IMHO Broadband is NOT only about being cheapest

Not_So_Naff

I have just left the an ISP member of the group being promoted as the 'cheapest' Broadband Service in the Money Tips eMail of 18th February 2009.

When I joined the ISP was a standalone operator with whom a friend had a really great BB experience. Times change and they were swallowed up, and probably digested, to become part of a major player in the BB field. You could say 'super group' but it would mean only in respect of their customer base.
The all important Service aspect was non existent period.

My issues started from day one with a total lack of communication from the ISP.
My communications to them included Help Desk Contact by eMail and Premium Rate Telephone calls, Faxes which were terminated before completion, letters and Special Delivery Recorded Letters and numerous on-line communication system entries. Their response one single pointless reply that failed to move the situation onward one jot.
Overcharging for items not ordered or agreed to persisted for six months, halting just inside the time period set by the regulator for resolution of differences.
A refund of the overcharges was eventually received, but no communication in the form of apology or recognition of the overcharging was ever received.
The straw that broke the camels back was that during reporting a problem through an on-line 'ticket' system to 'Customer Services' they responded by telling me to telephone at premium rates or write to the very same 'Customer Services'. Absolute masters of duplicating tasks when they are failing miserably to take any effective action about problems they know exist.

I accept that these people may well be the cheapest, but my advice is to check out the issues others are having with certain ISPs. Perhaps more importantly check out the ISPs that are not being continually slated by their customers [and ex customers :T]?

Of course if you are up for the challenge and you want to change their attitude feel free :rotfl:.

I did eventually, in excess of the regulaors required period for such issues, receive a MAC. The first was promised by telephone and confirmation by eMail. When this failed to materialise I telehoned for an update and was given the MAC but it appeared to be wrongly quoted. This was hotly refuted to the point of rejecting my suggestion that the direction of a 'slash' was being incorrectly communicated. All MACs have a similar composition with respect to the quantity and locations of numerals, characters and slashes. When the MAC was requested via eMail, to avoid confussion, I was informed that this was not possible due to company policy. The originally promised MAC surfaced a couple of days later, unfortunately this contained spaces and double slashes, although it was apparent that it was intended to be the same MAC.
A few days later still, almost ten days since the MAC request was received and acknowledged, the correct information was received by letter.

All this may seem like a big laugh but be assured it is not funny when you are trying to switch ISPs.
Please choose your ISP or next ISP with some regard for Service, it really does not have to cost much more. Your health and welfare is worth MUCH more.
:beer:

DatabaseError

You should really name the company...not everyone will have access to the newsletter.

Please correct me if I am wrong...but are you talking about Plusnet? You seem to have had a bad time, though your experience does seem much worse than most..plusnet are generally considered pretty good (nothing to do with me...no axe to grind etc..)

So..after the nightmare...where next, and if you mention tipex or a CPW company I'm going to bill you for a new monitor 'cos I'll be spitting hot coffee at this one

espresso

Seems a bit of a pointless rant, as you have not named the ISP.

mcroodi

Its all down to an individual's personal experience of the service.

If someone has a bad time with a company of course they would feel upset and want to make their feelings known. On the other hand, another person might have felt they had excellent service with the same company. Its swings and roundabouts really.