Which network would you not touch with a bargepole?

mitchec1

RDMD wrote: »

why is Virgin not on the list?

Virgin piggyback T-Mobile's network and the original question is "Which network?" not which provider

Intasun32

Ann_S wrote: »

Vodafone have the best coverage, plus the advantage of having the short code bar. Vodafone also have their own Customer Care eForum which is manned by Vodafone staff.

@Ann S,

Do you remember how we all had to battle with the VF staff when we fought to get that short code ban?

Remember how VF edited and deleted posts and suspended or barred account holders (me included) who posted opinions that did not agree with the VF Administrators?

Remember how VF staff placed abusive posts on the thread which were not removed by VF Admin and eventually they closed the thread, which I had started, after over 500 posts?

Eventually on the 1st September some years ago VF gave account holders the choice to bar short codes but try to find any mention of it on the web site. Even customer service deny that short codes can be barred, as I was to find out when activating a PAYT for my son.

I also have to dissagree with you with the 'care' in 'Customer Care Forum'!



:beer:

Kai

Intasun32 wrote: »

@Ann S,

Do you remember how we all had to battle with the VF staff when we fought to get that short code ban?

Remember how VF edited and deleted posts and suspended or barred account holders (me included) who posted opinions that did not agree with the VF Administrators?

Remember how VF staff placed abusive posts on the thread which were not removed by VF Admin and eventually they closed the thread, which I had started, after over 500 posts?

Eventually on the 1st September some years ago VF gave account holders the choice to bar short codes but try to find any mention of it on the web site. Even customer service deny that short codes can be barred, as I was to find out when activating a PAYT for my son.

I also have to dissagree with you with the 'care' in 'Customer Care Forum'!
:beer:

Don't forget that every single query is met with the response:

"We're looking into it and we'll have an update for you soon."

Annie._2

Intasun

I have never forgotten the battle with Vodafone to get the short code bar.

The only mention from Vodafone of the short code bar is the announcement on eForum. There is no mention of the bar on the website. The short code bar should be publicised on Vodafone help topics, its something Vodafone should be proud of.

lurkylurky

Definitely Vodafone. I moved to Orange after poor service from Vodafone a few years ago. Overall, I've been very happy with Orange and you can usually get to talk to a CS rep without too much hassle. I'm currently on a £10 a month contract so am not expecting great things come the end of the contract in February and will probably be moving to another network then.

I (and DF/DB) did use Vodafone last year for the summer roaming promotion and was reminded just why I left Vodafone. We all had problems and when I did eventually get through to a CS rep, even she couldn't work out what I needed to do. They did eventually sort it out for me. I sent an e-mail to the Exec office suggesting that the Chairman try and activate summer roaming himself without the help of his technical experts so that he could experience the frustration his customers were enduring. Never did get a response.

xoxo_2

O2. Terrible service, network seemed to stop working for around 4 hours every night, charged for texts that never got delivered due to their network being !!!!, staff are rude and unhelpful etc etc etc! Their new tariffs are also pants and they don't care about your custom if you don't want an iphone! Haven't been with them for about 4 years now, but certainly won't be going near them ever again!

Exhortation

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

That works both ways - you didn't have to buy the policy but having done so, I fail to see why it's O2's fault that the underwriter declined your claim.

The underwriter didn't decline my claim. The underwriter never had any say in the matter because I couldn't get past the CS staff at O2. Read my original post, why don't you, instead of making assumptions upon events to which you weren't a party.

peterbaker

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

I fail to see why it's O2's fault that the underwriter declined your claim.

That's perhaps because you are not an insurance insider, Grouch . Basically with affinity business or indeed any significant insurance book presented to the underwriters via a single source there are commercial interests on both sides which obviously affect claims handling.

If a phone provider simply hammers the price down with the underwriter and effectively says "If you want our book of business it has to be priced no more than X and we want YY% commission on every policy, but the rest is your affair" then chances are that when it is time to claim there won't be many happy smiley faces.

On the other hand if the phone company says "We want the final say on any claim brought to our attention as a complaint, but we aren't bothered about a commission on the premiums, and clearly you'll need to set the price at a level that is competitive. We wish to offer our customers the best in line with our valued reputation" then that's potentially when happy smiley faces appear at claims time.

Both these deals could be struck using the exact same policy wording, but the claims costs and premiums might be considerably different and not necessarily in the way you think!

chuckley

t-mobile, for the disgustingly poor signal.

Oscar_The_Grouch

peterbaker wrote: »

That's perhaps because you are not an insurance insider, Grouch .

I've only been in the insurance industry for 22 years, so of course I know nothing.

I've dealt with the large industries on tendering for different classes of business as well as audit and compliance for outsourced business and delegated authority. Any situation where the provider is delegated to deal with claims requires systems and controls to be in place to ensure the adeqacy of the staff and the decision making process. This is basic FSA regulation, so I'm surprised you haven't mentioned it.

If the underwriter decides to delegate the claims handing to the business source, they may also have decided to delegate the complaints handling process provided they were satisfied the firm had an adequate grasp of the DISP handbook. In the case of O2, ACE have retained the complaints handing as shown on the key facts (summary of cover) document on their website. This means that they have also retained an override position and can overturn any claims decision.

Any claim declined by the O2 claims handing service can be referred to ACE for review by making a complaint about the decision. Thereafter, you have the right to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service if:

a. 8 weeks have passed since your complaint was made, or
b. you have received a "final response" letter from ACE

This service is free for the consumer and any decision made by an Ombudsman is binding on the insurer but does not affect the statutory rights of the individual.

You could have found all this out for yourself if you'd bothered to read the documents on the O2 website, but of course that would involve some effort.

Here ends lesson 1 in "how not to get a grouch angry".