ISPrankings.com - Wanadoo Broadband

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Reviews (22):

Still a good ISP Service
Reviewer: Bill026 04-26-2007
They still beat the other ISP providers in my area.

Good Service, Until they changed there rules.
Reviewer: Matthew Hadfield Sheffield, United Kingdom 06-13-2006
After being with freeserve we where extremely happy with there service and had never changed from them since we got our new broadband internet, there support was always there when u needed them, the service was hardly ever down and if it was going to be down theyd phone you way before they took it down (Sometimes even several weeks before), however, when they got bought out by Wanadoo there service started to get worse and worse, there support lines where always jammed!, constant going up and down of the internet.

We thought well, theve just been bought out so lets give em a month or so to try and sort it, after 3 months of being with them they bought out the most stupid of policys, the "Fair Usage Policy", limiting the bandwidth usage of each UNMETERED customer to 40 GB a MONTH, which is not what people where paying for, this was the final straw for us, being a large web-design company we use up much more bandwidth than 40 GB a day, nevermind in a month.

All in all, go with onetel, much better.

MHadfield

The phone service part of Wireless and Talk is very unreliable with breaks during some of the calls. Worse, for weeks it hasn't worked at all. The excuses are infinite but the performance is frustratingly poor.
Reviewer: hamlad 04-18-2006
I have Wanadoo Broadband Wireless and Talk and I would rate the service as very bad. The service is hard to get up and working and I have had in excess of 30 calls to the support line. The support is very poor with the advisors seemingly just trying almost anything at random. I have been sent 2 liveboxes, 2 filters, and 3 cd's all aiming to solve various problems. Currently the internet connection works but is occasionally just cut off. The phone connection does not work and hasn't worked for weeks. The extra cost of my telephone calls has completely destroyed any economic argument in favour of using Wanadoo wireless and talk. They will not reimburse the cost of the phone service until they get it working again. I have lost faith in that ever happening. Despite their inability to provide the services promised they insist that the 1 year contract cannot be cancelled. Avoid Wanadoo like the plague.

I should have read these reviews rather than take a friends advice.
Reviewer: dunc99 04-18-2006
I should have read these reviews rather than take a friends advice.

Wanadoo suffer from the normal disease associated with many of these customer support phone lines... NOT GOOD. The promise of access within 10 days is appealing. The lack of access after a month is frankly embarrassing. The customer service tell you it is a technical issue. Technical support say it is a customer service issue...

Terrible customer service. Faulty software upgrades.
Reviewer: selina13 04-18-2006
I've been with Wanadoo Broadband for a year and a half, and I have had about 4 months refunded back to me in that time, due to their incompetence. It took one month for them to connect me; one month to move me (it should have been 2 weeks), and now two months with a broken modem after their 'software updates'. This is the second one they've broken.

I had to sit on the phone for hours, and argue with one supervisor for 40 minutes before he said he would send me a replacement. Initially they wanted to charge me Ł80, or for me to sign up to their Wireless and Talk service!!!

I think that Wanadoo are a good ISP until it comes down to the customer support line.
Reviewer: techfreak 04-18-2006
I think that Wanadoo are a good ISP until it comes down to the customer support line. May I recommend that if you want to get through quickly you call the customer support after 9pm, otherwise you may be there for up to 40 minutes! Another quicker way is to use the online email support on their website. I got a reply within the hour when I had problems. The other annoying fact is the interpretation, if you do find yourself connected to an international call centre.

I have so far found the speed of service never less than 960K, which at peak times for a 1024K connection is not bad. Mine is usually connected at 1.1K, which again is pretty good.

As for the download limit (2GB) on the Ł17.99 a month package, I have never found it to be an issue, having been recommended the 30GB a month package on their online calculator! I once spoke to a operator on the support line about download limits, and he said that it shouldn't be a problem unless you go over drastically! So far I have had no problems, touch wood, and this is over a year later!

I hope that this helps.

Wanadoo Wireless & Talk is quite simply appalling.
Reviewer: GabrielM 04-18-2006
Wanadoo Wireless & Talk is quite simply appalling. The equipment hasn't worked since it arrived. Customer Service and Technical staff are unprofessional and appear to be poorly trained. One Customer Services manager I spoke to was of no help whatsoever. As for the connection, I cannot comment since I have been unable to connect since the start of my contract. I'm tied in for twelve months of Neanderthal hell.

Still have not received items in 9 weeks
Reviewer: frazerr 04-18-2006
Please read letters sent to Wanadoo and Watchdog. Wanadoo totally agree with everything I have said. They can see on their systems I have orders, but they simply cannot get them delivered. I have only had a response from Watchdog. I have had no response from Wanadoo from my email messages or letters. Please read letter:

Wanadoo Customer Care
Wanadoo UK plc
PO Box 486
Rotherham
S63 5ZX

From:
Richard Frazer

Wednesday, 07 December 2005

Dear Sir / Madame,

I would like to make a complaint about the poor levels of service that I have received from your company in regard to your wireless connection. The actual received service is abysmal. I have been offline and without my connection for over 8 weeks now. Your staff agree totally that I am in the right, and repeatedly say the item will be with me in 3 to 5 days, but so far not one agreed date has been met in the last 8 weeks.

Our first problem was way before the current issue, I will mention it but do not focus on this one it gets much better - It was on the first order we ever made for broadband. Months previous to the current problem we decided to get a Wanadoo connection about 12 months ago. I ordered a wireless connection pack (livebox and wireless adapter) and enquired into the price of another individual wireless adapter. I decided on the phone that the extra adapter was too expensive for the time being, and so asked for just the connection pack. This could not be done as the operator had decided to purchase the items on my account before I had said I wanted them. This set off a two month long refund cycle, which took my account into the red (I always put excess cash into an instant savings account), all the way through your company agreed that the service was poor (strange huh). I was being told ‘yes we can see you did not order it’, ’no we cannot refund’, until eventually I did get the refund of Ł40 for the adapter I never ordered and never had. I even had one guy tell me that ‘you should keep money in your account in case of a situation like this’. I asked ‘how much of a mistake are you likely to make in a month and I will set that up immediately’. He did not answer.

I decided to put that down to experience and a few months later decided to order the second connection for my new computer, and finally connect myself personally to the internet. (I do not have access to the currently connected computer in the house as it is not mine, although the bills do come through my account.)

The order took a huge cycle of nearly 7 weeks before it finally arrived on my door, despite being told it would originally take between 3 to 5 days. Firstly I called about 2 weeks after and asked where it was, to be told ‘We have not placed the order for you, we can see the order was made though’. They told me they had now placed it at that point. I phoned again a week later. I had the same answer that the order had not been placed. I phoned every couple of days after that, and have had the following answers ‘the system has lost the order’ x2, ‘it is in the post’, ‘it will be with you tomorrow’, ‘it is out of stock’. It did finally arrive after 6 weeks, but as luck would have it the live box went down a couple of days before arrival (probably bored from lack of use).

I was told that ‘the procedure requires us to send a power-pack as that is usually the part which goes down’. It sounded reasonable so I agreed. It was stated that ‘It usually takes 3 to 5 days to arrive but I have known them to arrive much sooner’. I thought ‘fat chance’ knowing my previous history, but I had no reason to argue with this girl who had been very helpful on the phone.

Surprisingly (spot the sarcasm) it did not arrive, it has not arrived, and I actually expect it will not arrive as I have phoned every couple of days after the expiry of this 5 days expected, and have been told the following excuse; ‘what order’, ‘we can see you have placed an order but the system does not seem to have one’, ‘it will be on your doorstep tomorrow’. It has been over a month now just for this item.

You would think this was made it up, but your system seems to record everything I have said in good detail. I am amazed that you cannot deliver on your promises at all. I have had an amazing range of quality from your help desk staff, some cannot help, some are clearly under-equipped to deal with people, some are very good, but at the end of the day your systems are letting them and your customers down. I have not received this charger even now, and so the live box is still dead. It is also not known if the power-pack will solve the problem as the problem may well be the livebox and I assume that the problem will continue on another cycle at that point. I have had no access to the internet at all since this cycle started 8 weeks ago, and I am now extremely annoyed.

What annoys me more is that I could have bought a Belkin system at half the price. My friends who had the Belkin system laugh at me on a regular basis when I update them about this saga.

P.S. – Never ask to be transferred to another department – it is guaranteed that the phone is never picked up. If you do not believe me phone ‘wireless and talk’ customer service and ask to be transferred to technical support.
Always phone direct. That has tricked me twice, as I have been held for 20 minutes before putting the phone down and redialling direct, but when you phone direct to technical support they pick up in a mere 5 minutes. Interesting huh?

Also I have sent emails to over 7 of your Wanadoo email addresses and have never had responses. I can provide evidence of this. I was told by your help desk that one of these addresses I should expect a response within 24 hours. I did not, so I sent every day after that for a week and then sent 20 copies of the same email in one go. No response apart from the message that automatically comes back stating you will respond in 24 hours. Please note the frustration of this message. I will cancel this ‘so called’ service if I do not receive the basic terms of the contract within the next few weeks. I have no connection, please help.

This letter has been sent to yourselves and the following addresses:

 The Company Secretary, Wanadoo UK plc, Verulam Point, Station Way, St Albans, AL1 5HE

 BBC Watchdog, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS

Any queries or information about what you are going to do for me please let me know. I expect an answer within a reasonable amount of time. Not 8 weeks.

Regards,

Richard

I had Wanadoo's normal internet service which had been excellent
Reviewer: lis 04-18-2006
I had Wanadoo's normal internet service which had been excellent, and they called to offer me broadband. I accepted because it was a good offer, and they had been excellent in the past. Big mistake, they turned off my old service, connected me for broadband and then failed to send the box, despite trying 5 times, including 3 of those being manually requested to their supplier. Service was absolutely dreadful until I made a formal complaint to Ofcom, and then a lovely lady tried to help, but even she gave up!

So I have had no internet for over a month now!!!

Everything, in particular their customer and technical service
Reviewer: mrsbloggett 04-18-2006
I have been running Wanadoo's dial up (anytime) internet service without too many problems. I received a courtesy call from Wanadoo inviting me to me switch over to Broadband. What a mistake! I asked the adviser if my ancient computer running on Windows 98 would cope with Broadband, to which they confirmed it would.

I received the modem package pretty swiftly, and tried to load the CD software with no luck. Called their tech helpline, (call centre Bombay!) The adviser was absolutely useless, and said the Broadband could not be run on Windows 98, but would send me a new CD as it may be corrupt. (still waiting for the CD two weeks later!)

A few days later I received yet another courtesy call from Wanadoo asking how I was getting on. I explained my difficulties, and the adviser then told me I needed to download a patch from the Packard Bell website so I could run the modem on Windows 98.

Surprise surprise, I went on the PB website, and found there is no patch for windows 98, only windows XP. I then called the customer services at Wanadoo to cancel my Broadband and re-instate my anytime account, as I had been given duff info by them, and could therefore not get broadband from them. I was told I had entered a 12 month contract and could not cancel it.

I am now in a situation where I am paying Ł17.99 a month for a service I can not use unless I buy a new computer.

If you need technical support don't even contemplate signing up to Wanadoo.

Customer service uneducated and guess work.
Reviewer: wanadont hater 04-18-2006
I moved house and it took Wanadoo 2.5 months to connect to my new address. Every excuse in the book too. It's your PC, it's a virus, it's BT. In other words - they have no idea!!! I made the mistake of not telling a friend how bad they are, and although Wanadoo's policy as stated in the terms and conditions states you will be connected within 10 days, she is still waiting after 3.5 weeks.

Customer service staff were rude and slammed the phone down on her. she was nothing but polite to them though.

She has decided that as Wanadoo have not lived up to their part of the contract, she wishes to cancel, but wanadoo claim she still has to go by the contract. The contract should be null and void as Wanadoo haven't met their own terms.

I signed up for Wanadoo Broadband on 31st October 2005.
Reviewer: jpw1974 04-18-2006
I signed up for Wanadoo Broadband on 31st October 2005. To date (28th Nov 2005) no Broadband connection has been established. Despite numerous emails and phone calls to Wanadoo there has been no resolution and no reasons given for the delay. Wanadoo state it can take UP TO 10 days to establish a connection. I tried to check my connection yesterday and the modem they sent had packed up. I rang today to cancel, waited for 40 minutes before managing to speak to someone that eventually put me out of my misery, and cancelled my order. A complete waste of time.

Customer service - they just follow a script - can only reply - just forecast the problem will be resolved soon - but no commitments.
Reviewer: silver0 04-17-2006
Wanadoo - killed a good service with the failure of the LLU upgrade. The question is how many people they loose.
I'm so frustrated with the lack of response I've asked for my MAC and am spending my limited connection 600k as opposed to 8m looking for a new isp. I'll stop when they reply to my emails or give me my MAC

No broadband service for 2 months
Reviewer: gal007 04-17-2006
I cannot stress how bad the Wanadoo broadband service has been. I have had no broadband connection for over 2 months and they have only just offered a free dial-up connection until they fix the problem. It is not acceptable when it's a broadband connection I am paying for! Rubbish customer service at premium charges. I cannot wait until my 12 months is up!

Far too many to problems.
Reviewer: maximilian 04-17-2006
Wanadoo's customer support is non-existent. We have been without a service for 3 months. They always tell us to call in 4 or 5 working days when the problem will be sorted out. Their left hand has no clue what their right hand is doing. Customer service could not care less. We phone customer services in India and are told we have a problem with our line. We call again 5 minutes later and they tell us there is a virus on our account. Absolute disastrous service. So far we have called Wanadoo customer service 58 times and we still have no connection.

When there's a problem there's a huge problem - Technical Support are entirely without any technical knowledge, and customer support... Well, there's no support!
Reviewer: wanadooproblems 04-17-2006
I have now been without my Wanadoo broadband for 7 weeks and 2 days.

It started when Wanadoo upgraded my perfectly healthy 2Mb connection to 8Mb. Since then, I have not had a connection. Wanadoo have messed me around, initially telling me to uninstall the Livebox, reinstall the Livebox, check my username is entered correctly, check my password is entered correctly, we'll call you back (but never do), phone us back in 4 hours, phone us back in 24 hours, phone us back in 48 hours. And the latest, yesterday - bearing in mind I am now 7 weeks and 2 days without the problem being resolved - call us back in 4 weeks!! ARE THEY JOKING? Obviously not!

What now? I'd love to hear from others who have had the same problem, as I will definitely take this further.

Poor service, poor support
Reviewer: Lavendula 04-17-2006
What more can I say but that they don't care? My broadband service was down for 2 weeks, I was repeatedly promised "rescue cds" but none arrived. Finally I badgered them to get a replacement livebox and finally got back online. Tech support is rubbish, customer services don't care. If it wasnt for the 1 year contract, I would be with someone else but they will charge full contract amount to leave. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

Wanadoo broadband is RUBBISH
Reviewer: nurtop 04-17-2006
Wanadoo broadband is RUBBISH, do not use it, customer support and technical support are also useless, I have been having a problem since Jan 06, before I cancelled my existing provider (Tiscali-used them for 3 years and had no problem). I asked Wanadoo if I can get 8 MB in our area, and they said yes, after I cancelled Tiscali I found out that the answer for 8 MB is no..so I am so frustrated and I wanted cancel the contract but they said I have to pay 1 year up front to cancel it..So cut a long story short DO NOT USE WANADOO.... Also Wanadoo has rubbish customer service, technical support sends you to customer services and customer services sends you to technical support and none of them identify the problem!!! As a result I have wasted hours on the phone...

No worse than others when it works
Reviewer: lockel 04-17-2006
I have used Wanadoo for 4 years in France, until the illusion that it was worth paying more for France Telecom quality service. BIG MISTAKE!! Even France Telecom have told me of their frustration with Wanadoo technical staff who often have no clue what they are doing. They use a premium line for both technical and sales support, so you end up paying even to complain! Their escalation policy is non-existent, so you end up going around in circles (this from someone who spend 12 hours on the phone and 1 month to get my ADSL back when the problem was at their end). Technical support managers refuse to speak to clients directly.

They like their customers so much they don't want them to leave
Reviewer: lisa264 04-17-2006
Wanadoo Broadband agree to send you the release codes to allow transfer to a new provider then they do nothing.

Well that's not strictly true, they will put you on hold for 10 minutes or until you give in and hang up and sometimes they will simply put the phone down on you.

Taking the name of their cs staff/ supervisors is worthless. When you call back you are likely to get a different call centre and they won't transfer you. If you leave a message they won't call back.

If this review has stopped one person from signing with this company it will have made my day.

For your own sanity - don't do it

Everything. Slow speed. Useless support. No migration codes for users over 2 megs
Reviewer: broadbandrubbish 04-17-2006
Do not join Wanadoo. They will not allow users who have been with them over 12 months and are on a speed higher than 2megs a migration code (MAC code) to move to another ISP. Their technical and customer support service are useless. They give textbook answers and do not address the real prolems. The service cuts out and you cannot get back online for hours. A complete waste of time and money - Avoid at all costs.

Speed, wasted hours on the phone, technical support, in fact, the whole set up!
Reviewer: Liam Martin 04-17-2006
Wanadoo Broadband is a complete waste of time. An email was sent prior to Christmas saying an upgrade on the line (2meg to 8meg) would be done around the 23rd of dec 2005 and that the service might be unobtainable for a few hours.
In fact the entire system went down till the end of January. When you called for assistance you might has well have spoken to the wall. I was told the problem lay with BT and that it had been escalated and to phone back in 48 hours (this must have happened about 6 times). when the service did come back on the all new improved 8meg line had and still has in fact slowed my connection down to just faster than dial up. An average speed of 580kbp.
When I phoned again to see what was happening I was told my query was lost in the system, I asked to place it again only to be told it takes 5 working days for the system to clear??? whats that all about?
My experience with Wanadoo has been nothing short of hopeless.
If you phone the technical support you are left very frustrated due to the lack of technical support offered...that is once you have been put through to a member of staff.
I was offered a six week money back for down time but still received an invoice, when queried I was told that a rebate was not an option until the issue was resolved.
In my opinion (and it is only my opinion) I would avoid Wanadoo like the plague...avoid...avoid..avoid!

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