[Merged] Tech Support to be charged at 0871 rate from 8 May - Page 14

23-03-2006, 20:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theodoric

ntl seem to be moving into top gear. I phoned tech support this afternoon to find out what had happened to my broadband connection (Bromley down again, apparently) and have just received an email from ntl mentioning my call and giving the new numbers.

PS Isn't it amazing how some young girl in India knows exactly what is happening in Bromley.

I had one of those too when I called on Monday. Maybe they are automatically generated for everyone that calls so the customer is aware of the new number if/when they need Tech Support in the future.

Neil · 24-03-2006, 07:11

Looks like the press have picked up on it now....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herts & Essex News

PLANS by cable firm ntl to replace its freephone fault reporting line with a national rate service has incurred the wrath of customers in Harlow - and local MP Bill Rammell.

The communications company, on which many residents have been forced to rely since it took over Harlow Council's communal aerial network several years ago, is to introduce the new 0871 and 0845 numbers from May.

This will mean a 5p per minute charge for calls to ntl's customer services department and 10p per minute for calls to the broadband helpline for those with the high-speed internet service.

The longer customers are kept on the line, the bigger the cut of call profits the former state-owned communications giant will receive. For numbers with the 0871 prefix, companies can earn up to 6p a minute for each call.

More

orangebird · 24-03-2006, 08:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by david.ewles

Oh well! as I said in another thread this is another reason to dump NTL all together and move to SKY/BT

Don't know about BT, but Skys C/S, sales etc phone isn't free of charge. And you can wait a bloody long time too. But I do have to say, Sky+ rocks.

Neil · 24-03-2006, 08:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangebird

Don't know about BT, but Skys C/S, sales etc phone isn't free of charge. And you can wait a bloody long time too. But I do have to say, Sky+ rocks.

BT's CS is free.

24-03-2006, 08:54

Quote:

An ntl spokeswoman said: "We always attempt to answer calls in a timely way but this is not always possible. If you are on hold for three minutes or more there will be a regular message to update you on the potential time to wait.

So much for the three minute call back option then!

Derek · 24-03-2006, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by acoolwelshbloke

So much for the three minute call back option then!

I'm quite sure that'll be 'coming soon'

I mean it's not as if Ntl would introduce changes without thinking them through and implementing all the parts of it at the right time. Oh...

Neil · 24-03-2006, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by dezzo

I'm quite sure that'll be 'coming soon'

I mean it's not as if Ntl would introduce changes without thinking them through and implementing all the parts of it at the right time. Oh...

But this is the company that is apparently dropping their MPEG 4 HDTV Box in favour of MPEG 2.....

What's next-more price rises in the next few months?

[Edit]-Just to clarify: Both of those point I have mentioned above are things that I have been informed will be happening.

They have not been confirmed by ntl yet, but they would appear to be as close to fact as you can get at the moment.

Also-if people want to discuss those two things, can you start a new thread as this one is about the 0845/0870 charges to call ntl?

MPEG 4 dropping & June price rises-you heard it here 1st.

Ignition · 24-03-2006, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Looks like the press have picked up on it now....

More

Nothing to you Neil purely that article. It's BS imo.

Quote:

the former state-owned communications giant.

Really? I never knew that.

I see the council and local MP have no trouble about the fact that most likely no-one is actually paying ntl for use of the MATV / communal aerial network

The thing these people often forget is that the councils had dodgy rediffusion type systems which they forced ntl or the then builder to take over in return for building rights. I love the way they refer to them as 'taking over' the council's network. Makes it sound like the council built the network and ntl bought it... ya right

In a lot of cases no-one has been paying the cableco for this nor were records kept of who was connected to what so a lot of people have been connected to the cable taking the basic 5 channels (and munting the network up for the paying subscribers) for quite some time.

The MP / council for Harlow can bite ntl in this case, as keeping the MATV going has cost ntl a lot of money and...

MATV / communal aerial is the source of nearly all the HFC / RF network issues in every area where ntl et al are forced to provide it.

If you question this.. Southampton, MATV, bad network. Bits of London, MATV, bad network. Harlow, MATV, an absolute nightmare and I remember it well from when I worked there. Those are just a few areas.

For those who are actually paying to take digital / broadband services the switching off of the MATV will be a great thing. Their services become more stable and reliable literally at the flick of a switch.

Is it worth mentioning that a lot of the work in London that's been done to bring broadband to the area is nothing more advanced that disconnecting non-paying subscribers who have been using the cable for MATV. Once they are gone and the mess that connecting them all to cabinets is tidied the networks instantly improved even with the dodgy Videotron build.

Chrysalis · 24-03-2006, 10:57

their is a MATV here as well, so this channel makes the ntl local network perform badly?

King Of Fools · 24-03-2006, 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Also-if people want to discuss those two things, can you start a new thread as this one is about the 0845/0870 charges to call ntl?

MPEG 4 dropping & June price rises-you heard it here 1st.

Done:
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=44961

Ignition · 24-03-2006, 11:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

their is a MATV here as well, so this channel makes the ntl local network perform badly?

You misunderstand, MATV isn't a 'channel' it's a distribution system. Basically it allows people to plug the coax straight into their TV without a set top and pick up c1-5.

I didn't say it made the networks perform badly by default I said it was the cause of a lot of problems.

If handled properly that doesn't have to be the case, however it can need a lot of work.

EDIT: It's also a non-trivial task to keep the networks clean once they are cleaned up too. You have to isolate the MATV subs completely from the CATV.

DaggaDagga · 24-03-2006, 18:35

I find the idea of a company profiting from its faults calls pretty offensive.

Even more so when they also own a phone network, so most of the freephone calls cost them absolutely nothing.

This is after they've persuaded their customers to take a supposed "calls inclusive" package, but these calls are excluded from the inclusive calls. Appalling.

Sounds like the sort of thing that will get them on Watchdog.

Who's going to post the equivalent geographic code? If there isn't one then lots of direct extension numbers would be good, just to annoy them

Just the bunch of desks that end up taking the calls.

Any chance a list of numbers could be published somewhere prominent on this site?

Neil · 26-03-2006, 11:18

What's even more laughable, is that ntl gave us their new & revised customer charter on the 16th of January 2006 (only 10 weeks ago)

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/article/...er-information

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/files/nt...merCharter.pdf

And clearly on page 16 it says:

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntl

Your contact number for Customer Services is 0800 052 2000

Yet on the 8th of March 2006 (Only 7 weeks after that charter was given to us), ntl did a huge great 'U' turn & decided to end the free calls from it's customers & make money from them by forcing them to use 0845 & 0870 numbers.

What a bunch of idiots-they can't even follow their own charter.

It just confirms that you can never trust what ntl says or even puts in writing, as it could so easily change 6 weeks later.

Chrysalis · 26-03-2006, 22:18

Neil you know whats changed in that 10 weeks right? merger completion?

Oh and yeah we all know ntl keep thinking of things on the whim, almost everything they do appears to be done without preperation and planning.

Neil · 26-03-2006, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

Neil you know whats changed in that 10 weeks right? merger completion?

And no one saw that coming?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

Oh and yeah we all know ntl keep thinking of things on the whim, almost everything they do appears to be done without preperation and planning.

Totally.

But it proves my point that no matter what ntl say verbally or in writing, it means nothing & could change 6 weeks later.