Forums » Netherlands » English in the Netherlands

• bluetoffee

  

  • 1 posts
   

  April 16, 2009 2:55:05 PM CEST

  Hi All,
  
  Does anyone have experience of Tele2 as a TV, Internet, and Landline Phone provider?
  
  I've been with UPC since I came to Holland, however recently I was left without phone, TV and Internet several times and for several days at a time and received very poor customer service and a laughable compensation offer from UPC, so I'm looking to switch.
  
  Anyone have any rants or raves about Tele2???
  
  Cheers,
  
  (ps, we did get great service from the people in the UPC shop in Rotterdam, but they could only do so much).
• mkitchell

  
   

  April 16, 2009 2:57:18 PM CEST

  
  

  bluetoffee (Apr 16 2009, 11:55 AM) said: > original post
  Hi All,
  
  Does anyone have experience of Tele2 as a TV, Internet, and Landline Phone provider?
  
  I've been with UPC since I came to Holland, however recently I was left without phone, TV and Internet several times and for several days at a time and received very poor customer service and a laughable compensation offer from UPC, so I'm looking to switch.
  
  Anyone have any rants or raves about Tele2???
  
  Cheers,
  
  (ps, we did get great service from the people in the UPC shop in Rotterdam, but they could only do so much).

  
  
  
  Why do you only want answers from UK citizens?
• Deleted Member

  

  • 7373 posts
   

  April 16, 2009 3:16:50 PM CEST

  Good question, considering UPC is an equal-opportunity service provider...In other words, regardless of nationality, you will get crap customer service.
  
  Unfortunately, they also have the monopoly over the BBC stations too wherever they are entrenched. You're stuck with Prime and World only unless you go UPC. Same deal in Haarlem; you have to go with UPC...if you choose KPN, you only get Prime and World.
  
  Here in Halfweg, where Ziggo is the provider, we can get BBC 1, 2, 3, and 4, as well as Prime and World.
  
  I don't know what special deal UPC received from BBC, but it's rather frustrating to be forced to go back to UPC when we move back to Haarlem as they left us without cable for a month last time we dealt with them. (and never showed up for four service calls)
  
  I saw this on the Tele2 website, but Babelfish really translated it badly. Any idea what it says?
  
  
  

  
  Behalve kabelmaatschappijen geeft de omroep BBC geen enkele aanbieder in Nederland meer het recht om BBC1 en BBC2 uit te zenden. Daarom ontbreken deze zenders helaas in het zenderaanbod. In plaats daarvan stelt de BBC de zenders BBC Prime en BBC World beschikbaar. Deze vindt u wel in ons zenderaanbod.

  
  
• fortuner

  

  • 10421 posts
   

  April 20, 2009 12:37:55 AM CEST

  
  

  canuckywoman (Apr 16 2009, 01:16 PM) said: > original post
  Here in Halfweg, where Ziggo is the provider, we can get BBC 1, 2, 3, and 4, as well as Prime and World.
  
  I saw this on the Tele2 website, but Babelfish really translated it badly. Any idea what it says?
  

  QUOTE

  
  (post=811213:date=Apr 16 2009, 01:16 PM:name=Canucky Woman)-->

  QUOTE (Canucky Woman @ Apr 16 2009, 01:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

  Here in Halfweg, where Ziggo is the provider, we can get BBC 1, 2, 3, and 4, as well as Prime and World.
  
  I saw this on the Tele2 website, but Babelfish really translated it badly. Any idea what it says?
  
  

  
  

  
  
• Deleted Member

  

  • 7373 posts
   

  April 20, 2009 1:19:48 PM CEST

  
  

  wesleynl (Apr 19 2009, 10:37 PM) said: > original post
  Except cable providers, absolutely no other companies in the Netherlands has the rights from BBC to transmit BBC1 and BBC2. For this reason they are unfortunately unavailable in the offer. In place of, BBC makes these channels BBC Prime and BBC World available. These you find in our offer.
  
  Oh, well... not too bad I think but may be someone can do better.
  
  Irritatingly, I just had a look at Ziggo and we can't have it otherwise I might have been interested. Looks like it'll have to be SKY after all...

  
  
  
  Nope, not in Amsterdam or Haarlem. How Halfweg lucked out, I don't know...probably the gemeente we're in. I have to admit, it's one of the few things that's helped me survive in this stoopid town these past 2 1/2 years...
  
  So Tele2 and KPN aren't "cable providers" like UPC and Ziggo are...that's what I'm getting from your translation. What are they considered then?
• fortuner

  

  • 10421 posts
   

  April 20, 2009 2:38:44 PM CEST

  
  

  canuckywoman (Apr 20 2009, 11:19 AM) said: > original post
  Nope, not in Amsterdam or Haarlem. How Halfweg lucked out, I don't know...probably the gemeente we're in. I have to admit, it's one of the few things that's helped me survive in this stoopid town these past 2 1/2 years...
  
  So Tele2 and KPN aren't "cable providers" like UPC and Ziggo are...that's what I'm getting from your translation. What are they considered then?

  
  
  Has Halfweg really been that bad then? You're not that far from me, I think... could have met up sometime.
  
  Tele2 and KPN are traditionally telephone providers and any TV packages are sent via the telephone cables... or even via the airwaves I believe now with digital. One of my friends had KPN digital, via the airwaves, for a trial period, but got rid of it as she wasn't too happy with it going back to UPC. We've had UPC round this way trying to promote UPC digital but not many seem interested I believe. I'm not really interested myself as it would make our other tuners, VHS & DVD players obsolete but having said that, if it's digital we will have to eventually go for we're looking at SKY+.
• Deleted Member

  

  • 7373 posts
   

  April 20, 2009 2:46:25 PM CEST

  
  

  wesleynl (Apr 20 2009, 12:38 PM) said: > original post
  Has Halfweg really been that bad then? You're not that far from me, I think... could have met up sometime.

  
  
  
  Halfweg isn't technically "far away" from anything...just awkward as far as public transporation goes...and has little to offer beyond a decent Albert Heijn and an alright Chinese takeaway...and cable TV of course!
  
  
  

  wesleynl (Apr 20 2009, 12:38 PM) said: > original post
  
  Tele2 and KPN are traditionally telephone providers and any TV packages are sent via the telephone cables... or even via the airwaves I believe now with digital.

  
  
  
  Interesting...
  
  We visited KPN in Haarlem a few months ago and asked a salesman there about BBC 1 and 2. He just shook his head sadly and said, "For some reason, people ask us about that all the time!"
  
  
  
  
• fortuner

  

  • 10421 posts
   

  April 20, 2009 2:57:57 PM CEST

  
  

  canuckywoman (Apr 20 2009, 12:46 PM) said: > original post
  Halfweg isn't technically "far away" from anything...just awkward as far as public transporation goes...and has little to offer beyond a decent Albert Heijn and an alright Chinese takeaway...and cable TV of course!
  
  We visited KPN in Haarlem a few months ago and asked a salesman there about BBC 1 and 2. He just shook his head sadly and said, "For some reason, people ask us about that all the time!"

  
  
  Where we are, with other dorps so close by it becomes quite a bit more interesting as I'm slowly discovering... in fact I think we're quite lucky considering.
  
  Oh, so BBC1/2 must be quite popular then... "For some reason..." An obvious one I would have thought.
• Deleted Member

  

  • 7373 posts
   

  April 20, 2009 3:04:15 PM CEST

  
  

  wesleynl (Apr 20 2009, 12:57 PM) said: > original post
  Where we are, with other dorps so close by it becomes quite a bit more interesting as I'm slowly discovering... in fact I think we're quite lucky considering.
  
  Oh, so BBC1/2 must be quite popular then... "For some reason..." An obvious one I would have thought.

  
  
  
  I really doubt I was the only person (expat or otherwise) in Haarlem who was forced to switch to KPN after waiting a month for UPC to show up for a service call that they neglected to show up for four times in a row.
• fortuner

  

  • 10421 posts
   

  April 21, 2009 2:58:41 AM CEST

  
  

  canuckywoman (Apr 20 2009, 01:04 PM) said: > original post
  I really doubt I was the only person (expat or otherwise) in Haarlem who was forced to switch to KPN after waiting a month for UPC to show up for a service call that they neglected to show up for four times in a row.

  
  
  Of course... I doubt too.
• aminata

  

  • 8 posts
   

  April 21, 2009 3:05:37 PM CEST

  I hate UPC too - 3x no-show - but love BBC 1 and 2 more!!!!
  
  Amazing you can get BBC 3 and 4 in Halfweg!! And I bet the 99% Dutch (?) population only watch boring ole dutch telly!!. Why waste it on Halfweg??!!
  
  Anyway, to get back to the original question, I have internet from Tele2 and am really quite happy with it.
  
  High speed internet for me and my son - mine's supposed to be wireless, but has its "time-outs", then have to plug in the cable - for only 18,95 a month.
  
  Their help-desk is o.k. too. Have always been able to solve the problem, sooner or later.
  
  I say you need a PhD in computer-speak to be able to understand technology nowadays.
• Deleted Member

  

  • 7373 posts
   

  April 21, 2009 3:20:25 PM CEST

  
  

  aminata (Apr 21 2009, 01:05 PM) said: > original post
  Why waste it on Halfweg??!!

  
  
  
  GAWD, let me have something!!
  
  Four times no shows for me...the first two times, their excuse was that their computer was down so they couldn't access the service call list for that day. I had to reschedule for a week later each time.
  
  The third time, they said that they had already BEEN there and fixed it!! As I wasn't working at the time, and nobody visited as far as I knew, I wasn't impressed. But once again, they had to reschedule for a week later.
  
  A week later, again a no-show because of the computer.
  
  I freaked on them each time...my Dutchie freaked on them in case they didn't understand "get your ass over here" in English. And each time, they said, oh, we'll refund you for the service call plus 15 euros a day for each day we don't have cable!!
  
  After the fourth no-show, we told UPC to shove it, and moved to KPN. UPC responded by sending us a bill for the cable we didn't receive. The Dutchie responded by sending them a detailed invoice for the days we didn't have cable plus what they claimed they were going to refund us.
  
  Funny, never heard from them again!
• fortuner

  

  • 10421 posts
   

  April 22, 2009 1:22:43 AM CEST

  I've heard of lots of people who have had problems with UPC but we've had no problems what-so-ever with the TV side. It concerned me greatly when it came time for me to move over here and it had already been pre-arranged to have Internet with UPC, I quickly asked for it to be cancelled and went with 'Planet Internet' which was a subsidery of KPN and now comes under the KPN name... I'll never know how bad it could have been, thank goodness.
• artemis007

  
   

  April 22, 2009 9:53:54 AM CEST

  
  

  wesleynl (Apr 21 2009, 11:22 PM) said: > original post
  I've heard of lots of people who have had problems with UPC but we've had no problems what-so-ever with the TV side. It concerned me greatly when it came time for me to move over here and it had already been pre-arranged to have Internet with UPC, I quickly asked for it to be cancelled and went with 'Planet Internet' which was a subsidery of KPN and now comes under the KPN name... I'll never know how bad it could have been, thank goodness.

  
  
  
  
  
  you all smartees, can some 1 or any 1 answer the question in the original post???
  comparison between Tele 2 and UPC.....
  
  and please if you want to discuss BBC channel offering, do so by opening a different / new post.
  
  
  looking forward to your replies to the original post.
• Deleted Member

  

  • 7373 posts
   

  April 22, 2009 12:30:42 PM CEST

  
  

  artemis007 (Apr 22 2009, 08:53 AM) said: > original post
  you all smartees, can some 1 or any 1 answer the question in the original post???
  comparison between Tele 2 and UPC.....
  
  and please if you want to discuss BBC channel offering, do so by opening a different / new post.
  
  
  looking forward to your replies to the original post.

  
  
  
  I think I answered your question. You can't get BBC 1 and 2 with Tele2.
  
  I'm sorry I'm telling you something you don't want to hear.
• fortuner

  

  • 10421 posts
   

  April 22, 2009 9:59:32 PM CEST

  
  

  artemis007 (Apr 22 2009, 08:53 AM) said: > original post
  you all smartees, can some 1 or any 1 answer the question in the original post???
  comparison between Tele 2 and UPC.....
  
  and please if you want to discuss BBC channel offering, do so by opening a different / new post.
  
  
  looking forward to your replies to the original post.

  
  
  Perhaps I should have added that it may be different when it comes to cancelling with UPC. Perhaps then will be the start of our problems...
• Deleted Member

  

  • 7373 posts
   

  April 22, 2009 10:43:02 PM CEST

  
  

  wesleynl (Apr 22 2009, 08:59 PM) said: > original post
  Perhaps I should have added that it may be different when it comes to cancelling with UPC. Perhaps then will be the start of our problems...

  
  
  
  I don't think we had a problem cancelling, Wes. That was the one thing that went relatively smoothly with UPC...
• fortuner

  

  • 10421 posts
   

  April 22, 2009 11:20:38 PM CEST

  
  

  canuckywoman (Apr 22 2009, 09:43 PM) said: > original post
  I don't think we had a problem cancelling, Wes. That was the one thing that went relatively smoothly with UPC...

  
  
  Oh, glad to hear it.
• bluetoffee

  

  • 1 posts
   

  May 3, 2009 6:21:17 AM CEST

  Thanks everyone for all your input.
  
  Elsewhere I've been told that the Tele2 television signal is through the modem and is prone to reception problems - has anyone got any experience of this???
  
• aminata

  

  • 8 posts
   

  May 20, 2009 2:50:35 PM CEST

  
  

  artemis007 (Apr 22 2009, 07:53 AM) said: > original post
  you all smartees, can some 1 or any 1 answer the question in the original post???
  comparison between Tele 2 and UPC.....
  
  and please if you want to discuss BBC channel offering, do so by opening a different / new post.
  
  
  looking forward to your replies to the original post.

  
  
  
  Well, do you even read the posts?? I did reply to your original post!
• aminata

  

  • 8 posts
   

  May 20, 2009 2:54:40 PM CEST

  "UPC is fine for Internet access. I have the Fibrepower 60 60 Mbps set up, and I get about 59 Mbps most of the time. Downtime is as close to zero as makes no difference. "
  
  
  I always said you need a PhD in computer speak to understand this techie talk.....
  
  "Sky TV is the only way to go. There are loads of companies that provide a Sky set-up in Amsterdam these days. I would only recommend that you don;t use Kramer's on the Oosterparkstraat."
  
  So, which one do you recommend? On my daily biking around town I never see nothing about Sky TV availability ...
  
  mind you, not sure if I wanna lay out yet more money for yet more tv......
  
  
• tiggerinadam

  

  • 3 posts
   

  May 20, 2009 3:57:43 PM CEST

  
  

  bluetoffee (Apr 16 2009, 12:55 PM) said: > original post
  Anyone have any rants or raves about Tele2???

  
  
  
  
  We dumped Tele2 as soon as the contract expired. Their helpdesk was a sack of brown smelly stuff (pretended to be in Almere, but all spoke with Indian accents and had never heard of Lelystad!) and everyone's name began with the letter 'M'.
  
  Impossible to get any follow-up when we needed to. When the modem failed the shipping company they used didn't deliver it to us. Tele2 refused to send another until they'd resolved the shipping issue. Result - we had no internet for nearly 2 months while Tele2 sat on their 4rses!!!
  
  
  
  Also, the telesales calls went through the roof as soon as their service began. We've never had so many - guess that's how they reduce your rates, by selling your number to as many companies as possible.
  
  Since we've booted them out, life has been ever so peaceful!!!
  
  
  
  (odd that their adverts on TV are all with sheep - I've always thought sheep to be more intelligent creatures than the Tele2 people we had to deal with)
• birdview

  

  • 5 posts
   

  October 31, 2011 1:41:46 PM CET

  We had a terrible experience with Tele2. they could not connect our ADSL after one month and then they started to deduct their fee from my account without delivering any service !!! Their customer service sucks, i spent hours on the phone asking for help and still we do not have any internet/phone. they refused to cancel our contract although at the beginning they said they will cancel if they couldn't solve th problem in one month !
  I really don't know what to say about them.. don't ever think about using Tele2 services in NL.. it's a horrible service provider..
• mail2hilary

  

  • 2 posts
   

  November 2, 2011 3:54:19 PM CET

  Tele2 are garbage. They don't seem to understand the concept of customer service and their sales staff will tell you anything to get you to sign.
  
  UPC are garbage too but marginally less so than Tele2.
  
  We sacked UPC for the TV and now have a digital freesat box; cost a bit to buy the thing and instal it but it's only the equivalent to 3 months UPC bills.
  
  
  
• aminata

  

  • 8 posts
   

  December 5, 2011 5:16:36 PM CET

  UPDATE:
  
  Tele2 have BBC1 and BBC2 since July this year....
  
  And I have had them for years as my internet provider. They're o.k. A lot better than UPC in my experience (taking half day off work for "monteur" who wouldn't turn up.... that was pre-wireless days....).
  
  http://www.tele2.nl/televisie-internet-bellen/zenderoverzicht.html