Talktalk LLU

Hi,

All notices of

Hi

If you are paying

Quoting from the terms and conditions and the welcome pack I received:

Q. What does 'up to 8Meg' actually mean
A. 8 Meg is the download speed (Note 3). However, the speed you actually get depends on a number of factors including:

Generally the nearer you are to the exchange, the faster your connection.

The quality of your phone line - if it is in a good condition you will get a stronger signal.

The quality of the wiring in your home.

The time of day - the internet has busy periods, just like the rush-hour, so there might be a slight reduction in speed, but you'll still have a fast, reliable constant connection.

When you join TalkTalk, at the time of connection we'll give you the fastest speed we can (subject to availibilty).

and Note 3 says:

3. Up to 8 meg speed
Subject to availibilty in your area. At connection time we will give you our highest available speed - 8 meg refers to your download speed. Speed depends on your proximity to your local BT exchange. Fair usage policy and other terms and conditions apply.

Now:

The fact that TalkTalk have been unable to unbundle my exchange up till now and still no sign of it happening - it's not even listed on SamKnows which is about the only information (and that's not even official) available on unbundle dates. It's not my problem as a customer that TalkTalk havent been able to complete their unbundling process. The fastest speed available on my line is the adslmax service and I should be entitled to receive this. TalkTalk as a company clearly don't want to fork out a few quid extra for adslmax service for those customers waiting on LLU.

Even for customers like the poster here and myself who have been put on 2meg, they are capping at us at 1.

I spent 45 minutes and therefore

Hi,

Refer to the description on the talktalk www site:

Why isn't free broadband available everywhere?
Our amazing offer depends on a new process called local loop unbundling, where we take control from BT by leasing their lines and even their exchanges. We can't do this everywhere, though we can for 70% of the UK, including 90% of existing TalkTalk customers. We'll still give you the fastest broadband technically possible (up to 8 Meg 7, depending on your exchange) for only

I don't wish to impugn the talktalk guy who from the evidence of other postings works very hard to help people out but:

"At present, TalkTalk does not use rate adaptive products from BTWholesale. Therefore, the fastest speed available to customers to whom Broadband through LLU is unavailable, is 2mbps."

Well, why not? If 8meg is on the exchange then by talktalk's t and c's we are entitled to it. And even if you accept the 2meg argument why am I and others being capped at 1?
This is not the "fastest speed available. I say again, talktalk are clearly in material breach of contract. QED.

In reply to:

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At present, TalkTalk does not use rate adaptive products from BTWholesale. Therefore, the fastest speed available to customers to whom Broadband through LLU is unavailable, is 2mbps.

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Is this quoted anywhere on the TalkTalk website that a friend of mine in the same situation should have read before signing up?

Not that I am aware of, and I've spoken with Talk Talk about this and because 2Mbps is in the number range of up to 8Mbps they feel they have done their part.

People affected are at liberty to complain to regulatory bodies like ASA or Trading standards. I know of one other provider that did similar which was Orange.

In terms of press coverage I've mentioned it recently at http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/i/3039.html

Well that's disgraceful. I have a neighbour who signed up for up to 8 Mb and gets 2Mb on a fixed line. In a bid to try and find out more for him, I phoned TalkTalk as a potential customer, explained I got 6.5Mb via BT and they said if I migrated I would still have 6.5Mb. If they don't use adaptive products then this is untrue as well!

If you migrate you will be migrated in on a like for like product, so if on Max now you will be on Max with Talk Talk, in short what they aren't doing is new orders or regrades to Max.

Hi,

Why don't they tell you this then?

Although they are providing up to 8mb they are hiding the fact that your actual speed will be no faster than 2mb. Can you imagine a car manufacturer explaining your new car has a 5.0litre engine capable of 800bhp but omitting to tell you it's limited to 200bhp?

Especially when that specific question has been asked - bad business practice and misrepresentation of the product. They still promise the fastest speed technically possible at your exchange - the fastest speed possible at my exchange is 8mb. I should have access to speeds approaching this and not be stuck on 2mb.

I have now stopped recommending TalkTalk to friends and family.

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.