UPC Sales - Made to Measure Deals - Caveat Emptor

Dinarius

Two weeks ago I closed my TV account with UPC (I want full HD and the Red Button, so I'm moving to Sky) and signed up to phone and broadband.

I went to this area of the UPC website........

http://www.upc.ie/deals/made_to_measure/

1. Click on no television.

2. Click on Fibre Powered Broadband 8Mb €25.00 monthly.

3. Click on Home Phone €6.00 monthly.

4. When the drop down menu appears below Telephone Extras click on
Freetime World €7.00

The total in the right hand column is now €38.00 per month.

This morning I had reason to query a bill (regarding the cut of date for the TV sub) and I just asked her to confirm what the total phone/broadband cost will be. She said €45.00 per month! She said that when I don't have TV, there is a "stand alone fee" of €7.00 in addition to the €38.00. Does this appear on the UPC screen? Not that I can see.

I am awaiting a call back from the guy that sold me the package. The girl that I was speaking to said that they only had "limited internet access" and she couldn't see the page I was seeing!

D.

okidoki987

If you don't have a TV package off them, there's a €7 charge - I assume that's to make people take their TV packages then.

Dinarius

Thanks for the reply.

So, why doesn't it appear as part of the total in the right hand column on that page? A case of mis-selling methinks. May contact Office of Consmuer Affairs.

And why didn't the sales guy tell me about it?

He was adamant that it was €38 per month including VAT.

D.

ps. Off topic, but isn't Eircom's products page an object lesson in mind-boggling confusion? A shed load of packages with almost nothing between them. UPC may be chancers, but their packages are simple and clear. It's no wonder Eircom are screwed financially. The only way they can get custom is through confusion.

campo

Dinarius wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

So, why doesn't it appear as part of the total in the right hand column on that page? A case of mis-selling methinks. May contact Office of Consmuer Affairs.

And why didn't the sales guy tell me about it?

He was adamant that it was €38 per month including VAT.

D.

ps. Off topic, but isn't Eircom's products page an object lesson in mind-boggling confusion? A shed load of packages with almost nothing between them. UPC may be chancers, but their packages are simple and clear. It's no wonder Eircom are screwed financially. The only way they can get custom is through confusion.

its probably because when you ordered it online you clicked on existing customer deals which means if you are ordering phone and broadband then as an existing customer you must already have TV.

Dinarius

But, I didn't order it online. A guy sold it to me over the phone as I wrote above.

I merely used the online site to confirm that he and I were looking at the same thing.

D.

Edited: Just spoke to another guy who said that the stand alone charge appears on page 3 (the checkout page) of the Made to Measure section of the site. Since I was ordering over the phone I had no need to view page 3. The guy who sold me the package should have told me about it though. For the record, it's €7.75 per month.

I'm still awaiting a call back from him. This time I'll ask for email confirmation of exactly what I'm getting - something I should have done in the first place. My own fault.

Even at €45.75 per month, Eircom isn't at the races, I guess.

campo

Dinarius wrote: »

But, I didn't order it online. A guy sold it to me over the phone as I wrote above.

I merely used the online site to confirm that he and I were looking at the same thing.

D.

Oh sorry I read it wrong so eitheir 1 of 2 things happened

A) Sales agent did not realise that you were cancelling your TV so give you price without stand alone fee

or

He lied to you to get the sale

Oh and also the stand alone fee is actually 7.75 not 7e

Dinarius

Campo,

I was editing as you were posting!

Cheers.

D.

JDxtra

Probably to do with you having the TV service still active when you ordered BB+phone, or it was in a pending state waiting to be canceled.

cgarvey

Dinarius wrote: »

So, why doesn't it appear as part of the total in the right hand column on that page?

A bit sneaky, but it is mentioned on page 2 of the order (in the order summary/total on the right hand side).

djimi

Dinarius wrote: »

And why didn't the sales guy tell me about it?

Their sales guys are wonderful at leaving out key information and barefaced lying in order to get a sale. When I signed up in April I was more or less guarnateed that they would have Sky Sports HD in time for the start of the PL season; its pretty much the only reason I signed up with them over Sky. He also neglected to mention that there would be a €60 activation charge for the HD channels (which I fought and had dropped). When my first bill arrived several of the items on it bore no relation to the costs I had been told when I first signed up; the "free" Sky Sports ended up costing me €30, and overall I ended up being charged over €100 more than I should have been charged, which was actually taken from my account and only refunded off my next bill. To say I wasnt impressed was an understatement.

My advise: take everything they say with caution, and if possible get a second opinion from another sales rep.

kmick

I have also had trouble with their sales guys telling me an upgade was going to cost 10 euro extra and when my bill came the cost was 22 euro extra as the upgrade had broken my package. I rang them and they put me back on my package but I got caught for that month. My only leverage in all my conversations with these eejits is I never signed up for the direct debit which costs me 2.99 a month but has saved me a fortune as I just threaten not to pay anymore.

scottyboy

This happened to me just over a year ago when I moved into my house and subscribed with Sky for TV and UPC for phone and broadband. I was not impressed as it was not clear on their website (ordered online). I was also charged an installation fee which was supposed to free. I phoned the Customer Service Dept and said no problem, I'll just leave and go back to Eircom and they promptly refunded the installation fee, plus 6 months of surcharge and gave me one month connection as an apology.

I'd give that a go!

Dinarius

Looks like I've opened up a hornet's nest!

Stilll awaiting a call back.

D.

Dinarius

Finally got the call back.

Agent claims he told me about the stand alone charge. Never mind. They're still cheaper than Eircom, by a long chalk.

Agent said he couldn't send me email confirmation of the package we agreed on. I had to speak to Customer Services. After 20 minutes I got through to them. They will send email confirmation of the agreed package.

Interesting thing cropped up. Apparently, when I cancelled the tv sub they cancelled my direct debit. So, I'll have to pay my last tv bill by cheque (though they waived the €2.99 charge) and they'll send me out a new direct debit form. I think I'll hold off on returning it until I'm happy with the phone and broadband package.

In short, I'm getting 8Mb broadband (€25) plus phone and Freetime World (€13) plus the stand alone charge (€7.75) Total cost is €45.75 per month, plus the €2.99 as long as I'm not paying by direct debit.

Assuming it all works, Eircom can't come close to this - and I get to keep the BBC radio connection which, if I'm honest about it, is more important to me than the phone!

So, it's UPC (phone/broadband) and Sky tv from now on.

D.

scottyboy

Agree!

You'll also get analogue tv if you want setanta Ireland for free!!