Yeah, it took me 6.5 days for Spark to re-connect us after having disconnected us. Ridiculously slow and never any recognition it was their fault. No offer of compensation either even though I work from home and missed many calls. (Yes, Spark said/said they had diverted landline calls to my cellphone but in reality that didn't work...) Grr!
M-in-Laws phone got switched to fiber phone this morning. Got her to plug the cordless into POTS 1 on the ONT and all's well. Will leave like that until I go down to see her at labor weekend as the cordless coverage is fine. She was a bit concerned with placing the basestation by the ONT. The speech quality way better than via the old analog landline..
Chorus arrived today and finished the change over of the phones from copper to fibre, this is after one month of us using a phone in the storage closet. The job took about 5 minutes.
Also had a painfully slow connection to fibre broadband from Spark/Chorus here in Marlborough.
To add insult to injury, I have now had the nasty surprise of the new bill from Spark; complete with $299 installation charge. I was expecting to pay an installation charge, but didn't expect this much. Also, Spark's T&Cs clearly state that I would be informed of any charges BEFORE I incur them. This didn't happen.
I am currently in the inevitable painful wait for a call back from Spark to make my gripe (bland call-centre platitudes to follow I'm sure).
There was talk of having to pay an 'installation' fee but I pointed out that the pamphlet they put through the letter box inviting us to "Ditch your copper landline" and which included a threat that if we did not we would be charged more for copper in the future does not mention that the fibre service being offered would be less than our existing copper service. Less in that copper is connected to our house jackpoints whereas the fibre installation gives just one jack point which in our case was inside a closet.
Phew..thankfully, it turns out that then installation fee should have been credited back to me, given that I was signed up for a minimum 12-month contract. Spark accepted they had made a mistake and are adjusting my bill accordingly.
One to watch out for, for others who swap to fibre. Keep an eye on that first bill!
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