Query re problem with Talk Talk - any advice please?

startedsaving

Hello, i hope someone with better knowledge than me will be able to give me some advice - I have a current TalkTalk package that i have had for 6 years, decided to change to TalkTalk essentials and get BB and line rental for £18.48 per month. Rang about 5-6 weeks ago and ordered - nothing. Rang back 10-12 days ago, got a series of stories ending with my order had been frozen in the systme, was now resurrected, and paperwork and wireless router with me in 7 working days. Nothing - so i phoned this morning to cancel, got put thru to someone who told me i can have this package but my exchange is full now, so i have to pay 15.00 per month for the broadband , this on top of the 18.48 - but not to worry as a 45.00 credit would be put on my account, and then at the end of 3 months i ring again to get another credit and so on. I asked them to email me full details , but got a very brief email saying i was on the essentials and also got a credit of 45.00, wireless router had been ordered. I am not happy, and have emailed back asking them to keep me on my existing package, as i think i will get stuck paying over the odds for 18 months. sorry its a long tale, but does this thing re the exchange being full and all the places taken sound true or rubbish? - if anyone can help i would be v grateful, thanks. ss.

hethmar

Sounds odd to me. Ive been with them all that time too and have had free broadband only for about the last 9 months as our local exchange hadnt been unbundled.

There is a talktalk forum and the company reps on there are really excellent and fast at getting stuff sorted for you. In fact one of the reps is often on here too. Google for the forum and add your query on there.

startedsaving

Thanks for your reply - I don't understand re the free broadband though, please bear with me on this as I am not technologically up there (!) - the essentials package for example, is that 6.99 just for the calls and the bb is free? - at the moment I pay about 15.00 per month for unlimited broadband and evening and weekend calls, with talk talk, and my landline with BT. i just wanted to get my monthly outgoings a bit cheaper, unlimited not important as i don't download much. thanks again, may try forum.

startedsaving

Update - just had an email back from Talk Talk to say it really is not a problem re the refunds after 3 months, the person i am dealing with has promised to take personal ownership of the whole thing and give me another 'promotion' when the first 3 months is up - obvioulsy they want me to take it, but still not sure....

macman

The broadband is not 'free', it's just bundled with the calls package. But it is very cheap as long as you can get it on an LLU basis.
Yes, it is quite possible that your exchange is currently full for LLU connections on TT, if you say which exchange you are on then more specific advice can be given-this affects quite a few exchanges.
I would not trust them to give you this rolling discount unless you get it in writing, giving that would probably mean that your account is making them no money at all.

startedsaving

OK many thanks for your reply - at least it seems like they probably were telling the truth, it just sounded so odd. Ref not making any money - surely though that must apply to everyone on the essentials package - as I will still be paying £18.48 as per advertised, and as i thought i had booked in the first place. I do realise its cheap, but lots of people must be on it - are they really not making anything on it? many thanks again. ss

macman

startedsaving wrote: »

OK many thanks for your reply - at least it seems like they probably were telling the truth, it just sounded so odd. Ref not making any money - surely though that must apply to everyone on the essentials package - as I will still be paying £18.48 as per advertised, and as i thought i had booked in the first place. I do realise its cheap, but lots of people must be on it - are they really not making anything on it? many thanks again. ss

The £15 extra represents a small margin on what TT have to pay BT Wholesale for the non-LLU connection. If you are on an LLU connection, they do not have to pay that charge to BT.
You haven't advised which exchange you are on so that someone can check the TT exchange status?

startedsaving

Hello macman, many thanks for your helpful replies - please do not be offended, but I don't feel happy about posting my exchange on the forum. I did google 'check talk talk exchange status' and i got a talktalk members page with an exchange checker - when i put in my details it says 'there is ample capacity at the exchange for new customers' - is this the info you would check? - if not, maybe you could point me in the right direction to check it? I do feel that the talk talk employee i dealt with today is doing his best, but i still feel unhappy that I will get charged more than i want to pay - trouble is, not sure what other deal to go for if not this one, and hate changing my email address. One last question i hope - i have had a look on the forum and the advisors there seem helpful - is it still ok to post my query there, or would i just be getting same info as I have from the person i spoke to today? - hope this makes sense, don't want to set one employee against another iyswim. thanks to all who take time to help. ss.
Update - just checked another site , samknows, and i found out my local area apparently does not have LLU services, it has ADSL and SDSL, also it has ADSL max (not sure what all this means exactly but it hangs together with what macman has been advising re what TT have to pay etc.)

macman

Not sure if this is what you have already found:
http://www.talktalkmembers.com/content/view/109/149/
If TT are full, use samknows.com to do an exchange search to see what your other LLU options are-you can hardly do worse than TT.

startedsaving

Hi macman, sorry my update to my message crossed with your reply telling me to check samknows - anyway, as i said, it says there is no LLU at my exchange, and gives a list of providers all with red cross indicating no provision....

macman

If your exchange is not LLU'd for TT then you could never have got Essentials for £6.99 anyway. It's not a case of TT having no spare LLU capacity on that exchange-they are not present on that exchange at all, so the £15 surcharge would apply.