can

This summer I moved to Spain. In August I got a telephone and ADSL line, but didn't get any bills yet (it's October 5).

Almost every week I have problems with Internet connection. Almost every week I don't have Internet connectin for 5-20 hours. 5 days ago it happened again and I was thinking that it's normal with Telefonica. Unfortunately, I have this problem with all 5 days. Internet connection is available only sometimes.

Below you can see today's times when Internet connection was not available:

11:05 - 13:20
13:34 - 15:15
15:38 - 19:56
20:13 - 20:44
20: 50 - ?

Yesterday was the same situation, but from 10:40 pm Internet was working fine till this morning.

I just tested my telephone line. I can call my landline number from other phones, but I can't call other phones from my landline. I hear message something like this:

"Telefonica ...que esta linea tiene suspendida por servicio profesionalmente..."

(I don't know if it's correct - I am just learning Spanish).

Several times I called 1004 and asked for English speaking operator. I am being forwarded somewhere and can wait for ages... Then I hear "Gracias" message and connection is lost.

Any ideas about this situation? Is there some "formula" how to get English speaking operator @ 1004?

Do you think it's good idea to visit some Telefonica shop and ask for help?

Thank you in adcance.

Mitzyboy

1004 won't talk to you about internet I'm afraid ... you have to call Madrid and there are very few if any English speakers there.

You just have to work out what to say to them to advise you have an internet problem, say your bit, and ask them to check it and then hang up if you dont understand what they say to you. I've done it on several occasions now and they do act on your call. Sounds like you have the same intermittent problem I had, and they fixed it in 24 hours after the call

can

Mitzyboy, thanks for your reply. Thank you very much for your advice. I will try it. Yes, I am able to explain my problem in Spanish. I don't talk with Spanish speaking operator just because they always ask additional questions which I can not understand.

As I wrote, I got my telephone line and ADSL in the first days of August, but didn't get any bills yet. Don't know why.

Another people can call my landline number, but I can not call any numbers except 1004 because of "suspendido".

Today I was thinking that Telefonica wrote wrong address when I ordered my telephone/ADSL line and I didn't get bills, and they cut me off because of unpaid bills. At the same time I remember that their technicians were able to find me to install telephone line. So, they have correct address.

The strangest thing is that I still have Internet connection which is available from time to time.

Does anyone know how the situation looks if Telefonica cut you off because of unpaid bills? Are you able to call 1004? Can you receive calls?

Mitzyboy

For unpaid bills you can call 1004 and they will sort you. Just ring the number and when it falls silent say english department. If that doesn't work then just wait till the very end and eventually an operator will come on (unless you get the recorded message which means they are all busy) and then ask for the English department.

Not receiving bills from Telefonica is a problem I have heard of on more than one occasion. But the money comes out of your bank automatically doesn't it?

can

No, the money doesn't come automatically out of my bank. I have heard stories that this payment method is not the best and sometimes doesn't work. Then you need some 3 days to reconnect disconnected services if payment failed for some reason. So, I choosed to pay bills as they arrive.

I have 2 Internet connections. The second is "internet movil" provided by Movistar and they take money automatically from my bank account. No problems so with payments so far, but this connection is expensive and sometimes very slow.

Mitzyboy

Mmmmm ... well tbh with the Spanish postal system I'd say you've got more chance of making a successful payment from your bank than relying on getting your bill through the post .... I've not had a problem so far with them.

jennydor

when you get the message about the line bieng suspended, its basically the same as bieng on incoming calls only. There is an out standing bill somewhere so instead of cutting you off they just limit the line to incoming only. They did this to us but we still could use the internet, just not dial out or check the answerphone service. Everyone is right about asking for English, as soon as you get to the automated bit that asks you what you want just say clearly, ' English ' you will be put through. And yes Telefonica are terrible for taking money out the bank twice, they dont have our bank details for this reason, but you can check online. Register on line with Telefonica, and you can see your bill, when its due, and even print it off to pay if your post is as unrerliable as ours

can

Jennydor, thank you for your reply. I am registered with telefonicaonline.com. When I ordered my telefone line I was asked if I wish to be registered. I agreed and I receiveid a welcome email from Telefonica. The problem is password - I didn't receive it. To get my password online, I have to provide "numero de factura". I can not provide it because I didn't get any "facturas" yet. I can not register another account - when I enter my telephone number, their system tells that I am already registered.

Tomorrow I am going to call 1004 again.

Thank you.

jennydor

hiya,
For the password it will either be your passport number, like ours is or your NIE number.
Try either of these.
Good luck with the call.

jdr

In August we got cut off because someone forgot to put the DD into the bank for payment, they took out Septembers but did not add in August one, although they could of as a DD is a variable payment.
Instead they just cut us off, no adsl, only incoming and 1004 etc.
I phoned 1004 and they said we had an outstanding bill, I got three huge ref numbers went to the bank and paid by cash, faxed the receipt to Telefonica and was reconnected by the next morning.
PS. it was our fault for not checking the DD had been paid. lol

jdr

I used to be able to get into my mail etc on the Telefonica site, but have not for a couple of years now.
Password etc is correct, techies can access it using it and say there is no problem.....
I asked them to come round and show me how to do it if they were so sure, but still no go, so have given up and access my mail another way.

firtreesix

I had exactly the same problem last year.....the payment for Oct/Nov was never extracted from my account, despite their having the details. We were disconnected in January and had to go through the same rigmarole...direct payment and faxing the receipt through to telefonica. On further enquiry I was told that the fault lay on my shoulders, yet I never understood why as they had the necessary info. In fact the Telefonica agent became quite animated to the point of rudeness before I terminated the converation. Some Spanish really need to get some training in customer etiquette, they seem to take evrything quite personally when one is giving their company a bollicking for good reason. I have come to accept it however...I just hang up or walk away, I don't need the stress of dealing with twits...

Firtreesix

can

I tried both - my passport number and NIE - doesn't work
Any other ideas what can be the password of my account @telefonicaonline?

It takes 10 days to receive password if I don't have any "facturas":

Necesita una factura de Telefónica, le solicitaremos el número de la factura y su importe total. Si no tiene una factura a mano, solicite su envío postal y recibirá su contraseña por correo postal en el plazo de 10 días.

can

firtreesix, did you talk with Telefonica agent by phone? What about Telefonica shops? May I ask for help there or they are using just Telefonica's brand?

I decided to find some Spanish speaking person to call 1004 because this situation is quite strange. If I am disconnected because of unpaid bills, the question is where did they send bills if I never got them

Joe King

I think Mitzboy is right here because this happened to us about seven years ago. Our line was suspended for no reason and it emerged that a payment hadn't been received.

You should receive a bill from Telefonica by post and most people set up a direct debit to pay it. I wouldn't rely on the post to send payments, but you could pay at your bank - if you receive the bill in the first place!

The problem is if you miss a payment they suspend your account - and that is what has happened to you.

It could be that a factura was sent, but your address in the system is wrong. Ask them to check this.

Or it could be the postal service is up to its old tricks. Do you have problems with other mail not being delivered?

In any case this is why direct debit is generally better for all bills in Spain. The post just isn't reliable enough and if you don't receive a factura it goes unpaid.

As for English operators, do you have a Spanish friend who can help you? Or an English friend who speaks good Spanish?