Talk Talk Price Increases. Bundle Changes. (Including Inclusive 0845/0870 calls)

TalkTalk

I understand what is happening perfectly well thanks Carmine as per my last post.

Cheers
EmmaL x

1carminestocky

You might but some of your colleagues at TalkTalk Towers clearly don't...

Paul_Varjak

I have a number of complaints about your handling of calls for the sales of your ESSENTIALS package and the availability of free 0870/0845 calls.

I received a phone call from TALK TALK about 2 weeks ago offering the new Essentials package. I cannot remember all the details but I do remember being told I would receive an increase in upload speed on my existing Talk Talk broadband line. I believe the claim to be false. I told the sales representative that I would think about the offer.

A few days ago I received a call from another Talk Talk sales representative. I was told that I would receive an increase in my upload speed (to a maximum of 1024 kbps) by switching to the Talk Talk Essentials package. I believe this claim is false.

On the second sales call I was also told that the Essentials package for me (including the Boost for free UK calls 24/7 and free broadband) would be £20.99/month. This claim is also false as it ignores the already introduced price increase of 75p/month on telephone line rental. The actual price would be £21.74p.

I also asked the Sales representative if I would still get free international calls as the Essentials package does not include this. She said that for existing customers it would, but I cannot verify this. If it is true then, I assume , existing customers would get the Boost for international calls free of charge? If so, what guarantee is there that this free entitlement to international calls will continue?

I did sign up online to the free 0870/0845 calls (without changing to the Essentials package) and it confirmed my entitlement starting 2nd June. But, several days later, I received an e-mail saying that in order to get free 0870/0845 calls I would have to switch to the Essentials package. The e-mail said that in order to switch to the Essentials package I would have to phone 0800 093 3337.. When I did so I was told that they do not deal with existing customers and was told to call Customer Services!

It appears that some time between the 12th April, 2009 and 30th April, 2009, Talk Talk decided not to provide free 0870/0845 calls to customers if the customer also gets Talk Talk broadband!

You can see the difference in the two sign up forms:

12th April sign up form:

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:j7wa5WJag7gJ:www.talktalk.co.uk/freecallsform+site:www.talktalk.co.uk+free+0845+0870+calls&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk


30th April Sign up form:

https://www.talktalk.co.uk/freecallsform


So, Talk Talk customers may be on an eligible price plan to get free calls to 0870/0845 but if they also get broadband as part of their Talk Talk plan they must switch to the Essentials package (at greater cost) to get their free 0870/0845 calls! In other words you can only get free broadband OR free 0870/0845 calls on older plans (you cannot get both).

The thing is that Customer Services had already told me that I can get free 0870/0845 calls without switching to the Essentials package (knowing that I am a broadband customer). Indeed, they confirmed I could do it online (which, as already stated, I did).

Just to be clear, I wish to get free calls to 0870/0845 without switching to your Essentials package – that is what Customer Service said I could do and that is what the online sign-up form allowed me to do!

flipdee

Nice work Paul,at least someone is on the ball with regards to the product packages.
I HATE it when you "effectively" know more about the product than the person trying to sell you / give you support for same.
Glad I decided against Talk Talk and went with PO Homephone and o2 standard broadband (bb for £1 a MONTH!!!!! -and decent at that)


cheers,

flipdee

trinidadone

hey flipdee, i am with talk talk, and like most here, i think there customer service is bad, whats the PO like?

flipdee

Absolutely BRILLIANT for homephone, they were SUPER helpful when signing up and told me I was going to have a credit search etc! V.V.V Professional! And best of ALL no contract!

Paul_Varjak

flipdee wrote: »

Nice work Paul,at least someone is on the ball with regards to the product packages.
I HATE it when you "effectively" know more about the product than the person trying to sell you / give you support for same.

Ther problem is that we live in a world that just loves to make things 'complicated'. If it were not so complicated there would be no need for this site!

flipdee wrote: »

Glad I decided against Talk Talk and went with PO Homephone and o2 standard broadband (bb for £1 a MONTH!!!!! -and decent at that)

I was happy with Talk Talk until all this palaver over the new Essentials package. The broadband is faster and more reliable than any previous provider (and cheaper too). But when I am forced to waste a day trying to sort out the intricacies oif this New Deal it makes me want to switch to O2!!!

Anyway, I have now applied for the Essentials package. This is with the following provisos:

1. That I get the automatic increase in upload speed promised by Talk Talk Sales sales staff who cold-called me to sell the package.

2. That switching to the Essentials package is the only way for me to get the free 0845/0870 calls.

3. That I will also get free International calls (as per my existing plan) by switching to the Essentials package.

4. That the free 0845/0870 calls will commence 2nd June.

The member of staff agreed to these four provisos and I have kept a recording of the call to show his agreement to them.

Paul_Varjak

Lee_Dunford wrote: »

Paul, that was really interesting to read. I have just changed my package to the essentials package. I wanted to leave a comment for all regarding the talk talk forums. I think the forums on money saving expert are much better than the talk talk forums. The forums on there seem very controlled with talk talk representatives deciding to close threads when they choose.

I did look at the forums following your earlier post and I agree with what you say. On here, Talk Talk staff cannot be so controlling.

trinidadone

Paul_Varjak wrote: »

I did look at the forums following your earlier post and I agree with what you say. On here, Talk Talk staff cannot be so controlling.

thanks bro, nice one

TalkTalk

Hello again all.

Just to confirm for the final time - if you have a broadband tariff with TalkTalk you must move to the myTalkTalk Essentials package to get the inclusive UK local calls from 1st May and the 0870/0845 calls from 2nd June. I have identified and fed back information to the management team that has been incorectly provided by the customer services team. If anyone else would like to raise something regarding the price changes for feedback then I am happy to do that through the TalkTalk Members forums.

Cheers
Em x