TalkTalk Reviews

TalkTalk are one of the few providers with their own backhaul, so I thought I'd be in good hands. Overpaid about 15% for the package based on competitors but that's the price of a big "name brand". No discount offered on the list price.

Install was scheduled, but the day before I was informed by Royal Mail that my new router had been returned to sender. With no router, I called TalkTalk to figure out what I could do, as without the new router the new connection wouldn't be live and my old provider would be disconnected, leaving me without any connection at all. After over an hour of back-and-forth on the phone calling five different departments, none had any idea what to do. Took me another 30 mins to cancel the contract, and with the botched switch process I had to call my current provider to unpick the damage to ensure my existing connection wouldn't be cut on the install date.

Every single person I interacted with was pretty limp on technical questions and had poor communication skills, especially factoring the horrendous call quality of their service line. I even had to game the phone tree to get hold of a real person by pretending to be interested in buying a package and getting through to their sales team, then begging for a transfer.

Disastrous, avoid.

UPDATE: TalkTalk didn't cancel the one touch switch so I now have no connection for a month. Clowns.

Been with TalkTalk for about a year now - generally find it - how should I put it - terrible and that's being polite

Whenever trying to contact support online via the chat - never get any replied

When ring up it takes ages to get through and the pre amble before you get to the correct person always seems to take about 30 mins

Advise from me is stay well clear its worth paying a bit more to get a reliable service especially if you work from home

Happy to answer any questions

Moving to Sky next week

I've been with Talktalk for a few years now because it's cheap.
So when it works, broadband is fine with nothing to complain about.

Then one time they've decided to block all specific traffic on their talktalk router via an update which rendered my NAS box unaccessible by blocking ports 443, after being sent a few different routers I found out that ports 443 only works using the default 192.168.1.0/24 subnet of which I don't run my network on that subnet. Changing the routers subnet means 443 no longer works (stupid).
So I purchased a Ubiquiti Dream Machine to actually be my router an opened all the ports to that an it works again.

Now my issue is that my router disconnects from their network and their scripted troubleshoot requires me to disconnect and connect to the wifi or unplug/plug RJ45 cable from my laptop or disconnect from my VPN all of which has nothing to do with the issue even after showing connection interface issue and highlighting the issue in screenshots.

I wish I never joined them in the first place.

TalkTalk is probably the ISP to go for with CityFibre. I say this as they offer their internet over DHCP (as opposed to PPPOE that every other ISP seems to use). This means you can use your own router with ease (including PFsense), you do not need any username and password whatsoever to enter into your router to get access. Just set it to DHCP mode and you're live. Speeds I am paying for 500mb/s down and 75mb/s up. I am actually getting 560mb/s both down and up. I am using an old J1900 NUC as my router with PFsense and CPU load is ~6% while getting full speeds. (with PPPOE this would be up to 100% load and only getting a max of 400mb/s). When I signed up I was installed and live within two weeks (and I ordered it Christmas eve). I am paying £35/month but getting 6 months free. So works out as £23 over the 18 months contract. The line has been perfect for 4 months. The only downside is they do a hard credit check on you when you sign up with them.

Bad customer service and extremely dodge mis-selling techniques used mid-contract with offers of "free upgrades" which are not free and extend your contract. 8 separate communications (1 a doorstep visit) about taking up free upgrade but there is no free FTTC to FTTP upgrade on the phone number they say to call. Phone and webchat is useless - they will only tell you to restart your router if you have issues. Customer services forum is better for support but takes days/weeks to resolve service issues and has software problems of its own. Routers have had known issues for a long time but fixes are not forthcoming - normal people with no technical expertise will not be able to navigate these things. Bad ISP for the vulnerable, sick or busy. I have reported to ICO and OfCOM

Been with Talk Talk for two years. The service was on until 9 months ago, when the broadband started to drop off frequently.

That's when the problems with TT started...

They use a foreign call centre, and unfortunately the operators first language isn't English, and I genuinely struggled to get them to understand the issue.

After hours on the phone, and countless line checks, they eventually agreed with me that the router needed to be replaced and a new one would be with me in 3-5 working days.

10 days, and no router, so I called again only to be told there was no record of a router order to be sent out. Quite simply, bare faced lying.

I then had to go back through all the line testing etc again, and was told (no laughing) , "Yes we've found the problem, it's your browser cache, you need to clear it"....😡

At this point I'd had enough, and asked to raise a formal complaint, which was basically ignored at first. Eventually they acknowledged I had a right to raise a complaint, but only after I'd logged it with OFCOM.

It took 4 weeks to resolve this and eventually the complaints department sent out a new router which fixed the problem.

It only took 4 months!

My contact is up in a few weeks, and I'm now looking elsewhere.

Speed is fine, but for customer service, it's definitely a one star.

Personally I'd avoid this ISP.

Women please beware of this company! I just want women to be aware of my recent experience in relation to an engineer visit, particularly where women’s safety concerns are mounting in the current climate (i.e., women don’t feel safe outside), and my experience made me feel unsafe in my own home).

1. In June 2021, TalkTalk sent an engineer to my home. They told me that it was their engineer, but I later found out that this was a lie, and it was an engineer from a third-party company called QubeGB.
2. The engineer that TalkTalk sent to my home (a) failed to show his ID upon entering my home & when I asked him for his name he seemed reluctant to provide it and he asked me why I wanted to know his name (b) he displayed clear intimidating behaviour, including the obvious endangerment to my health/life as a result of his continued refusal to wear a mask.

3. I found the engineer that TalkTalk sent to be VERY intimidating from the outset and I was distressed by his demeanour, attitude, actions, and by the statements that he made. He didn’t seem to have a clue about how to behave appropriately inside a customer's home, particularly a woman who is in her home alone.

When I complained TalkTalk did nothing about this! The current "set-up" and "lack of accountability" obviously creates the perfect environment for incidents like this (and MORE SERIOUS) incidents to occur!

Terrible customer service. Shocking company to deal with.

I moved here after AAISP and then Plusnet.
Just as good as either to be honest, but cheaper.
Never called support so far, never used any of their services.

Very pleased overall though.

Was with Talktalk for almost 4 years until April 2021. Generally a good, reliable service with good speed at a competitive price. An early problem with my line was quickly resolved with a visit from Openreach engineer.
When it was time to renew Talktalk were very reluctant to give me their current advertised price, which was stated to be available for both new and existing customers. Similar again at next renewal, hassle to get good price. I consider this to be dishonest and Talktalk simply trying to con existing customers into accepting higher price.
Final straw was them giving me notice of impending price increase on plan where they guaranteed no price increases during term of my contract. You cannot believe what they write into their contract. When I complained to Talktalk they eventually offered to reduce the price but they are dishonest and I felt unable to trust them any more.
I left Talktalk out of principle. Now with Pulse8, although about £3 per month more, it well worth it due to transparency, honesty and simplicity.