It's finally happened (as you can probably tell by my recent radio silence) - I've got Sky TV. For the last four months I've had no TV signal at my flat, and combined with a lack of Internet access (see my previous posts), I was starting to feel somewhat isolated. The Pipex debacle made me evaulate other options, and I spotted that Sky charge a mere £5 a month for a 40GB/month broadband service (4x the capacity of the more expensive and non-functioning Pipex offering). Deciding to get Sky TV was a logical decision - I'm now paying £23 a month for about 200 channels, and a fast broadband service, as opposed to Pipex's offering of £15 a month and no TV.
Sky customer services have been pretty awesome. The engineer turned up on time, and got the whole thing rigged up within 2 hours. I was notified by text message the day before he came, and was given his mobile number, in case I needed to contact him. He tuned the Sky remote in to my TV, and checked that everything worked perfectly before he left. Setting up broadband was a doddle - they sent the router out within 24 hours, and the CD-rom based installation routine was the best I've ever seen. It's pretty fast too, at 4.5mbps. All Sky's paperwork has been clearly written, and their call centre staff are friendly and well informed. On top of all this, I'm getting £50 of Marks & Sparks vouchers, because I was recommended by a friend. Now THAT'S what I call service! Well done Sky.
As for the TV service itself, there's an awful lot of rubbish, but the UKTV channels are very good, and the documentary channels are quite compelling. Film4 is rapidly becoming a personal favourite, and I've found a channel that shows almost nothing but Star Trek. I've also been enjoying the Parliamentary broadcast channel, and have finally seen Channel 5! The only problem now, is finding time to watch the damn thing...
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Silly Season in Customer Services Land
You'll be pleased to hear that my TV turned up! My grumble today, however, is about Pipex (the Internet Service Provider), and their incredibly bad, atrocious, awful, jaw-droppingly incompetent and clueless customer service "team".
Firstly, I suppose it's partly my fault. I wanted broadband in my new flat, so I shopped around, and Pipex looked like value for money at £15 a month for a 10GB limit. I duly signed up on January 9th, and the router, welcome pack etc. arrived the next day, albeit at the wrong address. I waited the 7 working days specified in the welcome letter, and turned the router on - nothing. I purchased a spare micro-filter, and tried a spare router, but still, nothing. Cue two weeks of trying to contact Pipex. If you talk to their customer service people, they'll just say "it's a technical problem, you need to re-dial and talk to Technical Support". If you dial Technical Support, you won't get through. Believe me, I've tried! You just sit in a queue for hours after hours, listening to the same cheesy music. I finally got an email from them last week, saying that they've had a "provisioning problem", and that the broadband would go live on February 15th - five weeks after I ordered it. No explanation as to what the problem is, just "there's a problem". Hmmm....
This morning I spotted how reasonable the Sky TV / broadband prices are, and decided to cancel the Pipex setup. I phoned Pipex, and after 10 minutes in a queue, got through to their cancellations department (says it all really!). I asked for my MAC code, so I could switch to Sky, and was told "sorry, but because your broadband has never worked, there's no MAC code to give you". Interesting... I phoned the BT Broadband tagging team, who laughed, said "It's all Pipex's fault, and it's up to them to remove the ADSL tag request on the line", and wished me luck dealing with them. They also pointed out that the request to ADSL-enable my phone line only came through on January 28th, a whopping THREE WEEKS after I ordered it. So it seems that the "problem" was a case of "we forgot to turn your broadband on".
I now have the joyous task of speaking to the dimwits at Pipex, and trying to get them to remove their ADSL tag from my phone line. At least I'm not alone - check out www.pipexproblems.co.uk
To be continued...
Firstly, I suppose it's partly my fault. I wanted broadband in my new flat, so I shopped around, and Pipex looked like value for money at £15 a month for a 10GB limit. I duly signed up on January 9th, and the router, welcome pack etc. arrived the next day, albeit at the wrong address. I waited the 7 working days specified in the welcome letter, and turned the router on - nothing. I purchased a spare micro-filter, and tried a spare router, but still, nothing. Cue two weeks of trying to contact Pipex. If you talk to their customer service people, they'll just say "it's a technical problem, you need to re-dial and talk to Technical Support". If you dial Technical Support, you won't get through. Believe me, I've tried! You just sit in a queue for hours after hours, listening to the same cheesy music. I finally got an email from them last week, saying that they've had a "provisioning problem", and that the broadband would go live on February 15th - five weeks after I ordered it. No explanation as to what the problem is, just "there's a problem". Hmmm....
This morning I spotted how reasonable the Sky TV / broadband prices are, and decided to cancel the Pipex setup. I phoned Pipex, and after 10 minutes in a queue, got through to their cancellations department (says it all really!). I asked for my MAC code, so I could switch to Sky, and was told "sorry, but because your broadband has never worked, there's no MAC code to give you". Interesting... I phoned the BT Broadband tagging team, who laughed, said "It's all Pipex's fault, and it's up to them to remove the ADSL tag request on the line", and wished me luck dealing with them. They also pointed out that the request to ADSL-enable my phone line only came through on January 28th, a whopping THREE WEEKS after I ordered it. So it seems that the "problem" was a case of "we forgot to turn your broadband on".
I now have the joyous task of speaking to the dimwits at Pipex, and trying to get them to remove their ADSL tag from my phone line. At least I'm not alone - check out www.pipexproblems.co.uk
To be continued...
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
When the Internet goes bad
My new TV is turning into a saga. Having cancelled my order with the hapless Play.com (see my previous blog post), I placed an identical order with 247electrical.com, via Amazon (they're a re-seller). Order placed on Monday - Amazon emailed me to confirm - I've heard nothing from 247electrical yet. Not a single "yes we've got your order" message. I have no idea if they're on the case, or if it's got lost in the ether.
I've tried ringing 247electrical twice so far, and each time have been held in a queue for 10 minutes, before hanging up. They have possibly the worst tinned music imaginable, which sounds like it's being piped through an underwater speaker system. You can't quite make it out, so you listen intently, only for an annoying voice to inform you that your call is important, but everyone is "busy".
So... five days without a TV so far. I've discovered that my PC monitor is quite adequate for watching DVDs, albeit a bit grainy. I'm starting to wish I'd just paid the £80 more and bought it in Sainsbury's last Saturday... maybe the Internet isn't all it's cracked up to be?
I've tried ringing 247electrical twice so far, and each time have been held in a queue for 10 minutes, before hanging up. They have possibly the worst tinned music imaginable, which sounds like it's being piped through an underwater speaker system. You can't quite make it out, so you listen intently, only for an annoying voice to inform you that your call is important, but everyone is "busy".
So... five days without a TV so far. I've discovered that my PC monitor is quite adequate for watching DVDs, albeit a bit grainy. I'm starting to wish I'd just paid the £80 more and bought it in Sainsbury's last Saturday... maybe the Internet isn't all it's cracked up to be?
Monday, 21 January 2008
Why Play.com are in trouble
Our TV died on Saturday, so I looked for a new one on www.play.com. I found a very natty Sony Bravia 32 inch LCD for £530, with free delivery. Bargain! I ordered it. This morning when I checked my email, I found the following message from the play.com customer service department:
How odd! I've never had this before! I duly phoned them up, and after being held in a queue for 5 minutes, listening to "The Worst of Kenny G", I was put through to a chap who claimed that their 3rd party security system required that I confirm my name, age and address over the telephone before they could process the order. I expressed my surprise at this, but did as he requested, and he apologised again, saying that they would take an extra 24 hours to process the security information.
Not exactly making me feel welcome...
Two hours later, I received another email from play.com, stating that:
Hang on... they want me to FAX my BANK STATEMENT to them? What decade are they in? Maybe in 1995 they might be forgiven, firstly for having a fax machine, and secondly for being a bit cautious about online purchases, and whether or not the customers can actually afford the goods in question. But this is 2008, when one-click shopping is a reality, and we (the consumers) don't have to put up with non-sensical, rude and invasive questions and demands from second-rate Internet resellers.
I did what every right-minded person would do - I rang up, cancelled the order, gave them a piece of my mind, and placed the order with Amazon instead.
Play have messed up. I assume they don't sell many televisions. I hope they can put their house in order, before they go bust...
At Play.com, we value your custom and take your online security very
seriously. Accordingly we have an additional security check in place.
To perform this check we ask that you contact our Customer Support Team on 0845 800 1020.
How odd! I've never had this before! I duly phoned them up, and after being held in a queue for 5 minutes, listening to "The Worst of Kenny G", I was put through to a chap who claimed that their 3rd party security system required that I confirm my name, age and address over the telephone before they could process the order. I expressed my surprise at this, but did as he requested, and he apologised again, saying that they would take an extra 24 hours to process the security information.
Not exactly making me feel welcome...
Two hours later, I received another email from play.com, stating that:
We are experiencing difficulty verifying your address details. To proceed with your order we will need to see a copy of documentation which confirms your address and credit/debit card details such as your bank statement. Please fax your documentation to +44 (0)1223 202001 for the attention of Statement Requests.
Hang on... they want me to FAX my BANK STATEMENT to them? What decade are they in? Maybe in 1995 they might be forgiven, firstly for having a fax machine, and secondly for being a bit cautious about online purchases, and whether or not the customers can actually afford the goods in question. But this is 2008, when one-click shopping is a reality, and we (the consumers) don't have to put up with non-sensical, rude and invasive questions and demands from second-rate Internet resellers.
I did what every right-minded person would do - I rang up, cancelled the order, gave them a piece of my mind, and placed the order with Amazon instead.
Play have messed up. I assume they don't sell many televisions. I hope they can put their house in order, before they go bust...
Monday, 14 January 2008
Smooth moves in the kitchen
I've taken the plunge, and bought a smoothie maker, in a bid to consume healthier food during 2008. I bought a Kenwood "Junior", for £23 in Sainsbury's (they're half price at the moment!). What a great gadget! It's really simple to use - just chop things up, throw them in, whisk it up, and pour. I made myself a breakfast smoothie this morning, using these ingredients:
- One banana
- A dozen blueberries
- Two tablespoons of organic yoghurt
- A third of a glass of milk
- A quarter of a cup of ground oats
- Two teaspoons of honey (any type will do, but I prefer Accacia, or Manuka)
You really need a bit of liquid, otherwise the texture is so thick that it'll have trouble getting out of the pouring nozzle. Apple juice is good for non-milk based smoothies. I'll be posting my favourite recipes here, but in the meantime, here's a great article on the wonders of Manuka honey.
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Happy New Year to both my readers!
Okay, so Christmas wasn't as bad as my grumpy pre-festive self expected. In fact, I had the best Christmas EVER, courtesy of my brother, and his wife's fantastically lively, lovely family, in their idyllic Roman hideaway. Baby Mimmo had more presents than he could open, so many in fact that we were still opening them on Boxing Day.
The Italians don't go overboard on Christmas. I was able to do my shopping on Christmas Eve, in a large department "store" (I mean "shop", but that word isn't really used any more), which was tastefully decorated, and wasn't overflowing with panic-stricken shoppers hunting for meaningless gumf to inflict on their nearest and dearest. Having said that, I believe they go nuts over January 6th - my Dad's birthday, therefore a highly laudable reason to celebrate.
My favourite present this year was a sea blue Ukulele, and a "teach yourself how to play" book. I've been confidently strumming away at a few chords, pleased that I've managed to remember them, until... this morning, when I discovered that the "teach yourself" book is all set up for the Uke to be tuned to four completely different notes to the ones mine's tuned to. Therefore the chords that I've "learned", while being perfectly in-tune, aren't the chords I thought they were, and I now have to re-learn them! I might just give up and sit back to watch the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain's Barbican gig (here's a clip from it):
Something tells me I'll keep plucking away... I've got tickets to see them in Lewes on February 2nd, so I'll be even more inspired after that.
I'm back at work now, which is fairly busy, and not without its worries, but as the hapless knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail said, "I've had worse".
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2008,
Pete.
The Italians don't go overboard on Christmas. I was able to do my shopping on Christmas Eve, in a large department "store" (I mean "shop", but that word isn't really used any more), which was tastefully decorated, and wasn't overflowing with panic-stricken shoppers hunting for meaningless gumf to inflict on their nearest and dearest. Having said that, I believe they go nuts over January 6th - my Dad's birthday, therefore a highly laudable reason to celebrate.
My favourite present this year was a sea blue Ukulele, and a "teach yourself how to play" book. I've been confidently strumming away at a few chords, pleased that I've managed to remember them, until... this morning, when I discovered that the "teach yourself" book is all set up for the Uke to be tuned to four completely different notes to the ones mine's tuned to. Therefore the chords that I've "learned", while being perfectly in-tune, aren't the chords I thought they were, and I now have to re-learn them! I might just give up and sit back to watch the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain's Barbican gig (here's a clip from it):
Something tells me I'll keep plucking away... I've got tickets to see them in Lewes on February 2nd, so I'll be even more inspired after that.
I'm back at work now, which is fairly busy, and not without its worries, but as the hapless knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail said, "I've had worse".
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2008,
Pete.
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Bah, humbug
If I ruled the World, we'd have Christmas every other year. Last year, I was really good about buying presents. I bought things throughout the year, putting real thought, effort, and expense into choosing presents that I hoped would delight the recipients. It really gave me a lot of pleasure to hand over some well-chosen gifts.
This year, we're having Christmas in Italy, so I'm restricted to taking only a handful of small presents. I've had a busy year, and Christmas hasn't really featured on my radar at all. The presents I've bought have been last-minute choices, with little thought, and frankly I'm irritated that the whole gluttonous shebang has come round so quickly. I can't raise much interest to be honest. I'm looking forward to spending Christmas abroad with friends and family - that'll be a novelty - but apart from that, it seems like a soul-less convention, devoid of meaning. Once you're old enough to start receiving socks instead of Scalextric, and sceptical enough to skirt round any religious attachments, conscientious enough to be a vegetarian, and grumpy enough to refuse to watch TV, one has to focus on what's left - spending quality time with people you don't see as often as you'd like. Chuck in a few drinks and hopefully it'll be quite pleasant :)
In our family, those ethical "goat-style" presents were poorly received - I only found out why when I got one recently. There's no sense of attachment to the animal, or the community which benefits from your donation, and if you read the small print on the back, you'll see that your money probably hasn't bought a goat, but has been spent on goat-related accessories, or even more likely, has just been added to a generic slush-fund for the charity. You may as well just make a donation privately, and avoid the whole embarrassment of handing over a card with a picture of a goat on it.
Happy Christmas anyway - however you're celebrating, I hope you enjoy it.
This year, we're having Christmas in Italy, so I'm restricted to taking only a handful of small presents. I've had a busy year, and Christmas hasn't really featured on my radar at all. The presents I've bought have been last-minute choices, with little thought, and frankly I'm irritated that the whole gluttonous shebang has come round so quickly. I can't raise much interest to be honest. I'm looking forward to spending Christmas abroad with friends and family - that'll be a novelty - but apart from that, it seems like a soul-less convention, devoid of meaning. Once you're old enough to start receiving socks instead of Scalextric, and sceptical enough to skirt round any religious attachments, conscientious enough to be a vegetarian, and grumpy enough to refuse to watch TV, one has to focus on what's left - spending quality time with people you don't see as often as you'd like. Chuck in a few drinks and hopefully it'll be quite pleasant :)
In our family, those ethical "goat-style" presents were poorly received - I only found out why when I got one recently. There's no sense of attachment to the animal, or the community which benefits from your donation, and if you read the small print on the back, you'll see that your money probably hasn't bought a goat, but has been spent on goat-related accessories, or even more likely, has just been added to a generic slush-fund for the charity. You may as well just make a donation privately, and avoid the whole embarrassment of handing over a card with a picture of a goat on it.
Happy Christmas anyway - however you're celebrating, I hope you enjoy it.
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