Suggestion on actions about UPC installation issue?

jinyasha

Update: Nearly 20 hours after installation, still no service. I asked about cancellation. The CSR told me I have to give 1-month notice and pay 100 euros penalties. Since someone here said one can cancel it within 7 days with no penalty, I had to ask whether that's the case specifically. The CSR put me on hold for a few seconds and came back and said that is the case. Suppose I didn't ask that specifically, I doubt the CSR would ever tell me about it.

Original Post:

Hi, I wonder anything else I can do in the following situation other than a (useless) complaint to UPC customer support.

I had my internet installed today. When the technician left, they told me to wait 1-2 hours and power off and then on again the modem and I should have my internet service; otherwise I can call customer support and a technician will come and fix it the same day. I did exactly that. Then I tried internet. Yes, you guessed it, IT DIDN'T WORK. The modem kept asking me 'SID or username' and 'password'. I called the customer support. First I got cut off twice while talking to a CSR or waiting to be transferred. When I was eventually addressed, I was told I had to wait for 24-48 hours. Orz. However, UPC obviously is going to charge me from today when their service is not available yet. I think it's not fair at all.

Two other points: 1) CSR told me there should a sticker at the bottom of the modem that give 'SID or username' and 'password'. There is none; 2) The technician told me if there is a problem, I can call customer support and a technician will come and fix it the same day. But the CSR said that's not possible. I'm keeping getting false information from them too.

I wonder what else I can do other than a (useless) complaint to UPC customer support. Will it be taken seriously by some of the entities like National Consumer Agency or small claims court? Is there any entity that serves the same function as BBB (Better Business Bureau) in US?

IrishTonyO

suggest you give them a bit more time, it was only installed today, if u don't have a username and password you will not get the internet, the technician should have written them down on the form he gave you to sign and gave you a copy of

jinyasha

There is a kind of username and password on the form. But it didn't work. The CSR also gave me another set. That didn't work either. The CSR was talking about something like 'provisioning', though I'm not sure I get it right.

Nevertheless, my focus on this post is not about how I can get my internet service. My focus is on what our options are as consumers when a company like UPC gives inconsistent information and crappy service. For example, UPC is going to charge from today when its service is not available yet. What are our options to push them to treat us consumers more fair, i.e. charge from the day the service becomes available?

Cabaal

Impatient?
If your worried about them charging you from today and lets say you get connected tomorrow I'm sure if you complain alot they'll give you a 16c refund which you'd be due (estimated)

Small claims court for a login problem, your a kidding me?
Comreg also won't touch you if you won't give UPC a reasonable attempt at resolving your problem and given you will barely call them this doesn't show a reasonable attempt

Provisioning likely refers to the registration required for a cable modem on UPC's network

IrishTonyO

jinyasha wrote: »

There is a kind of username and password on the form. But it didn't work. The CSR also gave me another set. That didn't work either. The CSR was talking about something like 'provisioning', though I'm not sure I get it right.

Nevertheless, my focus on this post is not about how I can get my internet service. My focus is on what our options are as consumers when a company like UPC gives inconsistent information and crappy service. For example, UPC is going to charge from today when its service is not available yet. What are our options to push them to treat us consumers more fair, i.e. charge from the day the service becomes available?

Well sorry but you haven't even checked when they are charging you from have you? But if you feel this strongly about them cancel the service.

MadMickeyMonk

jinyasha wrote: »

: 1) CSR told me there should a sticker at the bottom of the modem that give 'SID or username' and 'password'. There is none;

Emm yes there is. Upc along with nearly every other broadband supplier in Ireland and the UK use netgear WGR614 wireless routers as standard. If you look on the back there is 2 barcodes. Well the DEFAULT SSID and password is printed there above the barcodes. These will not work though unless you press the reset button on the router. If you do this you can then change the isp address and password for the router yourself but your better off waiting so your isp address is registered by the control centre.

Davy

SSID and password is also in the manual booklet supplied with the router.

jinyasha

I guess I find the reason why these companies are sloppy. They are not pushed enough since there are consumers like some of those here. If UPC comes to install internet and tells customers it will be available on that day, it should KEEP ITS WORD. If it doesn't, then that's crappy service and there should be penalties. I'm using the charge just as an example. If UPC is a consumer-centric company, it should be doing more than that. They should give consumers options to escalate the issue, have dedicated teams to handle it promptly and communicate the progress to consumers continuously, instead of just telling consumers '24-48 hours' and leaving them in the cold.

jinyasha

Please read: it's 'SID or username', not 'SSID'.

I'm getting the 5M service without wireless. So there is no 'SSID'. And as I said, there is no sticker with 'SID or username' and 'password'.

IrishTonyO

jinyasha wrote: »

I guess I find the reason why these companies are sloppy. They are not pushed enough since there are consumers like some of those here. If UPC comes to install internet and tells customers it will be available on that day, it should KEEP ITS WORD. If it doesn't, then that's crappy service and there should be penalties. I'm using the charge just as an example. If UPC is a consumer-centric company, it should be doing more than that. They should give consumers options to escalate the issue, have dedicated teams to handle it promptly and communicate the progress to consumers continuously, instead of just telling consumers '24-48 hours' and leaving them in the cold.

Well sorry but you will never be happy with UPC or any other provider, if you will not give them more than a couple of hours to sort a problem. And if you think it is a crappy service cancel it now within your 7 days with no penalty.

jinyasha

"More than a couple hours"?

They came to install it at 1:30pm and it's still not working at the moment. And it might still be not working for another 24-48 hours. So to you, it's just "more than a couple hours"? Well, I guess we are not living on the same planet.

'Cancel it now'? That's another problem. There is not enough competition. UPC is the only company offering broadband on CABLE in Ireland, to the best of my knowledge. And broadband on DSL sucks.

IrishTonyO

jinyasha wrote: »

"More than a couple hours"?

They came to install it at 1:30pm and it's still not working at the moment. And it might still be not working for another 24-48 hours. So to you, it's just "more than a couple hours"? Well, I guess we are not living on the same planet.

Well like I say then since you are so unhappy cancel the service or give them time to sort it. Maybe take the time to read their terms and conditions which you signed on to agree, especially the section on resolution of problems. But you will find no company will provide you with the service you seem to expect.

jinyasha

IrishTonyO wrote: »

Well like I say then since you are so unhappy cancel the service or give them time to sort it. Maybe take the time to read their terms and conditions which you signed on to agree, especially the section on resolution of problems. But you will find no company will provide you with the service you seem to expect.

I guess you're right, "no company will provide you with the service you seem to expect". And with no one wants to push them or with some consumers that try to put off others who wants to push them, there will never be.

IrishTonyO

jinyasha wrote: »

I guess you're right, "no company" in IRELAND "will provide you with the service you seem to expect"

You will find it is not just Ireland and to be honest your expectations that any company can sort a problem, that they have made aware of within a couple of hours is far too high. And of course not in their terms and conditions, which you signed that you agreed to, in there they have up to 20 working days to sort a problem.

jinyasha

IrishTonyO wrote: »

You will find it is not just Ireland and to be honest your expectations that any company can sort a problem, that they have made aware of within a couple of hours is far too high. And of course not in their terms and conditions, which you signed that you agreed to, in there they have up to 20 working days to sort a problem.

Last post edited. Reiterate:

I guess you're right, "no company will provide you with the service you seem to expect". And with no one wants to push them or with some consumers that try to put off others who wants to push them, there will never be.

jinyasha

IrishTonyO wrote: »

You will find it is not just Ireland and to be honest your expectations that any company can sort a problem, that they have made aware of within a couple of hours is far too high. And of course not in their terms and conditions, which you signed that you agreed to, in there they have up to 20 working days to sort a problem.

"your expectations that any company can sort a problem, that they have made aware of within a couple of hours is far too high". That is not my expectation. This is: "They should give consumers options to escalate the issue, have dedicated teams to handle it promptly and communicate the progress to consumers continuously, instead of just telling consumers '24-48 hours' and leaving them in the cold."

IrishTonyO

jinyasha wrote: »

Last post edited. Reiterate:

I guess you're right, "no company will provide you with the service you seem to expect". And with no one wants to push them or with some consumers that try to put off others who wants to push them, there will never be.

so vote with your feet and cancel the service, that way they lose a customer and revenue

jinyasha

IrishTonyO wrote: »

so vote with your feet and cancel the service, that way they lose a customer and revenue

That, of course, is one course of action. However, what I'm asking in this thread is whether there are other alternatives. If your only suggestion is 'cancel the service', why not just leave it as that without trying to riducule other possibilities or the attempt to push the company?

Greyfox

jinyasha wrote: »

"your expectations that any company can sort a problem, that they have made aware of within a couple of hours is far too high". That is not my expectation. This is: "They should give consumers options to escalate the issue, have dedicated teams to handle it promptly and communicate the progress to consumers continuously, instead of just telling consumers '24-48 hours' and leaving them in the cold."

Your expectations are absolutely riddiculous, your not giving the company proper time to resolve the issue and just been impatient. Yes if the issue goes on more then 2 - 3 days they should have an esculation path and keep you updated but 24 - 48 is a resonable timeframe to be just telling you it's "in progress". I'm sure they do have teams to deal with it properly and the 24 - 48 hour timeframe is properly. They could be leaving you in the cold because they don't know exactly what the problem is and can't tell you exactly when it will be fixed and as long as it's fixed in 48 hours that's perfectly ok, your not living in the real world if you think theirs something wrong with this. If you do send a letter of complaint I hope the person who recieves it has enough sense to just put it in the bin.

Mountjoy Mugger

Make sure they have the correct MAC address of your modem also. It may have been taken down incorrectly.

axer

jinyasha wrote: »

However, UPC obviously is going to charge me from today when their service is not available yet. I think it's not fair at all.

Well you are wrong here. UPC will refund any days that you are without your service. They are excellent like this. My internet went down once during my 10 months using UPC and there was an automatic refund in the next bill (a euro or two or something like that).

keithclancy

jinyasha wrote: »

"your expectations that any company can sort a problem, that they have made aware of within a couple of hours is far too high". That is not my expectation. This is: "They should give consumers options to escalate the issue, have dedicated teams to handle it promptly and communicate the progress to consumers continuously, instead of just telling consumers '24-48 hours' and leaving them in the cold."

Your expecting Business level service from a consumer product.

I would understand if you had a leased line with the likes of Verizon or AT&T but to be fair its only a Consumer cable internet connection and alot of the problems sound like their between the end user and keyboard.

I ordered UPC in the Netherlands, modem came two days later, plugged in and it just worked