Set Top Box Stuck on Database

DiGi · 18-03-2005, 23:31

Can anybody help i had the new stb Samsung put in tuesday morning told wait till tv comes on then the BB will work tv comes in about 30 mins I try connect then find i havent got a straight through lead to connect to it so ring them up say they will send one out next day with a engineer then realise ive only got tv 1-5 and a couple others so ring up they say being sent hits now try again in a hour anyhow took till 6 pm the next day b4 tv works still no BB then 8pm wednesday get through to be told its stuck in the database on part 2 of a 3 part upgrade from here on lots of calls through all there depts saying from 1-2 hours then 5 days and now 7 days im looking at next tuesday b4 im back to a service is it really that bad there that it takes 7 days to take my old pace box out and get the samsung registered ? theyve had the smart card on nearly every call but keep saying they cant help there was a few nice people i spoke to and 2 engineer tried to help with a new stb but still no joy. They say they have credited my account for the BB for this month but id prefer to have a service ive never had a problem till this free upgrade

any help appreciated

DiGi

MovedGoalPosts · 19-03-2005, 13:51

to Cable Forum, sorry it's not in better circumstances.

It does sound as though ntl have really messed this one up. I think you may have caught ntl at a really bad time because of all their speed upgrades on broadband has placed an excessive strain on their capabilities. However that is no excuse and inability to properly resolve your porblems in a reasonable timescale is appalling.

As you say free service for a month is fine, but not really a benefit if it still does not work.

I do suggest you put in a more forceful written complaint, perhaps to you ntl area manager. Phone CS faults again, and explain you need a resolution to this issue, and today, you've been waiting nearly a week. If necessary require the issue be escalated.

If you still need a straight through ethernet cable, any local computer shop will sell them. Most bb kits that were supplied for STBs had a long ethernet cable, a plug in USB adaptor that connected to one end of that cable, and a plug in crossove adaptor cable for the other end. Check that adaptor has been unplugged.

gooner4life · 19-03-2005, 16:07

Ridiculous, ask to speak to a supervisor and tell them that the STB needs to be reloaded it has clearly failed on the DI or the STI and that should have been done straight away.

DiGi · 19-03-2005, 16:41

Hi thanks for the welcome i never got the installation kit i had a friend who had been sent 2 but only got the usb adapter off him and used my own crossover cable but i did get the straight through cable the following night off a engineer who thought he had been sent out for a fault and not just a cable ,
I had spoken to supervisor the wednesday morning to be told it would take him 2 hours and he promised me it would be on when i got home which it wasnt, I had a call thursday morning from CS saying it would be 24 hours then I rang them friday to be told 7 days but he couldnt tell me 7 days from now or 7 days from last tuesday twice they said they have made it a priority to no avail , had a lady call me from CS again this morning to say 48 working hours but its a weekend so im still looking at monday tuesdaay but she said they have found the fault and has been passed onto IT for the 3rd time i been told this , I tried to get them send out just the modem as the BB Dept said he can add them easily but they wouldnt and there dialup disc takes upto 5 days so im using a no account 0845 number for now.
lets just hope they have it done monday they promised to give me a call as soon as its sorted.

Cheers

DiGi

MovedGoalPosts · 19-03-2005, 18:11

The run around you are getting from ntl is one of the worst I've seen for a long time.

I regret to say that the call back from CS to say they've sorted it may never happen, it's pot luck, not because someone might not sort it, but because the file that says to call you will probably be missed (if the note was even created).

When you speak to anyone on CS, make sure you record their name so you can make them accountable. This isn't having a go at CS bods, many of whom are very good, more so you can back up what you said, and were told would happen, by who and when.

As I said put it in writing, make your feelings known, and make it quite clear to them that the time for promises of action have passed, you need results!

Demand the cable modem as they are incapable of providing the contracted service by STB. Use the ntl terms and conditions of service against ntl, they may not guarantee a fault free service, but at the moment they are not providing any service. Demand your rights and demand the case is escalated.

Oh and tell them clearly that you will expect them to credit in full your 0845 dial up internet costs.

BBKing · 19-03-2005, 21:05

Um - don't recommend the SACM route from this point - you go back to square one and go through the engineer visit-install-account create-register route again, with consequent multiple opportunities for muppetry. Having got as far as actually having the box installed and having the right cable it's just a matter of getting the hit to the box. I can help check whether it's broadband enabled or not and someone like Marge can help with the hit. PM me the STB's MAC or smartcard number and I can find it from there.

DiGi · 20-03-2005, 23:53

well i will await there call tomoz to say its fixed hopefully although they said it could be tuesday at the latest if not i will pm you over the information you want so thanks for the help , the best bit is i have had a few friends goto ntl for there internet lets just hope there install goes well .

DiGi

DiGi · 22-03-2005, 00:06

Just a quick update no call from anybody today so rang when i got home to be told i just need the hit sending again now the pace is off the system so went through trying usb network adapter to my onboard one to then trying a spare cable that id been given to be told the fault was the port on the stb and to ring back after 8 pm on the 0845 number to get a engineer out to replace it as the system was down ,

so i agreed come to change over to ITV2 no channels again so another call to be told the hit had blocked the tv siganl cant do anything for another 48hrs which by then the IT dept would have sorted it all out hopefully and to my suprise being told the pace was still on there system after all, anyhow im expecting a call tomorrow from a lady to be given another update and they kindley agreed to credit me for the dialup and maybe some more for the inconveniance.

Cheers

DiGi (56k Broadband)

MovedGoalPosts · 22-03-2005, 00:08

Left hand - right hand. Looks like ntl really don't know what they are doing here.

DiGi · 22-03-2005, 00:17

yeah its hard when some of them are so nice on the phone to be angry i find theres a couple i have been slightly unpleasant to but to be told another 48hours i was speechless all this because of a free upgrade and before this id never had a reason to complain if it was a complete outage of my area i could understand but you get the same lines from every dept then you ask the question how long then and its i cant tell you or hold on i need speak to the IT who acknowledged this problem and have been working on it for a week you think is there system this bad or is it just sumit unique and they cant work it out, im hoping this is my final 48 hours lol

DiGi

th'engineer · 22-03-2005, 06:44

1.I know this sounds obvious but have you tried rebooting the box .
2. Have you checked the power SNR and return power.
up then down then blue on the remote .
3.What area are you in many NTL associates visit this forum so may help.

DiGi · 22-03-2005, 10:10

Hi

1 yes box has been rebooted quite a few times now
2 when i do that i get Return Power:53dBmV
3 im in stoke on trent

Some other Info SNR 40.7db
the 2 error ones are at 0.5s
AGC level 47
RF 52
and what i presume is the internet QOS no-bia-.cm

i dont know what the 2nd one means but theyve never asked me for that info .
From help ive had so far seems the pace is out of the system but the computer still thinks it is there.

and because of the eventlog it said smart card mute at the top took smart card out put it back in and my channels work

DiGi

th'engineer · 23-03-2005, 07:31

Sure one of our North West NTL associate contributors can help

"QOS no-bia-.cm" means no broadband needs a hit from Manchester CS

DiGi · 23-03-2005, 10:11

well got a call yesterday they need another 48 hours and said she has credited my account so i dunno if i get 2 free months or they keep using the same credit rebooted box this morning checked what the QOS was and still the same .

they tried sending hit the other night thats when i had to change network adapters and cables they all think its easy at first until i tell them they have been working on it for a week.

Cheers

DiGi

DiGi · 23-03-2005, 20:08

Well its finally sorted 8 days after it all started spoke to marge off the board today V.nice person

and she finished off the final bits just want say thanks to all that have offered there help and putting marge in contact with me i can now finally read the board without getting no page found and haveing to complain .

Thanks Again

DiGi (2meg)