No other options?
 

I currently have the NTL Base Pack - phone, tv and internet (1mb).

is there any way that I can get rid of the phone line? I dont use it at all, and I begrudge the fact that NTL are telling me that to have the TV, I also need to have the phone line. Essentially, I am paying for something I do not use. I have tried looking at other providers, but either they do not offer things like Sky One, or are too expensive (SKY Satellite).

anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.

Re: No other options?
 

:welcome:

Apparently, you can now - How long have you been in your contract so far though?

Re: No other options?
 

have had contract for over 3 years. Reading the bumph on the site, you must have a phone as well as tv. Are there any other providers?

Re: No other options?
 

The link that eventually gets to has this in the small print:
So you have to keep your phone line to get the additional broadband and TV that that offer allows.

Re: No other options?
 

Which basically means that it is not an offer at all - I'm thinking of referring this to ASA.

Re: No other options?
 

They'll get away with it.

Re: No other options?
 

If you all read the small print PROPERLY before getting on your legal high horses, it does state - .

So, cancel your contract with them, then take up the offer. Chances are if you ring to cancel and they ask why, they may just give you the deal anyway? :shrug:

Re: No other options?
 

Not so. The statutory 30 day notice required for cancellation would take you beyond August 7th.

Re: No other options?
 

So that takes it out of the equation because of time :shrug: Just pointing out that what was posted earlier (ie post 5) was incorrect.

Re: No other options?
 

Well, it's not really an offer if you fall into any of the exempted criteria - ie some very considerable % of their existing customer base who have services beyond just the phone (I wasn't even aware that "phone only" was possible - but there you go).

Interestingly NTL seem to have overlooked their own mission statement (2. Provision of Services) wherein they state "ntl’s aim is to give those who subscribe to its services customer-focussed attention and a fair deal in the provision of quality communications" which is available here.

Consequently one could challenge how the exemptions referring to existing customers constitute "a fair deal in the provision of quality communications" when quite clearly they are being disadvantaged by having more than just the phone service.

Re: No other options?
 

OK, so unless NTL are very nice to me and decide that they will take the phoneline off and stop charging me for it (which I really doubt), my only choice is to move providers. Problem is, can you get broadband without needing a landline?

Re: No other options?
 

You can say the same of any service/credit provider :shrug: My credit card issuer is offering 0% on purchases for six months to new customers, but I'm not getting that deal.

If you didn;t know about having phone only, then that's not ntls problem really, is it?

When did the offer start?

As for fair deals, ntl have to make money or there's no point. They don't make money on offering CATV alone, so they don't offer it. I can't see what's unfair about that?

Re: No other options?
 

Yes, but I very much doubt that your credit card issuer makes bold statements along the lines of offering existing customers "a fair deal in the provision of ..."

I'm not interested in "phone only" deals. I was merely stating that I was not aware that they were available.

13 July 2006 11:10:23 is the last time the page was edited so sometime around that date (certainly not after)

I'm sorry but we're talking about this particular offer - not the semantics of making money. If ntl can't figure out how to make money from CATV alone then surely that's an issue for them to address, not you, I or their customer base.

The fact is that the exemptions referred to in the aforementioned offer make a nonsense of the Code of Practice. I didn't print it, ntl did, your issue (if any) is with them and their flagrant contradictory disregard for their customers evidenced in patently untrue "soundbites".

Re: No other options?
 

What was the point in that?


Edited does not mean first published though, does it, so it could've been possible for an existing customner to do as I suggested if the offer had been there since June and they gave notice in time. No?


Yes, they could charge for the stb and/or charge for installation. That would go down like a lead balloon in todays tight wad/want something for nothing consumer society.

What's untrue about the offer? I'm not a customer, but if I sign up before the end of the month, I can have tv & bb for 20 quid... :confused:

Re: No other options?
 

Don't wantto sound rude but this seems to be getting a bit off topic - in short, I am not eligible for the offer. What I need to know is if there is a way of having broadband without the need for a phoneline?

Re: No other options?
 

You drew an analogy between NTL's offer and your current credit card provider, I was merely pointing out that, unlike NTL, your credit card provider don't print contradictory nonsense in the guise of committment to their customers.

I'm aware of the difference between "edited" and "published".

Yes possibly some may indeed have. However, in the context of this thread (started yesterday) any advice given with regards to cancellation is irrelevant given the 30 day notice period and the expiry of the offer. We cannot determine when it first appeared without someone from NTL confirming the date.

Again, that's NTL's perogative. If they want to incorporate a loss leader service as part of the backbone of their business model that's entirely up to them.

There's nothing untrue about the offer. There is, however something unfair about the offer exemptions which makes their assertion "ntl’s aim is to give those who subscribe to its services customer-focussed attention and a fair deal in the provision of quality communications" untrue.

Yes, because you're not currently an existing customer, nor are you restricted (at this juncture) by a 30 day cancellation period.

Quite simple.

Re: No other options?
 

Yes, that's always been possible. :tu:

---------- Post added at 12:12 ---------- Previous post was at 12:06 ----------

I meant about you pointing out you didn't know about phone line only. Never mind.


Oh good. :)

So, are you here to give advice or demonstrate what a real pedant is?



It's not their prerogative though, is it? If they started charging, customers would be off elsewhere. Business isn't that black and white when it's as competitive as it is now.



In your opinion I suppose.



I know it is. You're the one that sems hell bent on pulling things apart and examining them for no apparent or conclusive reason.

Re: No other options?
 

erm... hello? Anyone remember me asking a question?

Re: No other options?
 

[quote=orangebird]Yes, that's always been possible. :tu:

---------- Post added at 12:12 ---------- Previous post was at 12:06 ----------



Sorry, I replied in the context of your entire quote.

In this context to give advice rather than have customers waste their time, and generate more revenue for NTL, trying to cancel an existing contract only to find that other advice offered was confounded by a time frame.

It's their business, how they choose to run it is their prerogative.

It's not really an opinion when it's published as a statement of fact in a "Code of Practice" .

I'd think (only my opinion mind you) that advising current customers reading this thread not to waste money, time and effort trying to avail of an offer that is patently not available to them because of a time restriction is both apparent and conclusive.

---------- Post added at 12:39 ---------- Previous post was at 12:38 ----------

Yes, OB answered it above.

Re: No other options?
 

I did, and I pm'd you too.

Re: No other options?
 

Just to update, have called NTL retentions today and some really sound bloke cancelled the phone line for me. All I need to do now is call customer services to get it put into action - what's the betting that some cockup will occur? Fingers crossed and thanks for all the help and comments from everyone x