Stop Paying IBB

nadir

Sorry for yet another IBB topic, but it's probably past time to do something about it.
The Service is unusable, its dialup speeds with woeful packet loss and superhigh pings constantly now, I'm going to stop paying them.
They havn't answered any of my calls. Were sending them a letter to let them know we are ceasing payments.
If other boards users with problems do the same , maybe they will listen, if we get cut off , or dont have a valid response soon, just sign up to smart instead.
It would be nice to get a head count of users who will take similar action.

prospect

What are the follow up implications of this action?
If you stop paying, even though you are tied into a contract?
Will it effect your ability to get an other service provider?

I have recently gone from my 3 month UTV trial to the payed service. But it occured to me recently that I never signed any contracts with them. So how can the 12 month obligation stand?

RangeR

You're best bet is not to stop payment. Instead follow their CODE OF PRACTICE FOR CUSTOMER COMPLAINT HANDLING which they do not adhere to anyway. It will take time but basically it's like this.

http://www.irishbroadband.ie/htmdocs/faq/code_of_practice.htm

You write a formal letter of complaint. I wrote them a 3 or 4 page letter detailing all of my documented problems with them. Do NOT email or phone them anymore. You WILL get nowhere.

This is their complaints handling process [below]. However, points 2, 3, 4 and 5 will not be undertaken by IBB. 10 days after you post off your letter, then complain to ComReg. IBB have to reply to ComReg within a further 10 days but they don't have to agree to anything, they just have to respond. THIS is how I finally got away from IBB a week after ComReg got involved.

If you just cancel your payments, you will be breaking the terms of YOUR contract and things could get messy. Just leave it at IBB breaking their terms. They will have no comeback.

The following steps apply to all complaints received by Irish Broadband:

1)[font=&quot] [/font]Initial contact by customer

Complaints are received by phone, e-mail, web or letter.

2)[font=&quot] [/font]Acknowledgement of complaint

All complaints will be acknowledged within two working days. Phone complaints are acknowledged immediately on receipt of the call by Irish Broadband’s customer care representative.

3)[font=&quot] [/font]Investigation of the complaint

Irish Broadband aims to resolve all complaints within the shortest possible timeframe. In many cases, the complaint can be resolved at the initial point of contact. However, where this is not possible the complaint is escalated to the relevant department within Irish Broadband.

4)[font=&quot] [/font]Internal escalation of complaint

Irish Broadband aims to resolve all complaints within the following indicative timescales. The following applies to all complaints which are identified to be the responsibility of Irish Broadband or are as a result of a failure in Irish Broadband’s network.

Billing – Complaints and queries relating to billing issues will be resolved within 5 working days.

Installation – Irish Broadband aims to resolve any complaints regarding installation within 10 working days. All customer installations have a seven day cooling-off period before contractual terms apply. During this period, customers can cancel their agreement with Irish Broadband with no further obligation.

Service Degradation – Irish Broadband constantly monitors the quality of our network and the quality of all customer connections. Irish Broadband aims to resolve all customer service degradation issues within 5 working days.

Repair - Irish Broadband aims to repair all customer connectivity faults within 5 working days.

Other – all other complaints will be resolved within 10 working days.


5)[font=&quot] [/font]Notification of resolution of the complaint

Once a complaint is rectified, you will be contacted by a customer care representative to ensure that the fault has been resolved to the satisfaction of the customer. Faults will only be closed with agreement of you, the customer. A record of the complaint and of the resolution will be maintained on Irish Broadband’s customer database for a minimum period of 12 months.

Your statutory rights are not affected by this Code of Practice. For independent advice regarding telecommunications or consumer issues you can contact the following agencies:

Commission for Communications Regulation

Abbey Court, Irish Life Center, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1

Tel: 1890 229 668 or Fax: 01 804 9680

E-mail: consumerline@comreg.ie

Johnny Jukebox

I would, but they're the only game in town where I live and I can't risk them cutting me off for non-payment.

A crap service is better than no service.

But if I get another, demonstrably superior provider, I'll tell IBB to stick their contract up their arse.

I'll gladly stand in front of any judge, with my assorted engineering, computer science degrees and masters, 20+ IT industry experience and expert witness role, and explain exactly how IBB are currently incapable of delivering a service.

zap

prospect wrote:

What are the follow up implications of this action?
If you stop paying, even though you are tied into a contract?
Will it effect your ability to get an other service provider?

I have recently gone from my 3 month UTV trial to the payed service. But it occured to me recently that I never signed any contracts with them. So how can the 12 month obligation stand?

12 month obligation becuase you put it on your telephone account number and this is considered forming a contract, there have all ready been cases on this.

RangeR

prospect wrote:

But it occured to me recently that I never signed any contracts with them. So how can the 12 month obligation stand?

A bit off topic but.... It doesn't stand, however if you signed up over the web, you agreed to the terms of service, which is for 12 months.
If you signed up over the phone the call was probably recorded and you agreed to terms of service.

If non of this is true then it's their fault, you probably have no contract. Only bring it up with them when you are ready to leave UTV as they may get you to sign contract or withdraw service.

Stark

Has anyone here received a copy of their "service level agreement" from them? I signed up to the business package expecting to receive one, but didn't get any.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

If IBB are not delivering the service that they commited them selves to, does that not constitute a breach of contract, making it null and void?

Pepe LeFrits

It's been a couple of years since I used IBB but it sounds like nothing has changed!

Different year, same old jip!

RangeR

sean_keevey wrote:

If IBB are not delivering the service that they commited them selves to, does that not constitute a breach of contract, making it null and void?

Pretty much but you can't go taking the law into your own hands. Following their complaints procedure or getting your lawyer involved would be the better ways to handle.

stark wrote:

Has anyone here received a copy of their "service level agreement" from them? I signed up to the business package expecting to receive one, but didn't get any.

It's posted on their website. I never received one but it took me a while to find it. Actually it's not an SLA, it has a tiny section describing what's in the SLA. It's in their Business FAQ : http://www.irishbroadband.ie/pdf/faq.pdf