Hemel Hempstead area problems?

[vaiolator]

Thanks Karen.
It seems like a page full of threads with similar problems and yet no one has managed to get a recognition from NTL that any problem exists, never mind a resolution. My speed is fine at the moment, it's just trying to get web pages, even on other areas servers, that is my main issue.
I'm glad you get yours sorted out. NTL, despite the verbal kickings I have given them in the past, can do things right, it just depends on the luck of the draw on who you speak to.
I called Retentions on Saturday to see if they could offer me a better deal, £25 a month just for the BB connection is way over priced, even without the hassles. That or I shall have consider Talk Talks deal. Shame they only work Mon to Fri!

[vaiolator]

I spoke to CS on Monday and they offered me a reduction on price for 3 months whilst I reconsider leaving. I shall have to think about that.
I called TS once again later on Monday as I wasn't overly convinced about the previous attempts by them to fix my problem, which of course was not NTLs but my own. Remember to get rid of any anti virus or firewalls you may have. They really do stop you connecting to the internet whenever they want to.
The upshot of the 90 minute call was that I went from poor browsing to absolutely no browsing, email or connection for that matter.
Apparently they could see a problem, which meant I was on the wrong UBR, or something, (I've heard about those here, but can't remember what it is exactly, server I presume?) and was moved from the Luton one, 10 miles away, which I have been on for years, to Reading. That makes total sense.
On re-booting the modem, there was no connection, no IP number, or anything. Eventually I was told an engineer visit would occur today between 8 and 12.
As I sat here today, I began to wonder if they meant next Tuesday, as I have never known such a quick response. I called India or wherever it is TS happens to be this week and was told it was booked for Wednesday.
I called CS and asked to be put through to retentions, and asked if a visit was possible today, or UK based tech to try to diagnose down the line. Ten minutes later, I had a connection back and was told I should never have been moved from Luton in the first place. A months free bb for my trouble should be coming soon as well.
So far, browsing has been quicker than at any time in the last two weeks, and I hope whatever has been done will have cured the original problem. Having thought things had got better a few times, it may be premature.
Thanks to Claire in Cust Rel/retentions for being helpful and not just passing my call off as another peed off customer having a moan.

The hoops they make their customers jump through ... it's a wonder more people don't just quit when it all goes wrong.

I liked having my NTL services, but I was in fear and trepidation of them going wrong. On the odd occasion things did go amiss, dealing with CS was invariably a nightmare.

Still, glad it seems to be sorted out for you now.

[vaiolator]

I spoke too soon Chris. It has just taken me 15 minutes to send, not write, one email and to open this page from the main forum page. Something which should not take more than 15 seconds.
I'm posting again in the vain hope that someone from NTL might just realise that a page full of people with the same symptoms, all being told at a £10'er a time in my case, that nothing is wrong, could actually indicate that there may be a problem somewhere. I would not be so cynical to consider all those £10 calls might be being put in a fund to save for the cost of the fix.
I cant afford to keep ringing Tech Support, (as long as you have no other software than windows, and no hardware bar a modem) each and everytime this happens.
Symptoms including pages not being displayed, if they are, lacking images and therefore navigational buttons, or looking like a word document. Trying other proxies seems not to work.