have just come across this thread) and your 2 point infraction. I’m wondering if someone would be kind enough as to point me to a link to show how this “totting up” system works.

I didn’t see anywhere in the previous post’s or any since that you incited a riot, called somebody a name, pointed to an individual and blamed them for anything other than the problems you were having and that was with NTL\VM. We all know who eats the nuts.

I hope everything works out the way you want it to.

BTW for the record I receive BB & Phone from VM and on the whole I’m\were very happy with the service.

Re: 12hours? Pffft
 

Cheers Al.

Likewise; It's nice to see someone who gathered the facts before making (what I deem to be) a lucid, rational, and correct, assessment.

If ntl/Virgin Media had a similar approach to yours, maybe the 30,000 disgruntled "customers" who left them in the month leading up to Virgin's take-over would not have felt the need to. Everyone makes mistakes. No getting away from it. If I felt they were being corrected, and lessons being learned, I wouldn't have even thought about switching. Now, I wouldn't switch back if they offered to pay me ten times their subscription fee. I would still end up paying out more to be their customer.

We should have legislation so that companies like ntl/Virgin Media cannot advertise how much their services cost without including the extra, invisible, costs of waiting for hours on the telephone waiting for them, or the days spent indoors off work waiting for people who don't show up or do the wrong job when they do, and the costs which we their customers incur trying to correct their mistake when they over-charge us!
I did not agree to pay any of these extra charges but I've incurred them all merely because I signed up to become their customer a few years ago.

In ntl's 'customer charter' it says that anyone who does not feel satisfied with the way that their problem has been dealt with can ask to speak to a manager. Technically, this is extremely accurate; I asked five times over the last year and still haven't managed to speak to one.
In fairness, it only says we can ask.
Nowehere does it say we might ever achieve it.

What scares me the most is the scale of ineptitude. This isn't all about a single issue, although it started out as one. I doubt there's anything left in their Q & A manual which I haven't been put through.




Last week I had a letter from the ntl/Virgin Media Sales Director. Basically he thought I might like to know how lucky I was to be his customer. I don't normally even read these things (it's just 'snail-spam') but, on this occasion, I wrote back; I like to help people and he might benefit from planning an early career move before it's forced upon him.

I mentioned how he might be better diverting the money he spends on promoting such drivel into improving his customer service and help to save a tree at the same time.
Thinking about it I should have also included a definition of 'service', but that's hindsight for you.

I am glad for all those who receive, and benefit from receiving, service from VM.
I also sincerely hope that you do not one day have to contact them to put something right or that, if you do, it is solved instantly. If it should start to drag on, don't be like me and think, "Oh, it's just a quirk and one last, final call will probably fix it." A year later you may be starting your own thread here and passing on your experience to other potential new "customers" (or 'cable-bait').

[ lol @ the nuts crack. ;) ]