Service failure - anyone from Tiscali about?
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Here's a quick timeline of the issues I've been having since the weekend (sorry for the long story, and lack of technical expertise):
21/12/09 - Tiscali TV, phone and broadband installed. All seems to work ok.
Then:
Saturday lunchtime: Router (Thomson TG585) is suddenly unable to establish a broadband connection (broadband light flashes rapidly, all other lights ok). For a short time I have no internet access or television service whatsoever. The phoneline, which had been nice and clear, is still usable but very crackly. After about half an hour everything sorts itself out.
Saturday teatime: Connection goes kaput again. After half an hour of fiddling around I call Tiscali. While I'm on hold (about fifteen minutes) it sorts itself out again. Interestingly, every time I call Tiscali the estimated wait time is given as six minutes. It never is.
Anyway, I stay on the phone because I want to check what's going on, and because I'm having a few minor issues (see below) which I want to speak about.
I get through to someone fairly helpful in the Tiscali TV technical dept who tests the line and says it's working ok. He thinks maybe it's the filter that's faulty. He asks me to do a few tests, plug a phone into the test socket, etc. which I do. By this point everything's working again. He offers to send me some new filters.
Sunday Teatime: Everything goes again. I call Tiscali again. This time I spend about half an hour on hold before getting through to someone in the broadband technical help. This gentleman tries his best to help, but I don't think English is his first language, and he struggles to understand when I ask questions about when and how this will be resolved. He takes me through most of the same steps as I went through on Saturday (reboot, etc). He then tells me that I need to wait until I have tried a new filter and if it still doesn't work to call back. After an hour and a half everything starts working again. It's still working at 5am.
Monday Evening (Yesterday): Get home from work and it's gone again. This time I've got a spare filter that I bought! Unsurprisingly, changing the filter doesn't do anything. Call Tiscali again, again get through to a gentlemen who doesn't have particularly great English, and can only go through the designated steps. Repeat all of the steps I tried on Saturday and Sunday. Nothing works. He now says he needs to refer the issue upwards to a different department. He asks when it's convenient for them to call me back on Tuesday. I tell him anytime after 7pm. We arrange for a callback between 7 and 9 (because after three phone calls, lots of fussing around and about an hour spent on hold in total the best they can do is offer a two hour time slot 24 hours later to call you back). Anyway, he repeats the arrangement to me before we end the call. When I ask what will happen next and how long it might take for something to get done he doesn't understand me (or else just ignores me) and repeats what he's just said.
Service is still out.
Today - 12 noon: A phonecall from Tiscali! A whole seven hours early. Unfortunately, though, I'm at work, and therefore not in front of my Tiscali equipment. I ask if they can call me back as arranged after 7pm. They say fine.
About two minutes later: They call back to say they can't, actually, phone me back between 7pm and 9pm (they're all busy for those whole two hours, apparently!). They can call me back between 5pm and 7pm - but since I don't get home from work until about 7 that's not much help. They offer to call tomorrow (Wednesday) between 7pm and 9pm instead. I state (politely) that I have no choice but to accept, but that I'm not happy. The guy again doesn't answer me (or understand) and just repeats "So can someone call you tomorrow between 7pm and 9pm?" over and over until I give up, and simply say "Yes".
Anyway, that's where I'm at. Another night without TV or internet access tonight, and then waiting around for them to call tomorrow - when they will probably not be especially helpful.
I've sent an email using the contact form at Tiscali's website to complain about the issue and the apalling customer service, but they can only promise that they'll "try and respond within two days - but bear with us if it takes longer". I tried to post on the forum there, but I need to wait to be "approved" by a moderator. And anyway the website is hugely buggy (let's me log on in some places but not others, repeatedly asks for passwords, circular links, etc.).
So that's why I'm here, in the hope that one of the nice Tiscali people who visit the forum will try and explain to me, in plain English, what's going on.
Oh, and while they're at it, perhaps they can explain a couple of other things which I've asked about, but either had no response or not quite grasped it:
(1) The engineer who installed Tiscali TV did not connect the set-top box to the digital aerial - this means all television channels are received through DSL. I have connected the aerial myself and used the DTT scanning function, but several channels aren't found (including ITV1 and Channel 4). Even when channels are found (including, for example, BBC1) the box continues to receive them through DSL. This means the Tiscali Plus function is mostly useless, as we can only watch OR record one channel at any time. I have connected the same aerial to a freeview receiver, which finds all of the channels quite easily. Of course, this isn't much of a problem right now as Tiscali TV isn't working at all.
(2) The catch-up TV service doesn't appear to be working correctly. Days worth of programmes that were denoted as "available on catch-up" are nowhere to be found in the relevant section of the EPG.
I should point out that I was previously a Tiscali customer for almost two years at my previous address with no problems whatsoever. I have actually recommended the service to countless friends and family members, although now O feel foolish for doing so. I understand that technical problems happen, but the quality of customer services these past few days has been absolutely dreadful.
21/12/09 - Tiscali TV, phone and broadband installed. All seems to work ok.
Then:
Saturday lunchtime: Router (Thomson TG585) is suddenly unable to establish a broadband connection (broadband light flashes rapidly, all other lights ok). For a short time I have no internet access or television service whatsoever. The phoneline, which had been nice and clear, is still usable but very crackly. After about half an hour everything sorts itself out.
Saturday teatime: Connection goes kaput again. After half an hour of fiddling around I call Tiscali. While I'm on hold (about fifteen minutes) it sorts itself out again. Interestingly, every time I call Tiscali the estimated wait time is given as six minutes. It never is.
Anyway, I stay on the phone because I want to check what's going on, and because I'm having a few minor issues (see below) which I want to speak about.
I get through to someone fairly helpful in the Tiscali TV technical dept who tests the line and says it's working ok. He thinks maybe it's the filter that's faulty. He asks me to do a few tests, plug a phone into the test socket, etc. which I do. By this point everything's working again. He offers to send me some new filters.
Sunday Teatime: Everything goes again. I call Tiscali again. This time I spend about half an hour on hold before getting through to someone in the broadband technical help. This gentleman tries his best to help, but I don't think English is his first language, and he struggles to understand when I ask questions about when and how this will be resolved. He takes me through most of the same steps as I went through on Saturday (reboot, etc). He then tells me that I need to wait until I have tried a new filter and if it still doesn't work to call back. After an hour and a half everything starts working again. It's still working at 5am.
Monday Evening (Yesterday): Get home from work and it's gone again. This time I've got a spare filter that I bought! Unsurprisingly, changing the filter doesn't do anything. Call Tiscali again, again get through to a gentlemen who doesn't have particularly great English, and can only go through the designated steps. Repeat all of the steps I tried on Saturday and Sunday. Nothing works. He now says he needs to refer the issue upwards to a different department. He asks when it's convenient for them to call me back on Tuesday. I tell him anytime after 7pm. We arrange for a callback between 7 and 9 (because after three phone calls, lots of fussing around and about an hour spent on hold in total the best they can do is offer a two hour time slot 24 hours later to call you back). Anyway, he repeats the arrangement to me before we end the call. When I ask what will happen next and how long it might take for something to get done he doesn't understand me (or else just ignores me) and repeats what he's just said.
Service is still out.
Today - 12 noon: A phonecall from Tiscali! A whole seven hours early. Unfortunately, though, I'm at work, and therefore not in front of my Tiscali equipment. I ask if they can call me back as arranged after 7pm. They say fine.
About two minutes later: They call back to say they can't, actually, phone me back between 7pm and 9pm (they're all busy for those whole two hours, apparently!). They can call me back between 5pm and 7pm - but since I don't get home from work until about 7 that's not much help. They offer to call tomorrow (Wednesday) between 7pm and 9pm instead. I state (politely) that I have no choice but to accept, but that I'm not happy. The guy again doesn't answer me (or understand) and just repeats "So can someone call you tomorrow between 7pm and 9pm?" over and over until I give up, and simply say "Yes".
Anyway, that's where I'm at. Another night without TV or internet access tonight, and then waiting around for them to call tomorrow - when they will probably not be especially helpful.
I've sent an email using the contact form at Tiscali's website to complain about the issue and the apalling customer service, but they can only promise that they'll "try and respond within two days - but bear with us if it takes longer". I tried to post on the forum there, but I need to wait to be "approved" by a moderator. And anyway the website is hugely buggy (let's me log on in some places but not others, repeatedly asks for passwords, circular links, etc.).
So that's why I'm here, in the hope that one of the nice Tiscali people who visit the forum will try and explain to me, in plain English, what's going on.
Oh, and while they're at it, perhaps they can explain a couple of other things which I've asked about, but either had no response or not quite grasped it:
(1) The engineer who installed Tiscali TV did not connect the set-top box to the digital aerial - this means all television channels are received through DSL. I have connected the aerial myself and used the DTT scanning function, but several channels aren't found (including ITV1 and Channel 4). Even when channels are found (including, for example, BBC1) the box continues to receive them through DSL. This means the Tiscali Plus function is mostly useless, as we can only watch OR record one channel at any time. I have connected the same aerial to a freeview receiver, which finds all of the channels quite easily. Of course, this isn't much of a problem right now as Tiscali TV isn't working at all.
(2) The catch-up TV service doesn't appear to be working correctly. Days worth of programmes that were denoted as "available on catch-up" are nowhere to be found in the relevant section of the EPG.
I should point out that I was previously a Tiscali customer for almost two years at my previous address with no problems whatsoever. I have actually recommended the service to countless friends and family members, although now O feel foolish for doing so. I understand that technical problems happen, but the quality of customer services these past few days has been absolutely dreadful.
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Comments
Interestingly my wait time was advised as 6 minutes but I got through to someone straight away!
Thanks for that, very interesting. Tried calling the mobile and got "Private Number", which I don't think it said before. Also, when calling the landline from the mobile no number comes up, when it definitely used to. I'm at work now, but I'll definitely mention it to them tonight.
It might just be a coincidence, but straight after I called the Tiscali line from my mobile the router started working again. It was still working when I went to bed last night, but alas has stopped this morning.
Anyway, thanks for the tip. Definitely sounds like there might be something in it.
Any update on your problems?
The start of your ongoing saga sounded like mine. Everything went, but after an hour and a half of farting around with the Thomson box I gave in and called Tiscali.
Your estimated wait time is 6 minutes and there are more than 9 people in the queue. And after 34 minutes, I get thru to Tiscali TV, despite calling broadband support.
However, I am told that all their systems are down and can I call back tomorrow! First off, how the hell do I get bounced to TV. Secondly, if all their systems are down, how does it take 34 minutes to get thru to be told that!!!!
And no, I wont call back tomorrow, not when I've waited 34 minutes to get thru to the number I dialled only to be bounced!
So anyway, she put me thru to Broadband, in India. Which in itself doesn't isn't a problem, except for the problem that the Indian Call Centre staff have that makes it sound like they're being rude and unhelpful, when they actually aren't but it's the accent and language barrier!
But this isn't until I've had the 6 minute warning with more than 9 people in the queue. Tho, it actually went in about 3 minutes.
Anyway, lots of time spent, doing EVERYTHING I've already done and eventually, she just resets my master password, and lo and behold it all works!!!
Now, if I've been using the service for 5 months, why the hell at 1627 on a random Wednesday in January, why did it decide to go wonky then?
But it's fixed now.
Hope yours get sorted fella.
They called last night and asked a few questions, then changed some settings from their end and it all started working.
I asked what the problem was, and whether this time it would keep working for longer than a few hours, and was told "I assure you that it will definitely work now, and if you have any more problems just give us a call back."
Then, around 11pm, I was playing videogames online ('cause I'm a massive nerd) when the message "You have disconnected from XBox Live" appears on my screen. I check the router and, guess what, it's gone again! I'll be calling back this evening (no point now since I'm at work) but I'm really unhappy.
I know what you mean about the call centre staff. I had a conversation which went a bit like:
Tiscali Lady: Can you tell me Mr Smith is it all working now?
Me: Well it seems to be. But it's worked on-and-off since we started having problems. How do I know it won't go again?
Tiscali Lady: Thank you Mr Smith, is there anything else I can help you with?
Me: Well I just wanted to check what the problem was, because it's come back on before but then turned off again, if you follow me.
Tiscali Lady: But you can see Mr Smith that it is all working now so now it works, ok?
Me: Yes, but is there a problem you've fixed that means it will keep working?
Tiscali Lady: Yes, you can see that it is working fine now, so you won't have any problem.
Me: OK, I was just wondering what was wrong with it that was making it go wrong, because I don't want it to go wrong again.
Tiscali Lady: I can assure you that you won't have any more problems, ok? If you have any other problems you can just give us a call, ok?
It might not look like much on paper, but it comes across as rude because they never answer your questions, which I'm fairly sure is because they don't properly understand what I'm asking.
I'm so annoyed that I'm considering cancelling and going with BT for Broadband and Sky for TV, but that would mean:
- Cancelling Tiscali, and paying up the rest of the contract, which will be about £600 since I've only just joined and it's an 18 month contract. Unless I can convince them that their service is so terrible that I don't owe them anything, or at least not the full amount.
- Re-joining BT, who I had to sign up with when I moved in - even though I knew I was getting Tiscali - and who I have just paid £80 to leave (I didn't know about the Post Office option discussed in another thread).
- Then joining Sky, and paying all associated costs - and winding up paying £35 quid a month for just TV, when now I pay £35 a month for unlimited phonecalls, broadband and TV.
So they've got me by the short and curlies, basically.
Post Office option?i'm just about to move and get stiffed by having to get the BT line reconnected. What's this you talk of?
And the Tiscali TV contract is only 12 months (sorry, the TalkTalkTV contract, must remember it's changed now) not 18 months unlike the rest of the contracts.
EDIT
Had a look on the Post Office website and I guess you mean getting the line thru them and you're not tied in!!!
Hoping that now it's TalkTalk you should, in theory be able to do the line activation thru them instead of having to fart-arse about with this, but will have to wait and see!!
I've PM'd you to request your number - please advise if this is still an on-going issue,
Kind Regards
Chris
I have been in long and protracted debate with Tiscali/TalkTalk regarding my ongoing issues since I started this thread. As yet they have failed to remedy my problems. Below is the latest email I have sent to the company. This is, of course, without the full context, but hopefully paints something of picture of my dealings with them. It has been edited to protect the privacy of those involved.
From what I can see you are now trying to cancel but are concerned this may reach a barrier due to a contractual stipulation, I'm tracking this also and have noted a call is arranged for 7pm today - please do let me know the outcome,
It seems (at least according to the last technical advisor I spoke with) that the line is not good enough to support TV and Broadband simultaneously.
Anyway, the account is now closed. I will soon be with BT for broadband and Sky for TV.
Thanks to Chris for his attempts to help. DS - feel free to close this thread now if you want, or else let it die its natural death.