Leaving TalkTalk

Well, I've finally done it. After their latest price increase to £15.99 a month for my "Free for life" broadband, I've cracked and switched to BT.

My line is not yet LLU, and TT are supposed to be swapping my exchange in October, so I thought I'd get out while the getting was good.

I figure that having a BT line again will give me more flexibility in future, given the current difficulty in switching from an LLU'd service to anybody else.

The BT sign up was painless, but I need a MAC. I tried requesting it last night, but TT's "offices were closed" when I phoned, so I requested it this morning (Tuesday).

I'll update how I get on.

Reasons for leaving TT:-

- Their generally appalling telephone support.

- Their general attitude that everything is always my fault and that they are perfect.

- The way it takes them days to do anything.

- Their price rises for a "free" service.

- There is no longer any financial benefit to me to stay with them.

- Their refusal to get interleaving taken off my line, even though the reason it was put on has long been fixed.

- The risk that if they LLU'd my exchange I'd be stuck with them for life because I'd then have to pay BT to give me a new line to get away from TT.

For the record, the conversation requesting the MAC took 11 minutes. Between each stage, I was put on hold, allegedly while she requested the MAC, but probably while she read the script and talked to her supervisor.

They asked why I was leaving. I told them.

Hold.

They apologised for being appallingly bad and said they were much better now. I said that was irrelevant and their actions proved otherwise.

Hold.

They threatened me with a disconnection fee, and when I asked "How much?" they realised I was just one month from end of contract. So one month's charges. i.e. no penalty at all really. I said I knew that.

Hold

Then they offered me a month's free rental. I said no. Then three months. I said no, and they finally asked me for a contact e-mail address and requested the MAC.

Told me it would take 5 working days. (Not "up to 5", "5". So they're still going to sit on their a***s for 4 days before they do anything).

I asked them to confirm the e-mail address I'd given them by reading it back to me. They did. It sounded correct.

Like I say, I'll post updates to let you know how I get on. I always have my mobile broadband dongle if they cut me off...

Update.

E-mail from TalkTalk received at 12.24 with valid MAC. That's just three hours after I asked for it.

BT have accepted the MAC as valid and confirmed my order is in process. Switchover date 20/10.

I'll let you know how I get on (and no doubt start posting problems on the BT board).

You didn't really move up to a better ISP , you moved sideways and agreed to another god knows how long contract when there was no reason to .

Not the most well thought out move , wasted your membership to this excellent resource of a web site.or was very badly advised .

I fully understand and except your reason for leaving TalkTalk , just there telephone support alone is good enough reason to leave but i don't understand your reasoning for joining BT .

Not knowing your requirements of your ISP im still confident signing a 1 month rolling contract rather than a 12 or 18 month rolling contract you have just agreed to with BT , would of been a much smarter move .

Whats done is done but remember if you do have problems , it was you that locked your self in a contract when there are other much better options IMHO .

Edit : actually your reason of not wanting to be trapped on LLU and then signing a rolling monster of a contract with BT is a huge contradiction , im actually shocked at what you have done and especially shocked as you have needlessly tied your self to BT when that's your main reason for leaving TalkTalk . ( having the freedom to move/not in a BT rolling contract )

Edited by deleted (Tue 05-Oct-10 20:43:52)

I got stung by BT when switching to TT. I had not realised I was in a 12 month "rolling" contract with quite a long time left on it. Still, I do think I have done the right thing and the sting from bt will be cleared in 3 months of lower costs

Not really a huge contradiction when you consider that going back to BT usually costs £130.

As it's the OP's money and not yours it is for him to decide whether it was a good move or not - yet again you are lambasting someone for daring to speak out against TT

In reply to a post by kamelion:

Not really a huge contradiction when you consider that going back to BT usually costs £130.

Last time I checked a return to donor was free, so there is no extra penalty when moving back to BT from TT LLU if your contract period has run its course. Obviously, BT try to charge £130 when they can get away with it - you may have to remind them that you want to change back to them via a return to donor to ensure they don't charge you unnecessarily.

I'm leaving broadband poor customer service.
i have had nothing but problems since having both phone and broadband put in my name after my mum died 3yrs ago.
I've ask them when my contract up and been given 6 different days now it is finally tomorrow.
but i had to pay £41 to transfer my line back to B T and then i find out that it is going to cost me another £29 to set broadband up with my new is.
they also tried to bribe me to stay with them by improving my broadband speed and give free phone for a month and a dongle whilst the see to my broadband in the end i ended up stressed out and contacted the people I'm moving to and sorted out and i've got internet access for a month whilst i get set up with my new isp but have to be without internet for about two.
but quicker i get rid of talktalk the better

In reply to a post by kamelion:

Not really a huge contradiction when you consider that going back to BT usually costs £130.

As it's the OP's money and not yours it is for him to decide whether it was a good move or not - yet again you are lambasting someone for daring to speak out against TT

I might be dyslexic but it would seem you also have a reading disorder , try reading my post again , i have lambasted the OP for signing into a rolling contract with BT when there is no need to when migrating on a already active line with a resold BT product .

You need to buy your self some new goggles or do as i have done and are still doing and seek help for your reading disorder .

Edit:and yes i do remember who you are Spelling and Grammar Police Still dislike you and your brand of ignorance immensely

Edited by deleted (Thu 07-Oct-10 05:03:47)

TalkTalk telephone support is with out any doubt in my mind appalling and as already said a good enough reason to leave on its own .

Just out of interest , did you try using the TalkTalk members forum for sorting your billing problems or just the phone ?

It would also be good if you could give us more information on your charges , like who your moving to , what's the £41 for , i guess the £29 is broadband connection fee , which says to me that your going with a ISP that's got a 1 month rolling contract ( a good choice IMHO )

Would be nice to understand the real cost of moving from TalkTalk LLU rather than the cost quoted by some , as your £41 is a long way short of the £130 quoted in this thread .

In reply to a post by woweebert:

short of the £130 quoted in this thread.

I believe kamelion's "going back to BT usually costs £130" meant that it used to cost £130 until recently but now costs £30.

In reference to www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerOrders/control/termsandcondi...:

A connection charge may apply for new lines (£29.99 for calls only � reduced from £127.99, FREE for Broadband and Calls packages) Learn more