Pace STB keeps locking - now had 2 "new" ones

brettjbuckley · 01-10-2006, 11:01

My Pace STB keeps locking and freezing, requiring a poweroff to reset it.
I reported the fault twice already and the engineer has come out twice, checked the signal and given me a new Pace box each time.

This has not solved the problem and I get sick and tired of logging calls with the helpdesk - including the usual 45 minute dealy to get through.

I also experience significant delays when changing channels and using the interactive services - I told the engineer this, but he did not seem too concerned about the speed issue.

So, do I just keep getting him out to bring me a new box each week until I strike lucky and get one that doesn't lock up and also responds much quicker to my input, like two of my colleagues have??

tomroyal · 01-10-2006, 12:58

I've had loads of Pace boxes - they tend to be slow (especially after the recent software update), and require restarting every few days. Eventually they lock up completely, and get replaced with a "new" box. One of them - a 4000 series - was a bit better, but it died as well.

I've heard that Samsung boxes are better, if not faultless. I've requested one several times, but to no avail - you might have better luck?

matty125 · 01-10-2006, 14:56

samsung boxes are better i think

brettjbuckley · 01-10-2006, 16:53

I phoned one of my colleagues and he confirmed that he has a Samsung - they brought it with has brand new cable installation a couple of months ago.

I will call NTL's help desk tomorrow morning and ask for one.

If they refuse, I will repeatedly call the engineer out to replace my crashing box until I get one. It just crashed again 10 mins ago and nearly went through the window.

tomroyal · 01-10-2006, 17:12

Good luck

We've tried to get one a few times, but it's the luck of the van driver..

Nedkelly · 01-10-2006, 17:19

As others have said before you get what is the van .Customer services and faults can not say yes we will give you a new box as they do not know what we have on the vans.

and should not promise you one .If the tech has one he will give you one .

brettjbuckley · 02-10-2006, 11:17

I have just phoned the help desk and arranged for another Saturday engineer visit (4th visit now). Maybe this week I will strike lucky and get a shiny Samsung. I re-emphaised the fact that I found the Pace box extremely slow as well as unreliable (locking up) but the help desk person seemed more focussed on running through the script "...have you checked your batteries...have you checked your cables...have you powered it off...have you stood on one leg and prayed...etc."

arcamalpha2004 · 02-10-2006, 22:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by brettjbuckley

My Pace STB keeps locking and freezing, requiring a poweroff to reset it.
I reported the fault twice already and the engineer has come out twice, checked the signal and given me a new Pace box each time.

This has not solved the problem and I get sick and tired of logging calls with the helpdesk - including the usual 45 minute dealy to get through.

I also experience significant delays when changing channels and using the interactive services - I told the engineer this, but he did not seem too concerned about the speed issue.

So, do I just keep getting him out to bring me a new box each week until I strike lucky and get one that doesn't lock up and also responds much quicker to my input, like two of my colleagues have??

Unless someone on here can have a word with one of the contacts and get it sorted once and for all I would get onto trading standards, ntl are clearly not keeping their part of the agreement.
How long ago did you take their services? 6 months or less and its upto NTL to prove the box was not faulty before you got it.
Or you could continue phoning them until they get sick of it, keep a diary of calls to NTL, amount of times the engineer has been out, amount of boxes changed, and then if that was me I would tell them to whistle for the rest of the contract and get sky+

brettjbuckley · 08-10-2006, 10:39

Well, the engineer came and brought me a shiny new....Pace.

Well, not quite new, he admitted that he had replaced the malfunctioning box with a refurbished one of the same model.

I expressed my concerns at not getting a new box (like my friends, it turns out) and he apologised and suggested that he could not control this and it depended what "they" loaded the van with. He admitted that the Pace boxes had a lot of problems.

I thanked him and said I'd see him again next Saturday. They must love me for keeping them in overtime.

It has already locked up on me once.

arcamalpha2004 · 08-10-2006, 11:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by brettjbuckley

Well, the engineer came and brought me a shiny new....Pace.

Well, not quite new, he admitted that he had replaced the malfunctioning box with a refurbished one of the same model.

I expressed my concerns at not getting a new box (like my friends, it turns out) and he apologised and suggested that he could not control this and it depended what "they" loaded the van with. He admitted that the Pace boxes had a lot of problems.

I thanked him and said I'd see him again next Saturday. They must love me for keeping them in overtime.

It has already locked up on me once.

If youre happy to keep phoning them then fine

But seriously I would get out of it, he openly admits pace boxes has issues yet gives you a RECONDITIONED pace box?

Good luck

Nedkelly · 08-10-2006, 12:18

We have no say in what boxes we get given.It is something we are always telling the managers but if they are happy for us to keep revisting customers and putting in pace then thats what we have to do

We do as we are told

arcamalpha2004 · 09-10-2006, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nedkelly

We have no say in what boxes we get given.It is something we are always telling the managers but if they are happy for us to keep revisting customers and putting in pace then thats what we have to do

We do as we are told

And I agree that you do as told

But maybe the punter has to be more assertive with their rights?
If they are getting botched boxes one after the other then there is something wrong, and this is where trading standards come in, advising punters that they can cancel their accounts because Ntl are falling foul of the sales of goods act.
Ie; if I buy a product on the high street and it fails within 6 months I can take it back and demand my money back, I do not have to accept a replacement or repair, I can if I choose accept the offer of a repair without prejudice to get a refund should the repair not solve the problem.
However, it seems quite acceptable for someone to sign up with a company for tv services, their first " NEW " box fails and they are expected to keep accepting reconditioned or if they are lucky another " NEW " box.
As I say, its down to the customer to get onto NTL, maybe after enough cancellations they will listen to you guys ?

brettjbuckley · 09-10-2006, 14:17

Dare I now suggest that every single peed off Pace box owner should retaliate by bombarding the NTL help desk with calls telling them that their boxes keep locking up and they want new ones?

brettjbuckley · 10-10-2006, 11:27

Latest update - I have phoned the help desk and arranged for Egnineer #4 to visit this Saturday.

I have explicitly asked for a "new box" and quoted the previous engineer as admitting that the old Pace boxes have problems with them.

I wonder what it costs NTL to send out an Engineer and replace a box - I'd like to keep a tally for my amusement.

Nedkelly · 10-10-2006, 17:38

What will you do if he has no new boxes ?