Persistent and recurrent internet outages since joining

[M_stringer33]

Since joining TalkTalk in September 2023, we have encountered recurrent and disruptive internet outages, some lasting hours. Most of the time, I call TalkTalk technical support to report this and in an attempt to get back online. Each time, we spend up to an hour "diagnosing" the issue - sometimes our connection is restored before the end of the call, but often it isn't. I'm starting to think this is more down to chance than anything the technical department is doing, since I haven't been able to report the past four outages (since 14/01/24), and the connection has eventually been spontaneously restored.

The last time I spoke with Technical Support, on 13/01/24, following yet another drop in service, I was told the connection would be monitored, and I requested a call back with complaints, but as yet I have heard nothing from TalkTalk.

We have established that there is no issue with the EERO. When we suffer these outages, we find that the broadband light and service light are off on the black box on the wall (Power and Ethernet are still green), although sometimes the broadband light does flash orange, which seems to throw technical support every time as they repeatedly ask me to confirm the status of my lights.

Often, I am told that this is an issue with City Fibre, and they need to raise it with them, and someone might need to come out. Since I first started reporting the issues, I've been having to TalkTalk; no one has yet been out. I have tried speaking with City Fibre direct; however, they advised they were unable to talk to me, and any request must come via TalkTalk.

As someone who frequently works from home, a stable internet connection is crucial for my job. The consistent interruptions during meetings and the subsequent inability to log back in for hours are not only disruptive but also impacting my work performance. This often requires me to make up lost hours in my personal time, which is unacceptable.

TalkTalk's promise of a "faster, more reliable connection" has unfortunately become a source of irony among my family and friends, given the ongoing issues we've faced. If this situation persists, I may have no choice but to consider canceling my contract and returning to our previous service provider, where such problems were nonexistent.

I urge you to address these issues promptly and effectively to restore the service for which I am paying. I appreciate your attention to this matter and hope for a resolution soon.

Kind regards,

[Chris-TalkTalk]

No problem 🙂

Chris

[M_stringer33]

Thanks Chris, No I was not aware of this but will keep an eye out. Thanks for the update.

Mark 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi Mark,

There's a note from the engineer saying that he is investigating but nothing further. If you do experience any further problems just let us know and we can pass it back

Regarding that complaint, there appears to be a callback booked for Monday afternoon, are you aware of this?

Chris

[Gliwmaeden2]

@M_stringer33, automatic compensation only covers outages when they are sustained over days at a time, and takes 30 days to show after resolution of the issue:

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/About-your-auto-compensation-credit/ta-p/2326583

They may offer a goodwill gesture, but it's not automatic. 

[M_stringer33]

Morning,

Any update on where this is? I've had a text to say a fix has been applied but no details - touchwood we've had no further dropouts  this week however, still somewhat nervous as it can be stable for a period then completely drop again for an extended period so it would be good to know what the problem was and what has been done. Also, the previous two people I spoke with at Talktalk said they would raise the issue to complaints and someone would call be back - still no call back - and they said that I would also be compensated for the downtime. 

Regards,

Mark 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi Mark,

I'll pass this over to our Future Fibre team and ask them to take a look. I'll let you know when I receive an update or they may contact you directly

Thanks

Chris

[M_stringer33]

Hi Chris, any chance of an update? I'm living on constant anxiety of my connection dropping again.

Mark 

[M_stringer33]

Morning Chris,

It still hadn't come back on when I left for work this morning. Just checking my EERO app now it appears to have reconnected?

The issue is intermittent so I don't know for how long it will last. Is it possible to get this escalated so that the case isn't immediately closed down once the internet reconnects? I could see yesterday, that the case opened when I spoke to someone after lunch had already been closed, noting "your fault has now been fixed". This was prior to it going off again around 7pm.  

Mark 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi M_stringer33,

Could I just ask, how is your service at the moment?

Chris

[M_stringer33]

Thank you. Just tired and fed up. I thought this issue had been resolved earlier in the year and feels like we’re back to square one.  I frequently work from home so having an unreliable connection, that’s down for long periods of time, isn’t great. Extra frustrating since when I spoke to talk talk earlier today, they seem to be suggesting it was just a coverage issue in my home. 

[Gliwmaeden2]

@M_stringer33, staff are not on here at weekends, so please wait for them to catch up with your more recent posts during the day.

I'll re-escalate this thread, as it was over a week since the previous communications. 

Whatever you do, keep your Direct Debit in place. There'll just be yet more complications if you remove that. If you do leave it takes a month or two to sort out the final bill (30 days' notice of leaving) and you need to show that you gave Talktalk every chance to try to sort it, for early termination fees to be waived, if you are still in contract.

[M_stringer33]

By way of a further update, I’ve lost the internet once again and am totally fed up with talktalk. I don’t know what I can do other than cancel my direct debit and find someone else who can deliver on their promise of a fast and reliable connection.  Any suggestions? 

[M_stringer33]

Hi Chris, by way of an update, my service has come back on in its own time. After trying for 4 hours to get through to someone at TalkTalk I was told that the most recent check showed the connection was fine. I reiterated it had been off for over 4 hours and had just come back on. I was told it was an issue with our EERO or Wi-Fi coverage which I don’t not believe to be the case as the Broadband and Service lights were off on the ONT. The solution I was told was for me to monitor the connection for “a Day or Week or Month and see if it improves” and get in touch again if we have a problem. This is a completely unacceptable solution. We’ve had at least three extended outages in the past 2 weeks. I asked to follow up on my outstanding complaint and request for a call back on the 31st Oct to be told no complaint had been raised. I have asked again that a complaint is opened and someone to call me back so let’s see if it has been filed this time?! 
Mark 

[M_stringer33]

Hi Chris, no luck. Internet is down once again, utterly fed up with talktalk. Chat is no help, every time it report the issues, they go through the same checks each time, which takes anywhere between one and two hours, only to conclude the issue is with city fibre. City fibre were booked to come out the other week and no one ever showed up. Our connection is intermittent so assuming they saw we were back online and cancelled the appointment. This has happened time and time again. The last time we managed to get someone out finally, it turned out that the connection box down the road had water in it. Our issues originally started the same time last year, not long after we joined talk talk. 
I previously asked this to be escalated to complaints, was told someone would call me, they didn’t. I was told we would be compensated for the outages, we weren’t. As I say, we’re utterly fed up with talktalk. We frequently work from home but we cannot continue like this as it is impacting our work. 

Far from the fast reliable services we were sold when we signed up. 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi M_stringer33,

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing problems again with your service. I can confirm that this has been escalated to City Fibre and an engineer visit booked. Please let us know how you get on

Chris

[Gliwmaeden2]

Re-escalating this for you, @M_stringer33, so it should be back in the queue for attention from staff. 

[M_stringer33]

Since my initial issue was resolved earlier this year, I hadn’t experienced further problems—until now. In the last two days, I’ve faced two extended outages, which is exceptionally frustrating as I often work from home in the evenings. I spoke with customer support yesterday, and they assured me the issue had been logged with City Fibre. However, I learned today that no booking was actually made. Now, the earliest possible date for an engineer visit is Friday, assuming it even happens then.

I had hoped my issues with TalkTalk were behind me, but this experience is giving me concerns that I’m returning to the same unreliable service I dealt with at the start of the year. It took over three months to resolve the problem last time. I would appreciate an urgent response and a reliable solution this time around.

Regards,

Mark

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Mark

Just checking in to make everything is still working ok?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Mark

Thanks for your reply.

City Fibre did advise that they completed a further investigation but could not see any drops in connection over the last 6 days.

They also said if the connection does drop again then they want us to send out replacement equipment (router etc) to test with.

[M_stringer33]

Morning Debbie, I did get their message yes thanks, however I was at work all day and unable to answer my phone. 

I've not noted any drops in the past week.

Thanks,

Mark