NTL Digitial Cable Television - Shoddy Service

gizzmo_2

MY NTL cable TV box has a fault so I phoned NTL this morning to report it and was told that the earliest they could get an engineer out would be after Christmas.

Their normal turnaround time is 48 hours - so I was not too impressed. Imagine the prospect of a 4 day xmas weekend without the Cable TV working. This is not funny. Either they have a large number of faults occurring at the moment which equtes to substandard service - or they have not got enough staff working for them - which surprises me - because I read in the paper all the time that they are laying off people left right and centre.

Well - since I'm not gonna have any tele to watch over the xmas break I'll have loads of free time to go online and research competitors, a well as tell the world  what soddy service NTL offers. Not to mention reporting them to the regulators and BBC Watchdog.  Does anyone know if Ofcom regulate the TV service for a company like NTL as well - or is there a different regulator for the TV service?
NTL have been promising me broadband in my area (Harrow) in the "next 12 months" for the last 4 years. I have already defected to BT in pursuit of my broadband - and with shoddy service like this for a service such as Digital TV - I will not hesitate to reconsider Sky+ instead.

When asked to speak to a Manager I was told that one would call me back. Not one to enjoy waiting by the phone for someone to ring, I asked for the name and telephone number of the person that would be calling me back - or at least a time window in which I should expect to hear from them. They said that they couldn't tell me and that I'd have to just sit by the phone and wait.
Well - wasn't too happy about that either- but the Manager did call back within the hour, although I am no closer to getting my TV back before xmas - and am very annoyed indeed.
So now I am resorting to phoning them every few hours to find out if there have been any cancellations. Maybe if I bombard their freephone number enough I will get lucky, or they will get fed up of hearing from me and will send someone out in the interests of peace.
C'mon NTL - where's your  Christmas spirit?

>:( >:( >:(

goolieman

Their normal turnaround time is 48 hours

ummm.... I had to wait a week in October for an engineer to come round. I asked them to put me on Standby incase of a cancellation or if an engineer finished early elsewhere etc... That was Wednesday, got a phone call early on the Saturday to say he would be here in five mins. One brand new box later and all is fine. Apart form the crappy non existant interactive service and a £15 charge for a new remote control. Although I managed to wangle a months free broadband as compo.

I hope you get it sorted soon


C