One tel-talk talk phone package

hss

I have been with One tel-Talk Talk for quite a few years on their "EveryCall Choice 3 plus" package which suited us very well. Free local, national & mobile phone calls.


In Sept we received a letter from TalkTalk saying we would be moving to Talk Talk on 3rd Nov. also saying our new "Talk UK Anytime" Package would match what we already had with One-tel as closely as we can so you should be getting everything that you're used to".


So imagine my surprise on getting their latest bill to find they have charged for mobile phone calls when it says quite clearly "Free Mobile Extra £0"..!!


As I had previously had dealings with the CEO office I called to see if they could explain why, but they couldn't & said someone would get back to me.


In the meantime I found a freephone number on the original letter and called them to clarify if there had been a mistake. One person saying it was a 'boost', another saying its not. Then I am passed to another person saying the "Free Mobile Extra" means it gives a discount rate to mobile numbers not free. So I argued then that this package is NOT matching what I had with One-tel, so the letter was misleading plus there was nothing in the letter saying mobile calls were not free & were now at a discount rate.


I was then passed from a Customer service supervisor to a manager who checked my One-tel package & said it DIDN'T include mobile calls, but I argued that it did and therefore this new tariff did NOT match what I already had.


Having now spent over 1 hour going from 1 person to another, supervisor to a manager, from S. Africa to the Philippines, they still insist "Free mobile Extra" does not include free mobile calls only a discount.


When I asked the manager if there was a package which did include this she said if I UPGRADED to include landline & broadband (no surprise there) all calls would be included, so I refused this again pointing out that the original letter was misleading if they are not providing me with the identical package they were claiming to be doing. I was not taking my landline & broadband to them & they should have made it clear of what was and was not now going to be included.


On top of this, they have now changed their payment methods. Having previously received the bill in the post then paid over the counter at a bank or post office, no problems. Now in BOLD LETTERS "Please do not pay over a bank counter", but to either put a CHEQUE IN THE POST (can't believe this from such a big company) I had to look twice!! Even I thought these days people don't put a cheque in the post for major payments!! Or I could use an automated phone - don't trust technology. Of course direct debit or online banking would make it easier for them. I can't believe this. Who on earth would change a method of payment so convenient to customers?


To add insult to injury they include an envelope but not prepaid, so I couldn't just write a cheque & post it!!


This is terrible customer service. I wait to see if anyone calls me back and wonder if anyone else has had the same experience?


Like for Like should mean just that.

Neil_Jones

I note you were complaining about OneTel back in 2009 because you didn't want to pay by direct debit and then complaining that they charged you for not paying by Direct Debit and you were considering moving to BT: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=18787559&postcount=33

Presumably you never did, because OneTel officially became part of Carphone Warehouse a month later and from this post it looks like you ultimately stayed with OneTel.

TalkTalk have obviously decided to replace the legacy OneTel packages and they prefer you to pay by direct debit. From your post today you clearly don't want to do this but that is going to be the way forward whoever you go to.

Like for like does not necessarily mean for like, it usually means it will be the closest equivalent option. Like a courtesy car you get temporarily from the insurance when yours is involved in an accident, you don't get the exact same type of car you have as a courtesy, you get something similar, a small hatchback which covers a range of cars.

Easiest solution here if you're not happy to move providers. The linked thread seems to imply you were looking for every excuse under the sun not to move away from OneTel as it was at the time. Is this still the case or are you happy to consider moving, bearing in mind you almost certainly will not be able to trot off down the post office to pay, but it will most certainly be direct debit?

[Deleted User]

hss wrote: »

I have been with One tel-Talk Talk for quite a few years on their "EveryCall Choice 3 plus" package which suited us very well. Free local, national & mobile phone calls.


In Sept we received a letter from TalkTalk saying we would be moving to Talk Talk on 3rd Nov. also saying our new "Talk UK Anytime" Package would match what we already had with One-tel as closely as we can so you should be getting everything that you're used to".


So imagine my surprise on getting their latest bill to find they have charged for mobile phone calls when it says quite clearly "Free Mobile Extra £0"..!!


As I had previously had dealings with the CEO office I called to see if they could explain why, but they couldn't & said someone would get back to me.


In the meantime I found a freephone number on the original letter and called them to clarify if there had been a mistake. One person saying it was a 'boost', another saying its not. Then I am passed to another person saying the "Free Mobile Extra" means it gives a discount rate to mobile numbers not free. So I argued then that this package is NOT matching what I had with One-tel, so the letter was misleading plus there was nothing in the letter saying mobile calls were not free & were now at a discount rate.


I was then passed from a Customer service supervisor to a manager who checked my One-tel package & said it DIDN'T include mobile calls, but I argued that it did and therefore this new tariff did NOT match what I already had.


Having now spent over 1 hour going from 1 person to another, supervisor to a manager, from S. Africa to the Philippines, they still insist "Free mobile Extra" does not include free mobile calls only a discount.


When I asked the manager if there was a package which did include this she said if I UPGRADED to include landline & broadband (no surprise there) all calls would be included, so I refused this again pointing out that the original letter was misleading if they are not providing me with the identical package they were claiming to be doing. I was not taking my landline & broadband to them & they should have made it clear of what was and was not now going to be included.


On top of this, they have now changed their payment methods. Having previously received the bill in the post then paid over the counter at a bank or post office, no problems. Now in BOLD LETTERS "Please do not pay over a bank counter", but to either put a CHEQUE IN THE POST (can't believe this from such a big company) I had to look twice!! Even I thought these days people don't put a cheque in the post for major payments!! Or I could use an automated phone - don't trust technology. Of course direct debit or online banking would make it easier for them. I can't believe this. Who on earth would change a method of payment so convenient to customers?


To add insult to injury they include an envelope but not prepaid, so I couldn't just write a cheque & post it!!


This is terrible customer service. I wait to see if anyone calls me back and wonder if anyone else has had the same experience?


Like for Like should mean just that.

Which bit of the highlighted section is difficult to understand?

Now in BOLD LETTERS "Please do not pay over a bank counter", but to either put a CHEQUE IN THE POST (can't believe this from such a big company) I had to look twice!! Even I thought these days people don't put a cheque in the post for major payments!!

Is using the post for a cheque that different from using the post office?

hss wrote: »

I wanted to renew my tariff with E.on...

I DONT DO online or direct debit, pay by cheque quarterly...

To add insult to injury they include an envelope but not prepaid, so I couldn't just write a cheque & post it!!

They have these things called stamps nowadays, you can get them in packets.

jbuchanangb

It is no longer normal to buy line rental and broadband from one provider and phone service over that landline from another provider.

OP can choose to continue with this arrangement and pay TalkTalk’s phone charges, or change. One option would be to talk to their line rental/broadband provider about call packages.

Another would be to switch line rental/broadband to TalkTalk.

Paper billing and cheque payments are usually still available, but usually incur admin charges nowadays, which have to taken into account when choosing payment method.