NTL / UPC Hi definition

tallus

Hi folks,

I don't think I have ever posted on this forum before but thought I'd start a thread on the new High definition offering from UPC Ireland.
I'm an existing UPC customer subscribed to both the digital tv package and the Broadband package.
When I heard about the High definiton coming out I was naturally excited about it and it finally appeared on the UPC site this morning.
The pricing and installation is listed as free installation for first time customers and 60 euro for existing customers. The service itself costs 7.50 per month for the first time customers and only 2.50 for existing customers like myself.
I called UPC and enquired about the service only to be told that in fact it would cost me 90 euro to have it installed and not the 60 listed on the site, after a quick calculation I realised that they are getting the equivalent of three years subscription for that 90 euro which kind of annoyed me.
I registered my dismay with the UPC employee with whom I spoke to on the phone and told her I wouldn't be signing up if it was going to cost me 90euro.

Am I being a skinflint ? seriously... it felt like a bridge too far for me to cough up the 90 when new customers were getting free installation.

Opinions welcome.

ntlbell

did they explain why there was inconsistency's between the site and the actual price?

tallus

Hi ntlbell,

I didn't bother asking as it kind of tripped me up tbh because I didn't even want to pay the displayed price of 60.

Mezcita

Their sales people continue to be rubbish.

Checked the website and it states that it is €60 for the HD installation if you book online.

Similiar thing happened to me a few weeks ago. I rang up to order their Digital+ service. Was told that installation would be €30. Told her the website says that it is free if I book online. Girl then told me that it could be four weeks before it would be installed if I booked it online.

Booked it online. Guy turned up three days later to install it.

Morons. All of them.

tallus

@ntlbell: After reading Mezcita's post I think that the "book online" price is 60 and over the phone =90.
@Mezcita: I have found them to be unreliable in the past, not turning up and the like, but lately they seem to have improved.

ntlbell

tallus wrote: »

@ntlbell: After reading Mezcita's post I think that the "book online" price is 60 and over the phone =90.

That seems to be the case.

tallus wrote: »

@Mezcita: I have found them to be unreliable in the past, not turning up and the like, but lately they seem to have improved.

It was very hard for the scheduling to get much worse, in fairness to the "clever" sales person they're trying to make the bread like anyone else.

Sales person in trying to make more commission and not give a hoot about the customer - shock horror

Mezcita

tallus wrote: »

@ntlbell: After reading Mezcita's post I think that the "book online" price is 60 and over the phone =90.
@Mezcita: I have found them to be unreliable in the past, not turning up and the like, but lately they seem to have improved.

Yeah to be fair their system for confirming the time that their engineers was due to arrive was very good. I received a text, email and phone call from them and the guy was on time.

My "morons" comment was more directed at their sales people. Actively telling porkies to new customers in order to get some commision on a sale is dodgy in my book.

tallus

Mezcita wrote: »

My "morons" comment was more directed at their sales people. Actively telling porkies to new customers in order to get some commision on a sale is dodgy in my book.

Agreed. There's nothing more annoying than being lied to.

norrie rugger

Why do companies treat their existing customers so badly?
€60 to upgrade my connection, when I have been a UPC customer for years
It basically shouts for me to swap to Sky, as I will get their new customer deal.

JDxtra

The install charge of €60 seems reasonable. Its a premium service, and it will cost them more than that to supply you with the hardware and send a contractor around.

norrie rugger

* Free connection for new customers. Existing analogue customers pay €60 connection fee for the Bargain Deal, €73 a month and €110 connection fee for TV Deal and €79.50 and €110 connection fee for Diamond Deal.

Does this mean that there is no connection fee for current digital customers?

JDxtra

norrie rugger wrote: »

Why do companies treat their existing customers so badly?
€60 to upgrade my connection, when I have been a UPC customer for years
It basically shouts for me to swap to Sky, as I will get their new customer deal.

Its really quite simple. New customers are more valuable so they offer them sweet deals! Once you are hooked in, the majority end up staying (churn is usually 10% per year).

norrie rugger

JDxtra wrote: »

The install charge of €60 seems reasonable. Its a premium service, and it will cost them more than that to supply you with the hardware and send a contractor around.

why is it reasonable?
I can understand an introductory 1/2 price package for new customers but giving them a free service, that existing customers have to pay above for is a bit crazy

Why would I stay with UPC and pay this charge, if sky offer me similiar, with the New Customer Free Connection trick also?

tallus

norrie rugger wrote: »

Why would I stay with UPC and pay this charge, if sky offer me similiar, with the New Customer Free Connection trick also?

That's exactly the way I felt after talking to them on the phone this morning.

inforfun

Give it a few months and they ll be calling you to upgrade, for free.

These kind of prices they ask for upgrading is because they know there will always be "freaks" who jump on it at the first chance they get.
They dont mind being ripped off (because that is what it is 90 euro to swap a box).

Which reminds me... still need to downgrade my tv package...

techdiver

I went through the online order form just to test. I stated that I already had Digital TV with them and it never added the €60 onto the price. I wonder what would happen if I completed the form??

norrie rugger

techdiver wrote: »

I went through the online order form just to test. I stated that I already had Digital TV with them and it never added the €60 onto the price. I wonder what would happen if I completed the form??

I tried calling there, amazing that there is no que for the sales line lol

anyway, he kept trying to get me on the €90 fee. Asked him about the fact that I am a digital customer, it threw him but he came back almost immediately saying "I still think that there is a €90 connection fee"

celticbest

Can anyone answer this question.

If I disconnect from Chorus/NTL then look to reconnect am I then consider to be a new customer?

If I can do this I would, the new customer deals they have for HDTV, Phone & Broadband are amazing compared to there current customer deals.

It should be like a mobile phone contract set-up, once you have run out your contract you get a better offer to try to keep you with the same network. It just seems to me that UPC want to lose there current customer to SKY.

celticbest

I know above question has been sitting around a while but I thought I would raise it again to see if I get a response this time?