A positive good news story I thought I would share with you.

http://www.thephone.coop/

Not the cheapest but not the most expensive either, very ethical, UK call centre, outstanding customer services, smooth transition from BT, fantastic billing and very, very cheap PAYG internet for customers who take line and billing all from the Phone Coop.

I have never left BT for any of these small fly by night outfits as from experience by listening to friends and others they have had nothing but problems with customer services and billings, so when I found this lot and had some amazing references about them, I went for it and I am very happy.

I do beleave to a certain extent you do get what you pay for and I have no wish to spend hours on the phones to cheap cowboy phone operaters who never answer or have rubbish customer services.

My time with BT was always good, never ever had a bad days service to be fair, but these guys are a little cheaper and all your profits go back into your service, not a fat MDs pocket  :)

Contact 0845 458 9000  :-/

Ive always been for the coop sort of style.. Ethical services deserve to be paid for.. I know of an ethical gas and elex company which I will change to when I can be bothered..

Thanks for this find Jay_dog, I shall keep it in mind for future reference.. and richyrich, I guess we cant win em all, but you can go find out the geographical number for us if it bothers you that much :P

One CPS provider is offering (those with BT landlines) free UK 01/02 calls evenings and weekends AND is UK-based AND has an 0800 Customer Services number AND has a geographical fax number AND has a FREEPOST (UK) address!

If one can do it, why can't the others?

Customer Services (0845 458 8100) translates to 0161 906 3800

This number is also for the Phone Co-Op but not sure which department (I tried it and it is them): 01608 646 001

Freepost alternative to address:

The Phone Co-op
FREEPOST 1922
Chipping Norton
Oxon
OX7 5BR

HTH :D

Heinz wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2005 at 5:38pm:

If one can do it, why can't the others?

Probaly because they ? being a company run by a USA parent realise the importance of such things,in retaining Customer Loyalty.Where as most UK companies havent really cottoned on to the concept,and tend to be driven by bean counters.

I have dealt with the Phone Coop in the past, and they are refreshlingly  helpful.

I think that the concept of Bean Counters actually started in the USA !!

Have a nice day now !  ::)

DaveM wrote on Nov 24^th, 2005 at 4:16pm:

I think that the concept of Bean Counters actually started in the USA !! Have a nice day now !  ::)

oh Dave, the irony of it all  ;D

Having got fed up with BTs appalling customer service and mess ups with on online billing I finally changed to the Phone COOp a few weeks ago.  They are a more socially responsible organisation, related to the whole COOP movement.  Not only that, but real people answer the phone!!  No electronic messages telling you to dial various numbers and no call centre staff called 'Robbie' or 'Lisa', clearly speaking to you from several thousand miles away.  Oh what a relief.

Their charges are reasonable, although it has to be said not much different from BT, and are laid out clearly. They don't use half a forest getting you to sign up. go for it if you are fed up with poor service and feel even vaguely environmentally and socially responsible
 
http://www.thephone.coop/

And the geographical alternative to their 0845 458 9000 number is 01608 646001 according to BT's 118500 website.

corax wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2005 at 11:54am:

Their charges are reasonable, although it has to be said not much different from BT, and are laid out clearly. They don't use half a forest getting you to sign up. go for it if you are fed up with poor service and feel even vaguely environmentally and socially responsible   http://www.thephone.coop/

I will second that, customer service at the Phone Coop puts all other companies to shame.
They are fantastic no cheaper than BT in the long run, they have an odd way of charging but very easy to understand. No hidden charges.

I moved to them for many reasons. I am in no way interested in any of these webbased out with no real customer service centre and no real support. I happy with pricing ok not as cheap as some of these fly by night net based outfits. But when shit hits the fan a good customer support service wins hands down for me.

Quote:

no cheaper than BT in the long run

But they are cheaper then BT in most cases. ;)

i'm glad a few of you think you're onto a winner with phone coop.  as for myself, i've had two years of nothing but hassles from that company, with my broadband internet account.   and i for one, wouldn't be too fooled by the sanctimonious "ethical" buzzword, sprinkled liberally around their website either.  i always think self-proclaimed 'ethicacy'  has about as much legitimacy as the the self-proclaimed 'democracy'  of so many extremely "un-democratic" countries around the world.

my own experiences with phone coop can be read [ here ]

...and just in case you think my opinion might be tainted by my grief with phone coop, i'd invite you to also read [ this US article ], which casts a very different light on phone coop's self-proclaimed "ethical" practices.

[the article refers to phone coop under their former name of poptel]