Does anyone use TalkTalk broadband, and if so, what is the service like?

I just got a smart phone contract through Carphone Warehouse that comes with 12 months free broadband from TalkTalk. I've been wiith BT since I came back in 2006. They are pretty good, especially because when travelling I have access to so many BT Hotspots (plus other people's BT broadband hub if they are signed up for the sharing program).

So although it seems like a no-brainer to take 12 months free over £24 a month for BT, I don't want to mess with it if TalkTalk isn't any good.

TalkTalk's customer service is notoriously beyond rubbish, always has been.

I left BT twice to go to them, and came back to BT each time, after TT made a complete dog's dinner of everything. Yes, their prices might be cheap, but as soon as something goes wrong (and for me it did everytime), it's a nightmare to get anything sorted out / due money back, etc...

I really wouldn't touch them with a barge pole again!

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/b...ard-AGAIN.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011...roadband-ofcom

Thanks - I did some searching on Google too and was surprised at how consistently bad the reviews were. Free for 12 months sounds good, but I've had a pretty good experience with BT for 6 years so I think I'll stick wiith them.

I've had TT since we moved back and find them very good. I had one hassle, which was when I first signed up I paid a £60 connection fee and was told that I did not need to pay another fee if I moved again. After 6mths we moved into a nicer apartment and they tried to sting me for the fee, well actually they did sting me for it, but I got it credited after complaining.

I think the deal I'm on is called 'Essentials' and I also have 'Anytime' calls very day. So the deal comprises, line rental, any calls to a UK landline provided they are under 60 mins (just hang up and redial), and 40gb internet (was 20gb but they doubled it for no charge). This costs me £26.95 per mth.

One thing I will say is that when I moved, I automatically got sent a new router, which was the very flimsy Hauwei one, but originally I got the 4 port D-Link wireless router, which I still use now. The customer service ctr were very helpful in getting the D-Link router optimised when I moved. The Hauwei router is still in the box (should be in the bin!).

I think TalkTalk win all the awards for the worst provider.

Have to say I have never used them, but have heard a lot of people say how awful they are.
If the package is free, it is worth giving them a go perhaps, and be prepared to move if they are as bad as their reputation (unless you need internet for work and maybe it is too big a risk)

Dunroving,

I have a BT landline and have yet to set up internet access. I am thinking that I will sign up with BT. Do you know how long it takes for BT to set up Internet access. Does the £24 you pay include your landline or just Internet.

I must have a look at BT's website and try and make sense of the packages for phone, net & telly. This sort of stuff makes my head spin

Thank You

It's 6 years since I first set up with BT, but from memory:

It was set up within days.

I had some initial problems which were frustratingly difficult to get sorted via the phone help lines - but in retrospect, I think these were probably teething trouble with the new BT Hub (first generation).

I have had subsequent problems (all usually to do with connection difficulties). It's hard to tell the extent to which these were a function of BT, of the black hole I live in (can't get DAB radio properly and couldn't get Freeview until last year), or of computer issues - I think a problem inherent with getting online and with Windows is that over time, cr*p ends up on your computer. In all cases, a half-hour phone call figured out the problem. My understanding is that the new hubs are better (I have a 2nd generation hub now), and that the fibre optic service is good (but I live in a black hole/backwater where they only moved from dial-up about 8 years ago).

I pay £14 line rental plus something like £24 for "Option 3" (doesn't exist any more) plus a cheap international call plan via the internet phone.

If I were you, I'd try to find out what the typical internet speeds are where you are. The top options aren't worth paying for if you can't physically download at those speeds where you are. Where I live, the speeds are low so paying for a top-speed option is a waste of money for me.

Overall, I like the fact that with BT, I can get internet access at all sorts of Hot Spots throughout the country, and can access BT internet if I am within location of a residential hub (right now I am at my brother's house, accessing his neighbour's BT signal using BT's sharing program).

I do get frustrated by the billing - the internet phone bill is sent separately from the bill that includes (a) the landline charge, (b) internet charge, and (c) landline calls. No idea why but it seems silly that a major corpration can't give you a single bill for all the services they are providing you with.

If you have any other questions, feel free to send me a message or post a question on here.

I decided not to go with TalkTalk. Sometimes free is not worth the associated hassle - I've read way too many horror stories on the internet about TalkTalk and almost no positive feedback...

Thanks Dunroving. That is good advice. I contacted BT and they recommended BT Essential, based on my anticipated Internet usage . Like you, my location will not provide me with super fast speeds so I am not going to get the higher priced package. Also, I like the idea of being able to access the hotspots, so I am going to go with BT.

I forgot to ask BT, but I assume that I will be renting the PVR (recording box), not sure what the correct term is in the UK. Here, in Canada, I bought my PVR. Do people buy them in the UK?

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that my total cost for phone, Internet and TV is significantly cheaper in the UK than in Canada, even when I factor in the cost of a TV Licence. Also, for my tastes, there is a much better selection of programmes to watch.

The one thing I found odd was that the Internet is on an 18 mth contract, but the TV is on a 12 mth contract. I assume that is to make it more difficult to change providers.

When we got our BT package last year they told us they can't provide the fancy channel packages like Sky and Virgin do, what they offer is on demand access to their library of selected programming. At the time we were not particularly impressed with some of the examples they quoted so we opted not to bother adding tv to the package. You might want to take a look at that when you get back. As for the broadband service, we've got no complaints, our connection is fast, reliable and the only one problem with service we encountered was addressed promptly.

Thanks. I'll have to look into that. I would be happy with just having the Freeview channels, but OH wants the sports channels. I have told him he can have the garden shed as his man cave, complete with a B&W TV and a set of rabbit ears