I've been a loyal customer of NTL for many years now. But unfortunately I made the mistake of moving house on Nov 5th last year. I rang NTL to inform them of my new address and request they transfer my phone and Digi TV to my new house. Big mistake. First of all they told me they didn't cover that area and that I would have to close my account. So I did. About a week and a half later I noticed an NTL van outside the house next door but one, so I asked the engineer what he was doing in an area NTL allegedly don't cover only to find out that they do indeed cover my new area.
So, I get back on the phone (Mobile of course because I have no landline) to the NTL department responsible for home moves to find out why my neighbours can sign up with NTL as a new customer but I can't transfer my existing services? I'm told it's impossible for my neighbours to sign up becasue they don't service my area. Right, I sayes. Punch this address into your database and tell me if you have a customer at the address. Ah, yes, we do have a customer at this address' came the reply, 'I'll contact the local depot and call you back'. When they did call back they told me they have only just started servicing the area and I can transfer my services afterall and a booking was made there and then.
NTL came and fitted my TV. Whilst the engineer was there he explained why he wasn't installing my landline, that an engineer would be calling in a few days time to connect the phone and that he had disconected the BT line in rediness. 'Great' I foolshly thought.
3, 4 then 7 days go by and still no engineer. So I call again and am again told they don't service my area. So I explain the previous events again and eventually it sinks in that they do cover my area. 'We'll call you back' was the reply.
There aren't any phone lines left so I can't have a phone was the reply I eventually received. So I asked them how many lines are available in my area? 300 or so was the reply. 'So' I said, let me get this straight. You've only just started offering services in my area and your telling me you've sold 300 telephone lines in the space of a few days. I don't belive you. Please contact the depot again and check'. Which they did. This time when they call back i'm told I can have a line but not yet because exchange hasn't been commisioned and I can't have a phone line until this is completed in about 2 weeks time. They went on to say that in the interim I could sign up with BT but there would be a minimum contract period and that they might not be able to offer me a line once that period had expired. So I decide to wait the 2 weeks rather than risk being stuck with a service provider I don't want.
2 weeks later, they call. Great news sir. The exchange will be on-line by the end of the week and we will be calling to install your phone a few days later. At last.
3 weeks later - No call, no engineer, no phone and a huge mobile bill. I get on my mobile and call NTL again. We don't service your area. Here we go again. I'm Transfered from 1 department to another and each time (with the exception of the department responsible for new business) I'm left holding for 10 to 15 mins while an operator becomes free. Eventually I get some poor NTL employee (Lucy) by the short and curlies and I won't let go. I want compensation to cover the costs of BT having to come in and reconnect their line, for all the mobile calls, the inconvenience and stress that NTL have subjected me to but all they offer is a pethetic £10 per month to cover a BT line rental charge.
Finally I loose patience with Lucy and demand to speak to a manager but she refuses because 'A manager will only tell you what I've told you'. So I insist she let me speak to a manager and she takes my number and promises to get her team leader to call me. 3 hours later the team leader calls. She offers to arrange for an NTL engineer to come the next day and reconnect my BT line to negate the need for BT to come out. However she refuses to offer me anymore compensation.
The next day I take a day off work buit no engineer arrives. This afternoon I've called yet again. They don't know or can't tell me why the engineer didn't call, they can't tell me if or when i can have a line. In fact they don't know didily. The only thing they can tell me is that they will not offer to cover any of the costs I have incurred and they have not once expressed scincere appologies about the manor in which they have handled my house move
I'm now at the end of my tether. I used to speak quite highly on NTL and have even defended them in the past. Now however, I think NTL are ok until you need to change or do something outside of the norm. Then they are rubbish. The crux of the problem seems to be communication but NTL couldn't communicate between 2 toilet cubicles let alone departments or buildings.
A copy of this message is being sent to David Thatcher who I think is Marketing Director. I don't expect him to do anything I just want him to know how I feel about NTL. If anybody else would like to do the same his details are: -
David Thatcher
Managing Director, ntl:home ESE Business Unit
Phone: 01582 701616
e-mail:
david.thatcher@ntl.com
location: Luton
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