When I lived in Oxford in 2000, NTL were terrible - I know it's easy to generalise and overlook the times when you get good service but I can honestly say the only time I was satisfied with NTL was the day they installed. Each time I called to request something it would be a case of "We're too busy, give me your number and we'll call you back" which of course never happen on the 3 occasions I called. For the 6 months I was with them, never once was the 'Error 1043' resolved that I was getting when I tried the interactive tv. The engineers would come out but their diagnosis would always be different to what Customer Services would say, it really was a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing.
And don't get me started on the billing issues!!
But when I returned to South Wales I took up the services as I just started work for Tech Support and I can honestly say I've never really had any major complaints about them. Yes there's been the odd BS muppet (who I then reported thanks to nthw.com
) but the VAST majority of tech support staff and CS people have been great, so it certainly appears to be a regional thing.
I can't see myself leaving NTL soon but if I did, I'm sure I'd be willing to give them another chance