Tiscali

HI
My brother has just joined Tiscali Broadband which has been working fine
since setting up last week and now tonight he cannot connect to the
Internet. He says the online light is not lit on the router, anyone know if
Tiscali is having problems. He says he has changed nothing at his end.
Lynn

On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:51:18 +0000, Lynn W
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>HI
>My brother has just joined Tiscali Broadband which has been working fine
>since setting up last week and now tonight he cannot connect to the
>Internet. He says the online light is not lit on the router, anyone know if
>Tiscali is having problems. He says he has changed nothing at his end.
>Lynn

Yes, I couldn't connect for some time before 10pm, then it was ok, no
word on System Status, it was a fault that happens occasionally,
something to do with password and computers talking to each other. I
use a USB modem and everything looks ok but it doesn't connect. I
forget the actual wording, perhaps a router does it differently.
Mike.

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:57:12 +0000, Mike <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:51:18 +0000, Lynn W
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>HI
>>My brother has just joined Tiscali Broadband which has been working fine
>>since setting up last week and now tonight he cannot connect to the
>>Internet. He says the online light is not lit on the router, anyone know if
>>Tiscali is having problems. He says he has changed nothing at his end.
>>Lynn
>
>Yes, I couldn't connect for some time before 10pm, then it was ok, no
>word on System Status, it was a fault that happens occasionally,
>something to do with password and computers talking to each other. I
>use a USB modem and everything looks ok but it doesn't connect. I
>forget the actual wording, perhaps a router does it differently.
>Mike.

Following up, it has taken a few tries this last half hour to connect
again, it has been alright all day, perhaps due to the password
verifier (or whatever it is) being busy.
Mike

Mike wrote:
>
> Following up, it has taken a few tries this last half hour to connect
> again, it has been alright all day, perhaps due to the password
> verifier (or whatever it is) being busy.

Since I first joined Tiscali in August 2007, the Broadband service they
provide has been getting progressively worse. The speed has reduced from
well over 5.0Mbps to a little over 3.0Mbps. I'm paying for 'up to' 8.0Mbps.
Dropped connections are commonplace.

I found it impossible to connect for over 5 hours on Sunday morning, 27
January 2008. I telephoned the Tiscali Service Report line on 0845 6632200
twice (calls for which I assume I was charged), and both times the recorded
message said there were no problems, when quite clearly there were.

Yesterday evening (Monday, 11 February 2008), my children spent well over
two hours trying to re-connect to Tiscali Broadband before they gave up.
They had connected successfully earlier in the evening, but the connection
was dropped. Every dial-up attempt randomly came up with one of the
following error messages:

1. Error 718 - The connection was terminated because the remote computer did
not respond in a timely manner.

2. Error 691 - Access was denied because the username and/or password was
invalid on the domain.

3. Error 628 - Connection terminated by the remote computer before it could
be completed.

4. Error 734 - The PPP Link control protocol was terminated.

My guess is that Tiscali have expanded their customer base in my area well
beyond the capacity of their installed equipment and the service gets
swamped during peak times.

Tiscali's customer service really sucks. The call centres seem to be mostly
staffed by morons with IQs lower than their shoe size. Usually they don't
even understand the question, so there's absolutely no chance of a reasoned
response. The last two questions I emailed to their Customer Service Centre
simply elicited a succession of computer-generated platitudes that never
came anywhere near addressing the actual problem.

Tiscali are a big disappointment. Changing ISP seems to be the best
option - or are they all as bad?

I'd be pleased to find an ISP whose call centre is UK based, rather than on
some distant planet.
--
Mike

"mlv" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:47b21b99$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Mike wrote:
>>
>> Following up, it has taken a few tries this last half hour to connect
>> again, it has been alright all day, perhaps due to the password
>> verifier (or whatever it is) being busy.
>
> Since I first joined Tiscali in August 2007, the Broadband service they
> provide has been getting progressively worse. The speed has reduced from
> well over 5.0Mbps to a little over 3.0Mbps. I'm paying for 'up to'
> 8.0Mbps. Dropped connections are commonplace.
>
> I found it impossible to connect for over 5 hours on Sunday morning, 27
> January 2008. I telephoned the Tiscali Service Report line on 0845 6632200
> twice (calls for which I assume I was charged), and both times the
> recorded message said there were no problems, when quite clearly there
> were.
>
> Yesterday evening (Monday, 11 February 2008), my children spent well over
> two hours trying to re-connect to Tiscali Broadband before they gave up.
> They had connected successfully earlier in the evening, but the connection
> was dropped. Every dial-up attempt randomly came up with one of the
> following error messages:
>
> 1. Error 718 - The connection was terminated because the remote computer
> did not respond in a timely manner.
>
> 2. Error 691 - Access was denied because the username and/or password was
> invalid on the domain.
>
> 3. Error 628 - Connection terminated by the remote computer before it
> could be completed.
>
> 4. Error 734 - The PPP Link control protocol was terminated.
>
> My guess is that Tiscali have expanded their customer base in my area well
> beyond the capacity of their installed equipment and the service gets
> swamped during peak times.
>
> Tiscali's customer service really sucks. The call centres seem to be
> mostly staffed by morons with IQs lower than their shoe size. Usually
> they don't even understand the question, so there's absolutely no chance
> of a reasoned response. The last two questions I emailed to their
> Customer Service Centre simply elicited a succession of computer-generated
> platitudes that never came anywhere near addressing the actual problem.
>
> Tiscali are a big disappointment. Changing ISP seems to be the best
> option - or are they all as bad?
>
> I'd be pleased to find an ISP whose call centre is UK based, rather than
> on some distant planet.
> --
> Mike

Try Plusnet - but I must add a warning that they're based on the planet
Sheffield, so tha'd best not come any of that southern jessie stuff when
talking to them. Get ma drift, gradely lad? ;-)

George

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:20:08 UTC, "mlv" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Tiscali are a big disappointment. Changing ISP seems to be the best
> option - or are they all as bad?
>
> I'd be pleased to find an ISP whose call centre is UK based, rather than on
> some distant planet.

It really depends how much you want to pay.

--
[ 7'ism - a condition by which the sufferer experiences an inability
to give concise answers, express reasoned argument or opinion.
Usually accompanied by silly noises and gestures - incurable, early
euthanasia recommended. ]

mlv wrote:
> Mike wrote:
>> Following up, it has taken a few tries this last half hour to connect
>> again, it has been alright all day, perhaps due to the password
>> verifier (or whatever it is) being busy.
>
> Since I first joined Tiscali in August 2007, the Broadband service they
> provide has been getting progressively worse. The speed has reduced from
> well over 5.0Mbps to a little over 3.0Mbps. I'm paying for 'up to' 8.0Mbps.
> Dropped connections are commonplace.
>
> I found it impossible to connect for over 5 hours on Sunday morning, 27
> January 2008. I telephoned the Tiscali Service Report line on 0845 6632200
> twice (calls for which I assume I was charged), and both times the recorded
> message said there were no problems, when quite clearly there were.
>
> Yesterday evening (Monday, 11 February 2008), my children spent well over
> two hours trying to re-connect to Tiscali Broadband before they gave up.
> They had connected successfully earlier in the evening, but the connection
> was dropped. Every dial-up attempt randomly came up with one of the
> following error messages:
>
> 1. Error 718 - The connection was terminated because the remote computer did
> not respond in a timely manner.
>
> 2. Error 691 - Access was denied because the username and/or password was
> invalid on the domain.
>
> 3. Error 628 - Connection terminated by the remote computer before it could
> be completed.
>
> 4. Error 734 - The PPP Link control protocol was terminated.
>
> My guess is that Tiscali have expanded their customer base in my area well
> beyond the capacity of their installed equipment and the service gets
> swamped during peak times.
>
> Tiscali's customer service really sucks. The call centres seem to be mostly
> staffed by morons with IQs lower than their shoe size. Usually they don't
> even understand the question, so there's absolutely no chance of a reasoned
> response. The last two questions I emailed to their Customer Service Centre
> simply elicited a succession of computer-generated platitudes that never
> came anywhere near addressing the actual problem.
>
> Tiscali are a big disappointment. Changing ISP seems to be the best
> option - or are they all as bad?
>
> I'd be pleased to find an ISP whose call centre is UK based, rather than on
> some distant planet.

I use NewNet. Cannot comment on their telephone customer service because
I have never had to use it. It is in the UK though.

I did use Tiscali up to a couple of years back and their customer
service was about the same as seems to be reported now:
You need to reinstall windows
Their is a problem BT are working on up the road. It will be fixed in 2
hours, 4 hours, 8 hours etc.
Hold on paying a fortune while I transfer you to this dead
line/department that went home 2 hours ago/anywhere else I can get rid
of you to.
It took me a long time and several letters to Tiscali's chief exec to
get clear of them.
So far as I can make out TalkTalk are just as bad.

Look at the ratings on Thinkbroadband.com or one of the other guides.

There really are good ISPs out there but they do cost a little.

George Weston
>
> Try Plusnet - but I must add a warning that they're based on the
> planet Sheffield, so tha'd best not come any of that southern
> jessie stuff when talking to them. Get ma drift, gradely lad? ;-)

Call centres on Planet Sheffield? Eeh bi 'eck, owd lad, wha wod a thowt it?
Ah'd ni idea t' planet Sheffield war 'habited wi' 'telligent lifeform.

I've neah issue wi' mardy Northern gauvies, providin' t' language barrier
dean't leeave mi flummoxed.

Awlus mek sure tha'rt gerrin bak from t' mill te answer t' phone, an'
gerrum te sahnd thi wods reight ;-)
--
Mike
-Please remove 'safetycatch' from email address before firing off your
reply-

Tiscali used to be a reasonable ISP but the drive to make any sort of profit
has led them to cut corners. For a definitive view of their current problems
check out the latest issue of 'Micromart' magazine. Two friends have had
regular drop-outs and 'user name/password verification' failures over the
last couple of weeks. The best solution/workaround is to ditch the modem
they supply and replace it with a decent router/modem such as a Netgear 834G
which does away with the 'dial up' type connection procedure.
I have done this one one of the problem systems and it is now working fine
although I don't think this is a total fix -obviously it can't help with
contention ratios and bandwidth throttling.
I do computer repairs etc. as a part time job and a lot of my work involves
setting up broadband. Although I never thought I'd say it I have to state BT
provide the best cost/support/quality compromise.
Steer clear of the truly awful Home Hub and opt for a Netgear router or BT's
own 220v. If you have to use the Home hub don't install the software but set
it up manually via your web browser. There is no need to use the setup
wizard on the CD.

Of course if you want the best service you have to pay a bit extra. I have
been with Demon for 12 years and currently pay £22.99/month for a rock
steady 7.6mb connection with unlimited download usage and 24/7 local call
rate support from intelligent UK based staff. At least they were 5 or 6
years ago which was the last time I had to contact them with a problem (it
was my screw up as it happened!!)

Good luck

Conrad





"Invisible Man" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> mlv wrote:
>> Mike wrote:
>>> Following up, it has taken a few tries this last half hour to connect
>>> again, it has been alright all day, perhaps due to the password
>>> verifier (or whatever it is) being busy.
>> SNIP

In message <fp7n1u$nec$1$(E-Mail Removed)>, Conrad
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes

>Demon
>£22.99/month
> unlimited download usage
Some users suggest there is a rolling cap in the range 50 - 60GB
per month and "fair usage applies" ... !
throughput in peak times may be *very* low (I've seen 3.5kB/s;
which is LESS than dialup)

>24/7 local call
>rate
On some packages, at least (HomeOffice 8000 for instance)
0845 access; may not be local call for some

0871 on the cheaper Home8000 which is much more expensive;
Home8000 lacks several features you and I enjoy

>support from
>intelligent UK based staff.
Been outsourced :-(

particularly off peak

Last time I used ... fix provided, on the spot; so some of them
*are* good, even if they're not in the UK
--
Rex M F Smith