Pushy TalkTalk sales

[Matth]

Mum got a call from talktalk this morning, sounding like it was a special offer for valued customers etc., of £16.99 for Free evening/weekend local/national/international and free broadband.

Having repeatedly asked for the details in writing, and then finally accepted the offer that they'll send it and you can cancel if you don't want to go ahead, now furious to find that it is exactly the same as on their website, so there was no need to rush as it was not a special offer.

With time to compare the current deals, it does not look so great, the main problem being that we want to keep TV:XL with Virgin and that is part of a loyalty deal that may not be economic to unpick - the VM broadband, naturally, would not be needed, and the second phone line, I would be happy to get rid of as it's rarely used, but it appears you have to take a phone line with TV.

The other problem, is that we already have an free evening/weekend deal with talktalk, as British gas customers, which we are afraid might get lost in the muddle.


I suppose another way to save would be to drop the BT line, but it seems that Virgin's call rates are never as good as basic BT, never mind any of the alternative call providers, just depends if saving the line rental would cover it... it's a thought.


Current deals:
1. BT line - ordinary, line with no extras, whatever they call that now.
2. TalkTalk/British gas communications - Everycall option 5 (free)
3. Virginmedia: BB:M, Phone:M, TV:XL on loyalty / compete with Sky deal, of 3 for 30 with XL (as was, think it's gone up in line with current increases on TV packages)

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by Matth

I would be happy to get rid of as it's rarely used, but it appears you have to take a phone line with TV.

No thats not correct Matth, you can have Virgin tv as a stand alone service.

[chickendippers]

You only have to take TV M with a landline because it's 'free', but all the other packages are available standalone. TalkTalk are terrible for phoning and trying to upsell their customers, they always do it to us.

[Jules]

I am lucky as soon as they know I don't have a BT line they leave me alone

[frogstamper]

I'm always tempted to go down the Victor Meldrew route with any of these telesales people, by showing maximum interest and letting them rattle on for as long as possible, then when the sign up moment comes I have a change of heart. I suppose I'll have to save this for when I'm retired and have more time on my hands. My first victim would have to be my present nemesis, Anglian Windows.

[PeteTheMusicGuy]

I have a bit of a disliking for talk talk as everytime I go into the carphone warehouse they always try to sell me it.

All you have to say is you work for a phone company and you have a staff deal then they normally leave you alone

[Matth]

Well they called again, and got cancelled, particularly furious that they hadn't even bothered to offer the half price (for 3 months) offer that was on the website.

The telesales droid also repeatedly fielded requests to have the offer in writing, saying that you could say yes and then cancel if you didn't want it. If they'd just said, "it's on the website", then our opinion would have been "helpful", check it out and see how to tweak our other services to suit.

PS. Went into Craphone whorehouse the other day to look for accessories - left very quickly on seeing the prices, then picked up a nice little bluetooth headset for £9.99 in Woolies - rechargable with charger, not just USB charging.