Thought this would be of interest

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/telecoms/4938247/Broadband-customers-hit-with-high-costs-for-calling-technical-helplines.html

Copied from today's Daily Telegraph.....

Which? Computing found that 32 of the 45 technology companies it investigated used higher-cost numbers for their helplines and some are charging significantly more than others for responding to technical breakdowns.

Four companies – Tesco broadband, Supanet, Nero and Roxio – were identified as using the premium rate 090 helplines, which are the most expensive numbers available.

A ten-minute call to Tesco broadband's 090 number costs £5 from a landline plus any connection charges.

The supermarket has been criticised for using higher-cost numbers at their customers' expense.

Sarah Kidner, editor of Which? Computing said: "It's particularly galling to see a huge company like Tesco broadband using such expensive lines. If other companies can offer a Freephone number, so can Tesco. After all, every little helps."

The complexity of computer technology has lets to an increasing demand for technical support according to the report.

One in six has called their computer manufacturer in the last two years, and on average nearly one million people call Norton security software each month.

A third of broadband users were frustrated with customer support in a survey of 16,000. Many cited the time it took to get through as a significant problem.

Which? found that the average wait to speak to someone on an ISP technical support line is 1 minute 33 seconds and Plusnet customers had the longest average wait of nearly eight minutes; though one researcher waited nearly 12 and a half minutes.

The report identified that only six companies offered a Freephone 0800 number: BT, Waitrose, O2 (home broadband), UK Online, Corel and Sony (software).

James Parker, a spokesman from moneysupermarket.com said: "With broadband you need to take into account about helpline numbers. It is important to note how long you are on them so they can refund you. It is harsh for the customer just to foot the bill and it is surprising that Tesco can't offer this on a much lower rate number or for free."

A spokeswoman from Tesco said: “The cost of calls to Tesco broadband technical support is something we’ve been looking at and listening to customer feedback on.

“As a result we’ll continue to provide a very high quality of technical expertise to all our broadband customers but calls will now be charged at a local rate.

“We’ll be contacting all our customers as soon as possible to let them know about the change in price.


~ Edited by Dave: Link added

Quote:

A spokeswoman from Tesco said: “The cost of calls to Tesco broadband technical support is something we’ve been looking at and listening to customer feedback on. “As a result we’ll continue to provide a very high quality of technical expertise to all our broadband customers but calls will now be charged at a local rate. “We’ll be contacting all our customers as soon as possible to let them know about the change in price.

I wonder what Tesco means by a 'local rate' ;D

farci wrote on Mar 5^th, 2009 at 10:58am:

I wonder what Tesco means by a 'local rate' ;D

Their wholly owned subsidiary (owned by Tesco Ireland but also operating in the UK) www.tescodiets.co.uk still outrageously claims that 0845 is "(Local Rate)" on its webite. :o >:( :'(


They are also a leading member of the Customer Contact Association (see www.cca.org.uk/cca/) which various of the country's leading and most hardened unapologetic liars about 0845 being "local rate" such as Royal Mail, Tesco, HMRC, DWP and NHS Direct also belong to. ;) [smiley=thumbdown.gif] [smiley=thumbdown.gif] [smiley=thumbdown.gif]