'Orrible Week - Is it Just Me?

[Fred Flange]

Hello All

Since returning from holiday last Saturday, I have not had one full days service on my NTL Dial Up.

I am getting frequent cut offs after a few minutes.

My data when it comes through is comming in batches of about 20/30KB then nothing for minutes.

I have sent emails to help@ntlworld.com and via the web page, I have telephoned customer service who promised to get back to me but didnt.

I have checked the Status Line and Status Page, both of which say there are no unresolved problems.

I have tied different PCs [2] , Modems [3], Operating Systems [ME and XP including a complete re-install of XP]on a NEW HDD], but all to no avail.

I have asked BT to test my line and turn my gain up.

There are short periods when all is OK for instance this afternoon for a couple of hours, but other than that it is absolute HELL.

Is anyone esle suffering from anything like this, or is it just me?

And can anyone offer any advice?

Kind regards

Fred Flange

[swoop101]

I would sign up for more than one ISP on dial-up (virgin, freeserve etc.) on pay as you go terms (1p min), so that if one plays up you can use another one.
virgin - http://www.virgin.net/customers/inte...ml?buspart=155
freeserve - http://www.freeserve.com/time/noties/default.htm
Tiscali dial up - http://www.tiscali.co.uk/products/pa...ode=ZZ-NL-12HM

[Fred Flange]

Hello S

Thanks for the reply, but I already have an alternative if I need it.

But I do need to get NTL wworking again, and I am more concerned to find out:

1. If anyone else has had these problems this week.

2. What is the next best step in resolving the problem?

Kind regards

Fred F.

[dusty]

Hi Fred,
So glad you posted............I also have had terrible problems this week, frequent cut-offs, and the connection speed is abysmal, 31.2Kbps!!!!!! when normally I connect at about 48. I will probably be dead in my grave before NTL reply to my email! I am totally fed-up with them.

[suzywong]

Hi,
I've had the same problems all week since Sat pm ,just did internet magazine speed test ,results to go in their magazine,got 10 kbps !!!!
Hope NTL wake up soon.............
Sue

[Fred Flange]

Hello Sue and Dusty

Thanx for the replies, can you say if you are near either Birmingham or Bristol?

No need to say which one, it's just so I can follow up something that was said to me while I was on the 'phone to them during the week.

Kind regards

Fred F.

[Russ]

A bit late, but in future when someone from NTL promises to call you back, take their name, extension number and the name of their team leader. NTL seem to pump some kind of substance through their air condition which renders a lot of their employees with amnesia when it comes to calling customers back.....

[Fred Flange]

Hello Russ

Thanks for the reply.

Can you confirm that I have sent my Email to the correct address:

help@ntlworld.com


Kind regards

Fred F.

PS. Meanwhile can I encourage anyone else suffering from this problem to carry out the Iternet Magazine test once a day, as this will bring the figures down, and some bad publicity might help to wake some one up in this obviously very tired and tardy company.
Link is :

http://www.internet-magazine.com/ispspeedtest/

[Fred Flange]

PS I managed to get a reading logged of 7 [SEVEN] KBs

[suzywong]

Hi Fred ,
Wow 7 !!! worse than my 10 !!
I am about 26 miles ish from Birmingham .Would love to know if that is the problem?
I have also e-mailed on the e-mail help address you gave and have also put about the speed tests and internet magazine and my dismal 10kbs.

By the way my connection seems a little better........now ,for how long.

Sue

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by swoop101

I would sign up for more than one ISP on dial-up (virgin, freeserve etc.) on pay as you go terms (1p min), so that if one plays up you can use another one.
virgin - http://www.virgin.net/customers/inte...ml?buspart=155
freeserve - http://www.freeserve.com/time/noties/default.htm
Tiscali dial up - http://www.tiscali.co.uk/products/pa...ode=ZZ-NL-12HM

I believe Ntl actually run Virgins servers for them, as they are a "virtual" ISP

Edit- Out of intrest what package are you guys on, is it the freedom one or the Ntl "onnet" package?

[Fred Flange]

Thanks Sue



The reason I asked about the location is that I telephoned

0800 052 2000

During the week and spoke to Customer Disservice, although they can not of course offer any assistance to us DialUp people, I thought they might at least be able to take some details of a problem which they obviously have with their system, and pass it on to the appropriate department - but NO! They wouldn't discuss it.



We have to pay them via a Premium Rate line to tell them that they have a problem, it beggars belief.



Anyway when I described the problem to her she asked me if I lived in the Bristol or Birmingham areas, as she had had a number of similar complaints from people living there over the last few days.



Can you believe that they don't have some way of communicating with themselves to pass on such vital info?



I feel sure that I will be looking at broadband before too long, but because of the 'free 'phone calls' currently available on this set up, it would probably cost me double, as I am fortunate enough to have someone pay for a fair proportion of my outgoing calls each month.

One thing is certain though the last company which I would approach is NTL.

They not only lack Customer Focus, I think they must actually be looking the other way.

Kind regards

Fred F.

@ D - Yes I think it is called Freedom, but they have changed it so many times since I signed up that it is a bit confusing to say the least. I pay £15.00 p.m. for unlimited, and get the first £15.00 of 'phone calls free.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by Fred Flange

@ D - Yes I think it is called Freedom, but they have changed it so many times since I signed up that it is a bit confusing to say the least. I pay £15.00 p.m. for unlimited, and get the first £15.00 of 'phone calls free.

If you're that unhappy the only thing I can suggest is changing suppliers, it seems nonsensical to pay them a premium rate to get a problem fixed. There may be a member of the dial-up team here that can help you, I'm unsure if any of our visiting staff work there now as I know they are in the process of outsourcing dial-up tech support.

One of the mods might know, I'm sure they'll post a name if they do. If there isn't anyone here that can help then you may want to try visiting www.ISPreview.com and have a look if there is another package to rival the one your on

edit Having a flick through the forum to see if I can spot a dial up tech that visits I came across this : http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...56&postcount=1
So I don;t think it's going to get better anytime soon mate, that post is dated December 03!!!

[Fred Flange]

Thanks for the reply D.



AFAIK there is no other ISP who offers the Free Telephone calls deal, so whereas I get unlimited access for 'free' at the moment because my phone calls are chargeable, I would have to pay for this type of service with anyone else.



Anyway having a brief respite at the moment 49K connection downloading at about that speed.



Trouble is at next Dial Up in 45 minutes, it will probably go back to 10k again, its just the frustration and the virtual denial by NTL that gets my goat.



If they posted on the Status Page saying they have a problem, at least I wouldn't have spent the week checking out every piece of equipment I have here to see if the problem was at this end, which from the responses received, it seems it is not.



Any way it looks as though my hand may be forced at some stage looking at the rocky position they seem to have got themselves into financially.



Regards



Fred F.

[Fred Flange]

@ D

Beware of www.ISPreview.com , it now leads me to a General Search Page with Pop Ups.

Has it changed? or perhaps the address is wrong!

Thanks anyway

Fred F

PS. Back down to under 10 KBs again !!!!!!!

Do you think I might be due to a refund if it goes a whole week without a full service, or is there some small print in there somewhere?