How ntl reward long standing customer

[roseandjim]

While checking my new improved clearer bill I noticed I was paying £24.99 for 750k broadband which would have been correct if I hadn't bought my own modem 4 years ago when I first got broadband.I called CS to check. Related query and was put through to billing. Related query again and was told it was £24.99 for 750k with or without modem conversation went something like this -- " it's £24.99 for 750k - OK can I have a modem please? - no, you've got one - but thats mine and as I'm being charged rental for one can I have it please? - no , price is £24.99 for 750k with or without modem - but thats not fair - price is £24.99 for 750k with or without modem - so if my own modem breaks down do I get one then? - no - why? - price is £24.99 for 750k with or without modem - but then I won't have a working modem? - you would have to get it repaired - but that's nonsense - I'll put you through to broadband technical support"
Half an hour wait for TS and got a helpful guy who listened while I explained even though not his problem - he agreed with me but went away to ask a superior, who agreed with me also but couldn't do anything so passed me back to a CS supervisor.
Supervisor immediately apologised for me not receiving the letter informing me of this change of policy but the price is now £24.99 for 750k and of course I can have a modem that I had been charged for for the past few months.
So the reward for being a long standing ntl customer is to be charged for a modem I neither want or need without being told about it - having any choice in the matter or getting a new modem automatically.
Sorry for the long rant but just wanted to moan to a friendly ear

[etccarmageddon]

I suggest you cancel as a matter of principle and see if they offer to reinstate the discount. How about moving to ADSL? Shouldnt a customer take his business elsewhere when treated unfairly?

[Chris]

Not for the first time, I'm glad I chose to rent my modem ... back then I thought it would make sense for me in the long run, but admittedly for different reasons than these!

My reasoning was: SACMs were really quite expensive, and by the time I'd payed the equivalent price in increased monthly subscription, the modem would have been quite old and therefore liable to break down. If I owned it, this would be my problem. If I rented it, it would be NTL's problem. As it happened, poor little Terry the Terajet went to Silicon Heaven before he even reached his second birthday and was replaced without any argument by an NTL tech who visited us.

So, for that reason I was glad rented ... but now, with the owned-modem discount no longer applying, I'm doubly glad. This isn't the first time I've heard a story like yours.

[roseandjim]

The problem was Chris that renting a modem wasn't an option - you had to buy a modem if you wanted broadband and my modem is still working perfectly.

The only reason I'm having a new modem is that I'm already paying for it and wasn't told, but after my conversation with TS neither was most of ntl staff

[Chris]

The problem was Chris that renting a modem wasn't an option - you had to buy a modem if you wanted broadband and my modem is still working perfectly.

The only reason I'm having a new modem is that I'm already paying for it and wasn't told, but after my conversation with TS neither was most of ntl staff:Yikes: Wow, I didn't realise that back at the beginning they didn't even offer a rental option! What a bummer. :( Still, it's sorted now and if you're otherwise happy with the service, personally I'd stay with it- better the devil you know.

[roseandjim]

I am reasonably happy with the service and will be staying but it just goes against my nature to junk working gear. But my modem really doesn't owe me anything £150 four years ago and it hasn't missed a beat

[gary_580]

I suggest you cancel as a matter of principle and see if they offer to reinstate the discount. How about moving to ADSL? Shouldnt a customer take his business elsewhere when treated unfairly?

I almost cancel as they wouldnt give me a SACM as my STB was palying up at the time. They said i could have a SACM but only with a 2nd IP. IN the end after about 1/2 hour of arguing they gave me a SACM, only 1 IP address and have reduced my bill by £10 per month for the next 12 months. Sometimes NTL CS should just shut up and do as asked, it would save them money. It wasnt as if i asked for a discount, the Customer Relations guy said id been hacked off enough that it was the least he could do.

[roseandjim]

I know I keep banging on about this but if you are an ntl new customer you get offers - if you threaten to cancel you get bribed to stay - if you are a long standing loyal customer you get kicked in the teeth. I think I understand now how ex-employees feel.
I've read enough on here before so why am I suprised?

[SMHarman]

I know I keep banging on about this but if you are an ntl new customer you get offers - if you threaten to cancel you get bribed to stay - if you are a long standing loyal customer you get kicked in the teeth. I think I understand now how ex-employees feel.
I've read enough on here before so why am I suprised?
I did not threaten to cancel, just politely complained that new customers were getting free line rental and I didn't even use the phone line (got BT) and paid line rental, so they dropped it from the package (well put the discount offer into the package).

[roseandjim]

So any ideas who to appeal to at ntl for a goodwill gesture 'cos I was getting nowhere with CS. A refund of the money I've paid for the rental of a modem that I didn't have would be a start

[SMHarman]

So any ideas who to appeal to at ntl for a goodwill gesture 'cos I was getting nowhere with CS. A refund of the money I've paid for the rental of a modem that I didn't have would be a start
Look at current new customer offers and ask for one of those to be applied as a goodwill gesture.

Something specific like reduce my bill by £5 a month is way harder to achieve I would think as there is no offer code or similar.

I basically called up and spoke with CS and expressed my irritation that as a BT ISDN user I could not switch my phone lines to NTL, but was forced to pay NTL line rental as it it bundled with the STB rental. I was fine with this while everyone was in the same boat, but now you are giving the line rental free to new customers I find this objectionable that I am paying for something I don't use and that new customers don't need to pay for.

Said politely the result was a verbal agreement to a new 12 month contract on DTV or CM and they waived telco line rental for 12 months.