Eclipse Broadband & BT charge

[Bluebell]

Hi, I've had Eclipse Broadband since I moved into my current home 18 months ago. Unlike in my previous home where it was brilliant, the service has been pretty rubbish. It's ok in the daytime but often unusable in the evening. I've had periods of half a day when I can't go online because of connection problems. I contacted Eclipse who monitored the service and said it was erratic. After months of phone calls and emails they sent out a BT engineer. He said he could find no problem with the line and that it might be something to do with load on Eclipse's equipment in the exchange or some electrical interference. Eclipse sent me an iplate which I installed, it made no difference. They sent out another engineer...who said it was either something to do with load on Eclipse's equipment in the exchange or some electrical interference OR my wireless phone. I'd already tried a simple wired phone in the phone socket and that didn't make a difference but decided to get another phone anyway as my phone was old. The new phone made no difference. Then Eclipse contacted me to say that BT had said it WAS my phone and that I therefore had to pay the charge (around £140).

Eclipse say that I can get another engineer out (but will be liable to pay another charge if they don't find a problem).

I've also been in touch with BT about my crackly phone line...(which has been crackly since I moved in) BT can't find a problem with the line and say I will have to pay a charge if they were to come out again and find nothing wrong. It has been logged as an intermittent fault (it gets worse in the rain) but by the time they get themselves organised to come out the crackling has gone again.

I've told Eclipse about the phone and BT about the Broadband problems but they both want to deal with them separately.

I'm now more or less stuck. I don't know what to do and feel like I'm going mad Eclipse say they have checked their equipment in the exchange but I don't really believe them. I'm wondering if the problems are all to do with being so far from the exchange. If so is it classed as my fault? Does anyone know how I can encourage them to DO SOMETHING!!!! Oh and I really don't want to pay the charge.

[Jester]

Re: Eclipse Broadband & BT charge

I used Eclipse for several years and their service was absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately, they got bought out by another company (I forget who) about 24 months ago and the service went downhill rapidly. When you call them up they always blame BT.

I found that my internet connection slowed to an absolute crawl during peak times (it never used to be like that). The problem is that they continually squeezed the contention ratio to such an extent that the service no longer funtioned adequately during peak times. Eventually I got fed up with them and moved to Sky Broadband (which as a Sky customer is free or just £10 a month for unlimited access - which I have). The difference in performance was amazing.

Sky has it's problems too, but compared to Eclipse they are in a different league.

It's sad because Eclipse service was once the best you could get and their customer service was second to none. But not any more. If you Google them, you will find hundreds of complaints from people saying exactly the same as me !!!

[Bluebell]

Re: Eclipse Broadband & BT charge

Ah that explains the terrible connection then. Hmpf I'm locked in with them until January I think. Not long I suppose but REAAAALLLY annoying.

[Jester]

Re: Eclipse Broadband & BT charge

Really ? That's a change too then as when I was with them I was on a month-to-month contract and not tied in at all. That meant that all I had to do was give them a month's notice and then leave.

That said, we'll be into December in just over two weeks time so if you decided to migrate to another provider it would mean that you are within your rights to give them their months notice come December as your contrcat ends in January.

Research who the best provider is for your area. If you are in a Virgin cable area then I would recommend that as their broadband speeds are blistering compared to most ADSL these days and I believe they are seriously looking at 100Mb broadband through their cable network. Horses for course though as I understand their customer services are appalling !!

[Guest]

Re: Eclipse Broadband & BT charge

I would not recommend Virgin at all.

Virgin Media - Legal Beagles

and

Virgin Media 2 - The Incompetence Continues (in fact, it never really ceased) - Legal Beagles

Are just two examples of why you would be advised to steer clear of them.

I use Sky and although it has not been without problems, by and large I am satisfied with both the product and the customer service.