ARGHHHHHHHHHHH

[Malicious Intent]

I am so damn stressed about my broadband.

I admit I went with Tesco as they were cheap, but the rest of the blame is with them. It took 4 weeks for them to hook me up - FOUR WEEKS! Most people get online within one. Sadly I couldn't cancel, as there is no one at the other of of the cancellation line and they had already charged my account!

They kept promising me it was BT, so I would have the same problem whatever the provider. I have since found that to be a lie, as Tesco don't use all of BTs equipment and thats where the problem was.

My line was finally activated on Monday. Sadly it doesn't actually work. So I phoned up and they said to wait a few days. I phoned again the next day and they admitted there was a problem, I was put on a 24hr call back list. Next day I rang again, they started to try and blame BT again, I explained that I already knew that to be a lie.

Numerous phone calls later, numerous lies about what lists Im on and whos to blame. It is so sickening and so stressful. They say broadband withdrawal symptons are as bad as caffine, but I feel like a crack addict who has been cold turkey for a month.

5 days doesn't sound long, but after 4 weeks to get hooked up, and that continuing promise that I am narly there, it has lasted a life time. Its like Im at the end of a marathon, but they are continuely moving the finish line two steps ahead.

All I want is to get some torrents, but they are going dead. That means I need to get the tv episodes by traditional means. By the time I have the early episodes, the torrents for the latest will be gone. So much else I need. Loads of files and developers asking me to test software. I have to say "yes i know i write filesharing news, but i have dailup." Great. To make it worse, that is dailup I have had to pay for as my dsl wasnt ready.

I really really really hate tesco. They are lying fuckers. I hate them.

Why did the ISP cross the road?

They didn't, they just said they did.

:soapbox:

I doubt posting this will help me. Nevermind, anything to make me feel a little better. Problem shared and all that.

[method77]

I still have dial up

[Redneck4sure]

I have had dsl for 4.5 yrs and I have had my share of horror stories, too. My dsl was off one time for 3 weeks because the modem got struck by lightning and the stupid %$&*$#@ couldn't get me a replacement. I have spoken to more inbred techs than I ever did at a family reunion.

Here is a sample.

me: Lightning struck my modem and I need a replacement.

tech: Really? Well let's check for sure. Turn the modem on.

me: It is on.

tech: How many lights are on?

me: 2

tech: Should be 3.

me: Sorry but it is only 2.

tech: Is the power light on?

me: No it is not.

tech: Are you sure it is turned on?

me: Yes

tech: Are you sure it is plugged in?

me: Yes

tech: Is anything else working that is on the same circuit?

me: Yes.....it is not a power problem. It is on and 2 lights are illuminated.

The damn modem is bad.

tech: Sir, It must not be on or have power because the power light should be on. Check again.

me: Let me ask you something. Does this modem have a built in battery?

tech: No

me: How many lights are supposed to be on when it is turned off?

tech: none.

me: Well then you stupid motherfucker......if the 2 of the fucking lights are on and it doesn't have a battery it has got to be getting power and is turned on!! How many lights do you have on??? It is obvious that there is no one home so turn off the lights. I have tried to be nice but you are the dumbest S.O.B. I have ever seen. Put me on the phone to somebody with a half a brain or better yet, let me talk to your supervisor because you are too fucking stupid for me to deal with.

tech: hangs up.

[rainbowdemon]

I got dsl when I first moved to Ohio. It's from SBC Yahoo. I've only had a few minor problems with it. And they were easily solved.

[moodyblue]

I'm still using dial up too....

[rainbowdemon]

I had a 28k dial-up for 3 years. I cold never go back to that.

[DUTCH-ONLINE]

my @home broadband is great :D :D :D :D

[slum_goddess]

malicious I, this will not help you, but just so you know that we've had huge troubles w/broadband since they finally hooked us up properly (a nightmare). he's convinced that the UK has idiots configuring the DNS servers (sometimes we can't get anywhere but if we don't type in the www., then we're cool--WTF?

good luck, we can't switch either for another 10 months (we're w/bulldog and dint know they were bought by someone else). but we will ASAP (not to BT).

[Tackdaddy]

i have adelphia cable internet here for a couple of years and i gotta admit they have great people working there.when i 1st got broadband it was horrible,it would always turn off and have all kind of problems.they gave me free internet for 7 months because of the many problems.they have made the service 10 times better since then and i have had only a few minor problems.since i have had them they have been to my house at least 30 times in 2 years,they have replaced my modem 4 times,changed ever cable wire inside and outside my house but have never charged me anything.i have never had a problem with the tech's when i call them they seem to know what they are talking about and are always nice and helpful and if they can't fix whats wrong they usally have someone at my house within 24 hours so i gotta give them credit they provide good service.

[rainbowdemon]

Sounds good, Tack. I grew up in your area. I had Adelpia for tv cable. They are a decent outfit.

:good job:

[method77]

lol @ redneck

[Umma]

I went with Onetel for broadband since I already used them for my phone network and dial up. I've had no hitches at all.... they even had me connected sooner than they had estimated so not all UK broadband is a night mare. (I wonder if they'll give me money for saying that.)

and as for Tesco's .... cheap isn't always cheerful... sorry MI :bigsmile:

[Malicious Intent]

Just cancel your DD Slum. Make sure they can't get any access to your account - the bank should block it. Call Bulldog up and and cancel.

I told someone at tesco that I wanted to cancel, but there was no answer on the cancellation line (which you have to pay to ring!!). He said, "oh, we can do that here". GRRR. Then he started saying that there would be a cancellation fee! He wanted me to pay to be disconnected from a service that I am not connected to! Not only that, but I had carefully combed the site for a minimum contract period, but there is not one! I even sent an e-mail to ask, but never got a reply.

I have been calling every two minutes today and holding up the line for as long as I can in the hope of getting some attention. The guy this time said that he is taking a message to the technical department personally. I will leave it 5 mins before asking for an update on that.

Currently I am working in call centre. It will be dead there tomorrow, so I will drop in and find out which call center has the most free staff. Kind of a call centre version of a DoS attack. Perhaps I should clog up the sales line rather than the helpdesk?

We left a truck without rescue on the M1 for 8hrs, it wasn't until the driver called in that we discovered the mistake. Everyone in the centre signed an apology card, which was sent to the driver with a yorkie bar. I believe he was compensated financially as well. Slight difference to the way Tesco has treated me.

[Shawn]

Soon our kids will gather around and get regailed by tales of our having dial-up that had to go through 8 feet of snow uphill both ways.

[Wolfie]

Soon our kids will gather around and get regailed by tales of our having dial-up that had to go through 8 feet of snow uphill both ways.

[rainbowdemon]

Soon our kids will gather around and get regailed by tales of our having dial-up that had to go through 8 feet of snow uphill both ways.

They'll probably think 3 meg dsl or cable was primitive!!

:D

[Redneck4sure]

I got dsl when I first moved to Ohio. It's from SBC Yahoo. I've only had a few minor problems with it. And they were easily solved.

My dsl is with SBC also. I'm glad you have had good luck. In 4.5 yrs I have found them to be the nicest, most incompetent group of people in one spot I have ever seen.

Another example: They would not send me a modem (I have had 4 go bad). They send out a repair tech and he installs the modem. One of the techs gave me the modem even though I told him it was out of warranty. His reason: They never taught him how to bill a customer. He had been servicing dsl for 6 months and never charged anybody! He said he just fixed the problems and his boss never asked why nobody was charged.

Another example: Last month I had my service upgraded from 1.5 megs to 3 megs. It never speeded up. When we called, they couldn't find our account. We were told we didn't have dsl at all. I asked the idiot if he wanted me to send him an email via my non-existant service. Several phone calls and a couple of days later we finally got someone with a clue. Now I have 3 meg d/l.

I have many other stories but I type slowly and I'm sure no one wants to hear them anyway. The only reason I don't have cable is because it is not available at this address. The dsl is fine but if it pukes you are sooooooo screwed.

[rainbowdemon]

Last month I had my service upgraded from 1.5 megs to 3 megs

That could be the difference. I started out with 3. When I was staying with my daughter, we had 1.5 in her name. When I moved into my own place, I got 3.

[slum_goddess]

Malicious I please tell us what happens and which broadband you'll end up w/ ok?

everyone boycott tesco's (i wish we could but some of their stuff is so damn cheap)

[Malicious Intent]

I went with tesco. The aim was to get online ASAP. I was about to make the phonecall to cancel, but it worked on my last check.

They refused any compensation for the trouble they had put me through. The helpline had promised a free month, but the billing line refused it. The billing guy just said "that is them, not us!

YOU ARE ALL FUCKING TESCO!!!

Tesco stores is too good to boycott, I understand Slum. I wish I could shout really loudly to warn everyone off their telecommunications section.

[slum_goddess]

They refused any compensation for the trouble they had put me through. The helpline had promised a free month, but the billing line refused it. The billing guy just said "that is them, not us!

this is amazing! :angry: on the other hand, we had to wait two weeks to get a landline in here and BT took three weeks (my friends were all laughing, telling me Welcome to England). when they finally showed up, they connected us to the neighbors' line downstairs. those poor people were on the phone w/me when i called cursing BT out, then i heard someone saying 'it must be the amerikans upstairs'

when BT finally sorted us out, they removed the 72 quid installation fee, which was very nice and much appreciated. (however powergen is entirely another problem...they must hire idiots)