Phoneline dead

Q-Target · 12-10-2005, 17:58

Picked up the phone yesterday and got no sound at all, not even a tone when pushing buttons. Wrote it off as a dead phone. Went out today and bought new phone (ntl branded ironically) and plugged it in...dead. Went to ntlworld to see what I could do via the website, hoping to at least report a fault via it. Went to the report a fault part of the site, got asked if I was an ntl customer...yes, got asked what type of fault I had...telephone or television. Then a page appeared saying this:

We're sorry that you may be experiencing problems with your service. We can resolve a large number of service issues over the telephone and would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you to resolve your issues directly.

Please call us on 0800 052 2000 (Monday - Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm) selecting the option to report a fault.

Once again, please accept our apologies for the service problems you are experiencing.

How useful, I'll just give them a call...oh hang on.

**Russ B** · 12-10-2005, 18:05

Welcome to the site

Sorry to hear about your phoneline having a paddy, if you PM me your full name, address and account number then I'll see this issue gets emailed to the secretary of one of ntl's directors first thing in the morning.

Q-Target · 12-10-2005, 18:05

Much obliged Russ. PM on its way.

chocky909 · 14-10-2005, 15:33

I'm having exactly the same problem actually.

The phone's been dead for 2 days now, I've checked everything. Thing is, I am not really willing to ring up NTL using my mobile (0800 numbers are virtually premium rate numbers when rung on a mobile).

So, I try to report the problem online (my broadband and TV is working fine) and as reported, the link to an fault report email comes to a dead end. I notice it only comes to a dead end once you confirm there is a fault - I suppose they would want to talk to you and check some things - but the phone isn't working so???

A callbox would be the answer (are 0800 numbers free from callboxes?) but the operator would probably demand you be in front of the phone to check things. So only a mobile call at premium rate will do.

I left an email explaining the fault via a different route - I had to lie and make out it was just a query.

God I hate the NTL website - it's like a maze of dead ends and useless information.

(not like this beautiful haven of logic and sanity)

Q-Target · 14-10-2005, 16:12

Having heard nothing from them and having had no phone for 5 days, I made the call from work with NTL bill in hand and reported the fault. They're coming to take a look on Monday evening, allegedly. Also, sent some "feedback" via the site to say how utterly unhelpful a "Call us to tell us your phone is broken" page is.

Q-Target · 17-10-2005, 17:29

Engineer just came, tinkered with the green junction box for about half an hour and then called me on the landline to tell me that the problem was sorted and that my front door was still open.

Thanks to Ross and Mike for their help with this.

the_beast666 · 17-10-2005, 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Q-Target

Engineer just came, tinkered with the green junction box for about half an hour and then called me on the landline to tell me that the problem was sorted and that my front door was still open.

Thanks to Ross and Mike for their help with this.

nice of him to tell you your front door was open

Ignition · 19-10-2005, 21:18

If it makes you chaps feel better my phone is dead at the moment, and it might have been that way for the past 5 days. Don't use the phone much but it's certainly been down since Monday (other half thought it'd been plugged into old BT socket so switched to that one + got a dialtone and didn't mention it to me until today).

Is now a good time to mention that availability of phone lines is supposed to be on a notional 5 9's (99.999%) availability?

Will report the fault tomorrow, as ntl don't have 24x7 support for telco, which is appauling imho for the 2nd largest telephone supplier in the country, and makes the 5 9's potentially impossible to achieve as it can take over 12 hours for a customer to report a fault.

Penny pinching buglets

**Rob** · 19-10-2005, 21:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ignition

Will report the fault tomorrow, as ntl don't have 24x7 support for telco, which is appauling imho for the 2nd largest telephone supplier in the country, and makes the 5 9's potentially impossible to achieve as it can take over 12 hours for a customer to report a fault.

Are you sure about that, unless something's changed since I last phoned ntl "out of hours", there was a recorded message for telephone faults giving a different number to dial.

jayandfoo · 20-10-2005, 07:07

I'm having the same problem - phone line has been dead for 3 days now. Tried conacting ntl on my mobile but after 30 mins of waiting each time, gave up.

Is there anyone that can help me? The only alternative is ringing from work but I only get half an hours lunch and I doubt that will be long enough!

I am in the M30 area of Manchester

Thanks.

Q-Target · 20-10-2005, 07:48

I called them at about 3pm on Friday and wasn't on hold for more than a couple of minutes. Problem was sorted by 5.30pm on Monday. Oh and a nice lady called Linda phoned me on Tuesday morning to make sure everything was ok and gave me 1 month of free service to compensate for loss of service...which was nice.

jayandfoo · 20-10-2005, 08:32

Well, just managed to get through to them on my mobile and I am fuming!

I advised them of my situation and they advised that an Engineer would come on Saturday morning to look at the line. I asked if I would be refunded for the loss of telephone service for the past few days and the advisor said depending on what the issue is with the phone line, I may end up paying them!

Apparently, if any cables have been damaged, despite the fact that it wasn't me who damaged them, I will be liable to pay Ã‚Â£25.00 call out charge and Ã‚Â£25.00 maintenance charge.

I'm pretty annoyed to say the least - they tested the line and said there wasn't a fault on it from their end, and that it most probably would be a cable that had been damaged. So I could possibly end up paying Ã‚Â£50.00 for something I didn't do!

Apart from this, I've been trying to get through to them for the last few days and was kept on hold for stupid amounts of time.

If it's not the Broadband going off, it's the TV service, and now the phone - not impressed with ntl at all!

Nedkelly · 20-10-2005, 22:44

Dont worry most of the time you do not get charged for the call out i have only charged 2 customers as it was there fault for doing a diy move telco point.

chocky909 · 25-10-2005, 18:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Q-Target

a nice lady called Linda phoned me on Tuesday morning to make sure everything was ok and gave me 1 month of free service to compensate for loss of service...which was nice.

I just had my completely dead (see post no.4) phoneline repaired after being out for 12 days - I think I deserve some money off for that especially as I am selfemployed and have potential customers ringing me. Do you think I should contact customer services or leave it to them to contact me?

I find the whole issue of compensation for service outtages extremely vague - I mean I get problems with my broadband every few days or so and occasionally the line is down for a few hours. This can be extremely disruptive when you rely on the internet and email. Is there a guide to what to expect in the way of compensation for lack of service?

carlingman · 26-10-2005, 00:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocky909

I just had my completely dead (see post no.4) phoneline repaired after being out for 12 days - I think I deserve some money off for that especially as I am selfemployed and have potential customers ringing me. Do you think I should contact customer services or leave it to them to contact me?

I find the whole issue of compensation for service outtages extremely vague - I mean I get problems with my broadband every few days or so and occasionally the line is down for a few hours. This can be extremely disruptive when you rely on the internet and email. Is there a guide to what to expect in the way of compensation for lack of service?

Contact them but I would not harp on about loss of customers as their comeback will be that you should not be using a residential line for business.