Wow, where do I start. 8 Months of phone calls and emails, each and everyone being fobbed off, just as long as they're getting their money.
Since I signed up to Tiscali 8 Meg in October 2006, I have not had a single web page load up within 30 seconds. Not even the google homepage.
It frequently took 15 minutes and more, trying a refresh every few minutes, even then I'd have to settle with broken images.

To add insult to injury, due to my repeated futile attempts at loading pages, Tiscali applied a Fair User Policy a few months later due to 'Heavy Usage'! It's kind of ironic that they advertise it as the perfect service for heavy users. False advertising in fact.

I'd phone, but they would try and blame my browser's cache. Despite me repeatedly saying that I have the same problem with 4 PCs, 1 Notebook, 2 ADSL router-modems, 1 USB ADSL modem and 4 microfilters. And I'm an IT expert. They'd tell me to clear my cache anyway, along with all my saved form data and passwords. When that obviously didnt work, I was kind of mad, as you can imagine.

The replies to my emails simply said that slow internet at peak times is due to the fair user policy. I'd reply, stating that this problem existed LONG before they applied the policy, and exists 24 hours a day. And it's not just slow page loading. It's pages not loading at all! They would reply to this with 'slow internet at peak times is due to the fair user policy'. How frustrating! I'd even bullet point the facts, but they'd ignore that and blame the policy.

I wrote a letter to customer services last week, in frustration, which went as follows:

 

"Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing this letter to follow up repeated phone calls
and emails made to your company over approximately the previous 8 months.

Since I signed up for your 8MB unlimited broadband package
in October of 2006, I have still not received a working broadband connection.
As repeatedly explained over the telephone and via email, I usually cannot load
up web pages or send/receive email, and spend an average of 15 minutes clicking
refresh to load each simple web page. While loading, pages generally time out,
or load without images. My university remote access application simply fails to
connect, or disconnects soon after connecting.

I have tried to explain repeatedly over the phone that this
is not a fault with any of my equipment (I have 4 PCs, 1 notebook, 2 wireless
modem-routers and 2 USB ADSL modems). I have also tried various operating
systems and web browsers. My previous broadband ISP was fine. The people I
spoke to on the phone failed to understand this and asked me to simply clear my
browser cache (!). They failed to provide me with any explanation or help at
all.

 I was also told by email that my problems are a result of
fair-usage policy restrictions, which were placed on my account due to people
in my house repeatedly trying to get websites to load, for hours on end each
day. By the way, this problem exists 24 hours a day, not just at peak times. It
also existed when there was no fair-usage policy in place.

 I am now at my wits end and I am extremely frustrated with
your company for failing to provide a service for which I have been paying for
the last 8 months.

I also find it the name of your ‘fair user policy’ quite
ironic, as I see the connection I have as anything but fair!

 Therefore I am requesting that you at least provide me with
some sort of compensation for the hell you have put me through during the past
8 months.

I have now completely lost hope on you ever putting my
broadband connection right.

 Kind regards,

Hayden Kibble" 

 

Their response was exactly what I expected. They decided not to read the bit about me not having a working broadband connection since I signed up, and blamed it on the FUP again!:

"We are unable to offer you compensation for slow speed or connection drops as after checking your usage we can see the account has been used throughout and you reported no faults to us aside from discussing the fair user policy.

As your usage has been heavy on occasion this has resulted in your bandwidth being controlled during peak hours which would explain any speed issues you have had..." "we are unable to further assist you with this matter." Stuart McLean

So they've basically said: 'There is no problem, you didn't contact us, we arent going to help'.

Charming! I'm now trying to find a phone number for Stuard McClean, so I can speak to him personally.

I've cancelled my account. What else can I do?

If anyone knows where I can get a phone number (not to a call centre in India) I'd like it please.

I have found this number for head office, but I'm not sure it's for the customer services department:

+44 (0) 20 7087 2000

 I'll phone it tomorrow and see how it goes.

I had a problem with Tiscali last year, not a service problem, just when I moved house. When I changed my address they didn't think it necessary to alter my service to the new number. I eventually got it sorted after paying for a service I couldn't get for 2 months.

After numerous emails and phone calls with being passed from customer services (UK) to Tech help (India) a lot! I eventually phoned the 0208 number, which isn't that easy to come across. I got through to 'High Level Complaints' who dealt with the situation fairly rapidly, they still needed chasing along though. Just make sure you get a direct dial for the high level complaints folk.

 Good luck.

What's the 0208 number? I'll give it a try.

Gather together all the evidence that you can and take the matter up with your local trading standards office.

I had a similar problem a few months ago which was related to their DNS server. I believe they have sorted this now, but I changed to using the 'OPEN DNS' system which is free and brilliant. The problem went away and hasn't come back.

I understand you can also get similar problems with software causing interference with your browser. Do you have the same software (particularly anti virus software) installed on all your machines? 

No,

I owned one PC and a laptop.

The other 3 PCs were owned by other people, each with different AV apps.

That DNS problem sounds interesting, but I think I can remember trying a public DNS server. 

Tried the Tiscali HO number - no, it's not for customer services or anything else either!  45 seconds referring callers to the usual 0870 numbers then advice that I had an incorrect attendant number before the line went dead!  Could this be the real problem with Tiscali?  They're all dead???

Hi

I am going through the same issue with Tiscali.
I have tried phoning them and email, but their level of support is one of the worst that I have ever experienced.
I am going to contact head office as my next move.
I found this on the web, so will try Jody Haskayne to see if she will help
Jody Haskayne, Director of PR & Communications, Tiscali UK Limited on 020 7087 2115
or 07710 726 443

Thank you for providing these phone numbers. I have not had service from Tiscali since 22nd January 08 and have to use my neighbour's wireless connection (with his permission of course) to get on the net. I have phoned 4 times and each time I was fobbed off with excuses network/exchange problems, dont know when it will be fixed. Customer service really stinks. Last night I phoned again, and asked to be compensated for the lack of service. The call centre operator from India dealing with my complaint in the billing department said compensation could not be given until the service was reinstated. What a load of rubbish. They are still taking the DD out of my bank, I explained to him that they were in breach of contract as I was paying for a service I had not received for a month. I pressured him to commit to the gesture of goodwill he was going to reimburse to me if say my internet came back last night. For a whole month, Tiscali would reimburse me £10.00! Wow!

I will keep you posted if I get through on the numbers tomorrow.

For prospective new Tiscali customers, dont dont even entertain Tiscali. They are a waste of time/money.

I have just found some more information that may help.

Try http://www.saynoto0870.com/search.php

Do a company search for Tiscali and see a load more contact numbers.
I have also logged a complaint with www.ispa.org.uk who agree to contact Tiscali on my behalf.
I got carried away with my emails last night and went through all the combinations of possible emails that I could come up with for names on the board of Tiscali + @uk.tiscali.com
I.e quentin.birchall AT uk.tiscali.com; jody.haskayne AT uk.tiscali.com etc etc etc

Something has rattled their cage, because I had a call this morning from their senior complaints team.

I have also found my local MP and asked him to investigate the companies advertising methods ( unlimited = a limit )
I have done the same with BBC Watch Dog

Its a real pain to do, but if enough users of their service not only complain to Tiscali but also register with the other complaints bodies then someone may take action against then.