I have NTL freedom, which gives me NTL Internet (when they feel like it!!) over a BT line.

Today I dialed up as usual, and it wouldn't connect, however I heard voices on the phone, so I listened in and the announement said "Soory, the number you called could not be recognised, please check and call again"

This was the usual NTL dial up number, and the fact that it's not been recognised, is a failure on NTLs part, and they should fix it, if I were to report it.

However, thanks to this site, I called their freephone number, instead of 0870, and was given another freephone number to check the status.  As far as NTL are concerned, everything is running fine.

I then went to speak to customer services, and told them of the problem, and they said that I should call their 090 number!!!   I protested strongly, and said that the problem is a fault on your end, and I should not have to pay to report this problem.  She then said that instead I could call a free number, so I said, "Thankyou"

She began to read out the number, and gues what, 0870!!

I then protested, and said that I should not have to call an 0870 number, to report a fault in their equipment, and pointed out that it's a premium rate number.  Her response was that unlike other ISPs, who charge £1.50 for technical support, they were only charging 0870 rates.

I then argued that I was not after technical support, I was reporting a fault in their service, and said asked if I could have a geographical number instead.  She said that the only way would be to call their 0870 number!!  I then started to complain even more and said that I shold not be phoning premium rate numbers to report a fault with their systems.  During that, they hung up on me!!!

This is totally disgusting.  I am not after technical support.  I am reporting a fault with their service, which in theory they should pay me to do, not the other way around!!

Of all the companies that I have dealt with, that rip us off with NGN phone numbers, this is by far the worse abuse I have had yet.  The only reason why I am here to tell the tale now, is because my Dad on the downstairs computer, uses Virgin.

And of course, I could cancel my service with immediate effect, and not pay my next months service, but after last time, when they messed up my payments, they just get Wescot to deal with the matter, even though I had paid!!  Imagine the trouble this time, if I were to refuse to pay!!

Well, just seen their service status now, and they now acknowledge that their 0808 dialup number isn't working, which was bought to their attention at 11am today!!

If I had been allowed to report it to customer services yesterday, then they would have found out yesterday instead.

I have managed to get back on with an 0800 number from them, but for some reason, I cannot enter secure sites, meaning I can't log into MSN, can't check my e-mails, can't sign on to ebay (but I can browse), can't do my internet banking, and can't do any internet shopping.

Just hope, now they know about the problem, it will be sorted out soon!!

I'm with Telewest and they're being taken over by NTL soon.  God help us all.

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As an ex Plusnet customer I cannot recommend Plusnet at all, especially for broadband.  They are always engaging in new scams to offer cheap headline  broadband prices while offering a shoddy service.  Their latest ruse on their cheaper broadband products is to disconnect people for inactivity after a certain number of minutes and force you to reconnect.  In other words back to a dial up modem situation at faster speeds!

I would recommend my non agressively marketed but ultra reliable broadband ISP - Freedom2Surf.  www.f2s.com

I have had personal dealings by email with Lee Srafford the MD of Plusnet that show him to be a very rude and abrasive individual who hides from difficult questions.  In other words almost as bad as the management of Easyjet.  Also the customer support staff of Plusnet were always universally rude and abrupt in my experience.

For the best broadband deals check out:-

http://www.adslguide.org.uk/isps/summarylist.asp

Although beware that the prices quoted when ranking 512k, 1MB or 2MB services do not include VAT.

I think F2s's wires only connection price with no lock in or 12 month contract is 40 quid.

Well, on Saturday, it was all sorted out, however they're back to their old tricks again.  It went fine at 8am this morning, but at 10am, got the message again "Sorry this number has not been recognised"

I will be phoning up customer services tomorrow, and cancelling my account.  This is beyond a joke.  In total 4 days of no internet use.  Only been able to use the internet, because my Dad has a computer downstairs on Virgin.

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This is the modern world of British customer service where the sulky bored and incompetent humanoid employed by the company is always right and you the customer are always wrong.

Its worse on somewhere like Easyjet or Ryanair where if you dare challenge them over any part of their appalling customer policies at checkin they threaten to exclude you from the flight and if you dare challenge any part of their inflight policies (for instance why the passenger in front is allowed to recline his seat fully on to me when this doesn't leave room to open the meal tray in my seat properly) they accuse you of being difficult and suggest they might have to physically restrain you for the hostility shown merely in your voice towards them.

This is the modern world of British customer service where the staff come first and customers come last.

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Doesn't this assume that Euro1net will stay in business for the next 2 years and/or that any successor companies that take them over will honour your up front two year payment?

Me thinks that by giving such a small company your money up front you are taking quite a big risk.

UK Online (http://www.ukonline.net) looks good value at 9.99 for 1Mb, with no download limit. Payment is monthly but minimum term of 12 months.

Does anyone have any experience of this company?