23 days Offline and counting.

[ShoreRam]

As mentioned elsewhere, I've now been without broadband since 07 Dec when a tree fell on our fibre line. The support has been poor to say the least - As far as I can see there is no proactive approach to my complaint (CMP-806747), I've spent tens of hours on WhatsApp, on the phone etc and we always seem to start from the beginning. It feels like no-one is fighting our corner with Openreach, I am constantly being apologised to and to be assure that it's a top priority but, clearly, it's not. Does anyone know how one actually gets TalkTalk to manage a complaint? 

Also, why do TalkTalk not offer a 4G router in these circumstances? A neighbour with a different provider was immediately sent on due to the outage, they were back online on 9th December.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

I'm sorry for the delay. We've received an update from Openreach to advise that the fault has now been resolved. Is this correct?

Thanks

Michelle

[ShoreRam]

Hi @Chris-TalkTalk I've just had a WhatsApp and email msg from TalkTalk saying the following - "

Hello,
We've found a fault and need to send an Openreach engineer to your home to fix it. We're really sorry if this is causing issues with your service.

If you haven't done so already, please visit My Connection to book an engineer appointment here"

 As you may be aware, the 'book an engineer appointment here' link doesn't allow for that to happen, can you have a look at this before we close for the day? Thanks again, Micheal

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Will do Micheal 🙂

Chris

[ShoreRam]

Thanks Chris, that's promising! I only hope that nothing too urgent comes after today's storm to kybosh my repair 🙂

Thanks and please let me know as and when you hear more, Micheal

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi Michael,

There was an update yesterday saying that work is planned for tomorrow but this should be confirmed some time today. I'll check for further updates later and get back to you

Chris

[ShoreRam]

Thank you Chris - Unfortunately, it's all gone very very quiet again. Nobody from TalkTalk has contacted me for 2 weeks. The 'FullFibre Tech Team' and the 'Complaints Team' are now not available via WhatsApp, I'm being directed to phone. Given that my last call in to try and get help took 1 hr 45 mins when the teams were also available via WhatsApp, I simply don't have the energy or time for a multi hour call. What has happened to the 'Case Manager'?

Would be very grateful for some support.

Thanks, Micheal

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Thanks for the update Micheal, I'm really sorry this has taken so long but hopefully the end is in sight.

Chris

[ShoreRam]

Hi Chris,

Engineer visited early Saturday morning and ran his tests that indicated, as we expected, a fault on the line approximately 650m north of here. That's part of a single fibre line that feeds only my house. For the record and as I've mentioned, it's not part of a major incident, no permissions are required. We believe that the problem has arisen from a repair that was undertaken on the 5th January, the splice appears to have failed - At the time they will have executed tests "from their end" but why nobody knocked on our door, I cannot fathom!

Unfortunately the splice is on a 'd pole' so the engineer was unable to climb it and therefore confirm or repair the line so it will need to be fixed using a cherry picker. The engineer said it's been given their top priority given the length of the outage so hopefully this will be resolved soon.

The engineer mentioned it's longest outage he's ever seen for a damaged cable, lucky me....

Thanks, Micheal

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi ShoreRam,

How are you getting on?

Chris

[ShoreRam]

Thanks Michelle

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

I've just checked on the Openreach system and the appointment is showing for 18/01 AM. We'll check back in with you on Monday morning.

Thanks

Michelle

[ShoreRam]

I thought I had - It was arranged for tomorrow 18th Jan but I've just got a message 'confirming' Friday 19th December 2024. Please tell me that TalkTalk haven't messed up yet again?

11:50 Great. We have marked your case with the highest priority, allowing us to secure our highly skilled engineer for your appointment. We will book the earliest engineer appointment for you, which is on the 18th of January 2024. Tomorrow, both in the morning and afternoon timeslots. Which would you prefer?

11:54 You're very much welcome, Micheal. I'm pleased to inform you that the Openreach appointment has been successfully reserved for tomorrow 8/01/2025 AM Sat. The reference number is 3-1226447121775 in case you need it.

12:37 TalkTalk Update: Hello, your engineer visit is confirmed for 19/12/2024 between 8:00am and 1:00pm. If your issue is fixed, or you need to rearrange or cancel your appointment, please reply to this message before 12:00pm, one working day before your appointment date to avoid a missed appointment fee of £75.00.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Thanks Michael,

Did you manage to book an engineer as the system is now showing an appointment has been booked?

Chris

[ShoreRam]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for reaching out - Thave have not. However, I did get a message from TalkTalk this morning with a link to book an engineer appointment but, sadly, the link just took me to my account/connection/run a test which gave me the usual "it's a router problem"

thanks again, Micheal

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi ShoreRam,

Have Openreach been in contact with you since your last post?

Chris

[ShoreRam]

It felt like a bit of progress yesterday, I managed to speak with someone from Openreach and an agent from TalkTalk agreed to pass my comments verbatim to Openreach - Essentially that the problem Openreach are reporting on cannot be the issue that is causing my outage, that they have their wires crossed, almost literally.

I spoke to an engineer for the area the other day, met him a few times, we chatted, he said that all I need to do was to call 'them' and organise an engineer visit. He's obviously never dealt with TalkTalk....

[ShoreRam]

If anyone wants an insight in to TalkTalk lies, from today's daily WhatsApp chat:- 

11:03 I am sorry for the delay. I have communicated with the Openreach department and they said that they are all aware of the complexity of the civils and build work on site and it includes permissions from various teams sometimes local authorities, the team is already working hence

11:12 Thank you so much for your patience, I appreciate your time. I have spoken with the relevant and informed that if the cable was repaired what are we going to do is to wait for the next step and it will be on after 17th of January 2025.

This is utter utter BS.

[ShoreRam]

Thank you for your reply - Unfortunately it is lacking in any meaningful content. No engineers have been on site since 5th January when the cable was repaired. No engineers have visitied my house since 19th December and that was just to have a chat and agree that yes, the broadband is down because the cable is snapped.

As you are aware, I do not have a contract with Openreach, I have a contract with TalkTalk that TalkTalk are completely failing to meet. You are my proxy in this arrangement and clearly are not delivering as one would expect. Today is day 40 (Forty) of the outage and we are absolutely no closer to resolving than we were on day 1, despite TalkTalk's closure of my complaint stating that "We're confident it has been resolved".

Yet again, I would really appreciate someone getting on the phone to Openreach and getting a clear plan on how this is going to be resolved and when.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hi ShoreRam,

I completely understand your frustration. Openreach have linked the fault to a major incident and are working to restore this as quickly as possible. 

Openreach are proactively trying to resolve the overall fault as quickly as possible but from reading the notes it does sound like it is a complex fault that the engineers are working through. We are reaching out to Openreach but they don't have any more to share at the moment other than the engineers are working as quickly and safely as possible to fix the issue. We'll continue to monitor and chase from here for you.

Thanks

Michelle

[ShoreRam]

Well, today is day 38 (Thirty eight) of my outage. To be honest, I'm struggling to find new pejoratives for the outstandingly terrible (the best I can do today) customer service from TalkTalk. In fainess, on Wedensay or day 33 on the omnishambles calendar, I had a call from someone who had seemingly taken it upon themselves to talk to Openreach, rarity of some note for TalkTalk - He told me that there were 17 conections affected by a fault at the exchange and that I should be resolved by the Friday. Renewed hope I thought!

Friday's call came late in the day without, of course, the service having been restored. Unfortunately we were back to standard TalkTalk protocol and that I should wait for an update on the 46th of never. He did refund my December bill (about time) and we ended the call with me in the usual nebulous state of unknown.

A few minutes later I had a text from TalkTalk, what news I thought? We've closed the complaint as "We're confident it's resolved". I don't know about anyone else but 'resolved' would tend to mean I have my service back!

I think Karl's update today has pushed my past anger in to the next stage of coping with TalkTalk support - Laughter. Someone has email someone and we'll check back in another 3 days. It's got to be comedy right?

I ask again, could someone from TalkTalk please nicely ask someone at Openreach if maybe an engineer could pop round?