Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

HappyMJ

MillicentBystander wrote: »

Last time I checked UW's unlimited texts truly is unlimited just as long as you don't text to more than 100 different mobile numbers in any month. I'm assuming from this that you could text 99 different people, say, 500 times each per month and not incur any extra charges? It truly is an amazing deal but the unlimited calls (actually 3000 mins) and u/l texts for £20/mth is probably an even better deal.

What happens if you send text messages to 101 people? The FUP implies that they will charge 3p for each individual message not just the excess. "if you exceed this limit we reserve the right to charge individually for each text you have sent at a price of 3p per text message." That could be quite a bill if you have sent 1,000 in a month to 100 people then sending a text to the 101st person would then cost £30. Strange FUP really but yes it's unlimited to 100 people.

Quentin

Over the years the uw reps who come here have delighted in referring to the high regard Which? has for the uw. We have also seen how they are trained to use Which? as "independent third party evidence" when selling to gullibles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdZcBC0Kf9k

It has been regularly pointed out that it is NOT Which? who say this, but the customers of uw who have responded to a survey, saying how good they are. As they have on average 1 rep for every 9 customers, (many of whom are friends/relatives of the rep), then these results are biased.

As well as the high proportion of reps, some of the members also have a vested interest to send in glowing reports, as they are also getting a regular commision by way of discount for signing up their friends etc to the uw.

The reps have been "horrified" by these suggestions of bias, (one famously warned Martin that he was in touch with Which? lawyers who were going to sue us and MSE for libel over this).

Now Which? have taken on board the possibility that the uw gets biased results in its surveys, and now make a point of pointing out this issue, and publishing the make up of the uw respondents who are more than plain "customers".

For the last survey, more than a third of the respondents (36%) admitted to being either a rep or a "share and save" member, who have a financial "interest" in getting the UW high scores!

Cardew

Quentin wrote: »

Over the years the uw reps who come here have delighted in referring to the high regard Which? has for the uw. We have also seen how they are trained to use Which? as "independent third party evidence" when selling to gullibles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdZcBC0Kf9k

It has been regularly pointed out that it is NOT Which? who say this, but the customers of uw who have responded to a survey, saying how good they are. As they have on average 1 rep for every 9 customers, (many of whom are friends/relatives of the rep), then these results are biased.

As well as the high proportion of reps, some of the members also have a vested interest to send in glowing reports, as they are also getting a regular commision by way of discount for signing up their friends etc to the uw.

The reps have been "horrified" by these suggestions of bias, (one famously warned Martin that he was in touch with Which? lawyers who were going to sue us and MSE for libel over this).

Now Which? have taken on board the possibility that the uw gets biased results in its surveys, and now make a point of pointing out this issue, and publishing the make up of the uw respondents who are more than plain "customers".

For the last survey, more than a third of the respondents (36%) admitted to being either a rep or a "share and save" member, who have a financial "interest" in getting the UW high scores!

That is just those who admit to their connection with UW.

On MSE we have posters who pretend they have no connection with UW and who have been exposed.

MillicentBystander

As per usual it's those that have never been a UW customer who query/decry the customer service. Do yourself a favour and get a £11.50/mth SIM deal and take the test. Only then will your views be in any way credible. Not that we would expect honesty if they proved superb, lol. That reminds me, you still on that super duper cheap 'forgotten/mystery' tariff, Cardew? I haven't seen you mention it for a while

Horace

I made the mistake of switching to UW and now I am in the process of returning to my old electricity provider who is in fact cheaper. I guess I believed the hype that I was fed by one of the reps especially as I was given a guilt trip during a particularly low moment (I suffer from depression). So far all UW have done is given me a number to submit a meter reading to - this number actually no longer works so I had to ring an 0845 number instead.

I was mislead and told that my meter would be read by UW but this is not the case, and discovered that when I rang them recently after receiving a letter about submitting a reading (I have difficulty in reading the numbers on the meter due to a sight impairment). The man on the phone was quite rude and couldnt quite understand that I live alone and don't interact with other people where I live. Thankfully, I let in a chap from a different electricity company who had come to read my landlord's meter and he kindly read the numbers off my meter so that I was able to submit them.

Roll on 2 May when I return to my original provider.

HappyMJ

MillicentBystander wrote: »

As per usual it's those that have never been a UW customer who query/decry the customer service. Do yourself a favour and get a £11.50/mth SIM deal and take the test. Only then will your views be in any way credible. Not that we would expect honesty if they proved superb, lol. That reminds me, you still on that super duper cheap 'forgotten/mystery' tariff, Cardew? I haven't seen you mention it for a while

Who is decry'ing the customer service? We established ages ago it was an excellent UK based call centre manned from 9am to 5.30pm weekdays and 9am to 4.30pm Saturdays. There is no out of hours customer service. It also costs 5 pence per minute to speak with them on the £1.50 Online membership.

Cardew

MillicentBystander wrote: »

That reminds me, you still on that super duper cheap 'forgotten/mystery' tariff, Cardew? I haven't seen you mention it for a while

You still can't quite bring yourself to say I am mistaken or lying can you?

I remain on the tariff - Tier 2 prices gas under 2.8p/kWh, Electricity under 8p/kWh(including VAT and before discounts for dual fuel and on-line)

Don't worry, when it is changed I will let you know.

P.S.
Do you vote for UW on the WHICH survey. If so, which of your many identities do you use?

FredB_2

I recently left UW (Won't go into it but didn't rate them if I'm honest and felt after estimates were leveled up when I moved flats I probably spent around the same on Gas/Electric and DOUBLE what I could have spent on rubbish internet) but I now need to send the router back.

Here are my questions.

A) Will they redeem me on the postage? Someone in their call center vaguely said yes they would but left me thinking I'll be told he was wrong when I actually try to get the money.

and

After telling them they'll have the router back when I get round to sending it (I'm at work when the PO is open funnily enough) I keep getting hassled by debt collectors threatening to take action despite only getting my final bill through and settling it (with the exception of the outstanding router return) a month ago, and for a measly £21! I also got said debt collector letter 2 weeks before a backdated letter from UW saying they would take action (after less than a month!). I'm worried they're going to try and sting me for all they can over a bit of plastic I've twice now assured them I will post back to them when I can! Any advice/experience on this?

Rupert_Bear

I was with this company about 4 years ago but only left because of price.
During my time with them I found them excellent and if the price was right would go back to them.

Please note I have no connection with this company and the only collection that did exist was as a customer only.

FredB_2

Rupert_Bear wrote: »

I was with this company about 4 years ago but only left because of price.
During my time with them I found them excellent and if the price was right would go back to them.

Please note I have no connection with this company and the only collection that did exist was as a customer only.

I've experienced them enough to make my own mind up, just worrying about the returning the router situation.

Also seems to annoy me they have my phone number and rather than just ring me and ask they pay a debt collection company to come after me, AFTER A MONTH. if you take into consideration the revised bill finally getting done and to my doorstep too after I paid the final balance it was actually about a week.