Pipex / TalkTalk

My broadband and telephone stopped working yesterday, no dial tone.
I was originally with Pipex, then Tiscalli now TalkTalk.
If I ring Talktalk , something I've done over 10 times today, no one can find my account details? I've tried Home Telecom who say they don't have my details. I can log on and see my emails if I use the Home Telecom link and also the link at webmail.homecall.co.uk which has the TalkTalk logo below the Pipex one at the top of the page.
I've checked my bank direct debit which states "PipexHomecallTD" yet no payment have been taken since February.
My bank say the drirect debit is still in place but no money has been requested since that date?
I'm at a loss as what to do. I can't even request a MAC to leave because nobody has my details. If I try to set up a new broadband account with another provider I don't not what will happen. i want to keep my old telephone number.
Any suggestions much appreciated.

No relevant emails in the webmail, possibly as far back as last December? Have you any other email addresses?

I wonder if a post in the TalkTalk forum here might be an idea, with a link to this one. I expect the TT reps will see it quicker than this.

Are you able to access the TalkTalk Community forums?

The direct debit will have a reference number on it, that identifies the account. I suggest you get that from the bank, as it's possible the TT/Pipex/whatever accounts department wil be able to find history on that, and that could help. They must be able to do that for accounting and audit purposes.

What happens if you try to call in from a mobile or other landline? Zilch I expect, but worth a try.

Is it a "BT line", or LLU? Does the BT Wholesale checker recognise it? Don't panic, (any more than you must already be doing ), if it doesn't, as LLU lines don't show up there.

You need to go to talktalkbusiness.co.uk. They are Ex Tiscali website
Log in at link below with your pipex user and password
You will see Pipex Login halfway down page
http://www.talktalkbusiness.co.uk/your-account/
Ex Nildram customer
tn 0800 083 3003

Edited by flippery (Sun 12-Aug-12 17:14:32)

Thanks for those replies. It isn't a BT line. I changed to Pipex for line rental.
I can't log in at the website suggested.
I get the following error message -"Alert: Unfortunately, we could not log you in using these supplied credentials".
If i ring my home number from my mobile i can here the usual ringing tone but there is nothing from my home phone.

Edited by deleted (Sun 12-Aug-12 18:09:29)

As I said earlier then, your best routes are the TT Community forum if you have access to that, and then the accounts department at TT. There is a legal requirement for them to be able to trace all financial transactions with every customer for several years.

Therefore the account can be found and so what has has happened to it.

The TT forum on this site is a third possibility.

When did you move the rental to Pipex? Recently, or a few years ago? Did you do anything like investigate moving elsewhere in the last 9 months?

Have you checked for relevant emails as I suggested? The combination of taking no payments and not warning of closure is odd.

Try this link
http://www.talktalkbusiness.co.uk/store/existing-cus...

down left you will see Pipex click on
then click as existing customer and try login again.

I was a nildram customer and can login using my old nildram account.
if you still have problem try number at top of page.
You will not get help from TalkTalk,co.uk unfortunately
Also read Valezio on 16th Jan
http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/talktalk/t/4082508-...

Edited by flippery (Sun 12-Aug-12 18:57:16)

Once again thanks for these replies. I tried logging on as described above and the error message is - "Alert: Unfortunately, we could not log you in using these supplied credentials"
I have been with Pipex since 2003
The only Pipex emails I can find are the ones telling me my bill is available to view online. Interestingly the last one was in February when my direct debit was last taken out.

Edited by deleted (Sun 12-Aug-12 22:15:28)

Aaarrghhhh!

This looks to be relevant!

Very interesting. As I say I've spoken to these guys and they insist I'm not a customer of theirs, they too have no record of me on their computer. system.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Aaarrghhhh!

This looks to be relevant!

I am wondering if you have either just been removed from a system or have been placed in a walled garden.

First stop is to phone the ombudsman and see what they say

http://www.ombudsman-services.org/communications.html

They will know exactly how to proceed.

Also it seems that as nobody knows what has happened to your account a visit to the data comissioner to place a complanit as it seems that they have fubared your personal details.

http://www.ico.gov.uk/

Also as it also relates to payments then it also may be worth a call to the FSA as financial details have also been involved.

http://www.fsa.gov.uk/

Best thing about using the FSA a complaint to them results in a complaint being opened in which the compaies in question will be charged £500 for a complaint case fee. That might focus them when a bill is presented to them.

I've now found an email from Pipex dated August 2011 -

"Dear Customer,

You may have heard that Pipex has been acquired by the TalkTalk Group, a publicly listed company with 4.2 million customers in the UK. Since the acquisition we have been working hard to bring Pipex customers even better phone and broadband services.

What does this mean for you?

What will stay the same, now & going forward -

Your existing, reliable broadband connection
Your Pipex email address (if you have one)
Your telephone number
Your Pipex �Your Account� online username and password details


Your current Pipex service uses the TalkTalk Next Generation Network. This is the UK�s biggest network, which is capable of delivering reliable phone and broadband services to 22 million homes. TalkTalk has won many prestigious awards, including Best Value Broadband and Home Phone Bundle winner 2011.

What happens next?

Later this year your Pipex phone and broadband account will be moved onto the TalkTalk billing system.

You don�t need to do anything to benefit from being part of TalkTalk, one of Britain�s leading phone and broadband companies, and we promise to continue to keep you informed of what is happening.

Yours sincerely,

Dido Harding
Chief Executive Officer

Edited by deleted (Tue 14-Aug-12 13:59:27)

Which predates that transfer of Pipex to Home Telecom in Feb. 2012, which incidentally coincides with the ceasing of taking DDs from you.

What puzzles me about that Home Telecom transfer is that it makes no mention of TT. It's as if they took over Pipex directly and not from TT. Yet this letter says TT acquired Pipex in Aug 2011 .

Could it be that your BB was transferred to TT in Aug 2011, as per this letter, but the billing wasn't; it remained with some Pipex shell? Then this rump of Pipex was transferred to Home Telecom in Feb 2012, who promptly stopped billing you as you did not have any BB with them. And now TT has ceased your BB as you haven't paid them for a year. What a mix-up!

Hi Barrowfordred,

If you tweet us @TalkTalkCare or join the TalkTalk Members Forum we can investigate into this for you.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

The Pipex Home Telecom site states this -

"IMPORTANT NOTICE

Please be advised of the transfer of customer accounts from Pipex UK Ltd to the Global 4 Communications Ltd service Home Telecom which completed in January 2012. We have written to all customers affected by this transfer who should note that all customer pricing and terms and conditions remain unchanged. If you have any concerns at all please do not hesitate to call our support line on 01403 216138.

If you normally collect your email through an email client, such as Microsoft Outlook or Thunderbird, the settings should be as detailed below:
�Inbound mail server: pop3.bulldoghome.com
�Outbound mail server: smtp.bulldoghome.com
�Inbound mail server type: POP3 or IMAP
�Username format: [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] Must contain the @ part
�Website access: To access your website you now must use an ftp client. ftp your webpages to upload.bulldoghome.com, using your username and password, including the @ part of the username"

Seeing as I've not changed my Outlook settings from the Pipex ones then I'd assume I'm not with Hoome Telecom. But, who knows.

Edited by deleted (Tue 14-Aug-12 15:03:25)

Thank you Mark.
I've tried several times my account number and telephone number are not recognised and thus I cannot register.

In reply to a post by TALKTALK_SUPPORT:

Hi Barrowfordred,

If you tweet us @TalkTalkCare or join the TalkTalk Members Forum we can investigate into this for you.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

The OP has already stated he cannot join the TalkTalk Members Forum as it refuses to recognise his details.

Shows what a stupid contact system TT has when an customer in dispute or an ex-customer cannot contact you because they don't have the details you insist on.

Worth someone affected complaining to OFCOM that as a recent ex-customer or customer in dispute it is impossible to talk to TT sensibly.

Getting somewhere, a member of another forum (non telecom) happens to work for TalkTalk, he's got the line tested and come back with this -

Date Test Requested - 14/08/2012 14:24:31
Date Test Completed - 14/08/2012 14:25:20

Test Outcome - Fail

Fault Location - FU

Fault Description - FAULT - Dis in exchange



Explanation - The break could be along any cable or at any jumper point between the HDF and the exit from the exchange.

He says they can't do anything unless I set up a TalkTalk account, something (as you understand) I'm loathe to do. I've rung BT who despite me not being a customer are going to escalate my call to another level to try to resolve the exchange fault.
TALKTALK TAKE NOTE!!!

Edited by deleted (Tue 14-Aug-12 16:02:21)

I wouldn't Tweet them as their Data Protection procedures might stop you from accessing their answers!

Isn't this just another case of when TT was fined millions by OFCOM for failure to cleanly integrate taken-over customers into their system. TT's perennial excuse was that the many billing systems were so different.

Hi BB66,




VIa twitter we have a standard contact form which is used for DPA checks. We have relevant processes for this via twitter that we cannot use for forums.

If the OP wishes to contact us and cannot reigister on the forum they are welcome to use Twitter or the Contact us Form on the Forum.

Alternatively they are free to use any of the contact methods that are not online based should they wish.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

My situation two years ago was identical: ex Tiscali ex Pipex, at takeover time TT cut off my line and nobody could connect it, they also charged me a disconnect fee! I was without BB for weeks and in desperation rang BT who were very helpful. It seems there were hundreds with the same problem. Other ISPs told me that the line was with TT so they could not connect me.

Dealing with TT was like talking to the wall, my requests were passed to the sales team who tried their best but there's no way I wanted anything to do with this company. I went through Pipex complaints procedure and then to Otelo, receiving a compensation award eight months later.

TT was fined heavily for its takeover blunders and we're now told all is in order, yet stories like yours keep recurring. My advice is not to waste any more time and effort, accept the help of BT and get your line sorted. Every ISP has problems but I'm now into my third yr with BT phone-rental-BB package and am very satisfied so far. Good luck!

In reply to a post by TALKTALK_SUPPORT:

Hi BB66,




VIa twitter we have a standard contact form which is used for DPA checks. We have relevant processes for this via twitter that we cannot use for forums.

If the OP wishes to contact us and cannot reigister on the forum they are welcome to use Twitter or the Contact us Form on the Forum.

Alternatively they are free to use any of the contact methods that are not online based should they wish.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

It does seem that you have not read the threads regarding the OP.

He has phoned your company as well as any other that may be involed and there is no record of his details.

He cannot use the forum as that needs the non existant account number.

The contact us option has had somebody demand phone number and the non existant account number.

He does not wish to register with twitter which is perfectly acceptable I doubt any ISP requires their customers to sign up with social networking in their T&C's o get support.

I keep hearing that TT phone support is rubbish but their online presence is great but all I have seen is pretty much the worse support from an ISP ever.

To the OP

Get some professional help from the ombudsman or somebody as this looks like that TT will just give you the run around with no resolution in sight.

Edited by deleted (Thu 16-Aug-12 14:18:32)

Even better advice � Stick with BT!

In reply to a post by professor973:

Even better advice � Stick with BT!

Hmm, BT definitely have their own issues but I must admit I keep my phone with them even though I don't use them for broadband (although you never know I may go back to them if/when FTTC arrives).

In reply to a post by ian72:

In reply to a post by professor973:

Even better advice � Stick with BT!

Hmm, BT definitely have their own issues but I must admit I keep my phone with them even though I don't use them for broadband (although you never know I may go back to them if/when FTTC arrives).

I was referring to a way to stop passing the buck between line and ISP suppliers. Though we are at the mercy of OpenReach at the end of the day, I can never see me putting my line back with BT while they employ 18 month contracts, That, along with me getting no tie-in, no call connection charge and 1.5/1.0p calls with the likes of Zen. B.T. are tempting many knockers back to the fold with fibre!

Edited by professor973 (Fri 17-Aug-12 08:34:08)

OK, now I'm really confused. You said "stick with BT" - and now say don't. I read your comment at face value but now assume you were being ironic? Maybe you would put a or similar if you are not being serious.

I stay with BT for calls because going fully unbundled makes it a complete nightmare to break away from an ISP.

EDIT : Corrected a spelling mistake

Edited by ian72 (Fri 17-Aug-12 11:48:21)

In reply to a post by ian72:

OK, now I'm really refused. You said "stick with BT" - and now say don't. I read your comment at face value but now assume you were being ironic? Maybe you would put a or similar if you are not being serious.

I stay with BT for calls because going fully unbundled makes it a complete nightmare to break away from an ISP.

If you re-read my post, you will see I was pointing to a way to avoid passing the buck between ISP and line supplier. This is often the case when a problem arrives and was intended for those that are fed up with it. I also stated that things would have change drastically with BT for them to get my trade again. I certainly did not advise others to avoid them. I can see why you were "Refused"!

In reply to a post by professor973:

I can never see me putting my line back with BT while they employ 18 month contracts

BT:-

Standard line rental � £14.60 a month with Direct Debit. There's a 12 month minimum term and connection charges may apply.

Not 18 months.

That, along with me getting no tie-in, no call connection charge and 1.5/1.0p calls with the likes of Zen. B.T. are tempting many knockers back to the fold with fibre!

?
I don't see those prices on Zen except for 7pm-7am and weekends. For the same periods I get free calls and 0845, plus I get 1471, 1571 and caller display free all the time. (I grant you, Zen is only a monthly contract - as is the Post Office, and there is an unmentionable supplier with 10 days).

A few years back MKD did a very detailed comparison of BT, the Post Office, Primus and O2 phone pricing. Amazingly close once you take all the options into account. Even when updated to current prices.

Edited by RobertoS (Fri 17-Aug-12 10:37:57)

I don't see those prices on Zen except for 7pm-7am and weekends.

In that case, I would say you need to get out more!!
http://www.zen.co.uk/business/voice/phone-services.a...
I take your point regarding prices. I found PN almost as expensive as BT at £35 per month and restricted download.

Edited by professor973 (Fri 17-Aug-12 11:11:28)

In reply to a post by professor973:

I take your point regarding prices. I found PN almost as expensive as BT at £35 per month and restricted download.

PN restricts download on voice does it? That must make things difficult; long pauses, buffering the conversation, stuttering ... Must be as bad as talking to an Asian Call Centre all the time!

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by professor973:

I take your point regarding prices. I found PN almost as expensive as BT at £35 per month and restricted download.

PN restricts download on voice does it? That must make things difficult; long pauses, buffering the conversation, stuttering ... Must be as bad as talking to an Asian Call Centre all the time!

You know damned well I was referring to the Plusnet 60Gb usage limit. Why does fora pondlife always have to be so pedantic?

Do you have a profile of speedtests here (or anywhere else that may remember your IP addy)? Then look up a recent IP addy and post it here or do a Whois on it to settle just which ISP owned your connection last.

Post deleted by XRaySpeX

Humourless [censored]!

Since your original post you have hijacked this thread and got it completely off topic. We were getting on fine before you joined it.

@ Mods: Please kill this branch as it is absolutely of no help to the OP's issue.

I can see why you were "Refused"!

In reply to a post by professor973:

Why does fora pondlife always have to be so pedantic?

Yep, made a spelling mistake there but I suspect you know what I meant.

In reply to a post by ian72:

I can see why you were "Refused"!

In reply to a post by professor973:

Why does fora pondlife always have to be so pedantic?

Yep, made a spelling mistake there but I suspect you know what I meant.

It's obvious from his reply that he knew what you meant - he just used the same word you did

Post deleted by Sadoldman

Edited by professor973 (Fri 17-Aug-12 12:03:06)

Try and ignore him, it's just his way of getting his kicks.

In reply to a post by undecidedadrian:

He does not wish to register with twitter which is perfectly acceptable I doubt any ISP requires their customers to sign up with social networking in their T&C's o get support

Then using the same logic, perhaps people shouldn't post on TBB forums for help? Can you tell me any isp which states in their t&c's that people should post on TBB for help? Like millions i don't normally use twitter (or facebook) but signed up just so that i could get in touch with Vodafone retentions...their phone support kept telling me to get lost when requesting a certain deal, yet their twitter retentions team agreed to it instantly. It literally takes no more than 2 mins of your life to sign up to twitter and you can use a temporary email address and fake name to hide your real identity. But obviously that is still too much trouble for some people

In reply to a post by undecidedadrian:

I keep hearing that TT phone support is rubbish but their online presence is great but all I have seen is pretty much the worse support from an ISP ever.

I suggest you have a look here and see for yourself how the TT OCEs try to help users despite the abuse they get from some people. ALL ISPs no matter how great they are, will have dissatisfied customers. Perhaps i should start a new thread slating IDNET as i had a serious issue with them before?

Edited by deleted (Fri 17-Aug-12 13:38:58)

It is totally unacceptable to wish a fellow poster dead, get a sense of proportion if you wish to continue on our BBS.

You push your antagonism too far. You had a break in the past for threatening violence, it seems you have not learned.

In reply to a post by baby_frogmella:

In reply to a post by undecidedadrian:

He does not wish to register with twitter which is perfectly acceptable I doubt any ISP requires their customers to sign up with social networking in their T&C's o get support

Then using the same logic, perhaps people shouldn't post on TBB forums for help? Can you tell me any isp which states in their t&c's that people should post on TBB for help? Like millions i don't normally use twitter (or facebook) but signed up just so that i could get in touch with Vodafone retentions...their phone support kept telling me to get lost when requesting a certain deal, yet their twitter retentions team agreed to it instantly. It literally takes no more than 2 mins of your life to sign up to twitter and you can use a temporary email address and fake name to hide your real identity. But obviously that is still too much trouble for some people

In reply to a post by undecidedadrian:

I keep hearing that TT phone support is rubbish but their online presence is great but all I have seen is pretty much the worse support from an ISP ever.

I suggest you have a look here and see for yourself how the TT OCEs try to help users despite the abuse they get from some people. ALL ISPs no matter how great they are, will have dissatisfied customers. Perhaps i should start a new thread slating IDNET as i had a serious issue with them before?

What i was commenting on was that the TTsupport agent doesn't even seem to to read the thread properly the OP has jumped though numerous hoops to be knocked back constantly and yet the TT rep hasn't even acknowaledge that.

I wasn't expecting the OP to get TT to resolve the issue on the TBB forums, he was coming on here for help as it seems that TT don't want/know how to proceed with this complaint. Especially that from the "contact us" option from the TT website he got a response of "please register with your phone number and account number". Which he was told that wasn't needed.

Also your comment regarding making a temp account up, why shoudl anybody need to do that, I refuse to go to social media, I refuse to give them an account so they can quote that as a statistic to potential share holders, I refuse to give them the click traffic. And the more that people use that avenue rather than offical company channels the more that social media is used the more that will be the only avenue in the future. So more people should tell companies to take a jump when they suggest to go to those sites for resolution.

If you want to start a complaint thread about IDNET then go ahead, but I doubt that your issue was even in the same league as the OP's which seem to stem from the issues that got Talk Talk a multi million pound fine from the regulators.

The OP's real problem is that he wants to keep his original phone number which I suspect has now been lost anyways but no matter what happens now he needs to lean on Talk Talk for some serious compensation.

Also no matter what TT need to take note that threads like this which drag on for days into weeks are not a particulary good advert for them

I know all ISP's can have problems but I doubt ANY of the other ISP's would have such a serious breech of data protection which would then result in a support rep showing a real lack of concern.

Quote
You know damned well I was referring to the Plusnet 60Gb usage limit. Why does fora pondlife always have to be so pedantic?
Quote

I believe Plusnet have a unrestricted download from 11pm to 7am.
Some restrict downloads by speed reduction on unlimited. I prefer a download restriction as I can use Video streaming as and when required.
However, this is moving away from OP question. The OP seems to have disappeared from both threads and seems to have been putting obstacles in the way of contacting TT on forums.

Edited by flippery (Fri 17-Aug-12 15:53:32)

In reply to a post by undecidedadrian:

What i was commenting on was that the TTsupport agent doesn't even seem to to read the thread properly the OP has jumped though numerous hoops to be knocked back constantly and yet the TT rep hasn't even acknowaledge that.

Yes Talktalk are sending him around in circles. In that case as he has been advised previously, he should write to them at:

TalkTalk Correspondence Dept.
PO Box 360,
Southampton
SO30 2LY

mentioning his

full name & address
TalkTalk Phone number
Last 4 digits of the bank account number or payment card used to pay for his service

and VERY VERY CLEARLY the chain of events. Believe me, talktalk WILL sort this out but the OP has to help himself by nipping down to the post office and sending it by recorded delivery. TalkTalk are not stupid and know perfectly well that once Otelo get involved they will get their knuckles rapped (as well as having to dish out compo to the OP) but at the same time Otelo will only get involved once they feel satisfied that the OP has made all REASONABLE efforts to contact TalkTalk - this includes by writing by post.
.

In reply to a post by undecidedadrian:

Also your comment regarding making a temp account up, why shoudl anybody need to do that, I refuse to go to social media, I refuse to give them an account so they can quote that as a statistic to potential share holders, I refuse to give them the click traffic. And the more that people use that avenue rather than offical company channels the more that social media is used the more that will be the only avenue in the future. So more people should tell companies to take a jump when they suggest to go to those sites for resolution.

You know what? I agree with you 100%. Why should us consumers be forced to use twitter, twatter, facebook, beeboo, bobo etc? But sometimes to get a resolution you have no choice but to contact them via twitter. I don't know about you but for me its easier to open a 'dummy' twitter account and send a company a message this way instead of posting a letter via snail mail.

In reply to a post by undecidedadrian:

I know all ISP's can have problems but I doubt ANY of the other ISP's would have such a serious breech of data protection which would then result in a support rep showing a real lack of concern.

I'm fairly sure that even if the likes of O2 or Sky took over Tiscali's/Pipex millions of customers (like TalkTalk did) they would probably have the same billing issues due to the sheer number of customers being transferred over. I know hindsight's a wonderful thing but there's no doubt Talktalk (or any other company if they took over Tiscali) could have predicted such a balls up.

In reply to a post by baby_frogmella:

I'm fairly sure that even if the likes of O2 or Sky took over Tiscali's/Pipex millions of customers (like TalkTalk did) they would probably have the same billing issues due to the sheer number of customers being transferred over. I know hindsight's a wonderful thing but there's no doubt Talktalk (or any other company if they took over Tiscali) could have predicted such a balls up.

Just fairly sure?

In reply to a post by 4M2:

Just fairly sure?

No just 90% sure

In reply to a post by baby_frogmella:

In reply to a post by 4M2:

Just fairly sure?

No just 90% sure

Glad I left Tiscali before they were swallowed up a few years ago - fortunately Tiscali did give me advance warning though...

he should write to them ...... and VERY VERY CLEARLY quote the chain of events. ... the OP has to help himself by nipping down to the post office and sending it by recorded delivery. TalkTalk are not stupid and know perfectly well that once Otelo get involved they will get their knuckles rapped

Got it in one. This is the only course of action.

In reply to a post by professor973:

I don't see those prices on Zen except for 7pm-7am and weekends.

In that case, I would say you need to get out more!!
http://www.zen.co.uk/business/voice/phone-services.a...

Ah - I didn't realise you were paying at least £16.19pm line rental, still no inclusive calls, plus 5.62ppm for 0845, plus £2.70pm for caller ID and 1571 if you take those.

I found PN almost as expensive as BT at £35 per month and restricted download.

?
Sorry, I don't see what that has to do with our discussion of BT line rental minimum terms and its call pricing compared to Zen's.

In reply to a post by professor973:

I don't see those prices on Zen except for 7pm-7am and weekends.

In that case, I would say you need to get out more!!
http://www.zen.co.uk/business/voice/phone-services.a...

Ah - I didn't realise you were paying at least £16.19pm line rental, still no inclusive calls, plus 5.62ppm for 0845,

Plusnet line rental and anytime calls totals £16.49. Also PN 0845 is 7.5p per minute.
Zen call cost so far this month 41p. Cost about the same with better customer service. Those 26 calls would have cost £3.29 in connection fees alone with PN without the £3.50 calls anytime add-on, so you are screwed always.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4861/phonecost.jpg

Edited by professor973 (Mon 20-Aug-12 19:38:25)

So on Zen the options are £11.22 per month no calls included or £17.35 per month 1,000 minutes included but it looks as though 0845 and 0870 calls aren't included in the 1,000 minutes
On Plusnet £12.99 per month evening and weekends calls included (includes 0845 and 0870 calls) or £16.49 anytime
You pays your money and takes your choice
Note that if you are prepared to be tied up for 12 months line rental then it is £9.49 equivalent paid in advance

In reply to a post by professor973:

Plusnet line rental and anytime calls totals £16.49. Also PN 0845 is 7.5p per minute.

Not when you are paying £16.49 for Anytime Calls!

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by professor973:

Plusnet line rental and anytime calls totals £16.49. Also PN 0845 is 7.5p per minute.

Not when you are paying £16.49 for Anytime Calls!

I will not pay £3.50 to PN or £4.99 to BT for anytime calls when I don't make that worth of calls via landline. The other option with these two is around 20p for a short call billed by the minute instead of second when added to the connection fee. That buys a hell of a lot of minutes at 1.5/1.0p by the second with no connection fee. A total rip off against my mobile at 5p any network

Edited by professor973 (Mon 20-Aug-12 23:24:44)

I was calling an 0845 number today and was put on hold for about 15 minutes - if I had been charged by the second I think that might have been very expensive...

In reply to a post by 4M2:

I was calling an 0845 number today and was put on hold for about 15 minutes - if I had been charged by the second I think that might have been very expensive...

Personally I call non-geographic numbers once in the blue moon. I expect many others are the same, which makes the inclusion in packages a sprat to catch a mackerel. I also have better things to do than wait 15 minutes on the phone at cost in this age of email.

I wasn't querying what you personally would choose to buy, but merely pointing out an inaccuracy of fact in the context of what you posted.

Good thing that you don't have to call the likes of the Department of Work and Pensions then! It's essential to hold otherwise one is returned to the end of the queue if you hang-up and try again a little while later

Yes, there are quite a lot of organisations where you need to speak to someone as you can't get a sensible answer by other means. So having inclusive 0845/0860 calls saves you worrying about calling them (as long call does not go over 1 hr.).

What annoys me is you unsuccessfully search their website for the required info and so dial the 0845 # shown there. The 1st thing you hear is "We are sorry we are very busy. Why not try our website http://www.nousetomanorbeast.com for the info you need to save waiting?" and I'm thinking "I wouldn't be wasting my time phoning you if your website had the answer!".

BTW: All this is off-topic, but OP seems to have lost interest.

During the seemingly endless period of the hold a recorded message did also mention that the department is less busy between 8am and 9am ???

Anyway eventually got through but my enquiry was too complex for that officer to answer so she said that she would have to send an email to another office with details of my enquiry and that they would call me back tomorrow...so even after all that I didn't get a sensible answer!

Once upon a time, BC (Before Computers), the person on the end of the phone knew their industry and your case backwards (insurance, tax, DHSS, BT, Energy). Nowadays, with the advent of call centres, they only have a superficial knowledge or even no knowledge at all, just a pro-forma script .

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Once upon a time, BC (Before Computers), the person on the end of the phone knew their industry and your case backwards (insurance, tax, DHSS, BT, Energy). Nowadays, with the advent of call centres, they only have a superficial knowledge or even no knowledge at all, just a pro-forma script .

Yet one still has to go through a series of menus: press 1 for this, press 2 for that, surely once the correct department is found there should be a knowledgeable person on the line who can answer any enquiries since that should be their field of expertise? There seem to be layers and layers of one might call "sub-call centres" where there doesn't seem to be an individual on duty who is capable of answering an enquiry that is not covered by a script. Like peeling an onion made up of layers of scripts without anything substantial at the centre...

Is this the new world of IT where if humans don�t fit into a particular programmed category then their problems or enquiries can never be solved or answered?

In reply to a post by 4M2:

Good thing that you don't have to call the likes of the Department of Work and Pensions then! It's essential to hold otherwise one is returned to the end of the queue if you hang-up and try again a little while later

There is a standard number hiding behind all non-geographic numbers.
http://www.saynoto0870.com/numbersearch.php
0845 8500293 turns up as 0161 904 1233

In reply to a post by professor973:

There is a standard number hiding behind all non-geographic numbers.
http://www.saynoto0870.com/numbersearch.php

Obviously, but not all are lookable up on SayNoTo0870.

Sometimes one is forced to use the 0845/0870 #. Having these #s inclusive in your plan saves worrying about them and bothering to try and look them up on SayNoTo0870.