Making a general enquiry?? Aaaarghh

[SusieGee]

Talking to agents is ridiculous. Even if you give your account number, agents are still scripted to go through name, address, phone numbers AND email address, all on the screen in front of them, before you can start the simplest question, which often doesn't actually require access to one's account. I need to turn this around after supplying my account number, I might need to check that they can actually confirm my details by asking for confirmation from the agent, such as their asking if my mobile number ends in 391, do I live at no40 at the postcode they hold, or does my email begin and end with specific letters. After that I would ask them to spell my email address phonetically, please? Confirming details that way would be preferable on ocassion.

I am regularly worn out by the current system, particularly due to illness where speech is painful and alot of speech incurs further painful symptoms. Asking an agent a very quick question always takes up to 30 mins and is quite ridiculous.

[KeithFrench]

I understand your frustration. Just being a customer myself, I have no influence over the products that TalkTalk offer. 

The Manhattan T3R does have the iPlayer as well as ITVX, Ch4, My5, U, Great & YouTube apps. Most of these offer a "watch live" facility, with the exception of the last three. I did ask Manhattan about Prime, but, being a small company, they are down the list a bit in terms of getting the licenses or whatever they need to include it. Surprisingly, the T4R didn't start off with the YouTube app, but it has now been added, according to some marketing stuff I saw.

Another option from the streaming point of view is a Freely TV, but make sure it can still pick up Freeview as well. However, it is not possible to record a Freely channel.

[SusieGee]

Thanks. I'm aware that the boxes were discontinued some years ago. When my first one broke, the second actually saved my recordings, but the 3rd wiped them out. These took years to compile. I also know about Manhattan and Humax products. Their isn't a box available from Humax or Manhattan products which records and supports Netflix, Prime Video, iPlayer and ITVX as well as all TV stations (the obvious accessibility needed these days) The only solution is actually to buy the Amazon TV Firestick and a separate recording box. The media moguls make access to their channels difficult in order that consumers are forced to buy extra products from them or another company, which they have interest in, if consumers want all the options. How many plug sockets and various slots are we supposed to have? For the tecird. I called TalkTalk yesterday, following up a call on Tuesday, just to say that my TV services weren't working as expected from their TV hub box sent to me recently. It turned out that I hadn't been dupplied with the correct box and their agent forgot to mention this to me. So, after another 90 minutes on their phone line, I discover they are sending another new box for delivery "to my doorstep" (where else would it be addressed to?) in 3 to 5 working days. This proves they're using the cheapest, slowest possible delivery via Royal Mail or DPD.  Having to wait again has an influence on my decision to buy other products or not. The wasted days have a negative knock-on effect. Again, inconvenience, delay, stress and personal physical discomfort, all due to their small set top box. There is no irony in that, only between the Companies claims and what their innocent  foreign agents are scripted to say. 

[KeithFrench]

Hi @SusieGee 

The TalkTalk recording boxes were discontinued several years ago and cannot be replaced. I agree that some people (like myself) prefer a recordable box rather than a streaming-only one. The only way forward now is to buy your own from the likes of Manhattan or Humax. I really like my Manhattan T3R , which has now been replaced by their later model, the T4R.

[Gliwmaeden2]

@SusieGee, there are various accessibility options made available:

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Cognitive-Impairment/bd-p/tta-cognitive etc.

[SusieGee]

Oh and the NEW TV HUB does certainly not do everything one needs. When my old one was cut off it meant I lost all my saved recordings, only to find that one cannot record live TV anymore, thus leading to custoners needing to buy another oroducta elsewhere if wanting to record live TV.