View Full Version : Phone dead AGAIN!! Second time in 2 weeks!
My phone line has gone dead for the second time in less than 2 weeks! The last time I took time off work to wait for the engineer he told me another engineer had accidently disconnected my line in the box?? I presume this has happened again.
I do not have a mobile and no access to another phone line. I have no desire to stand in a phone box for over an hour waiting to come off hold to speak to customer services, or be a nuisance in a neighbours house doing the same!
I followed the link on ntl.com (http://www.ntl.com/home/contact/complaint/tvfault.asp) for reporting a phone fault, this is what it says:
"
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.
"
How can I call when my phone line does not work????!!:mad::confused::td: Download Failed (1)
They do not provide any form of online contact, or any other method except phone line!
I have sent an email to yourfeedback@ntl.com 2 days ago (the only contact address I could find), but have had no responce except some auto responder.
Can anybody suggest a way that I can contact NTL and have my service fixed?
Graham M
18-03-2006, 21:41
It being an 0800 number you could always ask a neighbour if you could use their phone or try a phone box
It being an 0800 number you could always ask a neighbour if you could use their phone or try a phone box
Like I said, I have no desire to stand in a phone box for over an hour waiting to come off hold to speak to customer services, or be a nuisance in a neighbours house doing the same!
My experience with customer services has been over an hours wait in the past.
Graham M
18-03-2006, 21:52
Ive never had to wait for an hour on the phone to CS or TS to be honest.
:welcome: to the Forum.
Sorry about your dead phone line, but you will have to call NTL at least to log a fault. Customer Services have improved, so you may well find you don't have to wait anywhere near an hour.
:welcome: to the Forum.
Sorry about your dead phone line, but you will have to call NTL at least to log a fault. Customer Services have improved, so you may well find you don't have to wait anywhere near an hour.
It is less than 2 weeks ago I had the very same problem, when I called the fault in then I was on hold for far longer than an hour. I hardly think customer services have improved in that time.
Does anybody know of another form of contact? Surely there must be a way to log a phone line fault that does not require a phone?? A working email, online chat system, something??
In that case, could you try the Reponsetek system (http://www.)cableforum.co.uk/board/forumdisplay.php?f=81 (http://www.%29cableforum.co.uk/board/forumdisplay.php?f=81))? This is an online form, and the results get sent to NTL.
UncleBooBoo
18-03-2006, 22:32
Well I can see you have an internet connection, does your PC have a Mic & Speakers?
If it does then why not use sipgate.co.uk or voipfone.co.uk to call NTL!
Simply register with one of the two above and download the free software onto your pc and call NTL on the 0800 free phone number!
Calling an 0800 number from the above two costs you nothing!
Saves you waiting in a call box!
In that case, could you try the Reponsetek system (http://www.)cableforum.co.uk/board/forumdisplay.php?f=81 (http://www.%29cableforum.co.uk/board/forumdisplay.php?f=81))? This is an online form, and the results get sent to NTL.
What for Stuart C? It looks like a feedback system. What use is this to me? I want my phone fixed not to spend half an hour filling out a feedback form that will probably never get read anyway!
Can I send my fault through this? I can not see a place to do it. If I have missed it please let me know where to go.
acoolwelshbloke: Thanks for the suggestion, I will look into that, hopefully I have a mic around here that I can plugin.
What for Stuart C? It looks like a feedback system. What use is this to me? I want my phone fixed not to spend half an hour filling out a feedback form that will probably never get read anyway!
Can I send my fault through this? I can not see a place to do it. If I have missed it please let me know where to go.
When customers have tried (but failed) to get anywhere with ntl, we (one of the team) will get in touch with our contacts within ntl and ask them to contact you, however we do not get involved when people have not (or will not) tried to speak to them already.
Do you not have a friend or family member whose phone you could use?
When customers have tried (but failed) to get anywhere with ntl, we (one of the team) will get in touch with our contacts within ntl and ask them to contact you, however we do not get involved when people have not (or will not) tried to speak to them already.
Do you not have a friend or family member whose phone you could use?
Sorry? So you will not help unless I stand in a cold phonebox for the best part of a morning waiting to report that my home phone line does not work again? You should stick this friendly advice on the front page, so nobody else wastes their time here.
My nearest family member is a 2 hour bus ride away.
I can make this trip, or spend my morning in a public phone box.
I asked here incase anybody knew of a point of contact for NTL, it seems preposterous to me that when I have a phone fault the only way to report it is by phone! No other methods of contacting NTL are an option.
I will try the suggestion by acoolwelshbloke, failing that I will stand in the phonebox.
Bigyin, do you not have neighbours or friends who will let you borrow their phone?
Sorry? So you will not help unless I stand in a cold phonebox for the best part of a morning waiting to report that my home phone line does not work again? You should stick this friendly advice on the front page, so nobody else wastes their time here.
We have procedures on CableForum about how we escalate matters to ntl. One of the conditions of us getting involved is that you will have tried (and failed) to contact ntl, otherwise people will go through us instead of doing what customers should be doing, and that isn't fair on the many ntl subscribers who have not heard of CF.
We have procedures on CableForum about how we escalate matters to ntl. One of the conditions of us getting involved is that you will have tried (and failed) to contact ntl, otherwise people will go through us instead of doing what customers should be doing, and that isn't fair on the many ntl subscribers who have not heard of CF.
I think you are missing the point here Russ D :dozey:
My phone does not work, I can not try or fail to contact NTL. I have no mobile, I do not want to inconvenience my neighbours by sitting on their phone for hours waiting for customer services, my parents house is a 2 hour bus ride (one way), I would rather not spend my morning standing in a public phonebox waiting for customer services, but this looks like the only option left, as there seems like no other way to contact NTL!
There would be no problem if NTL customer service answered in a prompt manner, but my experiences is that a lengthy wait is the norm, or NTL had another point of contact rather than phone (and post which would be just as quick possibly).
Nedkelly
19-03-2006, 00:47
;) Bigyin the responce tek tool is good i did not belive it but when i tried it they got back to me the next day :Yikes: .As to your fault what area do you live in as someone in your aera might be able to help you :)
BigYin - Please send me some details via Private message and I will send this issue on to our ntl contacts on your behalf, but it should be Monday when this will be picked up. Thanks.
Mick: thanks for your offer of help, but I have managed to arrange for an engineer to come out tomorrow.
acoolwelshbloke : Thanks for the heads up on voipfone.co.uk I used the service and made the call.
This experience has been the last straw in my adventures with NTL, at the end of this month I think I will cancel all NTL services and return to BT.
UncleBooBoo
19-03-2006, 12:17
acoolwelshbloke : Thanks for the heads up on voipfone.co.uk I used the service and made the call.
No problem, glad you got it sorted in the end! ;)
Mick: thanks for your offer of help, but I have managed to arrange for an engineer to come out tomorrow.
acoolwelshbloke : Thanks for the heads up on voipfone.co.uk I used the service and made the call.
This experience has been the last straw in my adventures with NTL, at the end of this month I think I will cancel all NTL services and return to BT.
So you will be back to ntl when BT has not managed to use telepathy when you get a fault, yes it is upsetting that you have had 2 faults in 2 weeks but ntl can not fix any faults if you do not tell them, a high % of faults with phones are fixed over the phone with CS so an email to them asking for a visit and the tech finding that its your equipment faulty will cost you £25 so which do you prefer.
I can not believe you have not got a mobile, even my 90 year old gran has one...she NEVER uses it its just there for emergencies with £10 credit on it. If I were you I would start thinking of the same thing, a mobile for the "just in case" things.
UncleBooBoo
19-03-2006, 13:40
You do not need to phone BT in order to report a fault, You can do it online. (Or you used to be able to do this) I used this feature when I used to be a customer with BT. Let's not forget that the last time his phone went off it was not because of any fault but because NTL sent somebody out to do a job who clearly is incable of doing it properly!
It is very possible the same thing has happened again. I have read a few posts since I joined NTL about people who have had their services disconnected because somebody has pulled the plug at the CAB!
Maybe NTL should start looking at updating their website from a site that is mainly just about advertising to an interactive one, view bills, report faults etc!
You do not need to phone BT in order to report a fault, You can do it online. (Or you used to be able to do this) I used this feature when I used to be a customer with BT. Let's not forget that the last time his phone went off it was not because of any fault but because NTL sent somebody out to do a job who clearly is incable of doing it properly!
It is very possible the same thing has happened again. I have read a few posts since I joined NTL about people who have had their services disconnected because somebody has pulled the plug at the CAB!
Maybe NTL should start looking at updating their website from a site that is mainly just about advertising to an interactive one, view bills, report faults etc!
You can not compare BT testing and ntl testing remotely as BTs system is still copper from the exchange and they are able to test right up to the cust socket. ntl's system is mostly fibre so a lot more difficult to test as there are 2 different cables. It is one (and only) area IMO copper is better than fibre. But before anyone picks up on this yes you can test for breaks on fibre etc.
So for an email to be sent to bt and they can say yes or no to a tech visit is in noway the same.
UncleBooBoo
19-03-2006, 18:46
I am not on about testing a line. I am on about reporting a fault?
If a line is dead then there is a fault that needs to be fixed!
With BT you could report a fault and follow it's progress online, or you can do it by phone! The way in which both companies test there line is irelivent to the customer!
In my opinion once we customers report a fault we just want it sorted in a reasonable time without the need to think about it any more, How BT or NTL do this is their problem after all thats what we pay them line rental for isn't it?
If NTL run a test and it comes back as a pass do NTL say I am sorry sir/madam but your phoneline has passed our tests therefore there is nothing more we can do for you?
No they don't they will send out a tech to locate and repair the fault!
If no fault is found or the fault is because of the customers own equiptment then they can charge you for it! (I know BT will!)
---------- Post added at 18:46 ---------- Previous post was at 18:24 ----------
I personally never had any problems with my NTL phone line, in the 10 years I was a customer with BT and I had approx twenty different lines with them over that time I only ever had one fault. BT are very slow when it comes to getting an engineer out to you, I had to wait ten days!
I am getting rid of my NTL line so it don't make any difference to me what steps NTL take in order to allow their customers to reoprt faults etc....
I just think that it would help a lot of people out, maybe even reduce current waiting times on the phone side of things to.
BT will also divert your landline to a mobile number of your choice for free.
Something that ntl don't offer.....
BT also offer compensation for every day that your landline is out of action-again, something ntl don't offer.
I have never understood why people have an ntl phone line over a BT one when it's inferior in pretty much every way. :shrug:
UncleBooBoo
20-03-2006, 12:27
I think most would not Neil if it wasn't for the fact NTL force you to take it with their TV package!
I think most would not Neil if it wasn't for the fact NTL force you to take it with their TV package!
And there you have hit the nail on the head. :tu:
Ignition
20-03-2006, 13:47
You can not compare BT testing and ntl testing remotely as BTs system is still copper from the exchange and they are able to test right up to the cust socket. ntl's system is mostly fibre so a lot more difficult to test as there are 2 different cables. It is one (and only) area IMO copper is better than fibre. But before anyone picks up on this yes you can test for breaks on fibre etc.
So for an email to be sent to bt and they can say yes or no to a tech visit is in noway the same.
I would hope that ntl have enough control of their SDH / PDH network that they can see if a single 64k channel is showing failure. At very least ntl can prove the fault onto the last few hundred metres (the copper) and work from there.
---------- Post added at 13:47 ---------- Previous post was at 13:45 ----------
BT will also divert your landline to a mobile number of your choice for free.
Something that ntl don't offer.....
BT also offer compensation for every day that your landline is out of action-again, something ntl don't offer.
I have never understood why people have an ntl phone line over a BT one when it's inferior in pretty much every way. :shrug:
You also have to love that BT will call you back if their queue is too large rather than leave you sitting there (all automated informing of length of queue, estimated time to call back).
In terms of telephony BT are certainly the experts on this. The cost savings from ntl over BT are relatively insignificant these days too and will only decrease as BT convert more of their network to IP and put legacy systems to sleep.
You also have to love that BT will call you back if their queue is too large rather than leave you sitting there (all automated informing of length of queue, estimated time to call back).
Whilst I'm not trying to defend ntl to the death, they do do this too, its been done with myself before.
UncleBooBoo
20-03-2006, 14:46
I have been with NTL for the last year and I have had to call them every month. I have never had an option of a call back!
In all fairness to NTL they seem to answer the phones very quickly now compared to around four months back maybe this is why I don't get the callback option at present. However everytime I called back then I was always waiting around 30 mins and never was I given an option of any callback!
Hmmmm BT Faults.....
Yes they can test lines,
yes they can call you back if requested during the call (even to the point of calling you back when you are available to take the call),
they will even cut the initial call and call you back to save your mobile bill from being run up,
the QueueBuster system that allows call backs instead of making you sit in the queue is great for customers as not many people realise that they are being line tested automatically in the background as soon as the call hits the system, if you get the queuebuster call back option take it ;) Saves you time and money on the call
Reporting and line testing online is possible and encouraged by CS staff as it makes their life easier but you can also report a fault through the call steering/ IVR/ annoying press this button now system which then runs the tests if needed and sets a response time/ date for you. The only problem is when the system cannot give a proper diagnosis and that just leads to confusion.
BTW anyone here aware that BT tests their telephone line over night for faults? Nearly all lines are tested in cycle between certain hours each night and if a fault is detected it's reported automatically to engineers. Of course this testing can and sometimes does cause interuptions in the line or makes your phone give a single ring over night but BT will remove you from the overnight routining list if you ask them ;)
BT support can be excellent..... shame it treats its' staff so badly at times :erm:
It is less than 2 weeks ago I had the very same problem, when I called the fault in then I was on hold for far longer than an hour. I hardly think customer services have improved in that time.
Does anybody know of another form of contact? Surely there must be a way to log a phone line fault that does not require a phone?? A working email, online chat system, something??
Just go and burn down the cab in your street.Then there will be ntl engineers everywhere within no time at all.Next, all you have to do is run into the street,hit one accross the head with a bat and drag him into your house.(at this point its probably best you tie him/her up so the dont try and leg it when they come around),now lock all the doors and refuse to let them go untill your phone is back on!
Hey presto.....
Thats all itll take(works every time):tu:
PS(im only joking):dunce:
UncleBooBoo
20-03-2006, 23:59
Just go and burn down the cab in your street.Then there will be ntl engineers everywhere within no time at all.Next, all you have to do is run into the street,hit one accross the head with a bat and drag him into your house.(at this point its probably best you tie him/her up so the dont try and leg it when they come around),now lock all the doors and refuse to let them go untill your phone is back on!
Hey presto.....
Thats all itll take(works every time):tu:
:LOL: I like it! :LOL:
an email to them asking for a visit and the tech finding that its your equipment faulty will cost you £25 so which do you prefer.
I can not believe you have not got a mobile, even my 90 year old gran has one...she NEVER uses it its just there for emergencies with £10 credit on it. If I were you I would start thinking of the same thing, a mobile for the "just in case" things.
NTL also go to great pains to inform you that if it is no fault of theirs you will be charged
I do not need or want a mobile, my life runs just fine without one, and for a long time to come I hope. Interesting though, the first call I got when the phone line was fixed was from an Indian call centre again trying to sell me a T-Mobile mobile phone :mad::mad::td:
This whole recent experience with NTL has been a complete farce. My phone line has worked for less days in a month than it has worked! I have been a customer since 1999 and apart from a few faulty cable modems have had no real issues with NTL, in fact was a more than satisfied customer.
The technician who fixed it this time mumbled about rats chewing cables and said somebody maybe purposely cut the lines in the box??:erm:
Terrible, if this was the case why was I the only one affected, non of my neighbours had problems. Maybe the rats only pick on me??
The technician who called previously said an inexperienced technician had pulled my line in the box, I expect this is what happened again, I wonder how long till next time is.
Total loss of phone service for extended periods, being cut off a week early during my recent house move, having to take two days off work in a month to wait in for technicians, technicians making terrible excuses and the most irritating issue; NTL not having any way of reporting a fault other than over a phone!
When the customer service line is no longer free how happy will people be standing in public phone boxes, running up a neighbours phone bill or being extorted by mobile phone company's for these calls.
A simple means of on-line contact is not even offered, not even an email address. ntl.com is a huge sales pitch, nothing else. Click the 'Contact Us' link and all you get is phone numbers. Oddly enough if you are business customer they have a contact form.
As fate would have it junk mail from BT fell through my door this very morning. I called them and they made me a very generous offer, and they are even giving me a free cordless digital phone/answering machine! Bonus. Maybe NTL can attract new customers by offering free mobile phones to contact them when their service does not work.
Thanks again to acoolwelsh bloke for the help.
an email to them asking for a visit and the tech finding that its your equipment faulty will cost you £25 so which do you prefer.
I can not believe you have not got a mobile, even my 90 year old gran has one...she NEVER uses it its just there for emergencies with £10 credit on it. If I were you I would start thinking of the same thing, a mobile for the "just in case" things.
NTL also go to great pains to inform you that if it is no fault of theirs you will be charged
Unfortunately so do BT and there call out charges and hourly rate add up to £130+ for the visit and first hour of the engineers time if your equipment is at fault and not BTs'.
The technician who fixed it this time mumbled about rats chewing cables and said somebody maybe purposely cut the lines in the box??:erm:
Terrible, if this was the case why was I the only one affected, non of my neighbours had problems. Maybe the rats only pick on me??
The technician who called previously said an inexperienced technician had pulled my line in the box, I expect this is what happened again, I wonder how long till next time is.
BT suffer that too unfortunately, I recently left BT faults/ repairs and the number of calls we got related to botched installs or cables knocked out accidentaly by engineers during upgrades/ installs were rediculous. All we could do was apologise and cross our fingers when the estimated response time was given to us by the computer system that handled the appointments.
Total loss of phone service for extended periods, being cut off a week early during my recent house move, having to take two days off work in a month to wait in for technicians, technicians making terrible excuses and the most irritating issue; NTL not having any way of reporting a fault other than over a phone!
Ah at least BT let you report faults via their website..... not very useful if you lose your line completely though :erm: As we were told rather loudly and in very strong language last week by one customer who had no line/ connection at all and was paying over £100 per quarter for the priviledge.
When the customer service line is no longer free how happy will people be standing in public phone boxes, running up a neighbours phone bill or being extorted by mobile phone company's for these calls.
NTL could stop that issue very easily by taking a contact number and then cutting the call so that they could then contact the customer and pick up the bill for the call. Bet they don't do that every often though :(
A simple means of on-line contact is not even offered, not even an email address. ntl.com is a huge sales pitch, nothing else. Click the 'Contact Us' link and all you get is phone numbers. Oddly enough if you are business customer they have a contact form.
Many companies suffer this, no direct contact possible as it takes people offline to answer the emails. Not good in my eyes, especially not for a communications company.
As fate would have it junk mail from BT fell through my door this very morning. I called them and they made me a very generous offer, and they are even giving me a free cordless digital phone/answering machine! Bonus. Maybe NTL can attract new customers by offering free mobile phones to contact them when their service does not work.
Groovy, obviously the new marketing campaign has kicked off is earnest then. Enjoy the phone and don't forget if it goes wrong within the first 12 months you can demand a replacement. Something to remember for all BT customers who may still rent equipment from BT, you can ring up and tell them that the phone is no longer working correctly, numbers worn out etc and get a free replacement at least once a year. BT send a jiffy bag out for the return of the faulty unit but would rather you didn't send it back as they would have to store it then ;)
Ah at least BT let you report faults via their website..... not very useful if you lose your line completely though :erm:
Very good point Paul if you are trying to report a telephone fault via the web with only an ADSL line so really your back to square one.....:lol:
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