Line drops and confusion from Service Centre

[Gliwmaeden2]

Yesterday my internet dropped c 1pm, but came back up after a few minutes. 

Today it went down earlier, during the morning, and was long enough for me to bother to run a test to check it. Though the connection was back, it was below the minimum guaranteed speed:

 

Also, since last weekend you have indicated a phone fault, but I hadn't noticed problems with the phone:

 

You'll notice that the report above says that you are unable to load necessary network status information.

I ran a test and it appeared to be coming up with no problem, but the next moment they say they are "working on it", and to check back in a few days' time. 

Currently speeds are normal. 

 

Could you check what's going on?

Are they working at the exchange or something?

I need a reliable functioning line to give an online lesson later today as I am not yet fully back on my feet from Covid.

It's been reliable since last summer when the engineer came, so this is quite a sudden change to faults over the past week. 

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

Yes of course please keep the photo as proof of the visit. I was only suggesting to remove from this thread as it's a public forum.

Thanks again

Debbie

[Gliwmaeden2]

@Debbie-TalkTalk, I told him I was posting his image to add to the thread and he just seemed amused.

Was perfectly happy to have it used as evidence of what had happened. 

However, I'll remove it as probably best practice. 

Of course customers keep photos to show an accurate record.

[Gliwmaeden2]

Thanks, @Debbie-TalkTalk. Messages out of sequence because I took so long to reply....

Blood pressure in disarray....

Off to get another late breakfast....

I'll take some deep breaths to recover!

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

No charge should be applied.

I would suggest removing the photograph of the engineer, if the engineer did not consent for his photo to be published on a public forum.

We can check the connection stats again this afternoon. If the connection is still dropping then this will need another engineer visit.

Thanks

[Gliwmaeden2]

Because the line drops when it is tested, we keep getting out of kilter with our posts, @Debbie-TalkTalk.

I didn't specifically tell him not to do anything. I just specifically told him that the appointment had been cancelled before noon yesterday. 

He didn't come across the threshold because we were concentrating on the mismatch in the information I had been receiving from Talktalk and Openreach (both confirming cancellation) and the fact that he was there.

I showed him the proof of the messages.

Customers should not have to be coping with this mismanagement. 

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

Apologies for this.

I have left full notes to advise that the engineer visit should have been cancelled and did show as cancelled. There should be no charge applied.

Thanks

[Gliwmaeden2]

Just in reply to you asking did he look at the connection,  @Debbie-TalkTalk.

I really was in shock.

We are told that we will be charged if they don't find anything and I just went numb mentally. 

It would have shocked anybody, but when you are still slow from Covid it gets a bit much to manage anything like this!

As I say, I suspect that he may be checking things in order not to have had a totally wasted visit.

I did go out of my way to check with you that the appointment had been cancelled correctly  - there was nothing more that I could do. 

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

The engineer may be testing the line but I have no record of this now as the fault is closed.

Did you specifically ask the engineer not to complete any testing?

I think we should wait until 12pm to see if the connection settles down.

[Gliwmaeden2]

There was another ping yet again right now, @Debbie-TalkTalk, which is the noise the phone makes when the line is being tested, and another drop.

I really need to know what is going on. 

Maybe Openreach told him to check stuff at the exchange?

I did tell him that it had been dire over the past fortnight but after changing the routers I had had a steadier day.

I also told him which routers etc.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

If you do experience any further issues then please let us know.

I will add notes to the account to advise that the engineer visit was showing as cancelled on the Openreach system.

Thanks

[Gliwmaeden2]

Just recovering from the shock of him actually turning up. 

Really  - I said to him that there were so few issues in the past 24 hours that he would probably not have found anything. 

I also had him standing there while I showed him the text messages that confirmed the cancellation, and that I had also posted on here and had the cancellation confirmation in this thread.

😪

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

I've checked again and the engineer visit was definitely showing as cancelled, this may be an issue on Openreach's side.

Did the engineer have a look at the connection for you while he was there?

I didn't test the line this morning, I only took a look at the connection stats.

[Gliwmaeden2]

@Debbie-TalkTalk,

I think you were just checking the line just now, at nearly 8am, or it might have been the Openreach engineer?

I then got a little knock at the door.

You yourself confirmed that the engineer had been cancelled and so did the texts and emails. 

It should not be necessary for customers to use that 0870 number in addition to having had it confirmed through 3 different media.

So I had a little chat with this nice man:

IMAGE REMOVED BY GLIWMAEDEN2. 

 

Really, you couldn't make it up!

I will have to watch my bill like a hawk, and expect any charges concerning this to be credited back immediately. 

Concerning the disconnections, I didn't notice anything during the day, after that little one in the morning yesterday. 

I am hearing another ping on the phone as though someone is testing the line again right now. 

So just waiting to reconnect in order to post this.

What on earth is going on?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

I've checked the connection stats again and I can see some re connections.

How has the connection been?

[Gliwmaeden2]

Thanks for monitoring it, @Debbie-TalkTalk.

I did notice a brief moment where it said "checking the connection" before accessing the Service Centre, but any drop would have been minuscule. 

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

I will check the connection stats again tomorrow to see if the connection has remained stable.

Thanks

Debbie

[Gliwmaeden2]

Thanks, @Debbie-TalkTalk.

An email from Talktalk actually calls it "our" engineer....

If you don't think that Talktalk's own engineer actually did anything either, they really shouldn't be sending out porkies about how it was resolved!

I know that Talktalk likes generic communication, but with technical cases, where there might be fines etc for the customer, it is totally inappropriate!

Their response should probably say, "resolved by the hard slog of @Debbie-TalkTalk and Gliwmaeden2 working through a process of elimination....."!

As you say, best to stick with what we have now set up and keep an eye on it to give it all time to stabilise. 

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

I've checked the fault ticket again and Openreach have not advised that any work was completed on the line.

I would keep the HG635 router connected for now just in case anything changes and if the fault re occurs.

Thanks

[Gliwmaeden2]

Thank you, @Debbie-TalkTalk.

Good to know that it is definitely cancelled. 

Do you think their engineer actually did anything, as ithey suggest in the other text...?

Was it something they should have acknowledged all the time as an external problem?

Was it therefore not the Sagemcom at all....?

Yesterday's wobbles just my HG635 getting back on its feet?

If any feedback is needed, I really think it should be that Service Centre's diagnostics didn't seem to help us much at all!

What are your thoughts on whether this was external or the router?

It ran us round in circles for nearly two weeks!

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Gliwmaeden2

Sorry yes, just checked on Openreach's system and the fault/appointment has been closed.