Origin Broadband - any good

Boatman_2

It really isn't fair on the punters to say that you have had mixed reviews about Origin. I signed up on your recommendation when you said that you hadn't had enough reviews to rate them.

I rate them thus: Speed 1.6 Mbs at most, which is about half that delivered by my previous supplier. Service: there isn't any. Phones go on ringing, e-mails are unanswered and they seem to have cut their online chat.

Look them up on the broadband.co.uk review site (sorry, not allowed to post a URL it seems). Not good, is it?

I can't wait for the contract to run out. In fact I might cut my losses well before that, because with all the speed degradations my broadband is near useless. I will sue them for the money in the County Court and they are so incompetent that they will probably fail to turn up.

And is that BRIAN BLESSED who answers their phones? Does he know what a shower of s##t he is mixed up with?

skydancer

I joined on the basis of price alone, but never figured that customer service should be a consideration. I've come to the conclusion that it is worth paying a bit more to get the back up if you have any queries related to your account, billing or service.

Origin are, to put it frankly, quite appalling if you have to contact them with any problem.

1. Call them and you may wait to get hold of someone as long as 47 mins (my longest) and 10 seconds (the shortest, but the person then put me on hold for 20 mins). Typical times from experience are around 20 mins for those prepared to listen to their three song recorded music tape which is interrupted by repetitive apologies from a voiceover recorded by someone pretending to be the Z cars actor.

2. Get through and generally you will find yourself speaking to someone who is prepared to listen, but not help. My question related to the charges they would apply to 0870, 0300 and a variety of other prefix numbers but the agent was only trained to do what I had already done - try to find the answers on their web site, which tells users nothing. Their so called "knowledge base" lists call charges, and lists a whole host of "technical codes" for every possible telephone number one could dial, but fails to illustrate the cost of dialling a pre-fix number like 0870, 0300, 0843, 0845, 0872, 0345 etc etc. Ask anyone of their agents and they haven't got a clue. (they willingly admit to not knowing, promise to respond with an answer by email, but have failed three times to follow this up with me.)

NotWaving_2

Do not whatever you do sign up to Origin. 6 weeks after them taking payment still no broadband or phone. Took 3 attempts for them to send a router and once it finally arrived will not connect as apparently there is no account. After waiting 40 minutes on hold for customer service gave up as Origin's idea of customer service is a recording of Brian Blessed saying "we're busy".
You can get through to sales immediately but they will not do anything. Take over a week to respond to emails.
Have used most broadband suppliers and Origin ate by a huge distance the worst and most incompetent. Owned by venture capitalists who are only in to rip off the customer.
Talk Talk were vastly better!!!
Sign up with anyone else.

50Twuncle

MSE should be held partly responsible for this
They have advertised Origin as being a good ISP when they are clearly anything but............
Come on MSE Andrea - please comment.

Mister_G

50Twuncle wrote: »

MSE should be held partly responsible for this
They have advertised Origin as being a good ISP when they are clearly anything but............
Come on MSE Andrea - please comment.

She did. See her post #145. Whether Origin respond is another matter!

Ian011

skydancer wrote: »

My question related to the charges they would apply to 0870, 0300 and a variety of other prefix numbers but the agent was only trained to do what I had already done - try to find the answers on their web site, which tells users nothing. Their so called "knowledge base" lists call charges, and lists a whole host of "technical codes" for every possible telephone number one could dial, but fails to illustrate the cost of dialling a pre-fix number like 0870, 0300, 0843, 0845, 0872, 0345 etc etc.

Ofcom requires them to publish clear pricing details. You may wish to complain.

If you have inclusive calls, the allowance will cover numbers starting 01, 02 and 03. It may, however, exclude 01 numbers allocated in CI and IoM.

Numbers starting 070 are charged at premium rates.

Calls to mobile numbers starting 071-075 and 075-079 may or may not be included in allowances. Again, numbers allocated in CI and IoM will be excluded.

Numbers starting 080 and 116 are free-to-caller on landlines and on mobiles.

Numbers starting 084, 087, 09 and 118 have a two-part call charge. There's an Access Charge set by and paid to the benefit of the caller's landline or mobile phone provider and a Service Charge set by and paid to the joint benefit of the called party and their telecoms provider.

Your phone provider must list the Access Charge alongside the cost of calling landline and mobile numbers. The called party must state the Service Charge alongside their number wherever it is advertised or promoted. The Service Charge can also be looked up at http://checkit.uboss.com/

Some providers offer inclusive calls to 0845 and/or 0870 numbers but this is in decline.

50Twuncle

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/review/products/799.html says everything....

Mister_G

As this thread is entitled Origin Broadband - Any Good?, I thought that I'd just add a bit of balance to the negative reviews.

I signed up in October last year for 18 months in advance 38Mb fibre, line, anytime calls and caller identity - yes £520, but paid by credit card just in case.

The changeover from Plusnet was seamless overnight. I have found the service to be more stable than Plusnet with a much faster upload and absolutely no loss of service. I get 17Mb, which is all that our long line will support.

I use their online portal to look at my bill, which appears to be accurate.

So I'm one happy customer. Looking at the posts on here, I realise that things seem to have gone downhill since October but, perhaps fortunately, I've not had to contact them recently.

Just my personal two pennyworth.

50Twuncle

Mister_G wrote: »

As this thread is entitled Origin Broadband - Any Good?, I thought that I'd just add a bit of balance to the negative reviews.
I signed up in October last year for 18 months in advance 38Mb fibre, line, anytime calls and caller identity - yes £520, but paid by credit card just in case.
The changeover from Plusnet was seamless overnight. I have found the service to be more stable than Plusnet with a much faster upload and absolutely no loss of service. I get 17Mb, which is all that our long line will support.
I use their online portal to look at my bill, which appears to be accurate.
So I'm one happy customer. Looking at the posts on here, I realise that things seem to have gone downhill since October but, perhaps fortunately, I've not had to contact them recently.
Just my personal two pennyworth.

Sheesh - you paid Origin £520 up front - why ?
Are you mad or just confused ?

Mister_G

50Twuncle wrote: »

Sheesh - you paid Origin £520 up front - why ?
Are you mad or just confused ?

Neither.

It works out at £28 per month for the package quoted in my post. (38Mb unlimited fibre, line rental, anytime calls and CLI). That is fixed for 18 months, so I have no worries about any price increases over that period.

At the time that was not a bad deal at all, bearing in mind that I'm on a Market 1 exchange with no LLU choices.

As I said, I have had no issues whatsoever with them so far.

Time will tell, but paying by credit card should give me any necessary protection.