Received new router as 'reward', now they want it back.

[fade2gray]

History of my routers since upgrading to Faster Fibre / Fibre 65:
Copper fronted Huawei Home Hub - after developing constant outages, replaced with ...
Black fronted Huawei Home Hub - current

Copper fronted Huawei Home Hub - supposed reward

All assumed to be DG80041W models.

I had a call from TT near the end of August, to discuss my contract coming to an end, and It was agreed that I'd allow my contract to roll over, rather than starting a new contract for the same service at a higher price. Near the end, I was asked how I was getting on with my router, I replied that it was fine, apart from the occasional short outages, but the status LED had become faulty in that it would show orange when negotiating a connection, but never turned white when established, although it would sometimes flicker very briefly. I was then told that being a long term loyal customer, I qualified for a new router as a reward, for which I agreed to the £9.95 delivery charge.

I received the new router along with a returns bag and label for my existing router, but as I hadn't got around to connecting the new one, I received a letter with another returns bag and label - that was followed up with a text message today ...

"TalkTalk Update: Hello, we recently sent you a new router by mistake. The good news is you already have the right router, so there's no need to keep the extra one. Please return it using the prepaid returns bag we've posted to you. We're very sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused."

... no mention of a refund for delivery charge.

[mandisa1-TT]

Thank you so much for the support @KeithFrench and @Gliwmaeden2 

[fade2gray]

Thank @KeithFrench, @Gliwmaeden2, and @Philile-TT for your comments, and my apologies for the tardy reply.

My mistake, I had assumed all the devices were Huawei due to their similar appearance, and as the new one is definitely a Sagemcom with the copper colour through the perforations, I think it can be assumed that the first one was also a Sagemcom.

So, on the basis of @Gliwmaeden2's comment regarding Huawei routers, I decided to keep the new Sagemcom in preference to the Huawei with the dodgy status light which has been returned.

@Philile-TT I have heard nothing further from Talk Talk.

Thanks again.

[Philile-TT]

Hi there @fade2gray did you get any help with this? 

[Gliwmaeden2 · Accepted solution]

@fade2gray, I am surprised that you were sent a Huawei model at all. These have not been receiving firmware updates for quite some time:

https://help-centre.talktalk.co.uk/Broadband/Security/Telecoms_Security_Act_Unsupported_devices

The deal is usually that if you take out a new contract, within 4 months ahead of the end of the minimum term, you could have a new router that would be a Sagemcom. 

If before that stage in a contract,  you'd be charged £80.

However, you didn't renew,  so were offered this router as a "gift" plus postage. They probably have to claim it back now, as they shouldn't be sending out Huawei routers full stop any more.

So that's what they have focused on....

You are right to query the delivery charge therefore, and maybe really check carefully what model you were sent. 

You will need to trek to the Post Office and get a certificate of posting to have proof of sending etc. Keep that proof carefully. 

It might be worth your while checking the best current deals and renewing and getting a Sagemcom for the peace of mind that it has the latest updates on it.

Huawei doesn't. 

[@KeithFrench, there's a delay in the display of the posts.]

[KeithFrench]

Hi @fade2gray 

One other thing to consider is that if you have the DG8041W (pull up the plastic panel, a label on the rear of the router will tell you what it is). If the new router is a Sagemcom model, that is a much better router & I would want to keep that one, if it were me. 

[KeithFrench]

I have asked one of TalkTalk's support team to pick up your thread and investigate it for you.

They aim to respond within 48 hours (Monday - Friday), excluding Bank Holidays, but if more urgent, you can always try the Service Centre on 0345 172 0088. The posts are responded to in time/date order, oldest first.