Arcor phone and DSL installation time

so, where are all those Arcor lovers in TT? you guys were raving about this company, so I figured that they can't be that bad...

but over a MONTH later, after signing the contract for phone and DSL, still no progress on installation!!! oh wait, there has been *some* progress:

Ihr Auftrag ist in Bearbeitung

Bereits erfolgt:
- Ihr Auftrag ist eingegangen
- Ihr Auftrag ist geprüft

Aktuell in Bearbeitung:
- Die Anschluss-Leitung wird bestellt

Nächste Schritte:
- Die Freigabe der Anschluss-Leitung wird eingeholt.
- Der Anschlusstermin wird festgelegt. Die Zugangs- und Anschlussdaten
werden zusammengestellt.
- Die Daten werden per Willkommensbrief versendet.
- Die Hardware wird versendet (falls bestellt).

so what? they haven't even ordered the connection! how long do these guys take?

4 - 6 weeks. We're waiting too...

Do you remember any names?
Arcor is cheap. Period.
They have restrictive contracts (mininimum 12 months), terrible service, poor response times and can't supply NEW connections, only conversion...
I've known people wait 3-4 months after signing the contract, then lose their phone line for 2 weeks while Arcor blaimed Telekom and vice versa for messing up the transfer of service. In one case Arcor finally said that they could not supply the service, and the customer could not get his old number back from Telekom.

If you like cheap then go for them. If you don't want all manner of hassle, avoid them.

The old "Rosa red" (Telekom) is no angel, but she's the best of a bad lot...

YL6

You used to slam telecom heaps! What changed?

He probably promotes whoever he gets the best commission from at the time.

Arcor and Telekom are both crap. It is a lesser of two evils choice here. I have heard of more problems with Arcor than I have with Telekom, therefore, Telekom still has our business although I wish there was a better alternative. But alas, there is not. Once you get Arcor, you might actually like it. Happy waiting.

Get your facts right. I've never slammed Telekom. I've never praised them either. On balance, they are the best of a bad lot. They are the only company who can provide a telephone line - anywhere. Their line prices are above average (compared to their competition), but their contracts are flexible - no tie-ins. their customer service is not that good, but better than it was, and certainly tons better than the likes of Arcor. I'd NEVER use them for Internet service, nor would I make a single call to anywhere using their services.

You may be confused in that I ALWAYS slam T-Online. This is NOT Telekom (although there is a suggestion that might change), and a pile of poo, both for product, service and price.

YL6

Commission? - now there's a thought... if only...

YL6

Ahh of course, my mistake. Sorry about that. I do tend to lump the two together.

The reason we chose Arcor is the speed. Where our new house is, Telekom couldn't provide high speed intenet connection plus we would have to pay ridiculous amounts of money to move and we couldn't keep the same phone number anyway. So, we switched to Arcor. It's cheaper and it has the high speed internet(10 times faster supposedly). For us, it's worth it to wait. We have handys and internet access at work if we need it that badly.

We went initially to MNet. They wanted 8 to 10 weeks!!! Ended up with bloody DTelekom, only because they could do it in 3.

I really HATE Arcor. They were cheaper, yes, but the service was so bad I had to switch back to Telekom. They'll screw up your bills, block all kinds of numbers for no reason, and leave you with no telephone at least twice a year.

I can say that I ordered my phone/DSL (all on-line) on November 10th (new connection) and it just got turned on LAST WEEK... who knows who to blame as the DT guy had to come over to do quick fiddle in the cellar.

For the past week it's been running great... no idea on other screw ups, however, the couple of MONTHS it took to get going isn't a good sign.

@ Anabi

A lot of "Newbie" connections take so long to get connect 'cause you are new to the area and have No credit history in Germany..

They have to process you application differently than if you are already a customer.. or at least Known to some German Credit scoring facility..

G

just a quick update for you (I know that you are all in breathless suspense waiting for news on my Arcor connection...

it's now been 6 weeks since I ordered the connection, and...
no progresss.

oh, but I did receive a letter from Arcor last week saying that new connections will take longer than "normal" because of increased demand in January.

that was nice of them ... not!

That certainly bucks a trend - Telekom report December and January as their quietest months. Most people are too concerned with Christmas to consider moving house and needing new lines or upgrading existing ones.

maybe they really meant to say:

Your connection will be delayed because all our technicians and office workers went on vacation in January and most of February. We really were not expecting anyone to place an order during that time, as you did; so it is really your fault, silly customer...

Well you may be in for some work after you finally get it... Got mine a few weeks ago and been having the problem where the line goes down/disconnects every 20-90 minutes and you have to cycle power on the box... makes large overnight downloads impossible.

Have gone through steps to ensure it wasn't my notebook...

DSL has always been plug an play for me, first time I've had to dick around.

Take care with your wiring...

DSL is not ALWAYS just a simple plug in the splitter and away you go..!

There are many things that can and do cause noise and connection breakage.

If it works first time... great, if not, there are some English speaking, German based companies who can help you... Here is the Number of the one I used.

Eventful Communications... 089 90139859

Good luck

G

Had a very similar experience to this with Telekom one August. By their own admission August is one of the busiest months as many families move to co-incide with the school year. At the same time 30% of Telekom staff go on holiday. Result? - chaos and long waiting lists for lines and installations...

"Service-orientated society"? - "Germany"? - not to be used in the same sentence...

YL6

I've heard good things about Maxi DSL with Mnet and got info through Internet.Why does it take 8 - 10 weeks???I am moving and haven't got a clue how this works as far as the pricing is concerned.Maybe you can fill me in.Please send all info to creativepro@gmx.de.

Thanks

Curious though it may seem I don't believe you can move to an alternative provider such as Mnet at the same time as you move house. You will have to either change to MNet and then move or (better) move house taking your Telekom line/number with you if possible and then change to MNet. The reason for this is that all the providers rely on the provision of the actual connection itself from Deutsche Telekom. DT don't really like giving up their lines and service to other providers, so go out of their way to make life difficult, while at the same time, upholding their legal obligation to permit a "free market".

MNet (or whoever else) can only get line information from Telekom for an established line, i.e. for a line and number that exists, with a subscriber associated with it.

When you move from DT to MNet for example, you have to give your DT line, number and customer details to MNet (including if you have ISDN your 3 or more associated numbers - many people don't have these easilly to hand!). Mnet pass this detail to Telekom with a request to transfer the services to their management with effect from a certain date in the future. Telekom are obliged to permit this transfer, but at the same time don't go out of their way to make it as smooth as possible. Missing or incorrect information, either given or passed on by MNet will result in a rejection of the transfer and a long dialog which may ensue between MNet and Telekom. Telekom, of course won't discuss this with the customer, so you have to leave the process, in hope to MNet. Once the transfer is finally agreed MNet have to schedule the transfer to their system, and only at this point can they estimate the likely transfer date for the customer. Note that as fas as Telekom is concerned the customer is cancelling their contract with them. For many customers Telekom have a cancellation period of 24 hours or 7 days, so there's no big problems, but for some customers, especially with recent new deals (e.g. XXL) the cancellation period is 3 months. This means that Telekom can't and won't release the line until at least 3 months have passed.

Even then, it's not the end of it. On the day of the transfer, approximately 10% of all transfers have problems, either with the new provider adding his service to the line (most common) or with Telekom releasing it. In worst case the new provider may find they can not actually support the new service on the customer line. I know of at least one real example where Telekom killed their service on a customer line to pass it over to Arcor. Arcor then had big technical issues with the transfer onto their service and after almost 2 weeks apologised to their new customer, and said they could not provide the service. During this time the customer had no phone service. After the Arcor pronuncement the customer had to re-apply to Telekom for the line back. This took another 2 weeks, and they were given a new phone number to boot. Telekom said the old number had been re-allocated during the confusion. Neither asmitted any blame, but both had a pretty piss*ed off customer.

8-10 weeks to transfer? Given the machinations that take place, I'm often surprised they make it in this time...!!!

YL6

PS
Didn't do this. No-one else would have been able to read it !

hi, i'm new here, but i just wanted to say, Welcome to the club! i waited for 2 1/2 months before my connection was finally up with Arcor. The time takes longer if you don't have an existing telephone connection. If you do have one, it probably takes about 1/2 month shorter. Just wanted to say, the waiting was terrible and I depend so much to keep in touch with home, I literally cried when I saw the green light come on on my starter kit !

Thanks for the moral support niam!!! good to know that i am not alone...

also, can you believe it! , yesterday the guy came by and tested the phone line! so (in theory) I have a working phone line! (but since I do not have, nor want an ISDN phone, the point is mute - all I want is INTERNET).

so, does anyone have an idea how long it takes for the internet hardware (DSL modem) to arrive from when Arcor says that they sent it?

another 4 weeks?

is there a chance that the stuff will arrive this week??

or am I asking tooo much...

Hey Chicago, we must be on the same schedule because the Arcor guy came yesterday for the phone and internet. We now have a phone and internet.

We have our own wireless modem so we didn't(that I know of) get the modem from ARCOR.

What is really interesting is that the letter with our access code actually arrived in the mail on the same day the Arcor guy came.

Good luck, it won't be long now!

One thing Arcor seem to have been good at in the past is sending out hardware. It often arrives weeks before the connection...
Do be sure your name is on the door/mailbox, or theymight not even try to deliver it...

YL6

I have been waiting for Arcor since 27/01... I have now only the hardware, and last week the guy in the shop said that they will sent the letter (I guess the ID, password and the number) to me the "next day"... but since then.. I have NOTHING... fortunately, I have just found out one of my colleagues has a "friend" working for Arcor (as a manager) and hopefully he can help.. I hate this waiting thing...Does anyone knows that if they actually has to come to my house or I will just need the login ID? I have already the "green" light for my startkit.. just no dialing tone for my phone.. (can't try the internet yet since no id and password)

Cheers,
ronch

and @Chicago.. I only received my kid 1 and a half weeks ago.. u do the maths

Ronch, you can call them to get your id and password. ARCOR actually came to our house but we still didn't have the id and password. So, when my boyfriend arrived at work that day, he called ARCOR and they gave it to him. When we got home that night, the letter with the id and pswd was in the mailbox.

hey ronch, yes, they have to come to your house. see above on how polite the company is with making the appointment.

and nothing like consistency. you have the device, no line; I have line, ID and password, but no device. gees.

on another note, when was the first that Arcor received a payment from you? or did you order a service package with no charge on the device? (maybe that is the delay in my device, I went with the wireless router...)

and another thing: with Arcor ISDN/DSL, do both phone and internet run thru the same line?

I'm new to the ISDN, but whenever I had a DSL home connection, the service provider had to install a 2nd / dedicated line for the DSL (completely separate from the phone). Or with the digital features of ISDN, does the single line I currently have work for both phone and DSL?

Thanks guys! I guess I will have to call them!
But if I have the "green" light on my starter kit, does it means I have the line already??? I try to plug on my phone, but there was no dial tone!

@Chicago, I have also order the wireless kit. What they did was that they sent me a card to say I need to pick it up in the post office and has to pay the cost of the wireless router there.
I think once you switch to Arcor, your line will be also switch to ISDN, only they give you a converter for your telephone. And I think the internet and the phone are using the "starter kit" on the same line.

Hope these helps

uhm, what did the thing from the post office look like?

was it a standard post-card looking thing? or was it a note with hand-writen notes? I fear I may have thrown it away... *on verge of tears*

is the standard post-card thing from Deutschl post, with the remark of the money you will have to pay! ..did you really throw that away?

Confusion reigns... lucky Arcor customers. Let this be a lesson to you

*nearly with tears in eyes*

yes... I threw it out...

the people at Arcor said it was sent in Feb... and surely the D.Post has sent it back to them... luckily, Arcor will send another, but it will be a couple days before it arrives - with the Easter holidays in between...

this has not been a good month...

and where was your smarty pants advice back in Jan? did you post warnings to potential new customers like me? no. so shut it.

Well said Chicago...
@YL6 - no confusion here. I may be blond and a woman but I'm not dumb. So, we had to wait a little long. At least I didn't pay the 180€ to move my service to a new address and also pay the same(ridiculous) amount of money for absolutely inferior service(ARCOR in our area is 10 faster than T-online - plus, it's costing us 20 a month less!.

I have a handy and internet access at work - so it is no biggie not to have the interent at home for 2 months - my boyfriend was less occupied with the computer and more occupied with me

Oh, Betty ! - touchy, touchy

See:
Arcor phone and DSL installation time (Feb 16 - "...tons better than the likes of Arcor...")
Arcor phone and DSL installation time (Feb 16 - "..If you don't want all manner of hassle, avoid them...")
Swapping DSL & phone line when moving apartment (Feb 10 - "...the changeover to Arcor is not very smooth...")
DSL internet - Alternatives to Deutsche Telekom (Jan 19 - "...it can be a hassle and a long time to convert from Telekom to Arcor...")
Getting DSL in Germany - So many problems! (Nov 20 - "...expect a delay... and possible disruptions...")
Getting DSL in Germany - So many problems! (Nov 25 - "They are not an easy company to work with because...")
DSL internet in Munich - some good deals (Nov 14 - "the oft repeated problems...")
Discount phone calls -- Germany to the UK (Nov 9 - "...the pour souls stuck with Arcor...")
Cancellation of mobile phone contracts in Germany (Nov 3 - "... the oft quoted dispute of the General Public and Telekom vs. Arcor...")
Arcor Rangers - Door-to-Door Sales people (Oct 28 - "...if you do move to Arcor the changeover probably won't be smooth,...")

Shall I go on, or would you really prefer that I "shut it" and stop offering useful advice, that you could not be bothered to check up on before you embarked on the current debacle??

YL6

Hmmm.. it cost us 30€ with T-DSL with a free upgrade to faster DSL.. and it was swapped in 1 day!

Not quite 180€... OK so we got lucky, but still... I guess people get varying luck with the cost...

@YSL, no please, go on, go on. you see, your constructive comments really do help me to go back in time and reconsider the options. while you are at it, here is some salt and rubbing alchohol to pour into the wound. it really does help. thank you so much for your kindness.

Well it doesn't help you now Chicago...but it might help other people to re-consider switching when they read about the problems and timing. I personally find YL6 to offer the facts...take from them what you will. I remember reading the previous threads regarding Arcor and it is one of the main reasons we did not switch over.

Some people cannot do without internet for that long...especially if that is their means of communication with people back home.

It's really not easy (and could extend the time even longer) to try to switch back. You've already signed a 12-month contract with Arcor in any case. Maybe they didn't come up with the goods, but they'll fight to the death to get your money...

YL6

all is cool with me and YorkshireLad6.

to be fair, I also remember reading some post before from YL6. But the reason I choose them is afterall, cost! ..well.. I have been warned before of the waiting time.. but just did not expect such a long wait!!! Does anyone knows if I call arcor..do any of them speak English?

when I called them today, after a very long wait, finally spoke with a (actually quite nice) lady - but the chat was in german. didn't ask for english, but I did start with saying that my german was bad - which often results in a switch to english by the helpdesk person, but didn't in this case. give it a try, the call is free (especially from a work phone).

I think I haves sussed out why Arcor are cheaper..

They calculate their price on your first 12 months, from date of sign up...

For the first 3 months, you have no sevice, therefore no cost..

The following 9 months costs, Divided by 12= a reasonable price..

T-Kom seem to be the best of a bad bunch...

It took Arcor more than six months to deliver the goods to me, but when I did get it, they superceeded T-Kom, simply by the Virtue that T-kom said NO to my DSL request, Arcor said NO Problem!

G

Okay so let me get this straight...you are paying while you have no service??? That is just plain wrong. Making you wait is one thing...but then charging you for a service you are not using?! How do they get away with that?

I finally get the Arcor thing! but then when I install the WLAN... it always said that they cannot find the adapter. I can see that the connection is there already (with status "excellent")... I later found out that you need Servicepack 2 for XP. Guess have to wait and see if its working later on (have to download the thing at work, hope I don't get fired )

But at least I have the telephone line now!

Can just say I hope that you don't have any problems now that it has been installed. because ACOR are the worst company that I have every the misfortune to deal with.

Got it done already.. I must say its not too easy... I have to do something that are NOT covered in the instruction from Arcor. But its great to have finally the connection after 2 months waiting time!