🚀 go-pugleaf

(This posting concerns the telephony aspect of Telewest Communications,
and the fiasco related to it. You can find out more about them by going
to their web page; www.telewest.co.uk).

This posting concerns ALL Telewest Communications customers, including
potential customers.

I wish to make a direct complaint against Telewest Communication. Let me
get this straight; I have no complaint with Customer services --- I think
they are great. My complaint is aimed at Telewest Communications
ITSELF, and at whoever is in charge of the "Teleplus" package. Why should
this complaint concern you? Read on!

HYPE: Telewest Communications claim they offer "free local calls to
other Telewest Numbers [within certain hours, not including calls to ISP
PoP's]".

WHAT I DID: Changed my package to Teleplus 4 (free local calls, yeah!;
bought a second line; teleworked from home when it was convenience to do so
via Edinburgh University's dialup service, always making my calls during
the "free call" times.

FACT: Telewest Communications landed me a bill consisting of over 60
POUNDS OF "FREE" CALLS. Another 60 POUNDS OF "FREE" CALLS waits for me on
my next bill.

WHY THE HELL?: Unbeknown to me, Telewest policy is only to add the
Teleplus services (the free calls, etc) onto THE ORIGINAL LINE. The fact
that Telewest FAILED UTTERLY to tell me this is completely arbitrary, it
seems. (This was found out when I phoned up Telewest after receiving the
bill.)

SHOULDN'T YOU HAVE READ THE DETAILS ON THESE SERVICES?: They failed
utterly to send me one scrap of paper which detailed how the Teleplus
services worked, and what phone lines they applied to.

FACT: I have 120 POUNDS STERLING of alleged free calls to pay for.

FACT: Telewest have initially refused to re-emburse me.

Let's get this straight. I'm not trying to wiggle myself out of expensive
calls. I've been with Telewest since they were Telewest, and before that
I was with United Artists. I've consistently upgraded my packages until
I've virtually got the top package. And this is the way they treat a
customer like me! I just don't like paying for phone calls when every
scrap of data at my disposal indicated they would be free.

FACT: I have submitted a complaint in writing to Telewest Communications,
Edinburgh. I await a response.

You can view this letter (and any further correspondence either way) by
going to:

http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~abr/telefarce/index.html
ftp://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/users/abr/telefarce.txt

If any of your workmates or colleagues are customers/employers of Telewest
Communications, please pass this posting onto them.

Once again, I make clear that I have no grudge against customer services,
and that all opinions expressed within this posting are my own and not
those of Edinburgh University or any other organisation or institution.

I will post updates if and when Telewest Communication contacts me. Please
feel free to email me with any advice, etc. I also admit that in the end,
it is myself to blame, as I was not forced to pick up the phone. I think
you will agree, however, that this kind of behavior is not appropriate
for a company such as Telewest.

ANOTHER FARCE: Telewest Communications claim that "any call made between
two modems is exempt from the free local call scheme". (Made by a Customer
services representative to me on the phone). This BLATANTLY CONTRADICTS
their small print on brochures, etc, which says something like "not
including ISP's PoPs".

Apparently if you phone up a friend's computer, this call will be charged,
even if you are eligible for free local calls, and your friend is too.
What utter nonsense! This fails to be the case at the moment.

For a COMMUNICATIONS company, Telewest seem to fail to realise the
difference between a 14.4K modem bolted onto a 486 PC, and a full-blown T3
modem-dialup Internet Service Provider!!! (This is the impression I get.)

THE MAJOR POINT: Just be VERY careful if you are a Telewest customer; make
sure you don't fall into the same trap that I did! Don't let Telewest take
advantage of you by ripping you off! Be very very careful! I am not making
a single call again until I have written documentation from Telewest
concerning the details of my telephone services.

That's it for now. I'm sorry if I have spammed your favourite newsgroup
with this nonsense. I'm just very angry and very upset. If it turns out
Telewest re-emburses me for these "free calls", I'll let you all know,
pronto. I've nothing against Telewest Communication as a whole, they seem
a great company; but let's face it, they seem more than a little muddled
up!

Sincerely,
           A Roberts

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| Alastair Roberts  ---  abr@tardis.ed.ac.uk      |
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