A 'good word' on talk talk

tim_n

Having read all the really, really bad reviews on talk talk services and compared the prices and read all deal information I decided that for £21 a month for BB, international calling and net access (including my 'bt' line rental) it was a bargain and I could put up with all kinds of rubbish from them.

So I signed up and got an install date of three weeks later. Two weeks later my modem arrived (a wireless jobbie) and on my activation date, all my signup literature.

I plugged in and everything worked.

Two weeks later, I noticed they were offering the same deal on the talk2 package (and I'd signed up for talk3). I rang up, was told that if I swapped I'd have to pay a disconnection fee. I told them I had a 30 day free trial where I could cancel - quibble free - and then resignup on the other deal. This would involve one of their engineers coming out, uninstalling the modem at the exchange, then coming back and reinstalling it without charging me anything but costing them money - or alternatively they could wave the disconnection fee. I spoke to a manager, everything was OK'd and my line rental dropped to the £16 mark - no fee. Happy days.

I also queried why my modem had cost £70 on my bill - but I'd signed up when it was only a £20 upgrade. Apparently they'd already credited me the cash on the bill so I wasn't being charged and it was a printing problem.

So, if they've done everything they've said they would (and I've taken down call times, names etc) my contract is 18 months @ £17ish for telephone, evening and weekend free international and local calls and broadband.

I'm happy with the service I received and have not yet spoken to an indian call centre.

Whether or not I actually get all of the above sorted on the first bill is another matter - I'm always skeptical, but now I've already had confirmation verbally from a manager I shall be more than happy to fight for my bill and I can easily afford the extra money until it gets sorted out. Which it will!

So if you're thinking of talk talk, obviously at your own risk may it be, but there are satisfied customers out there - they rarely speak up and the few that do often are drowned out by the complaints.

BTW, I get a great connection speed, but I am only about 150 metres from the exchange.

patwa_2

Hi, glad to hear not everyone is having problems.

Incidentally, I did a bit of unofficial research asking people about their TalkTalk experiences. It turns out that the vast majority of people having problems were those that were migrating to TalkTalk from an existing broadband provider. The majority of new signups, those without existing broadband had no trouble at all. The majority of problems reported were not unexpectedly with broadband. This clearly says something about TalkTalk's migration process. Our own experiences fit with the above concensus, the new line which I moved to TalkTalk went through hassle free, the migration on mum's had problems.

H.

prenton01

i signed up with talk talk over 12 months ago when the free broadband offer first came out and im still with them and happy as larry
the braodband has been exellent ans speed has been good.
i have recommended talk talk to many people and the few that have signed up have had no problems as of yet

MercilessKiller

Its the same situation with Sky

People will make sure to post bad experiences but spend less effort posting good ones, thus a company with millions of customers could look bad because of 1000

(whereby 1000 in 1 million.. 0.01% of people?) lol.

npb_3

i ordered talk3 international and bb on may 21st and am still waiting connection - does anyone know how to contact someone senior in TT to try and resolve?

tim_n

ring their customer service and ask about the delay. Take down the name and the date time you called.

Then write to them, asking for a satisfactory resolution in 14 days or the contract is void.

tim_n

Just a quick update - I have checked my bill this week to find I have indeed been moved to the correct tarrif, have NOT been charged the switch fee as promised and the £25 additional modem cost has been refunded, meaning this month I have a credit on my account of almost £8.

Swift smooth customer relations, I'd rate talk talk as being so far above NTL (whom my last contract was with - now I think they are Virgin?) that they're in orbit. No screw ups so far, I'm impressed.

For the first time I used my phone to make an international call to Turkey - not covered in the free listings, but the whole conversation cost 30p - a bargain to save me £200 off a package holiday cost.

TalkTalkBoy

Where not that bad at all ;-) after a few teething problems its all looking good

jadex

patwa wrote: »

Hi, glad to hear not everyone is having problems.

Incidentally, I did a bit of unofficial research asking people about their TalkTalk experiences. It turns out that the vast majority of people having problems were those that were migrating to TalkTalk from an existing broadband provider. The majority of new signups, those without existing broadband had no trouble at all. The majority of problems reported were not unexpectedly with broadband. This clearly says something about TalkTalk's migration process. Our own experiences fit with the above concensus, the new line which I moved to TalkTalk went through hassle free, the migration on mum's had problems.

H.

How were you able to sign-up to TT with new line?
I have an existing line in my new house which is not active (although technically it's connected to the exchange as I can hear a signal tone).
On TT sign-up page they are asking about my postcode and telephone number to check availability. And it doesn't accept any fake phone number.
As for sure, I live in the area served by TT.
Can I get TT line/broadband without having BT 'ringing line' first?

TalkTalkBoy

TalkTalk are currently trialling the installation of new lines with a few customers but i believe this is only if you are a current customer and moving home at the moment. No dought this will be rolled out very soon with the introduction of the £70 disconnection/12 month minimum contract from BT

Moneyluva

Well TalktalkBoy, I suggest that you communicate that to your colleagues because at the moment they are telling VERY inconsistent porkies!!!!

I moved in June and I wanted to transfer my service to the new house, an agent told me that TT cant touch BT lines BY LAW (BT said that you had the ability to do this from May 2007!!), then another told me it was a TRAINING issue, then another told me that it was impossible?!?!?!? No matter who's right, you are just confusing your customers and need to have a quick getogether so you are all telling the same PORKIES!!!!!!!

Thanks to a fellow MSE'er I am now FREE from the dreaded Talktalk. PLEASE BE WARNED, it took weeks of stress and time to sort this and everyone I talked to promised the world and delivered nothing. I spent hours on the phone to various "agents" who were about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. Only when I was given the private number to one of their senior executives (thanks MSE!!) was my issue resolved...... BUT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO THAT FAR!!!!!!!!!
My rating:
Product: 9/10
Price: 9/10
Service: -100/10
Their customer service team renders the whole package about as appetising as munching on old socks.......... SIGN UP AT YOUR PERIL (you will have 18mths to ponder over your regret!!).