Hello,

I've had Homechoice (now Tiscali) for a couple of years and all has been fine.

Over the past 2 weeks or so the service has been very problematic - first of all we noticed that when we had the TV on it was very slow to use the menus etc - eventually the picture would freeze, and when it did so, this seemed to crash the box and mean that we had to reset it all and wait for it to decide to work again.

This happened a few times so we stopped using the TV because of the problems it seemed to be causing, and the internet was still working fine at this point; Tiscali said it sounded like a problem with the filter. I am a bit sceptical about this because nothing has happened to the filter to damage it, and the problems were only intermittent so clearly it hasn't blown or anything. I don't really know what it is or what could go wrong with it, but they didn't seem to spend very long ascertaining what the problem could be before concluding that it must be the filter. Anyway, they said they would post me a new filter - it was supposed to be here last week. It still isn't here and the problems are getting worse.

Now, although we haven't been using the TV at all, the box seems to crash of its own accord. It gets a red flashing light, which soon goes out. Sometimes (like now!), after much coaxing, we can manage to turn it on and off enough times that the blue light comes back on and it works so we can use the internet again.

But generally the service only functions sporadically and in between times all that we get is a red flashing light. Has anyone had similar problems and, if so, how would you suggest that we go about fixing it?

The filter should be here in the next couple of days and hopefully that will help but if anyone can help in the mean time I would be very grateful - it's incredibly frustrating!

Many thanks in advance.

Jane.

Ahhh good old Tiscali. Its ALWAYS the filer... a simple piece of equipment that has very little to go wrong! On the other hand, the STB which is quite crap (I have had 4 break down in 2 and half years) NEVER goes wrong ??? Hmm. Do you have any interfierance or disruption to you're phone line at all? Next time you're net goes tits up listen to you're phone line carefully for any interference. If not INSIST an engineer comes out ASAP he will probably just change the STB and hopefully you will be OK. I dunno about you but I have found with HC and now Tiscali everything is fine when it is going fine and nothing goes wrong. When it does they are shockingly amazingly disgraceful at putting it right!

Hi,

Filters can cause problems. I know the STB's can go down as well from time to time, however they are much more reliable these days.
The best way to check what the problem is:
Remove the faceplace from the NTE5 master socket and plug the STB/router (depending on which setup you have) straight into the test socket. If you don't have an NTE5, make sure all extension cables are unpplugged from the BT master socket and plugg teh STB/Router in. Try the service now and see if it's more stable. If no, replace the filter and try again. If still no, chances are the STB has dropped and will need replacing. When you call the support desk, tell them what you have done to test.

Just to update this - turns out it was the box.

Before the engineer came i rang Tiscali to check the engineer was bringing a new box just in case that was the problem. THey promised he was, saying that all engineers carry spare STBs. Engineer due to arrive between 11 and 1, shows up at about 6.15. He took one look at the box, and told me that it was broken and then said that engineers never carry spare boxes and, anyway, because it is an old Homechoice box, they don't make them any more so I'll have to wait to get a reconditioned one. He told me to ring Tiscali and ask for another box. I rang them, they said they had no idea how long it would take for it to arrive - could be weeks, could be never, since they were discontinued items. So I said I wanted to cancel. Woman told me that I was due to be 'upgraded' to Tiscali TV some time between Feb 15 and March 15 2008 at which point I would receive a new box. She wondered whether I could wait for that (with what had by then become absolutely no service whatsoever). I (obviously!) cancelled the service and am waiting for BT to activate the broadband service I've signed up for with them.

Grrr x 1 million at Tiscali.

Wow Jane I really am sorry for all you're troubles. I thought I had seen the worst examples of Tiscali's total utter incompetence but I think your example tops it all! Well omg they really should not be allowed to provide any service to customers, they should not even be trusted to have a phone line... NEVER MIND PROVIDE ONE FOR CUSTOMERS

What a pathetic post.

What a pathetic, waste of time reply!!!!

why ,,,,,,