Tiscali UK
Created | Updated Mar 18, 2003
First off, let me assure any reader of this that what I'm about to write about is pure factual detail, and - as such - is not slanderous or defamatory in any way. I am prepared to testify in a court of law to the truth of this, so there is no question that, as far as I am concerned, it is the whole truth.
Tiscali is the name of the company formerly known as Localtel. In conjunction with Screaming.net, an internet service provider, Localtel provided free internet access by, in acting as a telephone service provider, not charging users for the 0845 (local rate) access number which the Screaming.net ISP used. In this manner, for well over a year, I had free 24/7 internet access, and all was well and good. Localtel, however, were bought by a company called Worldonline, which provides telecommunications throughout Europe, and the service was passed over. Continuing to use the Screaming.net dialup, my bills now came through Worldonline, who also ran my telephone line. This, also, was well and good.
Shortly after this, however, Worldonline were bought by a company called Tiscali, who proceeded to use Worldonline as their England branch, and billing was changed accordingly. Tiscali, however, did not consider it economical to continue running a telephone service provider, and - as such - wrote to all of their customers informing them that approximately a month in the future, Worldonline as a telephone provider would cease to exist. Kindly, they had arranged a deal with a telephone provider named "Servista" who would take over, under the same Screaming.net ISP arrangement. This, however, is where the system began to break down. Yours truly rang Worldonline dutifully, before the date specified as the last time at which customers could ring them in order to prevent loss of service, as instructed, to inform them to change to Servista. They said that this had been done, and that no loss of service would be achieved.
Approximately two days after said mentioned date, my phoneline went dead. I rang Worldonline, who said words to the effect of "Your phoneline wasn't transferred, but is now. It should work within a few days". Approximately a week later, after which my phoneline still didn't work, I rang again, and was told the same thing. Two weeks later, in the caribbean, I E-Mailed worldonline, who said... wait for it... exactly the same thing. A week after this, I transferred to BT, under the premise that Worldonline had now signed a deal with BT whereby, if registered with Worldonline, the Screaming.net internet number (prefixed with 1690) would yield free internet calls. And, under these grounds, I proceeded to enjoy my "free" internet access, happy that - after a month with no phone line - I didn't have to use my fax line for the internet.
And then, the bill arrived. A bill from BT which worked out at approximately £10 per day for the first week with my new phoneline. After which, I have spent approximately 3 weeks online for similar lengths of time. I'm dreading my next phone bill. On inspection, these charges were for... the Screaming.net Internet number. The Free Screaming.net internet number. This being on Friday, I have yet to fully sort this out, but from investigations perpetrated so far, it appears that I am, in fact, NOT a registered worldonline customer, despite being billed by them, and having been assured that my internet access was free.
But it doesn't end there. This morning, I received a bill from Tiscali, the company owning Worldonline and Screaming.net, for £122.57, a large figure even for a phone bill. This, I have yet to chase up, because what the bill is for, I do NOT know. This afternoon, I received a Trustcard receipt, asking me to sign a cheque for £122.57. The same amount. A payment for unknown services rendered. Received twice.
I'm transferring to Lineone. Does that surprise anyone?
Tiscali is the name of the company formerly known as Localtel. In conjunction with Screaming.net, an internet service provider, Localtel provided free internet access by, in acting as a telephone service provider, not charging users for the 0845 (local rate) access number which the Screaming.net ISP used. In this manner, for well over a year, I had free 24/7 internet access, and all was well and good. Localtel, however, were bought by a company called Worldonline, which provides telecommunications throughout Europe, and the service was passed over. Continuing to use the Screaming.net dialup, my bills now came through Worldonline, who also ran my telephone line. This, also, was well and good.
Shortly after this, however, Worldonline were bought by a company called Tiscali, who proceeded to use Worldonline as their England branch, and billing was changed accordingly. Tiscali, however, did not consider it economical to continue running a telephone service provider, and - as such - wrote to all of their customers informing them that approximately a month in the future, Worldonline as a telephone provider would cease to exist. Kindly, they had arranged a deal with a telephone provider named "Servista" who would take over, under the same Screaming.net ISP arrangement. This, however, is where the system began to break down. Yours truly rang Worldonline dutifully, before the date specified as the last time at which customers could ring them in order to prevent loss of service, as instructed, to inform them to change to Servista. They said that this had been done, and that no loss of service would be achieved.
Approximately two days after said mentioned date, my phoneline went dead. I rang Worldonline, who said words to the effect of "Your phoneline wasn't transferred, but is now. It should work within a few days". Approximately a week later, after which my phoneline still didn't work, I rang again, and was told the same thing. Two weeks later, in the caribbean, I E-Mailed worldonline, who said... wait for it... exactly the same thing. A week after this, I transferred to BT, under the premise that Worldonline had now signed a deal with BT whereby, if registered with Worldonline, the Screaming.net internet number (prefixed with 1690) would yield free internet calls. And, under these grounds, I proceeded to enjoy my "free" internet access, happy that - after a month with no phone line - I didn't have to use my fax line for the internet.
And then, the bill arrived. A bill from BT which worked out at approximately £10 per day for the first week with my new phoneline. After which, I have spent approximately 3 weeks online for similar lengths of time. I'm dreading my next phone bill. On inspection, these charges were for... the Screaming.net Internet number. The Free Screaming.net internet number. This being on Friday, I have yet to fully sort this out, but from investigations perpetrated so far, it appears that I am, in fact, NOT a registered worldonline customer, despite being billed by them, and having been assured that my internet access was free.
But it doesn't end there. This morning, I received a bill from Tiscali, the company owning Worldonline and Screaming.net, for £122.57, a large figure even for a phone bill. This, I have yet to chase up, because what the bill is for, I do NOT know. This afternoon, I received a Trustcard receipt, asking me to sign a cheque for £122.57. The same amount. A payment for unknown services rendered. Received twice.
I'm transferring to Lineone. Does that surprise anyone?
