10mb Set Top Box

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Jim galbally

i had a similar experience with NThell and the bull they kept giving me.

i ended up buying a SACM off ebay for 40quid

but even then i had a nightmare, as they still wanted to charge me for a SACM!!! after about 6 phonecalls with what can only be described as "completely useless jobsworth ****s" i finally got hold of someone who wasn't a complete idiot and he quickly activated my shiny new SACM and 10mb BB service. it was a real ball ache to get sorted tho...

Can you please explain what the difference (from your point of view) between paying £40 for a modem off ebay and £50 for fitting a modem from NTL? I wouldn't risk handling stolen goods for a £10 saving.

[Jim galbally]

stuart, NTL were refusing to supply me with a new STB or a cable modem. i had no option but to buy my own.

as for owning modems, you can buy cable modems brand new from the manufacturer, NTL arent the only supplier of CMs worldwide. its perfectly acceptable to use your own equipment with their service, just needs a bit of reconfiguring to pick up the correct TFTP addresses etc.

however in my particular situation i did indeed buy an NTL:250 and the bloke did sound dodgy

[dragon]

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Can you please explain what the difference (from your point of view) between paying £40 for a modem off ebay and £50 for fitting a modem from NTL? I wouldn't risk handling stolen goods for a £10 saving.

depends on the modem surely, i mean we have a sb4100 which belongs to my dad and NOT NTL.

EDIT: although clearly an NTL 250 shouldnt be on ebay and he shouldn't have bought it

[Jim galbally]

also if i bought on ebay i was guaranteed a 250 not some old secondhand 120 or something

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Jim galbally

i had a similar experience with NThell and the bull they kept giving me.

i ended up buying a SACM off ebay for 40quid

but even then i had a nightmare, as they still wanted to charge me for a SACM!!! after about 6 phonecalls with what can only be described as "completely useless jobsworth ****s" i finally got hold of someone who wasn't a complete idiot and he quickly activated my shiny new SACM and 10mb BB service. it was a real ball ache to get sorted tho...

The person at NTL who you say activated your cable modem was the completely useless one. If indeed he did activate it he shouldn't have as it was not one supplied by NTL.

Was the modem that you bought off Ebay badged as a NTL modem? If so you have definately been handling stolen goods.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Jim galbally

stuart, NTL were refusing to supply me with a new STB or a cable modem. i had no option but to buy my own.

Not even if you offered to pay?

as for owning modems, you can buy cable modems brand new from the manufacturer, NTL arent the only supplier of CMs worldwide. its perfectly acceptable to use your own equipment with their service, just needs a bit of reconfiguring to pick up the correct TFTP addresses etc.

It's not illegal However it is against NTL's terms and conditions.

From http://www.home.ntl.com/page/termsresidential
9.1 If any further internal cable or Equipment is required it must be provided by us and you may have to pay our reasonable additional Charges.

So you do risk losing your service if NTL find out.

However, technically, seeing as the other bloke sold a modem he had no right to, you *are* handling stolen goods, which is illegal.

[dragon]

i wander do NTL really care that much that he bought the modem off ebay

I mean i know they probably could do him for handling stolen goods if they really wanted to ,the person who sold him the modem had no right to do so in the first place

But at least he is actually a paying customer and not for stealing service that he shouldnt have so its an NTL modem being used on the NTL network by someone paying NTL for service. so surely its not so bad

besides when you cancell broadband i thought NTL didn't even bother asking for the modem back anyway .

[Stuart]

True..

Anyway, back to the subject. I have to admit though, I am slightly angry with NTL for being short sighted enough to specify a box (the Samsung, which I have) that apparently cannot manage 10 meg. They then have the cheek to charge us if we want the same service Cable Modem users get for the same price.

It doesn't bother me that much, as the Samsung can go fast enough for me, but it would be nice to have the same service.

[UKFSR]

Which Modem am I likley to be supplied with now then ?

[dragon]

Originally Posted by UKFSR

Which Modem am I likley to be supplied with now then ?

no idea probly whatever the installer has in the back of his van

are you having to pay £50 to change or did you manage to get retention's to waive that fee?

I also think its rather poor on ntl's part to expect someone to pay for someone to come out and change 10mbit users over to sacm its not the customers fault the equipment NTL themselves provided is not capable of giveing the service the customer is actally paying to get.

its not like with some ADSL isps where you use your own modem.

this is NTL's equipment we are talking about and therefore its their repsonsiblity to ensure its fit for the purpose its provided for.

[UKFSR]

No charge, or at least non has been mentioned. I didnt make any mention of upgrading to 10mb when I rang. My enquiry was just to change from the STB to a SACM. I did get quite chatty to her and asked what I would have to do sometime in the future if I wanted to upgrade to 10mb. She told me that initially on install my speed would be similar to what it is now, which is probably about 5mb. However all I needed to do is upgrade online and it would be done. We shall see.

To be honest it has really annoyed me that I have had to go to this trouble and I am considering throwing the TV package in and just getting a Sky+ box but thats a different issue.

[Sage013]

I'm currently going through the process of trying to get a SACM but, without paying the £50 fee. I have all three services from ntl and have done for years. I've always had the top package as well.

I just phoned Customer Services to discuss/complain that I pay £38 a month like other people but, I only get 70% of the package. Also, that it wasn't that long ago that I had the STB changed from the old version (Pace was it?) so I could get the 3mb speed, and that they did this without me asking and no charge.

The emplyee refused to discuss the matter and just kept repeatedly saying you can have a SACM but there's a £50.00 installation fee. When I asked why they couldn't install it for free, I was told that any one in Customer Services, including managers, doesn't have the authority to make this decision. What I should do is fill out the form on the ntl website requesting a SACM install and, when they contact me, to discuss it with them as only they could make the decision. Apparently I'll be contacted in the next 10 days by them. 10 Days!!! I'm blaming the employee here for anything as I expect they're under specific instructions on what to do in these cases. In general I find most people at ntl very helpful and polite.

After a quick break and a cup of tea (or possibly something stronger the way thid is going ), I'm going to call up again and speak to a supervisor and make an official complaint. One good thing about the fee being £50 is that it'll cost ntl more to deal with my complaint than install the SACM for free. So, if they're not prepared to do it for free then, I'll be more than happy for then to make a commercial decision and do it for free due to that.

I'll try to remember to post the result.

[garyparson]

What if you cancel your broadband then ring up one second later and order 10 meg? Why wouldn't this work?

[Paul K]

New customers only, your account will stay on file for a while and they would know what you have done

[Chrysalis]

dont worry about the 120s if you paying for a change from STB to SACM, ntl as far as I am aware are now only giving out 250s.