# u.tv/talk



## Hamlet (31 Aug 2004)

i finally took the plunge and ended my relationship with eircom. we moved to u.tv talk.  i will post our experiences with these after we have evaluated the service and value for money.  in the meanwhile anyboby here with them - whats your thoughts?

hamlet


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## ajapale (31 Aug 2004)

> There is nothing either good or bad, But thinking makes it so.


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## RitzFitz (31 Aug 2004)

let us know what they are like Hamlet , as I am seriously thinking of joining them also. The only thing I would like to know is can you call 0818 numbers with them . 

Would it be possible for you to test this ? I am interested in using Telestunt for making mobile calls, and you need to call a 0818 number first, and then a prefix for Telestunt, followed by a mobile phone number. 

If you are interested in checking this, you should dial the following : 

0818 270 101  , then you should get a message welcoming you to Telestunt, and then you dial the mobile number followed by a hash. 

On the UTV Talk website they mention in the terms and conditions ( condition 4.10 ) "a Customer cannot access another operator's network in making calls through use of a prefix", so I am not sure if this also applied to 0818 numbers.


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## podgeandrodge (1 Sep 2004)

*utv service*

HI
i also am taking the plunge and was also curious about the ringing of 0818 numbers as you can ring an 0818 number to make cheap international calls.  all i can tell you is that i rang utv today and they say non geographic numbers are charged same as eircom...so that should mean just over 8cent peak and 4.5cent or so off peak and weekend.

here goes! will keep you informed


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## sueellen (1 Sep 2004)

Hamlet,

There is a reference in this thread to utv talk in this thread


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## rx1950 (1 Sep 2004)

Warning! - UTV has a 12 month contract!!!


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## rx1950 (1 Sep 2004)

BEWARE .....More info.......

UTV offers free off-peak phone calls 27/08/2004 

UTV, the Northern Ireland-based media firm, made an aggressive entry into the Irish telecoms market yesterday offering free off-peak calls to consumers.

The company, which owns several Irish radio stations, is introducing a new telephone service that offers consumers free calls to fixed phones in Northern Ireland, the Republic and Britain.

The free calls are available during off-peak hours at weekends and evenings. UTV said the price of calls during peak hours would also be at a discount compared to Eircom's standard rates.

The telecoms service is the first of a range of new packages expected to be launched over the next month, as Eircom's rivals begin offering customers a single bill for both line rental and calls.

UTV said yesterday that it would begin offering a single bill to its customers from October, following the completion of automated testing of single billing.

Until now, just a few companies have been offering single billing to customers, such as Smart Telecom and Access Telecom. Many other firms, including Esat BT and MCI, have held back because the process has not been automated.
But automated trials of wholesale line rental are due to begin on September 1st and both Esat BT and MCI are understood to be preparing their own offerings.

UTV said it would offer telephone line rental at the same price as Eircom, which currently stands at €24.18 per month.
Mr Scott Taunton, group business development director at UTV, said the telephony market had been renowned for confusion about pricing combined with a lack of real competition. He said UTV's telephone service had no hidden charges and no catches.

*Consumers who enlist for UTV's service, which is branded UTV Talk, have to sign up for a 12-month contract.*
*This means that if they decide to discontinue the service they will still be liable to pay line rental charges for the duration of their contract.*

To avoid call charges when making fixed line calls in the evening or at weekends consumers will have to hang up and redial after 59 minutes. UTV said this requirement was necessary to help it manage its network.

UTV said it would spend spend €1 million marketing the new telephone service on television and radio.

Consumers can change their telephone supplier by logging on to the UTV website and filling in an application form online.
UTV, which already offers internet services, said yesterday that it had captured 5 per cent of the overall broadband market.

© The Irish Times


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## RitzFitz (1 Sep 2004)

thanks for that info PodgeandRodge !    I was not sure if they 'ban' these type of calls ( as that seems to be what their terms and conditions are saying ) or if they just get charged at normal Eircom rates. 

As for the 12 months contract, I wouldn't have a problem with this, as UTV are generally quite good ( I used them for internet ) , and if they give free calls evening and weekends then most of my calls will be free. I can't really see anyone else entering the market in the next 12 months that will suit me as much. 

By the way a new Swedish company ( tele2 ) will be announcing a new phone package this week. I can't find any info on it, but from their UK website, it seems that there they offer mainly reduced rates on international calls.


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## Kildrought (2 Sep 2004)

*UTV/talk*

hamlet, how did you get on w. UTV/talk?


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## Tracy (2 Sep 2004)

*utv*

I took the plunge last night and signed up with UTV for phone an internet as I do not have a lot of experience with this sort of thing I was wondering what I have to do about Eircom as I have their flat rate 25 internet package also will I lose my eircom email,  thanks


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## podgeandrodge (2 Sep 2004)

*flat rate 25 with eircom*

Hi
I imagine you will have to dump the flat rate 25 which as i believe it is 9.99 euros for 25 hours off peak.. however, currently utv offers a similar package for 9.99 for 30 hours at any time of day - this used to be available for those who had their original telephone service so presumably they still offer it, you should ring and find out!


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## podgeandrodge (2 Sep 2004)

*Sueellen Moderator*

Hi Sueellen

I really think that the correct place for this thread was in the Good Deals/Bad Deals area where it started.  The IT/Phones/TV's/DVD's/AV Gear is surely for equipment and not services? regards


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## podgeandrodge (4 Sep 2004)

*utv talk*

I've cancelled my application to UTV.  They still wont confirm on the phone when they will have single billing ready, nor are they happy to talk about the 12 month minimum contract - i notice esatbt dont have any minimum contract and that they and others are planning to introduce packages very soon.  So, it seems like it may be the time to hold off and not jump the gun.

would like to hear any experiences anyone has had.


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## Protocol (14 Sep 2004)

*can't access website*

I have looked up www.u.tv, but when I click on the link to get info on the telephone service, the screen goes blank.

Anybody else experience this????


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## ajapale (14 Sep 2004)

*Re: utv talk*

hi podgeandrodge,

Be sure to cancel your subscription in *writing* stating the reason(s) and your intention not to pay future invoices.

ajapale


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## Tricia (14 Sep 2004)

*Some emailed info from UTV talk support*

I've been looking into UTV talk, and had a couple of worries about signing up.  The first was that if I was tied into a 12 month contract and they put their prices up, what would my position be?  They answered: 

"The consumer regulation is if we are going to change our pricing we
have to give the customer 28 days notice and if the pricing is higher
than what it is now we give the customer the change to cancel. "

This is copy-pasted, I reckon it should read 'the chance to cancel'. 

I then asked them, slightly inarticulately, whether I'd be able to use dem cards what I use for dialling international lines on.   They said: 

"check if it is a freephone number
you dial first eg 1800 before you dial the international number them
this will still work on our package it is not it may not work." 

Serves me right for being unclear in the first place.  I have emailed back asking whether 'not work' means charged at Eircom rates or that it will not connect.  Will keep you posted.  If anyone else has checked detail of their offer I haven't got round to, I'd love to hear about it.  

Thanks, 
Tricia


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## podgeandrodge (16 Sep 2004)

*utv talk*

re my earlier post,

I cancelled contract by email (before it had taken hold at all) and explained to them why - 12 month contract being the main one. Here is the paste of their reply to me on the reasons for the 12 month contract: 

UTV: "Thanks for the email i have cancelled your talk account today.  The reason of the twelve month contract is because this is what eircom are holding us to with taking the line of them and until them change that we have to pass this onto our customers."

I checked with Eircom who deny this stating that "it would not be in our interest to force people to stay away from us for 12 months!"

So I went back to UTV and told them this... and their reply:

UTV: "the terms and conditions of the account is twelve month contract and re Eircom we are wholesale customers of theirs and they will be getting the money of us for your line rental so they don't lose out on matter who you have the line rental with, we are just giving the customers a better choice than you already have."

someone is telling porkies and i just dont know who!! 
anyone have any comments on all this?


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## podgeandrodge (16 Sep 2004)

*utv talk*

p.s the standard of english contained in the utv replies is a direct paste and not an example of my grasp of the language thanks!


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## podgeandrodge (24 Sep 2004)

*utv*

update: having cancelled my account before it took effect, i received an email confirming that the account was cancelled. Unfortunately, rec'd an email 3 weeks later stating my account was activated.... so now im waiting for confirmation that they made a mistake! hmmm torn between a good deal and eircom , who at least provide a freefone number when trying to deal with them, spent an HOUR waiting to talk to their support line at LOCAL rates before giving up and sending an email... and u guessed it, no reply yet.  contacted eircom who confirmed that i am on the UTV service...
SO YOUR LESSON IS, HOLD ON TIL THESE GUYS GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER..!


looking forward to any more of your opinions


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## hamlet (29 Aug 2005)

Hamlet said:
			
		

> i finally took the plunge and ended my relationship with eircom. we moved to u.tv talk. i will post our experiences with these after we have evaluated the service and value for money. in the meanwhile anyboby here with them - whats your thoughts?
> 
> hamlet


 
One year on and were off again.  For the first while I feel that UTV did give us good value in calls, particularly to the UK and Mrs. H. on the phone at off peek hours.  Earlier this year our call profile changed and the phone was in use more during the day and noticed that the costs flew up, but we were locked in to the 12 month contract (which is up shortly). On another note UTV's customer service I found to be a bit slow 4 - 6 days to answer an email.....Will probably going to switch to Tele2 when the contract is up unless I can find a better deal in the meanwhile. 

H


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## ClubMan (29 Aug 2005)

No offence but you sign yourself into the 12 month contract when you sign up. After some initial glitches with their support service I have had no problems since going on broadband trial in February and having started the 12 month contract in May of this year. I haven't had any major problems with the service itself either (one or two temporary and brief outages) and most of our calls are free. As ever, different people (and call profiles) mean that different telcos may be best for their needs.


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## CCOVICH (30 Aug 2005)

I'd agree with Clubman there, we signed up in April, and apart from some broadband downtime, it's been fine (both broadband and calls).

Have noticed that UTV now offer their broadband package exclusive of the Talk package (an extra charge of €2 per month I think, i.e. Clicksilver €29.99 + €2 = €31.99).  Might be of interest if you want to keep the broadband but switch call provider.


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