1 week for engineer visit?

gimpymoo · 07-12-2004, 12:39

I contacted tech support yesterday to report poor performance from my cable modem.

After going through the required diagnostics, it was decided an onsite visit would be needed.

The earliest date was 7 days time

Im NOT complaining, just wondering if this is normal procedure? Dont get me wrong, normally, my service is VERY good and I recommend NTL to anybody.

Are my expectations too high or is 7 days perfectly acceptable?

Raistlin · 07-12-2004, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimpymoo

Are my expectations too high or is 7 days perfectly acceptable?

I suppose that depends on the exact nature of the "poor performance".

If it was working, just a bit slowly or it was a bit peaky, I would probably settle for 7 days.

If it had packerd up altogether, or was so bad that it was unusable, then I would insist either on a sooner visit or on a refund for the time that I wasn't able to use it (I wouldn't hold my breath though!

).

gimpymoo · 07-12-2004, 12:44

Yeah your right, it is working, just at literally half the speed of the package im subscibed.

Im thankfull I have a service full stop so 7 days isnt a problem.

The thing is, ive never needed to use the tech support before, so the first time I do and am told it'll take 7 days, obviously im a little miffed.

Even when the tech visits, theres no GUARANTEE the problem will be fixed.

Neil · 07-12-2004, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimpymoo

I contacted tech support yesterday to report poor performance from my cable modem.

After going through the required diagnostics, it was decided an onsite visit would be needed.

The earliest date was 7 days time

Im NOT complaining, just wondering if this is normal procedure? Dont get me wrong, normally, my service is VERY good and I recommend NTL to anybody.

Are my expectations too high or is 7 days perfectly acceptable?

I guess it varies daily according to workloads, if you maybe rung last week & the workloads were low, you may have got an engineer that day (which happens)

There just no fixed pattern for this kind of thing unfortunately.

gimpymoo · 07-12-2004, 12:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

I guess it varies daily according to workloads, if you maybe rung last week & the workloads were low, you may have got an engineer that day (which happens)

There just no fixed pattern for this kind of thing unfortunately.

Your right, nobody can predict how many faults are going to occure in a certain area at a certain time.

I work for PC Servicecall (we repair PC's on behalf of PCW) and our maximum wait for an engineer is 3 days. I thought PCW had a "perceived" bad reputation for customer service so thought it would be at least on par with that. Although the two companies cant be compared I know.

Chris W · 07-12-2004, 12:53

ah nottingham... i do believe that the wait for engineers is longer than normal there at the moment.

Normally an engineer can be arranged for within 48hours, sorry that you have to wait so long for yours

Oh and Raistalin- it makes no difference whether it is no connection/ slow/ degraded service. Every customer is offered the first available appointment

There is no guarantee that the engineer can fix the problem- but i see no reason why he/she shouldn't be able to. I know if an engineer came to check my connection he wouldn't leave until it was working properly again or i had a reasonable explanation as to why he couldn't fix it and information as to what steps were being taken to get the problem resolved

Raistlin · 07-12-2004, 12:53

I KNOW that the answer to this question is probably going to be yes, but you have tried rebooting your Cable Modem haven't you?

paulyoung666 · 07-12-2004, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

I KNOW that the answer to this question is probably going to be yes, but you have tried rebooting your Cable Modem haven't you?

i was wondering that as well , as going by the signature it is 1.5mb service and half of 1.5 is 750 , wrong tier maybe or as stated a reboot required

gimpymoo · 07-12-2004, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

i was wondering that as well , as going by the signature it is 1.5mb service and half of 1.5 is 750 , wrong tier maybe or as stated a reboot required

The modem has been reset. My first thought was that i'd been "downgraded". They tried to update my modem with the correct info, but still the same problem.

Raistlin · 07-12-2004, 14:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeybreath

Oh and Raistalin- it makes no difference whether it is no connection/ slow/ degraded service. Every customer is offered the first available appointment

I know that, what I was saying was that if it was totally borked I would argue and kick up a fuss until I either got a quicker appointment or a partia refund at least for the week I was waiting. If it was working, just a little bit slower than it should, I would probably not bother too much and just sit tight for a week.

zoombini · 07-12-2004, 16:44

7 days - oh if only...

I booked a BT engineer last week & the earliest will be 4th Jan 2005 !!!

& that's only to turn the line on.

Chris W · 07-12-2004, 17:01

that is over a months wait!! it is a shame that BT have such a control over the adsl suppliers, if i had to wait that long and had another option available i would take that! still i suppose it does ntl's business good if everyone is put off adsl!!

absthechatter · 07-12-2004, 17:27

I have similar problem with speeds as low as 200 on a 1.5mb service, also massive packet loss and web pages taking up to a minute to load - or not at all. It has been like this for months but is intermittent, probably happens about 25% of time. An engineer came to me same day (about 2-3 months ago).

I am not hijacking here, my point is that engineer, once he knew there was a problem has not let it go (I am sure this will be the same for you). He has been helpful well above the call of duty. He has tried many things, spending hours and hours and rings me regularly to get updates and has even lent me a cable modem (I have Samsung STB). Although the problem is not yet cured I feel sure it will be eventually and I have full respect for the engineers, they're doing a great job. (

could understand if I was attractive young lady - but I'm an ugly thirty something bloke!!

It has made me think though, if I can get by with slow connection - perhaps I ought to downgrade when it's fixed!!!