NTL - New Billing system Problems - Page 6

famous-shamus · 18-10-2006, 00:23

NTL are getting too big for thier boots. Our bills are dated for the 2nd of the month and every month its the same old story of the bill not arriving until sometimes as late as 15th of the month and you are then expected to have the damned thing paid by the 18th

pharrell · 18-10-2006, 00:51

Everyone seems to be going on about this new billing system, when it is not even in place yet - yes, there has been major changes, but the Customer Care Department are still using the Old Billing System, and the training for the new Billing System starts this month, which will be in place for the customers in January - as for the bills, NTL.Telewest understands this is a problem, which is why we are brining in the new Billing System, so bills do not need to be paid, then credited back the next month, the new system will allow the Customer Care Advisor to modify the current bill, and if you paid by DD at the moment, they can go in, change the amount on the DD (you will not occur any extra charges for this) and when the next month comes around, everything will be sorted - so ride it out till the new billing system is actually in place people, and for the moment, pay the UK's most preffered, safest and fastest payment method, Direct Debit.

danielf · 18-10-2006, 01:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by pharrell

You realise that this thread was started over 2.5 years ago when NTL introduced the then new billing system, don't you?

I believe (but I might be wrong) the 'new' 'new billing system' you mention is actually Telewest's billing system?

Florence · 18-10-2006, 03:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by pharrell

Everyone seems to be going on about this new billing system, when it is not even in place yet - yes, there has been major changes, but the Customer Care Department are still using the Old Billing System, and the training for the new Billing System starts this month, which will be in place for the customers in January - as for the bills, NTL.Telewest understands this is a problem, which is why we are brining in the new Billing System, so bills do not need to be paid, then credited back the next month, the new system will allow the Customer Care Advisor to modify the current bill, and if you paid by DD at the moment, they can go in, change the amount on the DD (you will not occur any extra charges for this) and when the next month comes around, everything will be sorted - so ride it out till the new billing system is actually in place people, and for the moment, pay the UK's most preffered, safest and fastest payment method, Direct Debit.

1. It will be in place before January for ICMS
2. You cannot modify a current bill on ICOMS. You can modify the direct debit but next month it will show as balance brought forward and a credit to cancel out the brought forward balance

lostandconfused · 18-10-2006, 21:07

surely thats exactly the same as ICMS then? a manual credit applied to the account on ICMS will appear on the bill the next day as long as its closed off properly and you can adjust the DD amount just as easily

Florence · 18-10-2006, 21:42

I've never used ICMS but if thats how it works then yes, exactly the same.

kibblerok · 18-10-2006, 22:34

ICMS / ICOMS is more or less the same.

The main difference is ICOMS can handle broadband too... but then again ICMS could have done this.

When it came to choosing a billing system a a few years ago it was going to be a new version of ICMS that could do it all for around ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£50-60m

ntl said that was a bit pricy so started up harmony... to date this has cost well over double that plus costs that cant be measured such as the need still for duplication and multiple depts for each system plus the amount harmony isn't billing customers through error.

Thats why ICMS/SMS customers have BB through harmony because the plan was they'd all be on harmony anyway so why upgrade the two other systems.

all the above = one big mess that could have been avoided

still someone made some cash out of it somewhere

injuneer · 19-10-2006, 08:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielf

I believe (but I might be wrong) the 'new' 'new billing system' you mention is actually Telewest's billing system?

I was recently told that as well by a "reliable" source.

larry100463 · 06-12-2006, 19:49

i paid my bill with my card today but my tv and phone on not back one say it be on with in one hour how it 48 hours may be next week it will be back on all for there had a new computers who thing this is right if you pay why have we got to went for 48 or next week before you back on

lostandconfused · 07-12-2006, 10:31

thats correct, where previously when you made a card payment CS could restore the services there and then, with the new billing system you have to wait for the money to be showing on the account which can take 48 hours then the system will reconnect you

pdav10 · 12-12-2006, 15:12

I cancelled my service with NTL on 12 October which is when they collected my set top box. I called to arrange a credit for the unused part of the month and settle my outstanding amount (cancelling the direct debit as I have had major NTL problems before!). They sorted the difference then quoted me the balance including November! I pointed out they'd just credited me to 12 October and therefore November was an error too. He agreeed, I paid an amount and that was it.

Well, I thought so until I checked my Bank this morning to find ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£88 debited to NTL. I called my Bank to explain how they could have taken from the Direct Debit I cancelled but was told it was a payment on my debit card!! I called the fantastic 0845 number to explain yet again that my account was cancelled on 12 October and I wanted a refund for the 2 months they had now charged me, they were even charging me from the date I cancelled as that was on their system!!

I am now told I will have a refund by cheque within 7 days and that the account has been disconnected? How it could be anything other than disconnected when I've had no box or service for 2 months, god only knows.

Do NTL do this to everyone? An excellent way to improve cashflow, fraudulently take cash from people's accounts then repay them by cheque a week later (if I actually get a cheque within 7 days, I'm not holding my breath). The whole NTL service is completely inefficient and I'd rather sell my TV and live without one than ever have to use NTL ever again!!

Oh, and this isn't the only problem I've had, it's just the most recent!

Dazrimm · 05-01-2007, 12:37

Hi all ,

Long time member ,who until now has had no reason to post..
Just a long shot, i guess.
we have been trying to contact NTL for 5 days now to pay off our bill,and this is going to sound really silly but i dont think they want our hard earned cash..lol

we have waited on hold from anywhere from 30 mins upto 2 1/2 hours since the holidays finished to try to pay our bill.
the auto paying system constantly kicks us out after selecting the billing option.
the other options 1503 and the o845 numbers all have us caught in this loop and were getting nowhere ..

Just being cheeky and thinking outside the box but can anyone from ntl or this site maybe give me/us some hope that we will be answered ,or maybe a reason why things are so bad at the moment?

waiting in hope ..

Darren Rimmer...

GeoffB · 06-01-2007, 07:10

I have rung and e-mailed to tell them that I've not been charged for the new broadband service I got last month. Told that this will be a separate direct debit and that's why it's not on my main bill. Nothing taken yet. Like you, spent ages waiting for someone to pick up the phone after being cut off twice. The reply to my e-mail was 'call customer services'. I've saved this reply as proof that I've told them I owe them money, so if they get nasty I can retaliate. My experience on NTL afte a couple of months is:
TV, broadband and telephone = 9/10
Customer service = 10/10 for politeness and willingness to help
1/10 for outcome of queries.
I rang three times to have voicemail activated and I've given up now and bought an answering machine on e-bay!

christiang62 · 28-01-2007, 08:42

I received two bills for December 2006. When I complained (27th December) I received an acknowledgement but no explanation or apology. It caused me some anxiety as I knew that there were insufficient funds to cover two direct debits and I would incur bank charges. As it turned out only the second and larger bill was claimed on DD, but it's no way to run a business and confirmed the general impression that NTL's Customer Service is very poor.