sideshowmatt
06-10-2006, 15:50
The problems first started several weeks ago, when our 10 meg connection slowed to a crawl. We contacted NTL broadband support and each time got through to an operative in Delhi. Each time we were asked to go through many procedures, and to remove the router, disable firewalls, download files from different sites, and switch the Terayon modem on and off numerous times. Each time they would admit there was a fault, and gave us a different proxy server to try (even though this did not make any difference while they were still on the line.
Eventually we were told and call number 5 that the Terayon modem is old and has problems with the 10 meg package and they would book us an engineer.
Approximately 10 days later an engineer arrived. He stuck a power meter on the end of the cable and said the Terayon needed replacing as it could not handle 10 meg. He went out to his van and came back with a blue NTL 250 modem and plugged it in. He sent a text off to register the MAC address and left.
The modem locks onto the network, but as soon as you load a webpage, all the lights light up and it reboots itself. Three minutes later and you can load another webpage, and it reboots again.
We got back on the phone to NTL (India) who wanted to spend 30 minutes going through the pc again. They eventually decided it was the modem, and we would need an engineer. “Can you call the Engineer who was here an hour ago†I asked…ââ €šÂ¬Ã‚¦Ã¢â‚¬Â .Don’t be so stupid…this is NTL. You can wait until next week. However I am working in the week, “can you come after 6pm?†NO. At one point it was insinuated that it was our fault for working, and that we should have not let the engineer leave until we had tested it. (note to self, lock next engineer in home, until MAC address is registered, and spend an hour on the pc to make sure connection will hold)
We were transferred through to customer services, who placed us on hold and advised us that they had spoken to dispatch, and that the engineer would be back with us today. So we waited in all Saturday….No engineer….Call NTL….Closed
Sunday :- Spoke to NTL who advised us that they did not have access to the booking system and they would transfer us to the relevant department. 30 minutes later I’m through…..to India! Process starts again, “have you got a firewall†AGHHH!!!!! I eventually got transferred through to the most senior person available in the whole of NTL (I have his name at home, but as I have no internet connection that is where it remains) he was also in India, and he assured me that they could fast track me an engineer on Wednesday if I could wait at home. I checked my work diary on Wednesday, and could transfer my job to a colleague. Ok book Wednesday.
So Wednesday comes, and I am taking an unpaid day of work. 1pm comes, no engineer…âà ¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚¦something doesn’t smell right. I call NTL. 3 departments later and I’m through to someone that can look it up. “Sorry we do not have an engineer booked for you today†ok…ââ⠚¬Â¦Ã¢â‚¬Â¦at this point how I didn’t start to cry I will never know. I made the snappy decision to dump NTL and to ring BT straight away.
Retentions team:- Ok now these guys seem to have had a few lessons in customer services, and I agree to give them a chance. They do some chasing and discover that I do have an engineer booked for Wednesday, and explained that they have 2 booking systems and apologised for the confusion. Big sigh of relief. “He will be there before 5pmâ€ÂÂ
6:45pm No engineer. Ring the number I was given by the nice lady in retentions…⠀¦they only work Monday to Friday 9-5
Back to the usual way…..25 minute and through to Cable modem support (this time in the UK) “Iââ⠀šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢m sorry, I don’t have access to the booking system, I’ll have a chat with them and transfer you straight through†so NTL hold music…ââ €šÂ¬Ã‚¦and I am transferredâ€¦à€¦to the number I had rung, and am asked to put my phone number in again….AGHHHHHHHH!
We tried a different option, this time for tv faults on the off chance they had the booking system. Got through to a nice girl, who advised us that we did have an engineer, and they must be running late, he would be with us before 8pm
OK guess what happened next…ââ⠀šÂ¬Ã‚¦Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ …â↬¦â€¦Ã ¢â‚¬Â¦spot on!.........No engineer
Thursday 9am:- Speak to retentions…⠀¦..in all fairness they were very apologetic and said they would escalate this and get back to us asap.
By the afternoon we chased them up as we had no response…..â €ÂÂit has been escalated and we guarantee a call back within 24 hours†nice! 24 hours seems a bit much to me if someone has had this sort of treatment but hey
Friday…Lunch time:- No call as of yet. Decided to give them a call. Was told about the 24 hour call back, but I pointed out that 24 hours had expired. Now we hit a snag….I am through to Tyneside, and the main half of the escalations is in Coventry. Apparently I need to speak to Coventry. I asked the gentleman I was speaking to if he could transfer me, but they no way of contacting them. Now credit to him for taking ownership of this, he said their calls were on an 80/20 split, and he would keep redialling until he got through to Coventry and then get back to me.
Fair do’s to him he was as good as his word, and called back to say we will have someone on Saturday, but he was unable to give us the exact time, but rest assured NTL would get back to us
And this is where I stand (ok sit)
Will NTL come? Who knows?
Eventually we were told and call number 5 that the Terayon modem is old and has problems with the 10 meg package and they would book us an engineer.
Approximately 10 days later an engineer arrived. He stuck a power meter on the end of the cable and said the Terayon needed replacing as it could not handle 10 meg. He went out to his van and came back with a blue NTL 250 modem and plugged it in. He sent a text off to register the MAC address and left.
The modem locks onto the network, but as soon as you load a webpage, all the lights light up and it reboots itself. Three minutes later and you can load another webpage, and it reboots again.
We got back on the phone to NTL (India) who wanted to spend 30 minutes going through the pc again. They eventually decided it was the modem, and we would need an engineer. “Can you call the Engineer who was here an hour ago†I asked…ââ €šÂ¬Ã‚¦Ã¢â‚¬Â .Don’t be so stupid…this is NTL. You can wait until next week. However I am working in the week, “can you come after 6pm?†NO. At one point it was insinuated that it was our fault for working, and that we should have not let the engineer leave until we had tested it. (note to self, lock next engineer in home, until MAC address is registered, and spend an hour on the pc to make sure connection will hold)
We were transferred through to customer services, who placed us on hold and advised us that they had spoken to dispatch, and that the engineer would be back with us today. So we waited in all Saturday….No engineer….Call NTL….Closed
Sunday :- Spoke to NTL who advised us that they did not have access to the booking system and they would transfer us to the relevant department. 30 minutes later I’m through…..to India! Process starts again, “have you got a firewall†AGHHH!!!!! I eventually got transferred through to the most senior person available in the whole of NTL (I have his name at home, but as I have no internet connection that is where it remains) he was also in India, and he assured me that they could fast track me an engineer on Wednesday if I could wait at home. I checked my work diary on Wednesday, and could transfer my job to a colleague. Ok book Wednesday.
So Wednesday comes, and I am taking an unpaid day of work. 1pm comes, no engineer…âà ¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚¦something doesn’t smell right. I call NTL. 3 departments later and I’m through to someone that can look it up. “Sorry we do not have an engineer booked for you today†ok…ââ⠚¬Â¦Ã¢â‚¬Â¦at this point how I didn’t start to cry I will never know. I made the snappy decision to dump NTL and to ring BT straight away.
Retentions team:- Ok now these guys seem to have had a few lessons in customer services, and I agree to give them a chance. They do some chasing and discover that I do have an engineer booked for Wednesday, and explained that they have 2 booking systems and apologised for the confusion. Big sigh of relief. “He will be there before 5pmâ€ÂÂ
6:45pm No engineer. Ring the number I was given by the nice lady in retentions…⠀¦they only work Monday to Friday 9-5
Back to the usual way…..25 minute and through to Cable modem support (this time in the UK) “Iââ⠀šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢m sorry, I don’t have access to the booking system, I’ll have a chat with them and transfer you straight through†so NTL hold music…ââ €šÂ¬Ã‚¦and I am transferredâ€¦à€¦to the number I had rung, and am asked to put my phone number in again….AGHHHHHHHH!
We tried a different option, this time for tv faults on the off chance they had the booking system. Got through to a nice girl, who advised us that we did have an engineer, and they must be running late, he would be with us before 8pm
OK guess what happened next…ââ⠀šÂ¬Ã‚¦Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ …â↬¦â€¦Ã ¢â‚¬Â¦spot on!.........No engineer
Thursday 9am:- Speak to retentions…⠀¦..in all fairness they were very apologetic and said they would escalate this and get back to us asap.
By the afternoon we chased them up as we had no response…..â €ÂÂit has been escalated and we guarantee a call back within 24 hours†nice! 24 hours seems a bit much to me if someone has had this sort of treatment but hey
Friday…Lunch time:- No call as of yet. Decided to give them a call. Was told about the 24 hour call back, but I pointed out that 24 hours had expired. Now we hit a snag….I am through to Tyneside, and the main half of the escalations is in Coventry. Apparently I need to speak to Coventry. I asked the gentleman I was speaking to if he could transfer me, but they no way of contacting them. Now credit to him for taking ownership of this, he said their calls were on an 80/20 split, and he would keep redialling until he got through to Coventry and then get back to me.
Fair do’s to him he was as good as his word, and called back to say we will have someone on Saturday, but he was unable to give us the exact time, but rest assured NTL would get back to us
And this is where I stand (ok sit)
Will NTL come? Who knows?