Telefonica: the worst telephone company in the world

[pigs-might-fly]

Rant mode ON:-
Hands up all those who agree that Telefonica is the world's worst telephone company, who don't give a flying sexual act for their poor captive customers.
Let me explain..... a few weeks ago I took the plunge and "upgraded" to their 10MB ADSL "service".
I know that all ISPs say "up to....", but download speeds of around 2 to 3MB (at best, in the real world), is extracting the urine. If I was to get 70% of what I pay for I would, while not being ecstatic, accepet that as just about reasonable - to get 25% or less of what I pay for is basura.
Now to availability.... since "upgrading" and probably coincidently, there have been numerous occasions when the red light on my router indicates no service. This up 'til now has lasted from half an hour to a couple of hours.
Yesterday though, service ceased at 11 am and did not resume until 11 pm.
Today, for Flip's sake it's been the same.
I phoned the inaptly named "help" line on 1004 and spoke to an operator. I explained the problem, only to be told that I must 'phone the technical department on a different number. Now, my Spanish is not up to explaining technical terms and the Tech.dept don't have any English speakers as a matter of course.
"OK", I said, "perhaps YOU could 'phone them for me and report the problem...you have their number - you have just given it to me."
"NO, I can't do that"
"Why not?"
"I can't do that"
"But why not?"
"I can't do that"
End of conversation.
This is a communications company who treat their customers, paying for probably the most expensive ADSL in Western Europe, as complete cannon fodder to be treated with absolute contempt.
TOSSERS!

Rant mode OFF.

[Beachcomber]

I lose my ADSL service at about 8pm each evening and it comes back on about 9.30 the next morning. This started about four years ago when I upgraded from 1mb to 3mb. I have reported this several times and on the most recent occasion they sent an engineer from Cobra, their contracted installers in Málaga, who, coincidentally, was the same technician who installed my telephone line when I changed over from a TRAC to a landline.

He went through everything and came to the conclusion that I was too far from the exchange. According to the Telefónica web site I should be able to upgrade to the 10mb service but he told me most emphatically not to as this would make things drastically worse.

He gave me his mobile number and told me to contact him directly if I needed any further help as the ADSL helpline was worse than useless and the people who answered the telephone were call centre operators not technicians.

[olive]

I can see the problem quite clearly and the solution.

Beachcomber - can't you just move your house closer to the exchange or downgrade your service? It must be really tough for Telefonica trying to provide service to people dotted around all over the country. It could be worse, you could be back on dial up TRAC joke line!

olive

[Beachcomber]

I have actually thought of downgrading to 1mb but, on balance, I think I prefer the 3mb during the daytime and take my chances at night!

We had to jump through hoops (or rather my wife did) to get the TRAC exchanged for a landline. This was about eight years ago and I don't think they would do it now.

[Julie]

The service from Telefonica operators is horrid, can't believe they get away with it, but I am told its no better even if you are Spanish and have to deal with a problem, so at least we are all on the recieving end

PS. Can't be anyone alive that dislikes them more than I do at the moment

[Beachcomber]

A while ago I was having a problem with noise on my line which meant that the ADSL was constantly cutting out and eventually I wrote to this person:

Julio Linares López
Presidente Ejecutivo
Telefónica de España S.A.U.
Gran Vía 28
28013 Madrid

It was a very polite letter written in more less perfect Castillian (I have to say more or less in case Frank finds a mistake) by my wife detailing our problems with Telefónica. It was also a very long letter but here is an extract:

Quisiera ampliar mi servicio ADSL a 10Mb pero con los problemas actuales que tenemos que aguantar no tengo ganas de hacerlo. No me preocupo el hecho de tener que pagar tres o cuatro veces el precio para acceso al internet que pagan, por ejemplo, en el Reino Unido pero lo que si quisiera y espero en un país europeo es un servicio telefónico en condiciones.

We received a reply from the Customer Services director who must have put a rocket under someone because that particular problem was resolved within a few days by replacing a stretch of cable about half a kilometre down the lane. However, they haven't been able to move my house any closer to the exchange so I am stuck with the problem of cutting off at night.

[Mowser]

As I mentioned on another thread, I recently changed from Telefonica to Arrakis - BT (Fortec). I was on 6MB with Telefonica (download nearer 4MB) and have now contracted to their current maximum which is 3MB. I did a speed test and I'm regularly getting around 2.5MB. During the changeover, as they are also taking over the line, I had to dial 1051 to get my free Spanish calls. Once the changeover was complete, the prefix wouldn't be needed. I would also be onto THEIR voicemail service.

I called the helpline a couple of times and was immediately impressed. English or Spanish operators - whatever you prefer. There has been one hiccup and there still is. Voicemail still not set up and I still have to dial the prefix. I contacted the support and got these replies:-

In regard to your question about the line, it’s true that it has been transferred the 6th of August. I’ve called technical support of Arrakis and they will contact you to fix the problem you have with the answer machine.

Sorry for the mistake. It’s true that your line rental is still from Telefonica, but I don’t know why in my database it appeared like if you had been transferred. Telefonica rejected it and it was reordered, so it is still being processed in Arrakis. So please don’t stop using the prefix until you receive an email from us saying that your line rental has been transferred. Best regards and sorry for the inconveniences.

Here in Spain Telefonica is the owner of all the lines. It is a very big company and it tries to keep all their clients the longest they can. I told my manager in BT to try to sort out this matter as soon as possible and he is working on it. I’ll let you know as soon as the process has finished successfully.

I'm happy with the new company, but not with the thieving Telefonica shower.

[patchdog]

Doh, I am quite happy with the service i have had from telephonica.The phone was installed within 8 days of my request, broadband was set up quickly and I find the online help for the internet great. I agree the prices are high compared to the UK, it would seem that telecommunications are going through here what Telecom in the UK did about 30 years ago. Prices are coming down and hopefully the enforced competition will force down prices further. Ive used telefonica for 4 years now and only had one cause for complaint which was dealt with efficiently.
When I compare the service I have had from Telefonica with that I had from NTL in the UK, which was abysmal. The final straw being when I cancelled the contract in good time using the correct methods, only to find that baliffs had been to my house and I faced a court case. Happily after many months, more phone calls and a weeks stay in the UK, I was able to get compensation from NTL and an apology for their errors.

[deidrev]

[pigs-might-fly]

Words almost fail me (unusually)...suffice it to say that am so pi$$ed off at that useless shower of utter incompetent and customer hating plonkers that go by the name of Telefonica.

I am writing this at 1:10 am. For the fourth day running our ADSL line (including all other subscribers in our urbanisation: we all have 951 area codes - is it all of this code or just us affected?) has been out of service from 11:00 am until 11:00 pm or later,(tonight it spluttered into life at 12:59 AM) without the useless têtes de ricard either accepting complaints by 'phone or, when their useless web sit is actually working by submitting an averia on-line.
They are ostriches burying their heads in the sand so they can't hear their customer's pleas for at least, some information.
Bar Stewards.

BTW - how do we claim refunds on our expensive ADSL rental?

[katy]

http://www.diariosur.es/20090818/tecnol ... 80009.html

Seems as if everyone has/had a problem. The whole system went down at 9pm last night

[frank]

It was Brazil's fault though, nothing to do with Telefónica!
Todo se debió a un incidencia registrada en Brasil, que provocó problemas de conexión en Madrid y diversos lugares de España, según explicó un portavoz del Departamento de Comunicación de la empresa española.

[markwilding]

I think the problem as always in Spain is the Spanish government .Telefonica operates in the UK as O2 but has to to adhere to tighter controls so less problems. my experience with telefonica has been quite good( WHEN COMPARED TO MY EXPERINCE WITH OTHER COMPANIES) when i have contracted a service from them eg: very quick to intall the service however when i recieved the first bill there are all the extras being charged such as insurance antivirus and the router which was supposed to be free, so a phone call is required to sort it out. sometimes an operator can be very rude (one told me that nothing is free in this life) .my solution to this problem is to tell them that I am recording the converstion and then at least you get a polite person and the problem is normally sorted quickly. The problem is which company is better. none! because all of the utility companies have the same attitude, because the custermer service will always tell you their problems and completely miss the point that they are there to help you. i think becuase of the lack of control by the Spanish government they can get away with a lot of it. My point is proven by Vodafone a British company but Here in Spain operating like a Spanish company . As someone has already mentioned though this is not restricted to The foreigners The Spanish suffer too and I believe it will change as the young Spanish aren't as ready to accept bad service as the older generations have been

[Mowser]

Er lost ADSL & phone from 11:30 this morning. Phoned telefonica on mobile who said it was a fault in out area. Just back on now after a hiccup. Anyone else?

[Lyric]

Exactly the same, did not loose landline however. Others in the block did.

[Mowser]

I know it's an old thread, but I said I'd mention how it all turned out (changing from Telefonica to BT Arrakis).

FINALLY TODAY Telefonica has released my line to BT. It took almost 3 months, but at least I'm shot of them now.

[markwilding]

Congratulations

[Julie]

Mowser, Do you mean we don't have to rent the line from Telefonica now then if we don't want too ???

[Mowser]

Correct. BT Arrakis have taken over the line. Much cheaper than Telefonica.

[Julie]

Mowser

Do you have any prices, lots of info via google, but no prices anywere

[rafiki]

I can't see a coverage map on their web site. Is their service available nationally?

[Enrique]

Hi Julie,
Came across the pricing.............

http://www.internet4spain.com/adsl-pricing.htm

Presume : if you have/get a Telefonica landline then you can change to BT Arrakis

If you can't then the wireless option might be possible.

They list coverage maps...........

http://www.iberbandainenglish.com/coverage.htm

But like anything wireless if you're in a steep sided valley you my not get it.

[rafiki]

Thanks Enrique. Just found that site too and compared pricing with my Telefonica bill. Very interesting.

I had expected to find a larger saving. With IVA added I would make a saving of 9€ per month on ADSL + line rental. Whilst not an insignificant figure I wouldn't want to risk changing provider as I have had very little trouble with our Telefonica setup here in the 4 years we have had it.

[Enrique]

Hi rafiki,
For that amount "saved" better stay with a working system.

[pigs-might-fly]

You can certainly get better call rates, to the UK, than they are offering!

[rafiki]

Hi rafiki,
For that amount "saved" better stay with a working system.

I've probably put a hex on it now though

[Mowser]

My monthly bill with BT Arrakis for wireless ADSL including phone rental and free calls within Spain is €58.55 incl VAT. Support staff are English or Spanish speaking.Telefonica was nearer €70.00. Only downside is I've got 3MB instead of 6MB.
They have a special offer on just now with 1st 2 months ADSL at half price.