I’ve moved in Brussels – from St Josse to St Gilles – and in typical Belgian style the cable TV operator is different in St Gilles. Seems the Belgian notion of competition is to divide up the communes between different suppliers rather than allow suppliers to compete on the same network…
I was previously with Numericable and annoyingly VOO in St Gilles is too slow for what I need. So I had to go for Belgacom ADSL for internet instead, and I am already regretting it. I placed my order online on Tuesday last week and they promised a delivery of the equipment today. Nothing. So I called them.
Belgacom: “But sir, your account has not been opened?”
Me: “Sorry I don’t understand. I have made the order.”
Belgacom: “Yes, but the account has not been opened.”
Me (frustrated): “What does that mean? Is there something I need to do?”
Belgacom: “No, it’s that your account has not been opened.”
Me: “But my modem was supposed to be delivered today. And I urgently need the internet connection.”
Belgacom: “I’ll see what I can do.”
The woman then typed away on the other end of the phone, told me the modem would be delivered Wednesday and that the line would be opened Friday, 4 days later than I had previously been told. No apology, no explanation. And if I had not called to push the matter I wonder when anything would have been fixed! Let’s hope that the net connection works OK and that Belgacom doesn’t turn into Belgacon.
I totally agree, not only Belgacon has the most expensive products, and worst customer services, they also cheat and twist phone operator regulations to the limit. An example (check this with any Belgacon user) if you happen not to pay your bill, they will cut off the line, reestablish it, and make you pay for the disconnect/reconnect 50€s per month (BTW, it is now done on a PC, in less than 3-4 clicks, yet it costs you 50€s. So I get out of hospital to find a bill of 95€s cause they had to reconnect me twice, not only that, regardless of all the papers from the hospital, they wont budge, so I paid and left.
@Nicholas – you’re welcome to quote my entry… A kind of ad-hoc vent your frustration at Belgacom system!
I can only sympathise. I don’t really understand Belgacom’s conception of customer service. I have quoted you here:
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1382822.html
Hope that is OK.
Ah! I made a Belgacom subscription 10 days ago. Paid for the most expensive package they had…long hallucinating story. They apparently installed something from outside the apartment (! – I have doubts they did) , because they did not show up when scheduled. Then I was supposed to do teh do-it-yourself part…and I still don-t have Internet…left the phone with their stupid ‘you’re a loser’ music on wait for 2 hours(!), Nobody from support picked up. nothing more frustrating then being so helpless in front of this.
The good news is that Belgacom have now installed everything – according to the schedule I was told having called them… I’ve also managed to order cable TV from VOO, and have even been in e-mail contact with the Commune de St Gilles regarding signing in there. All rather smooth. Means I just have to get the electricity and gas sorted out and I will be all done.
@Daniel – in St Josse Numericable’s tech was excellent, internet super quick. But their customer service in the office on rue des deux eglises is horrible. Get there early (i.e. 30 mins before it opens) and take a book. But once it’s fixed it works well.
I’m moving too (near Jeu de Balle) and I have to get next week tv/internet (numericable), water and gas/electricity. I’m a bit afraid… Good luck!
Not to mention Belgacom services are extremely expensive… 🙁
On the plus side, Saint Gilles is so much nicer than Saint Josse. I trust that you find it so also.