Tiscali are a bunch of *****

[cornwallis]

May i recommend that users stay away from this **** company!.Their customer service is non existant and relies on an expensive 0870 number.They do not answer emails either.You have been warned!!

[airborne_artist]

check http://www.adslguide.org for info on broadband services. T*****i are not well thought of by many others.

[A V 8]

Absolutely agree!

Just had massive problems with them. Customer service non-existant. Contract's up in January - they're getting well and truely dumped!

:mad: :mad: :mad:

[planecrazy.eu]

Well i have had, hmm, well problems with them. The massive problems for me came from BlueYonder, now they are a joke, but thats a different type of story, more technical and bad after service. I also soon got shot of BullDog broadband too. I am currently on BT HomeHub, its all pretty sound just not as quick, and i hate to admit this, blueyonder.

BlueYonder has to been the King of speed...

[oldbeefer]

Customer service can't possibly be worse than Talk Talk, can it?

[Sul]

I've used them in the past - just for 56k though, they were okay, my parents use them for broadband at the moment.. not reported any problems. I guess it's only a problem when you need to use their support.. which often is quite a big problem!

-Sul

[Bigwings]

You could try ringing 0207 0872000, it's Tiscali's main switchbord, then ask for customer support, might help ease the pain a little.

Bigwings :)

[Saab Dastard]

Our telephone account was taken over by Tiscali (from NTL, from Cable & Wireless from Mercury).

What a shambles on the billing!

After the DD was set up, they persistently failed to utilise it for the best part of a year, despite being told every month to do so. Surprise, surprise after about a year we started to get bills with 2 items - one with the correct monthly amount, the other for the arrears.

What was truly brilliant was that they seemed unable to simply add the 2 together and take it via DD! This continued for months, with the same figure being added to the bill but never withdrawn.

Eventually we were getting threatening letters and debt collection agencies getting involved. It quickly went back to Tiscali when I explained that yes, we were paying the bills every month via DD, and if Tiscali couldn't use the DD that they had set up then it was Tiscali's problem, to which the agency agreed.

Eventually, Tiscali got in touch, and started requesting US to sort it out with the bank. I really lost it at this point, and told them that it was their DD, their billing system, their problem and to get their fingers out and sort it themselves.

Finally, they did so. But was I impressed? No.

We have a second line (paid for by work) which is on a call plan that allows free UK calls, 24x7. Calling abroad I use Skype. So the Tiscali line is virtually for incoming calls only (I don't want to change our number - it's such a hassle).

The last monthly bill? 84p!

I'm pleased to think that it is probably costing them more than that to keep the account open. ;)

SD

[frostbite]

I have paid my BT bill by DD for years.

Several years ago, BT failed to collect an odd £3.97 for some reason.

It appears on, and is included in the total of, every quarterly bill, but is never taken!

I now automatically deduct that sum when updating my bank a/c program.

[ATCbabe]

Tiscali are a bunch of *****

If only I had read this before joining them in September!!! Six weeks later no broadband with everyone telling me BT were doing something to the exchange and it wouldn't be long. Eventually one guy tells me that the order was cancelled the DAY AFTER it was ordered!!!!:ugh: :ugh:

Seems Tiscali couldn't be bothered to reorder it.... musta ment someone taking an inititive or sumin:sad:

So hours of phone calls later and I have to officially cancel it. Then tried to complain to be told no complaints dep to phone...grrrrrrr. Eventually someone gives me an email address and someone else a postal address. So emailed a complaint and posted one as well. Another six weeks later (this week infact) gets a totally unacceptable letter telling me sorry I had a problem! Oh yeah and a snotty email telling me to call their technical dep for help!!!!:ugh: :ugh:

All I can say is that I love Mr Pipex, his broadband service is great, quick to set up and so far very reliable. Oh and even better his help service is UK based...absolute bliss. Thank you Mr Pipex, you really are my hero :D :D

Babe

[Charlie Zulu]

Babe,

You actually received a reply from Mr Tiscali? That is news to me!

I'll totally agree with you, I remember writing that letter of complaint with you! Six weeks. Hmmmm, not bad considering they said 48 hours in the automatic email reply you received and further it is no where near as bad as compared to BT Broadband... still waiting for that one, aren't you? Still I suppose I could count as that companies "representative" for you. :)

Everyone please note that Babe isn't really a professional complainer, just had a run of bad luck with broadband services. Mr Pipex seems excellent so far!!!

Mr ATCbabe.

[ATCbabe]

CZ,

please dont mention BT broadband... I still get worked up over that:*

Will just say I never had a problem with BT broadband itself, I cancelled over their lack of customer care I got when there was a problem. After 4 hours on the phone with them one saturday I had enough... mind you had I known the problems I would encounter trying to get a new broadband provider I may not have changed.

Altho have I mentioned.... I love Mr Pipex ;)

Babe

[makintw]

Here, here.
I'm in Taiwan, and on a trip back to Blighty in May got my mum connected to tiscali broadband.
Fine until you want to try and update payment details. Can't seem to get to the page from an outside ISP, just comes up as a server error.
As others mention c*** customer service, "we'll get back to you within 7 days" auto email replies, and when they do they don't answer your questions , just send out a standard "this'll probably fix it" message.
Now that Bigwings has given the switchboard number me thinks an irate call on Monday will help let off some steam.:*

[IO540]

All cheap ISPs are the same.

Best to pay a few quid extra per month and go to a decent one like ZEN.

[VH-MTT]

I moved from pipex earlier this year over to bethere.co.uk.

I now get 16Mb/s download and 1.3Mb/s upload for the same price, however pipex have tried to collect the money and have had to refund it twice telling me the account was definatly closed and no more money would be taken, still they took it and had to refund it, so i cancelled the direct debit at my end and they then called me and told me i owe them for three months worth of internet.

I had minimal problems with Pipex, except for once when they closed off my account on a sunday lunchtime for owing them 84p. and the office was not open till monday morning to pay the charge. when they then tried to take the money, they said they couldn't as it was less than a pound so they would just charge me more next month and put my internet service back on. so i was without internet for a day for no reason at all.

I would still recommend pipex if you wanted to go with them, but i'd also tell you to cancel the direct debit at your end when you close your account as well.

M.

[OverTq]

I've been with a small company - Vispa - for three years now. On the odd occasion when I have had a query, it's a local cost call which was answered immediately by an engineer in the UK. Sorted in seconds and worth every penny! My daughter signed up to talk talk last year and has had endless problems - I shall transfer her to my ISP as soon as she can get someone at TT to answer her e-mails!

[timbo04]

Tiscali are indeed a complete nightmare - signed up with them 6 weeks ago for their 8mb "max" product - then for the last four weeks have suffered from an unreliable service and speeds which were sometimes slower than dial up. I quickly realised that their customer service is a complete shambles so I got their HQ address from companies house and sent off a letter threatening a Small Claims action within five days unless they cancelled my contract - thankfully it seems to have worked as I am waiting to be connected tomorrow with a different supplier having got a MAC code.

If you find yourself banging your head against a brick wall with these companies the threat of small claims action is normally quite effective. Last year I had a nightmare with Orange who supplied a faulty handset and would not replace it - to cut a long story short I paid the court fee of £39, brought a small claims action at the local sheriff court, turned up on the day - Orange thought they could submit their defence by letter rather than appear and the sheriff granted a decree in my favour. Felt quite good sending Orange a letter demanding payment within 7 days or I would send in the sheriff officers! Got a cheque for £400 plus interest by return.

[Bluebaron]

I am in the process of starting legal action against tiscali for harassment following a disputed bill.

If you have a good story i would appreicate anything that might help prove my case aginst them for incompetent customer service.

BB

[Saab Dastard]

If anyone wishes to contact Bluebaron, please only do so via PM, and carry on any subsequent dialogue via email outside PPRuNe.

This thread is now locked.

SD