My TalkTalk broadband upgrade problem

I spent 2006 trying to save cash as one of Money Mail's Money Misers. Swopping energy, internet and broadband suppliers and some juggling with credit and loyalty cards eventually left me more than £1,200 better off.

One of the most frequent questions I've had is whether I ran into any problems. The answer is 'no' except for on my phone and broadband. I swopped to TalkTalk and initially all was well, but since the line was upgraded to 8megabit broadband my phone has never worked properly. And the customer service has ranged from irritating to pathetic.

All I want is a call waiting service that tells callers when I'm on the phone and lets me switch between callers. Instead when I am on the phone callers get a constant ringing with no message leading them to believe that we are out and our answerphone isn't working.

I've been passed from pillar to post (or more accurately India to Warrington) and receive regular texts telling me they have fixed it but several weeks later it still doesn't work. This makes it: difficult for me to work from home; impossible to get through to my wife when she is talking to her mother/sister/work colleagues and enormously frustrating for anyone trying to call me.

So why am I blaming my broadband upgrade? Well, my brother in law, has never had a decent internet connection since BT 'upgraded' his broadband to 8 megabits. BT has sent him from India to Wales and back as each side of the business has refused to take responsibility.

So, I wonder are we the only people having this problem, or are there more general problems with the 8megabit broadband that no-one is telling us?

- Tony Hazell, Editor, Money Mail

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Comments

[hazel harlow]

Is anyone else having problems with Pipex Homecall? I may not get replies as they are again threatening to cut me off - They did so over the Xmas/New Year period even though at that time I was approx £60 in credit and today they have just confirmed that I am £38.19 in credit still. I had a mostly trouble free 18 months with them on their Anytime phone and half price BBand but after intensive advertising of their £29.99 inclusive line rental/anytime/up to 8mg BB - I changed on the 23/10 even recommending my daughter so we both got a £10 discount!! my 1st bill on 4/11 took £71.18 by DD after they reassured us it was incorrect and would be assessed within 14 days!! on the 4/12 they tried to take out £102.65 I found out by a chance remark whilst still trying to sort out the previous month (all on high cost phone calls!) so was able to stop it in time. since the 6/12 it has been a nightmare I have a whole list of names/dates and times that I have spoken too - some very sympathetic and all saying yes there is a problem but all again saying it will take another 14 days - I still have not seen another bill as off today 11/12 and they are still threatening to cut me off. I have requested my MAC number and they threatened the full legal thing - ie all costs etc (I do know of someonewho paid this @£400 after moving 200 miles away and they did not reconnect her so she had to go to another provider - again like us she is in her 60's and felt intimidated) We have ended on a pleasanter note hopefully!! I should get my MAC by 19th and as the package I had agreed and the package they charged for were not as contracted hopefully this will have a happier ending - I am in the process of checking out BB packages but will be very wary this time. After working in accounts most of my life and having a daughter that is an accountant - we cannot believe the problem that they caused billing us for our old package and seperate line rental/anytime and then stand alone BB at an unbelievable £29.99 = almost £83 instead of the £29.99 it discredits all their other call assistants and hope fully they are also asking questions. I know of one other local person who seems to be caught up in the same nightmare - I would like to think that these are fairly isolated cases but if there are other people out ther also awake night after night in tears because of similar blunders perhaps it is time it was out in the open? Meanwhile we await my daughters 1st bill with trepidation!! - they originally agreed she would be connected mid Nov - this stretched to end Nov by then we were very concerned as it was part of a Christmas gift for our grandsons (having been badly hit in the Fayrepack fraud) we were trying to do what we could to compensate. She was finally connected on 21/12 but no modem arive for the inevitable 14days!! well into the new year. I will update this if and when it is solved and I get my MAC - otherwise watch the papers as I am adamant that I will let them take me to court and then at least it will be out in the open. Hazel Harlow

[M. Peacock]

My mother had a terrible time with talk talk when they tried to upgrade her broadband. She was left wyithout a phone line for over a fortnight, with no apology or explaination.
She spent hours trying to get through to customer services.
Finally she left talk talk for BT. For all their faults atleast you can get through to them.

[Beverly Woodman]

Yes, I'm having problems with Pipex Homecall - aarrghhh!!! On 4 December 2006 I contacted them to cancel my Broadband service, although I still wanted to retain my standard line rental and calls. The very polite lady at Pipex confirmed that would be no problem, but could I send them a fax or e-mail to care@homecall to confirm. This I did on 5 December.

A few weeks later I received a letter from Pipex "welcoming" me to Pipex, confirming that my home telephone number would remain unchanged and that I would probably receive a letter from BT regarding my transfer...??? I ignored the letter thinking it was just a standard letter sent in error. Oh dear.... In January I received my monthly invoice from Pipex charging me for line rental for the "previous period" for December (which I'd already paid in advance on my December invoice) and charging me for Broadband for January, despite the fact it should have been cancelled wef 4 January 2007. I e-mailed Pipex to query this and advised that unless someone contacted me to confirm what was happening with my broadband cancellation, I would cancel my direct debit as I wasn't going to pay for something that was clearly incorrect.

As I didn't receive a phone call, I cancelled my direct debit....wrong move! My phone line was disconnected, but Pipex didn't write to warn or inform me of this. After a number of people had tried to contact me by phone, I contacted Pipex to report a fault on my line. I was informed by "Steve" that before he could do anything, I'd need to make a few internal checks on my equipment. On returning home to do this, I found a letter from Pipex saying sorry that I was tranferring to another provider!

On phoning Pipex to ask what the letter was all about, I was advised that the letter had been sent in error and she'd arrange for me to be reconnected...ahh! so I'd been disconnected? Yes, but "I'll arrange for you to be reconnected ASAP". Two days later, still no reconnection, I contacted Pipex again..."No, you're definitely transferring, whatever you were told about the letter being sent in error was incorrect". Not sure who I'm transferring to, as I need to contact BT (which is another story altogether!). It transpires that I've been disconnected because I cancelled my direct debit. Pipex won't continue to provide a service because they have not payment means from me. Apparently, though, I can still recieve incoming calls and phone 999. Which is absolute tosh, because I can't receive incoming calls. Still with me..??

Anyway, apparently I'll be reconnected in 10 working days, seeing as there's a query on my account which they've now put on hold. So.....12 working days down the road, guess what? I still don't have a telephone service. On ringing Pipex this evening, I'm informed that there is no hold on my account, I still owe the original balance outstanding (despite it being credited back to me....???). And as for when I'll be reconnected, who knows! And to think, all I wanted to do was cancel my broadband. To any Hoffmeister fans out there...don't do it...don't follow the Hoff...don't join Pipex.

[Ragamuffin]

Pipex have cut me off twice in the past 2 months 6 days in total after joining them in December 2006 I have had nothing but problems I rang to change payment dates seeing as they wanted a full months payment after I had only been with them 2 weeks (payment was due on 25th dec).

I was told that as the bill had been produced the payment date couldn't be changed they advised me to stop the dd and phone through a payment on 2nd jan. this I did and asked for my payments to be taken on the 1st of the month. "Sorry sir everyone wants to be on the first" I was told, I explained that I had my bills sorted so they got paid as money goes into the account.

To this he explained the easiest way to sort was to pay the next bill as soon as it was sent out 10 days later. Some people you just cannot get through to. 11 of Jan arrived my bill appeared and I rang again to explain I couldn't pay on the 25th it would have to be the 1st of Feb I was told the same again sorry while there is a bill outstanding we cannot change the date of dd so 25th arrives and the phone and internet are both cut off.

When I pay the bill via a payphone at a great expense being kept on hold. February service resumed and I applied for dd to be changed again and was told they would do their best but no guarantee, 11th feb bill arrives to be paid on 25th same rigmarole all over sorry while a bill is outstanding we cant alter the dd totally fed up now after another period of no phone or broadband now it is paid they cannot guarantee it will be changed.

Am totally fed up and want to be released from pipex. they want £420 to end the contract before they release my mac code. I have experienced nothing but slow throttled downloads since I have been with their supposedly unlimited service and more drop offs in 3 weeks than I had in 3 years of a 56kb phoneline connection. I reckon kit should run the hoff over.

[d fusco]

I would have an url to fill in if Pipex could give me access to the paid for webspace set up in November. constant connection problems are driving me mad, and their "helpline" gives me the same drivel everytime.

[J Dalley]

The problem is u have too get an ADSL2 copatible router or modem so I have been told. The moden talk sold us was rubbish never worked proberly. bought a belkin ADSL worked brill after upgrade it is no good have to get ADSL2 ROUTER keeps losing net cost me over £100 pounds why were we not told about ADSL 2 BY TALK TALK

[p.murray]

I have a similar problem since the up rade and before this certain phone lines do not work when i try to ring talktalk i never can get through or a person that has got poor English and little understanding try to talk rubbish when will they get the right people to solve these problems.

[farhat chaudhry, oxford]

Our phone line was not working but an engineer came and repaired it. But there is interference in the line and our broadband is not working.