NTL... The worst?! Oh Yes!

[stuey82]

Today NTL decided to suspend my service because I am 2 days late paying... Oops! Well, it happens to the best of us right?!

I spent from 1pm until 8pm trying to get through... I dialled 0800 013 1333 as I am a freedom customer (not for long I can tell you). I entered my home phone number and waited. Here are the waiting times:

1st Attempt: 61mins
2nd Attempt: 22mins
3rd Attempt: 10mins
Then tried Normal NTL number.... 0800 052 2000 and spoke to some thick Welsh bloke (before you comment, i'm Welsh myself) who didn't know if his manager was in, who didnt know how to transfer me to someone higher than him, who didnt know what the number was for ntl freedom and didn't probably know his name..... so I thought to myself ' I wont give in '...
4th Attempt: 35mins
5th Attempt: 42mins.... I think any sane person would of given up on the 3rd attempt!!

I decided after that there was no hope. Now, I am using a friends dial up service as NTL simply refuse to answer...

What do I do?! I want my service back on (broadband).... but no one's there. HELP!!!!!

[Marge]

"Normal" customer services wouldn't be able to help you with Freedom accounts I'm afraid, it is only the Freedom peeps that can touch them. Off the top of my head I can't remember the number but I'm 99.9% sure they are closed now anyway

[Kliro]

Try giving the normal number a ring again and tell them your problem?

Sounds like you got a bad guy, whenever I ring they manage to sort it all out for me, so I'd suggest that.

[quadplay]

Try ntl: Freedom Customer Services on 0870 445 0445 - they're open 8am-8pm Weekdays and 9am-6pm Weekends.

[maverick]

Originally Posted by stuey82

Today NTL decided to suspend my service because I am 2 days late paying... Oops! Well, it happens to the best of us right?!

I spent from 1pm until 8pm trying to get through... I dialled 0800 013 1333 as I am a freedom customer (not for long I can tell you). I entered my home phone number and waited. Here are the waiting times:

1st Attempt: 61mins
2nd Attempt: 22mins
3rd Attempt: 10mins
Then tried Normal NTL number.... 0800 052 2000 and spoke to some thick Welsh bloke (before you comment, i'm Welsh myself) who didn't know if his manager was in, who didnt know how to transfer me to someone higher than him, who didnt know what the number was for ntl freedom and didn't probably know his name..... so I thought to myself ' I wont give in '...
4th Attempt: 35mins
5th Attempt: 42mins.... I think any sane person would of given up on the 3rd attempt!!

I decided after that there was no hope. Now, I am using a friends dial up service as NTL simply refuse to answer...

What do I do?! I want my service back on (broadband).... but no one's there. HELP!!!!!

Sorry I feel I need to respond to this.

All these problem,s have arisen because:

1 you didn't pay your bill.
2 you tried to contact them on the wrong number.

And you say you spoke to a thick welsh bloke.

[Seti]

Maverick cut him a little slack. I phone the wrong number all the time too, but I agree he should have contacted freedom.

I had that situation happen to me MOSTLY on direct debit payments. They were either taken out too early or too late leaving me with fees from the bank, NTL did that 4 times in one month once but they did refund all my fees as it was their error and it was more than the bill. I am disabled so I dont' always pay them on the date specified in their letter. I now pay via pay point because of the inconsitency of NTL. I haven't had a problem with them since they decided the DID have a disabled policy, which no one could ever find, and that they are happy for me to pay fortnightly.

As for your problem Stu I suggest you get hold of Freedom as mentioned by Jimco above and go from there. Oh and don't call us Welsh people thick we hate it, even if you are Welsh.

Sian

[MovedGoalPosts]

Regardless of which number was called in the first instance, the waiting times for any answer, even if its" you have called the wrong number" is appalling.

On the other hand even if you have the wonr number, ntl is that massive a "communications" company" that a call should be able to be transferred to the correct department, without any need for a redial. Yet that I know is beyond ntl's systems at present.

Yes a bill wasn't paid on time, but to be unable to get through to discuss the options to reinstate the serivce, and pay the bill says that ntl don't want the customer.

Hi Stuey,

I your still having problems getting through - send me a private message with some details and I will forward them on to our ntl contact. Thanks.

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by Rob C

Regardless of which number was called in the first instance, the waiting times for any answer, even if its" you have called the wrong number" is appalling.

Erm I can confirm that at peak times BT suffer the same queue times, there was an average wait of 35 mins this afternoon on the main enquiry number. Sometimes no matter how hard you try to re-direct traffic to quieter call centers you cannot impact the queue time to any great significance especially if the customer has to be routed to a certain call center group to answer their query.

Originally Posted by maverick

Sorry I feel I need to respond to this.

All these problem,s have arisen because:

1 you didn't pay your bill.
2 you tried to contact them on the wrong number.

And you say you spoke to a thick welsh bloke.

I am with you on this one

[stuey82]

Clearly Bill and Maverick your comments are about as constructive as nothing. The bill is 2 days late....... 2 DAYS... Hardly much is it?! I have tried to set up DD's with NTL and it doesn't work. My friend is exactly the same and he has to call NTL every single month to pay his balance.

This problem has now been sorted and I am being disconnected in 10 days. I cannot wait to get back to BT and pay that extra £1 for AOL broadband. I am not prepared to use a service which is run by ADMIN EDIT (RUSS) - please do not use comments like that.

NTL is a communications company that doesn't communicate and it hasn't changed from the days when I worked there.

Thanks for the help and support from most... it's been greatly appreciated.

[Russ]

I agree that Bill and Maverick aren't being as sympathetic as they could - there could be a number of reason why a customer might miss a payment by 2 days, although I wasn't aware ntl take action so soon, I always thought it was a week or two. And let's bear in mind that according to the OP, it wasn't a case of him not paying his bill, he was just 2 days late.

Unless he has a history of non-payment I cannot see the need for a hostile attitude towards him.

Originally Posted by Russ D

I agree that Bill and Maverick aren't being as sympathetic as they could - there could be a number of reason why a customer might miss a payment by 2 days, although I wasn't aware ntl take action so soon, I always thought it was a week or two. And let's bear in mind that according to the OP, it wasn't a case of him not paying his bill, he was just 2 days late.

Unless he has a history of non-payment I cannot see the need for a hostile attitude towards him.

So i take it your not happy with my post ? its not me calling people monkeys. And explain where i was hostile.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Bill C

So i take it your not happy with my post ? its not me calling people monkeys

I'm not saying I'm not happy with the post, I just think you could be a little more sympathetic to him - we don't know the reasons behind his late payment and taking action after just 2 days is a little harsh in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Russ D

I'm not saying I'm not happy with the post, I just think you could be a little more sympathetic to him - we don't know the reasons behind his late payment and taking action after just 2 days is a little harsh in my opinion.

It was not me that started the flame war. It was not me calling people thick. It was not me with the attitude. It was not me with the He don't know his own name crap. Please read my other post tonight. Well come back to the old days of the hate site