Nildram contract now being switched over to Opal - should I be worried?

angelavdavis

Hi all,

I have been with Nildram for ages. I have stayed with them because I have never had issues with their customer service or actual bb service.

With regard to switching, my exchange is amber rated congestion anyway and all other LLU services are oversubscribed - particularly TalkTalk.

Anyhoo, about three months ago, I was notified that Opal are taking over Nildram. I phoned Nildram immediately to find out if that meant I was being switched over to Talktalk's network (knowing how oversubscribed it is) or customer services (knowing how lousy their customer service is. They said no - it was only a brand change as far as I was concerned - unless I changed my package.

I sat back, but this week, I have been notified that the customer service is going over to Opal and yet again I phoned the number and pressed 2 to cancel my contract. I spoke with a guy who said that no, unless I changed my package, I would not be switched across (although he did say that eventually this would probably happen but that I would be notified).

So, do I stay put? I am worried that I will be unable to switch provider if I want to because of their lousy customer service.

Anyone else had their service taken over by Opal and noticed a severe downturn in service??

TalkTalk

Hi Angela,

TalkTalk and Opal, although part of the same group are not the same company (see our Corporate Site for further info).

If you are in receipt of business services via Opal this is not related to TalkTalk, as we are a residential only service provider. Opal are a sister company who provide business services under a different brand, as such their network and customers services is not the same, as this is managed solely by Opal not TT and network traffic for business subscribers is routed differently than residential services.

If you have any queries regarding your services you would need to contact Opal directly in respect to these.

Regards

Mark

Seejayuu

angelavdavis wrote: »

Hi all,

I have been with Nildram for ages. I have stayed with them because I have never had issues with their customer service or actual bb service.
...
Anyone else had their service taken over by Opal and noticed a severe downturn in service??

Yes. Been with Nildram for years and years. & satisfied

Fri 04 Sep 2010 - friend phones 'Your email bounces back': can email out but nothing in: see from Nildram website been servicing server overnight - ready for Opal?; phone Nildram first query my email programme as it is not Outlook; Nildram then admit my server set to 'Reject' and not 'Redirect' ! They reset and email comes through. But email not being cleared form server after redirection.

Mon 06 Sep - cannot access My Controls -

Tue 07 Sep - apology on Opal log-in page that problem with Nildram log-ins - working to remedy.

Wed 08 Sep - apology gone - still can't log-in. Phone support (full marks for 0800 line Nildram was 0871) and get ring-back service (full marks). Tech support admits still a problem will ring me back. Ring back 'Hope to fix by next week'.

I'll let you know what happens.

I see:

TalkTalk_Company_Representative wrote: »

If you are in receipt of business services via Opal this is not related to TalkTalk, as we are a residential only service provider. Opal are a sister company who provide business services under a different brand,... network traffic for business subscribers is routed differently than residential services.

Oh dear, have are Opal trying to discourage Nildram non-business customers.

angelavdavis

TalkTalk_Company_Representative wrote: »

Hi Angela,

TalkTalk and Opal, although part of the same group are not the same company (see our Corporate Site for further info).

If you are in receipt of business services via Opal this is not related to TalkTalk, as we are a residential only service provider. Opal are a sister company who provide business services under a different brand, as such their network and customers services is not the same, as this is managed solely by Opal not TT and network traffic for business subscribers is routed differently than residential services.

If you have any queries regarding your services you would need to contact Opal directly in respect to these.

Regards

Mark

Bit confused as I'm with Nildram and have a residential package! Does this mean that I can still be with Opal or will I be moved across to Talktalk as soon as it is realised??

Seejayuu

Seejayuu wrote: »

...

Wed 08 Sep - apology gone - still can't log-in. Phone support (full marks for 0800 line Nildram was 0871) and get ring-back service (full marks). Tech support admits still a problem will ring me back. Ring back 'Hope to fix by next week'.

I'll let you know what happens.

Just got back from holiday - still cannot access My Account at MyOpal. Spoke with Tech Dept. They say a few ex-Nldram customers still cannot access their email account details. He will investigate and get back.

Also found that my spam filter had been set from High to Extreme ! The techie helpfully changed it back.

Angela - if your email address is *@[sub-domain].nildram.co.uk or *@[sub-domain].gotadsl.co.uk these are still valid. But since about 06 September these accounts are accessed via the MyOpal website and not Nildram's. If you use the Nildram url you get redirected.

However your email programme log-in does not need changing so you may have not noticed any difference - one of the lucky ones ! :T

Seejayuu

It gets no better ! I registered the fault with Tech Suppport and the response:

> [===> Please enter your reply below this line <===]

Sat 25 Sep 10.45 hrs. Regret to say despite following exactly your instructions below access to My Account is still denied.

The error 'Please check your username is correct.' appears.

When I phoned on Mon 20 Sep Tech Support assured me I was using the correct username.

The log-in screen then says, 'If you have forgotten your username or password please click here.'

When you click the next screen only says,

'Forgotten your password?

We can reset your password for you. To do this please supply your username and Opal account account number.'

It demands your username and says nothing about forgotten username.

Surely this is illogical as the solution does not address one of the two problems - forgotten username ?


> [===> Please enter your reply above this line <===]
>
> We are continuing to work on your issue.
>
> Subject
>

---

> Ref 3760256: No access to 'My account'
>
>
> Discussion Thread
>

---

> Response (Helen Chuter) - 24/09/2010 05.06 PM
> Dear Christopher,
>
> Thank you for contacting the Opal Connect Customer Care team.
>
> We are currently experiencing an unusually high volume of queries and we will not be able to respond
> to your query within 24 hours. Please know you are important to us and that we are working hard to
> responding to your enquiry.
>
> If your query is regarding access to My Opal please try following the guide below:
> 1. Follow the link to myopal.co.uk
>
> 2. Enter your username in lower case (Do not include ‘@gotadsl.co.uk’ if you were previously a
> Nildram customer)
>
> 3. Enter your password in lower case. (If you do not remember your password, follow the link on
> screen to re-set your password.)
> 4. Click 'Login'
>
> 5. You should now be logged in to My Opal
>
> Kind regards
>
> Opal Customer Care Team

Any bets how long Opal will take to resolve the matter?

patman99

I think all the probs are down to ISP's cutting-back on staff, thus leaving fewer people to handle the backlog of complaints. Demon used to be top-class with both their c/s & t/s teams giving rapid and accurate advice, but over the last 18 months, even they have gone down hill.

With nildram falling into the hands of one of Carphone Warehouse's subsiduaries I would recommend switching. Trouble is, there are fewer and fewer decent ISP's left.

Stompa

patman99 wrote: »

With nildram falling into the hands of one of Carphone Warehouse's subsiduaries I would recommend switching. Trouble is, there are fewer and fewer decent ISP's left.

I have to say I wish I'd left Nildram sooner than I did. I now get roughly twice the speed and 60% more monthly allowance for less than half the cost - and much better reliability.

Raydon

angelavdavis wrote: »

Bit confused as I'm with Nildram and have a residential package! Does this mean that I can still be with Opal or will I be moved across to Talktalk as soon as it is realised??

I'm the same as you been with nildram for years. but problems this week :mad: including no connection to my controls :mad: and no access to my web space and info and emails say i'm with :mad: Opal I'm now looking around for a new ISP any one know a good one.

Cheers
Ray

Seejayuu

Raydon wrote: »

I'm the same as you been with nildram for years. but problems this week :mad:

Thanks Raydon. I still cannot access. Now 3 days since their email assured me 'We are continuing to work on your issue' .

Had a private msg from Angela Davis today (Tue 28 Sep). She assures me she can access all her controls and recently got help from MyOpal phone support when the id and password were suddenly not being accepted by her mail client, they phoned her within one day to resolve.

I see from your Public Profile your surname is 'Whitby' - mine is 'Whitmey'. Have they got it in for the 'Whit's' ???

Or was the transfer programme not able to cope with the large number of previously satisfied customers?

At least your website about the weather/sun/moon is still working when I clicked from your Public Profile.

Seejayuu

Stompa wrote: »

I have to say I wish I'd left Nildram sooner than I did. I now get roughly twice the speed and 60% more monthly allowance for less than half the cost - and much better reliability.

Are you on an unbundled telephone exchange?

I'm not (Fownhope - Hereford) and the price selection is very limited with the BT monopoly.