Tiscali/Talktalk criminally negligent..................

[charlieb]

Agreed.  Also had a complete nightmare leaving Tiscali/TalkTalk. Ended up taking 6 months, I think, though I'm fairly sure my Sister refused to pay any of the extra. 

Orange broadband seems ok so far (though I'm nervous of any problems, and totally confused about landline rental)

[martin]

It goes on, and on, and on....................
I've now been with Plusnet for some weeks for broadband, 'phone transferred seamlessly on the 10th Feb.......... A minor fault developed on the line (intermittent "couldn't find the number") - to say I was bowled over by their concern, competence, and good old fashioned service would be an understatement - they were unfailingly charming, polite, helpful, were in an English call centre- I even got to speak to a real live engineer....They kept me up to date with emails and 'phone calls, and eventually sorted the gremlin...........

THEN this morning an ominous envelope bearing the "TalkTalk" logo arrived........it was a bill - for £0.00!..............Well, they'd got the amount correct! - teensie problemette, they were including amounts for charges from 17th Feb to 16th March...............someone included a "minus £82" amount, awarded by an operative some time ago, who I'd got to agree that his company had treated us execrably, and would refund all relevant charges, and that our account was now firmly CLOSED, BUT had failed to actually close the accounts.......... Just wasted another hour on the 'phone being transferred from department to department in TalkTalk/Tiscali, eventually ending up with a young lady with a sense of humour who is doing her best to ensure that they actually get the message that we're no longer with them - who has so much faith in the company's competence that she's "not sure if you'll get another bill at the end of the month, we'll have to wait and see".................
If they wrote this as a soap script, noone would believe it!

[MarkB]

For many years I've been happily using Pipex, and often paying higher rates, for my internet access and got nervous with the Tiscali/TalkTalk takeover. All was going well until recently they sent me a letter saying that for my benefit they were doubling the price of the service. I couldn't see the benefit so decided to move to O2, where I have a mobile phone, so get a very good rate on internet access.

Requested a MAC from Pipex - no argument or attempt to persuade me to stay, and said a MAC would be with me in 3 to 5 days. One week later, I was still waiting so I called them and they gave me the MAC over the phone. The next day I got a phone call from someone asking which internet provider I had been with and whether I had received my MAC code. He got a little upset when I refused to say which provider I was leaving, stating that he should already know that. He cited data protection act, but clearly they passed on my name and phone number and it's pretty unbelievable that the precise subsidiary was more confidential!

Completely useless and glad to be moving on. Hopefully will be with O2 by the weekend.

[martin]

My flabber is well and truly ghasted........ I fired off another irate email to one C.Dunstone this morning, and have just received a reply that actually looks like it came from the man himself, apologising, and saying that he's getting someone to look into the matter.........
As they say "I shall await developments with interest"

[Stuart]

Am with O2 and very pleased, recently rewired the phone system and went from 3meg to 5meg Also got 3 months free for renewing for another year.
the WAN IP doesn't seem to change much which is handy for remote access.

[Hugo]

I've started to get drop out again with tiscali/talk talk.
I just can't seem to get the phone in my hand and speak with those nice people in India.
Try as I may I do not want to have a rant down the phone as it's a wast of time.
I might change from them and go elsewhere.
I have a Netgear modem router and it tells me what the mac address is.
Would the be the mac address that I need to move to another provider.

[martin]

You do need the MAC code - I honestly don't know if that's one displayed by the router, but they should provide it if requested. If it's of any use, in my short time with them, PlusNet's service has been exemplary, and their charges reasonable!

[djh]

To create confusion, MAC has at least two meanings. The one likely to be displayed by a router is its Media Access Control address http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address while the one you need to escape from T/TT is a Migration Authorisation Code http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migration_Authorisation_Code

[Rooster]

I have a Netgear modem router and it tells me what the mac address is.
Would the be the mac address that I need to move to another provider.

No

[shiela_robins]

Reading through this thread, it seems everyone of us has a "horror" story or two to share with their ISPs.  But then again don't we all?    At least this is just about accounts and billings.  If we were to go into technical problems we encounter every now and then, I'm wondering if their call-in support people really know what they're talking about. Sometimes I think I'm talking to a complete idiot. LOL!

[Hugo]

You do need the MAC code - I honestly don't know if that's one displayed by the router, but they should provide it if requested. If it's of any use, in my short time with them, PlusNet's service has been exemplary, and their charges reasonable!

Thanks Martin /guys girls.
Martin, where are customer support based with Pipex as I might just go over to them.

[martin]

I can't guarantee that they all are, but the staff I spoke to in Sales at PlusNet were UK-based, as were the staff when I had a minor 'phone fault (even got to speak to a real live engineer working on the line!)

[guydewdney]

Eclipse internet. Nice people. easy, free tech support. UK. not cheapest, or fastest but reliable.

[tony.]

Just had a bill from Pipex trying to get £200. they said I didnt cancel the broadband only the phone,

DONT THINK , 

Been with BT for 4 months, not that Pipex think so,

foreign call centre with poor english!

asked for names and details so that i could write to them, phone was 'accidently' cut off.

pain in the arse...

tony

[martin]

Sounds like the TalkTalk ones in the Transvaal staffed by incoherent boors..........
They have totally impenetrable accents, and if you DARE demand a supervisor, they cut you off, having tried to "shout you down" first - silly girl tried it on me once - I suspect her ears are still ringing!