I'm moving my NTL TV to Sky+ ..here's what happend!

[scrotnig]

It's a reasonable enough deal, however....

Why is it that so many people see ntl's price of 49.50 for full packages and a phone, then see Sky's offer of £40 for the full package WITHOUT a phone and think it's a good idea?

Once you add the phone line cost in, it's the same. Sky are well known for lying about this on the phone.

I have long advocated that it's time ntl went back to pricing TV separately. So, quoting, say, the family pack price as being £19.50, and then saying a phone line is £9.50 regardless of whether you have TV or not.

Same overall price, but easier to compare with Sky and might just stop them lying. Also, it'd be handy for those with BT lines who do not want to switch, but would like ntl TV.

[Caspar]

Just had a courtesy call from NTL (physical call at my door), which was weird! Not really sure what he wanted!

He basically told me he was confirming the removal of the STB and replacement with a SACM, and gave me a card with his mobile on it incase I had any problems.

Seems weird they'd go to the expense of sending a man out since I'm reducing my service!

Anyone know why he came round? To satisfy what need?

[skyblueheroes]

Originally Posted by Caspar

Just had a courtesy call from NTL (physical call at my door), which was weird! Not really sure what he wanted!

He basically told me he was confirming the removal of the STB and replacement with a SACM, and gave me a card with his mobile on it incase I had any problems.

Seems weird they'd go to the expense of sending a man out since I'm reducing my service!

Anyone know why he came round? To satisfy what need?

Thats a bit odd - never had a visit when I was on ntl - not even to pick up the stb !!

[Caspar]

Here's my day with NTL! (been logging it throughout the day! )

Well an NTL engineer turned up Tuesday morning, about 9.30am. Fairly early start which I was pleased with. To recount the guy who visited me yesterday told me that the engineer could install my SACM wherever I wanted. FYI, my STB was in my lounge with my TV, I then ran a CATV cable back outside, up the wall, inside and into my router. The courtesy call guy told me that the engineer could install the SACM in my studyââ‚ƚ¬Ã‚¦.which when requested this morning the engineer told me †œerm, Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m just swapping over the boxesââ‚ƚ¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ�!...ok, thanks NTL!

Anyway, the engineer was nice enough and swapped everything over within 10 mins. He phoned his NTL friends up and requested a PIN number for my new SACM, he genuinely seemed stunned to hear that my broadband account hadnâ₠¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t even been created!. This meant there was no PIN number available. He informed me that the sales person must have failed to create the account when I requested it.

He said all he could do is setup my PC so the PIN was ready to type in when NTL phone me with it. So I rebooted my PC and gave him access. I informed him twice that the PC was connected via a router but he attempted to connect the broadband via the browser anyhow, which failed. He then surmised that it failed because it wasnâ₠¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t a direct connection. So, I plugged the WAN cable from my new SACM into my PC directly. After a reboot it worked, and my screen is ready and waiting for NTL to give me my PIN number.

Off the engineer went, who seemed very concerned that he hadnââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t finished the job and got me on broadband. Tho, he did say I should be online within an hour, two hours at most. He did say that it wouldnââ‚Ã⠀šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t hurt if I phone CS up and asked for the PIN in 30 mins or so.

So 30 went passed and I started to get a white chill already, Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m unable to check my emails hereââ‚ ¬Ã‚¦what if Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m missing something? lol

The CS lady I spoke to informed me that the account was not created and told me that someone would phone me within 48 hoursââ‚ƚ¬Ã‚¦.48hours WTF!!!! I went on a bender and demanded to know why my account was not created at point of orderââ‚ƚ¬Ã‚¦she was blunt and said that since the account was not created she was unable to give me the PIN, dodgy my questionsââ‚ ¬Â¦ ahhh! She did say that the computer that generates PINs was broken at the moment, great but why wasnââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t my account created last week, when I ordered it!!!

So! †¦because an NTL sales person who took my change of package decided not to create my account Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m going to be NET-less for 48hours!....


Time now is 11.30am on Tuesday 13th Julyââ‚ ¬Ã‚¦. I wonder when Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢ll be able to post this!


Time now is 7.22pm, and no Internetââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¦ may aswell become a monk or enlist! I noticed earlier that the NTL guy forgot to take the STB remote control and power cable

Time now is 7.35pm, after spending the last 10 minutes or so on hold to NTL I finally have my PIN number. Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m confused why I had to phone them up cause they told me, a few different NTL people that someone would phone meââ‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¦good job I phoned them huh! Anyway, here goesââ‚ ¬Ã‚¦Iâà¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…¡Ã‚¬Ã¢â€žÃ ‚¢m going for the PINââ‚Âà ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¦

Time now is 7.39pm. Well I donââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t have a broadband serial number now!!! †¦ off to spend another 10 mins on hold

Time now is 7.44pm. Whilst on hold, I decide to click back on my browser history and luckily enough I got to a page after the serial number page that the engineer typed in. Lucky I knew how to do thatââ‚ ¬Ã‚¦wonder what an average Joe would doâ₠¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¦ hmmm

Back online at 7.50pmââ‚Ã⠀šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¦blimey what a nightmareââ‚ ¬Â¦and maybe I would have been back online using my new SACM if a) NTL bothered to create my new broadband account at point of sale and b) if someone at NTL had bothered to phone me with the PIN once someone had created it, and didnââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t leave me to have to phone themââ‚ ¬Ã‚¦honestly do they think their customers can read minds and we know when they create it!!!

All in all NTL blunders again †¦typical! Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m surprised that when I was told it would take 48 hours to create my PIN they just said †œComing Soonââ‚ ¬Ã‚¦.âà¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…¡Ã‚¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ� Instead of all that baloney!


Just waiting for Sky to come on Thursday now

[Marge]

Originally Posted by Caspar

Just had a courtesy call from NTL (physical call at my door), which was weird! Not really sure what he wanted!

He basically told me he was confirming the removal of the STB and replacement with a SACM, and gave me a card with his mobile on it incase I had any problems.

Seems weird they'd go to the expense of sending a man out since I'm reducing my service!

Anyone know why he came round? To satisfy what need?

Some people either decide they don't want to change or forget the appointment but at least he bothered (more than the sales person from reading your other post )

[etccarmageddon]

Originally Posted by poolking

Aren't you also forgetting that the Sky boxes are yours and you will have to foot the bill for repairs/new box, unless you take out some monthly plan?

Originally Posted by gazzae

For a year, after that if it fails you have to pay.

not true - your rights as a consumer mean you do not need to do this for the reasonable working life of the product. although there is an element of risk as you would have to threaten legal action.

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/c...V0054-1111.txt

"Q. I bought a fridge/freezer about 18 months ago, and the freezer section has completely failed. I went back to the shop, but they refused to do anything as it was outside the original 12 month guarantee. What are my rights?
A. Firstly, when you buy goods from a shop, you enter into a contract under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended). This holds the shop liable for up to six years after purchase (Limitation Act 1980), providing that you can show that the problem is down to an unreasonable fault and not normal wear and tear. Secondly, remember that the guarantee is in addition to these statutory legal rights. Don't be taken in by the shop's argument here - they are using the issue of the guarantee as a red herring to try to avoid their legal obligations toward you. See our leaflet 'Buying Goods' for more information on your rights."

"Q. I bought a microwave oven four months ago, and it went wrong. The shop has replaced it with a brand new one, which is working well. They won't, however, give me a new guarantee for this replacement. Can I demand one?
A. No. Remember, guarantees are viewed as being an optional extra, and are provided in addition to your legal rights under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended). Manufacturers will usually argue that their intention is to provide you with extra protection under the guarantee for a fixed period of time after the initial purchase, often for 12 months. Therefore, no matter how many repairs or replacements you get, it is usual for the manufacturers to stick to this time limit. You can always try negotiating though - sometimes persistence pays off, especially if you have had lots of problems with a particular make or model."

[Caspar]

Ok Sky came today and installed Sky+ in my lounge and normal Sky in my bedroom

Two problems with Sky:

1. Someone at Sky forgot to post me my two cards so am unable to use my new Sky facilities for 3-5 working days!!! The install guys says I'd be lucky if I got them Sat morning!

Great! these companies are as bad as each other!!!!

Tho, I do have freeview channels until then


2. The guy muddied my hall carpet! ...but it was chucking it down ...but no apology!


All in all, I'm now waiting 3-5 working days for my Sky+ and normal Sky cards now No quality TV over the weekend

[SMHarman]

All the NTL guys have been very dilligent in taking their shoes off in my house.

[Caspar]

ok, we were clicking through the channels and we don't seem to have ITV1, got ITV2..but no ITV1....a friend has it listed as 103, but when we type 103 it says "Channel unavailable".

We've not got our viewing card yet so that could be the reason, but all the other channels are there but it says to insert the viewing card.

Friends said that their ITV1 disappeared a few months back...


Anyone know what's going on and how to get it back, manual channel add?

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Caspar

ok, we were clicking through the channels and we don't seem to have ITV1, got ITV2..but no ITV1....a friend has it listed as 103, but when we type 103 it says "Channel unavailable".

We've not got our viewing card yet so that could be the reason, but all the other channels are there but it says to insert the viewing card.

Friends said that their ITV1 disappeared a few months back...


Anyone know what's going on and how to get it back, manual channel add?

ITV1, Channel 4 and FIVE all need a viewing card to receive.

[Caspar]

Yes, but why can't I find the channel? Others need a card, like Sky one....but I can find the channel and get the message "insert viewing card".

Why doesn't ITV1 in the TV listing?

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Caspar

Yes, but why can't I find the channel? Others need a card, like Sky one....but I can find the channel and get the message "insert viewing card".

Why doesn't ITV1 in the TV listing?

Not too sure, but it is probably because ITV is regionalised and your box has to be told what region to display when channel 103 is selected.

[Caspar]

ok, thanks...I'll keep an eye on it when I get my cards

[James Vertigan]

I'm sure the original poster won't mind me hijacking his topic slightly... but here is my NTL to Sky (normal Sky Digital) story...


Sunday 18th: Man turns up in plain white van and gives my dad a piece of paper - not an official Sky letter but just a scrap of paper with our details typed on it confirming our installation.

Today: NTL have switched our subscription channels off leaving just the free ones (and interestingly MTV - didn't know that was free!) An NTL engineer turns up about 11:50 (10 minutes to spare!), in an unmarked van and no ID, but with all the correct paperwork, he then comes in to the sitting room and unplugs the box (with a bit of help from me), checks the card and takes the remote as well... although he had to leave some of the cables as they were in an awkward area which would result in us having to remove an entire bookcase! Was all done within about 15-20 minutes though.

So we are just left with our 5 channels for the moment, and our Freeview box in the kitchen! No confirmation from Sky yet as to what time the installer would be turning up... but applause to NTL for actually bothering to turn up and take your equipment away (shame about the crappy TV service!)

I'll let you know how things progress over the next day, all I can say though for the moment is thank God the cricket's on Channel 4 tomorrow!

Oh, and PS, I'll change my signature accordingly later!

[poolking]

Sorry to hi-jack this thread.

Once I've figured out my finances, I'll be switching from NTL to Sky+ in the next 2 to 3 months. I have had an email from Sky confirming that the £199 for a sky+ box and other equipment can be paid for on a monthly plan.

I will be keeping my phone and BB though.