New Meteor Broadband Trial

jekc73

As a Meteor Mobile "valued customer", I was invited to test Meteor's new mobile broadband service for them before it rolls out in February. For this I get to pay 30 euros a month for their one month pass – or so I thought...

I received the modem on the 27th of November, and proceeded to top up via my bank account by 30 euros to avail of their One Month Pass. In the booklet, there was an explanation on how to top up by a voucher from a shop, but I top up via my online banking as it is more convenient. You could also use Top Up direct, but I already use my credit card number for my actual talk and text Meteor mobile (which is a different number), and I didn't want to mess it up, so I chose the option of topping up via my online banking.

I received a text message confirming the top up, and that my balance was 35 euro (my 30, plus the 5 euro one day pass provided with the usb key modem).

I then found out that the modem wouldn't work. I assumed this was teething problems, as they are still only testing the service. The modem finally connected on the 3rd of December. On the 4th of December I tried to connect again, and I got a message saying I needed to top up.

I called the dedicated broadband customer service line and I got a clueless man telling me my balance was zero. When I asked him to check my top up history, he confirmed I had topped up by 30 euro, but as I was on a day pass I went over my daily limit and was charged for going over it. He said that I should have sent a text message to 50103 with "30 day pass" after topping up as it states in the booklet. I have checked the booklet, and it doesn't say this ANYWHERE. It also doesn't state anywhere that Top Up Direct and Voucher are the ONLY ways to top up their mobile service!! The fact that you have to physically go to a corner shop to buy a voucher every month kind of defeats the purpose of a MOBILE service. Not providing a variety of ways to pay sends the message that they don't want our money. Well they have taken 30 euro from me, and they won't receive a penny more!! I'm sticking to my current provider, 3 mobile, who are cheaper, and have an excellent customer service - they even seem to train their staff!!!

He then went to talk to his supervisor, and said that "all he could do" was give me another "complimentary" one day pass. I then asked him were there many more people testing their broadband before roll out in February and he said "quite a few". Remember that I am paying THEM to help THEM test THEIR service!!

Meteor has obviously sent their staff to the O'Leary school of customer service. One thing they don't seem to be aware of is that they are latecomers in the mobile broadband market, and that at least one of their competitors is a lot cheaper for monthly broadband. Their crap customer service and unreliability won't wash in a recessionary climate with three other competitors sharing the market! They seem to forget that I ported my number to them from o2 a few years ago because I had to deal with one of o2's trained monkeys in their contact centre! And they had only ripped me off by ten euros! I ported my number once, and I can do it again!

They will doubtless run a zippy annoying advert in the new year advertising their crap service, but they are obviously only wanting to appeal to the narrow fickle market of impressionable teenagers who are easier to rip off. I do hope Karma eventually bites Meteor on the ass and they get their monies worth!

So before even launching in February, Meteor Broadband have proven themselves to be expensive, unreliable, and have a bad customer service. A small market like Ireland with FOUR different providers is not a place for amateurs. The other three mobile companies have nothing to worry about, as there won't be any real competition with Meteor's "also ran" effort. I hope they choke on my 30 euro!

Username!

It hurts my eyes!

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jekc73

Username! wrote: »

It hurts my eyes!

Paragraphs... please!

Paragraphs manually inserted. Sigh...

MarkR

It sounds like you feel hard done by all right. Did you sign anything to get this modem? Did you read the terms and conditions in it?

I suppose as a trial it's possible that some basic info was left out from promo packs, but as you are buying credit in advance for a service, I would assume that they have their bases covered.

Were you aware of the download allowance, and that you went over it? Did the T&C detail any charges that may occur if you go over that limit?

I got picked too.


Tehy give you a free modem (worth 79E)


Free days worth of BB.


And 50E credit which you can use for phone or more BB credit.


Month worth of BB cost 30 something.


Why are you complaining, sell it if your so annoyed.

drunkmonkey

Will Someone please start a Meteor MEEGGGAAAThread...it's about time some one took the heat off 3....

Jonathan

Thread over in mobiles and pda about the trial.

jekc73

cisk wrote: »

I got picked too.


Tehy give you a free modem (worth 79E)


Free days worth of BB.


And 50E credit which you can use for phone or more BB credit.


Month worth of BB cost 30 something.


Why are you complaining, sell it if your so annoyed.

I didn't get that offer at all actually...

I wouldn't have been as annoyed if I had to be honest...

jekc73

Anyway,

After all my whining and moaning, Meteor are actually going to refund me the 30 euro, as it was not clear in their literature that you had to send a text message to guarantee the 30 day pass after topping up.

Sad that you have to resort to whining and foot stamping, but all is good now and I shall resume my testing of the Mobile BB service for them.

PS: I have no complaints at all about their Mobile Phone service by the way. At least when used within Ireland. I still find them the cheapest and most reliable.....

bmcgrath

Welcome to Meteor.

I was quite happy with them until a few weeks ago where I was literally told "Change to o2 if you're having problems. We don't care"

So I changed to o2. Their customer care team is pretty sh1t....

jekc73

MarkR wrote: »

It sounds like you feel hard done by all right. Did you sign anything to get this modem? Did you read the terms and conditions in it?

I suppose as a trial it's possible that some basic info was left out from promo packs, but as you are buying credit in advance for a service, I would assume that they have their bases covered.

Were you aware of the download allowance, and that you went over it? Did the T&C detail any charges that may occur if you go over that limit?

My whole whinge was regarding the customer care I received, not their T&C's or the technical quality of their service, (which, at the moment, with few users to compete with is pretty darn fast...)

They have since called me to refund the 30 euro and all is well again, so I have to humbly retract a lot of what I wrote in anger. See! Your mother was wrong! Tantrums DO work! ;-)

jekc73

bmcgrath wrote: »

Welcome to Meteor.

I was quite happy with them until a few weeks ago where I was literally told "Change to o2 if you're having problems. We don't care"

So I changed to o2. Their customer care team is pretty sh1t....

I changed FROM o2 cos of their customer care! Enjoy O2 until they owe you an upgrade and then give you excuses about how they won't give you one! At least there's another two companies to port your number to after that ;-)

croo

Meteor = Eircom and they don't need any lessons from O' Leary on how to screw their customers!

Sponge Bob

still, it is a trial innit !!!

medeame

jekc73 wrote: »

I changed FROM o2 cos of their customer care! Enjoy O2 until they owe you an upgrade and then give you excuses about how they won't give you one! At least there's another two companies to port your number to after that ;-)

sorry to hear about all the mix up and problems, however, i have been with meteor for 6 years, and put most of my friends and family onto it. I have had problems, but have just rung, and yes now and again i got a twit on the phone, but mostly they are bril to be fair.
They will correct a wrong and repay any mistakes and i find them cheapest and thier customer care fantastic.
was on 02 and vodafone in the past, but always came back to meteor.
Ask for a supervisor or manager if you get unsatisfactory staff, because i feel they do care, just my opinion i know, but out of them all, i find meteor cheeper, faster, nicer etc
Hope you dont leave them, cos they really are value for money, more than any of the others, - well its only my opinion anyway, all the best.

watty

Surely this thread should be called New Meteor Mobile Internet Trial.


I hope they are adding lots of masts and backhauls etc. I changed from Meteor to O2 for voice as so many calls to me dropped or engaged (capacity) and so many calls from me no connection or dropped (coverage and capacity).

Anto1000

Reasons why I no longer use Meteor Broadband togo

1). I don’t believe they data usage calculations, I have purchased 30 day passes which taken at face value (7GB/30 days). In reality apart from the first pass I purchased none have them have lasted more than 10 days two of them substantially less. Interestingly I also use a 3 dongle in the UK, I have found that for comparible web browsing activities over the period of 7 days I used 1GB on the 3 network compared to 7GB on Metior (how does that work ?).
2). I do not have a Meteor phone and as the I have not found the online top up very reliable I have needed to phone them to try and resolve these top up issues. This can cost me between 10 and 20 euros each time I do thisc(depending on the operator some are a lot better than others!).
3) the most annoying aspect of the meteor Broadband togo service is the daily pass. As mentioned earlier for some inexplicable reason when my 7GB pass runs out. I am forced to resort to a day pass. But beware they seem to expire at 12 midnight no matter what time you purchase them, I have purchased these at 11PM only to be cut off one hour later. This for me was the last straw!!!!



I will never use this service again. Please if you are using Meteor BB TOGO be very vigilant it can cost you dear !
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