The Phone Co-op

[Gruntintunz]

Well, i tried ringing these people on the series of 08 numbers their service exhibited along with sending an email via ISP review and have neither heard or seen a 'breath, squeak or bubble' of a response ! The phone reply was "this service is no longer available". If this is so, what is it doing still on here and rated at number 4 in the top ten ? Obviously this set-up have become another victim of the forthcoming depression, or if not i would need a powerful incentive to migrate to them from the current national monopoly.

 

[Mark.J]

They aren't number 4 in our Top 10, which is weighted to prevent ISPs with only a few reviews from appearing in that list as it would not be representative.

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/review/top10.php

I'm guessing you mean the Top50, which is un-weighted and a different kettle of fish. Anyway I haven't heard about that ISP having problems and will investigate this further.

 

[Mark.J]

For the record I did contact the ISP about this and they responded to say that their broadband services were very much still available.

 

[ballan07]

I'm really surprised by Gruntintunz' post. I am a VERY new customer of this ISP, so really have only their customer service setup to comment about so far!

I contacted them first by 'phone with a general query about their services and availability at my rural home. Their lines were busy, but a message told me I was at position 1 in the queue (a great facility I've only met once before) and was soon in touch with a rep. A week later I decided to transfer to them, so 'phoned again - spoke to the same rep, who remembered me (!) and made the necessary arrangements. Within ten minutes I received an email listing (correctly) my requirements which was followed five days later (including a weekend) by a router and confirmation letter giving also my activation of service date. This date was met and I went live without even noticing any "downtime". Indeed, it was only when I noticed that my internet download speed had increased five-fold that I realised the transfer had been effected!

I've contacted the Phone-Co-op a couple of times since, to confirm a point or two, by both email and 'phone, and had a rapid and satisfactory response each time.

I agree with Mark.J's comments re the listings. I assume they are a small ISP but I chose them because they are the highest-rated company in the Top50 which met my requirements at, I must say, a very competitive price. Assuming that their product is as good as their customer service, then I shall have absolutely no complaints.

 

[YellerBelly]

Still Worth Considering?

I'm really surprised by Gruntintunz' post. I am a VERY new customer of this ISP, so really have only their customer service setup to comment about so far!

I contacted them first by 'phone with a general query about their services and availability at my rural home. Their lines were busy, but a message told me I was at position 1 in the queue (a great facility I've only met once before) and was soon in touch with a rep. A week later I decided to transfer to them, so 'phoned again - spoke to the same rep, who remembered me (!) and made the necessary arrangements. Within ten minutes I received an email listing (correctly) my requirements which was followed five days later (including a weekend) by a router and confirmation letter giving also my activation of service date. This date was met and I went live without even noticing any "downtime". Indeed, it was only when I noticed that my internet download speed had increased five-fold that I realised the transfer had been effected!

I've contacted the Phone-Co-op a couple of times since, to confirm a point or two, by both email and 'phone, and had a rapid and satisfactory response each time.

I agree with Mark.J's comments re the listings. I assume they are a small ISP but I chose them because they are the highest-rated company in the Top50 which met my requirements at, I must say, a very competitive price. Assuming that their product is as good as their customer service, then I shall have absolutely no complaints.

If you are still with Phone Co-op can you please let me know how they've performed since you signed up with them?

Thanks
YellerBelly

 

[kansenji]

As there have been no recent postings on this particular thread, I thought I'd mention that I have been using The Phone Co-op's Broadband & Telephone package for about 18 months now, without a hitch. I'm thoroughly satisfied with them.

My local exchange went LLU about 6 months ago when Carphone Warehouse (Talk-Talk) set up their equipment there. I am now accessing their LLU service via The Phone Co-op & am very pleased with the much faster download & upload speeds (triple speed downloads & double speed uploads, compared to previously). The changeover was handled expertly by The Phone Co-op & went very smoothly. I am the most content I have ever been with this ISP. I have been very happy in the past with both AAISP & XILO, but I now get just as good a service, but in a relatively inexpensive package. All I could do with now is FIBRE; unfortunately there are not even distant plans in the offing for that yet in this backwater so close to Bristol!

 

[kansenji]

An update: I've been with 'The Co-operative Phone & Broadband' (their new name) for a further five months since my last post (nearly 2 years in total). I'm still getting the same excellent (for Winscombe) LLU service & speeds. The download/upload speeds seem completely unaffected by the time of day/night or weekends; something I didn't find before I moved to the new local LLU provision.

 

[bilbobaggins]

I'm still getting the same excellent (for Winscombe) LLU service & speeds.

I'm wondering if that doesn't have something to do with Baroness Dido Harding of Winscombe, who lives there at weekends and is the feisty CEO of TalkTalk - who provide The Phone Co-op with services.....