Top Up TV Anytime Review

Overall Rating

When it does work you are in theory supposed to be able to watch one show, record it and record another at the same time.

Customer service is terrible. To start they have a high rate call number to raise revenue when you call them, and you guessed it, the longer they take to answer the more revenue they generate! The hard drive box they send out to you had never worked properly. Despite their promised 'software upgrades' etc. At best it will sometimes record a show you want but usually this is pot luck and random. You can't do 2 at the same time, the machine is creates a lot of noise, even on standby. (incidental even on standby the hard drive spins constantly so electricity bills are much higher). The claim that they have '2 tuners' is either false or the 2nd one doesn't work. You are therefore forced to watch the show you want to record... what is the point?

Very bad and misleading customer 'service'. Was told they would send out a new box and to wait in on a certain day, only to get a letter saying 'they want the original box back first'... which isn't what they said on the phone and is very bad customer service to say that, and from a supervisor who refused to give his name! When I rang them up again (and paid 4 pounds to be put on hold) I was told to send it back, (at MY expense) in the 'original packaging' (which I recycled and never keep!) When I told them this they said 'it's your fault you didn't keep packaging'. They refuse to replace their faulty box or my neighbours, until they get theirs back.
Apparently they feel you might be 'scamming' a free box? Interesting to see they stoop to accusing their customers of being scammers who's boxes simply don't work. The offer of having someone come and take it, inspect it, or that they send me free pre paid packaging or a courier was 'out of the question and not in the terms of the contract' so in other words, there is NO guarantee.
OFCOM and the office of fair trading are looking into this, meanwhile, they wont EVER call you, you have to call them, and pay to call a high rate number... what a fantastic idea to keep rolling in their bucks even when they have faulty equipment. It's unfair way that they are operating, best to avoid it, Virgin Media looks like a better deal.

Members' Comments onMarchy's Review

• ironeagleuk on 2nd Sep 2007

  I disagree with this review because... If the second tuner isn't working properly, it sounds like you need to get it replaced... or at least remove the grey block at the back, and then replace it to see if there is a dodgy connection.