While researching how to contact Pipex by telephone from here in the US, I came across a very familiar tale in two parts: Dean Marshall, over at Dean Marshall Consultancy in the UK, describes the problems he had dealing with Pipex at the end of last year:
- Part 1: Are Pipex Fraudulent Criminals?
- Part 2: I Believe Pipex Internet Limited Are Guilty of Fraud
Wow! Same experience of finding that you’re suddenly on a contract term. Same problem of not being able to get any management response, nor for that matter even getting a response from the same person who last responded, in email or otherwise. And worse, repeated overbilling and failure to keep promises to refund money taken in error.
I concur with Dean that these procedures were not set up to ensure smooth operations. They were set up to make it as difficult as possible for a customer to get any form of resolution, and especially to cancel the service. Additionally, I believe that they purposely extend phone calls to collect additional fees from their premium numbers and that they collect unnecessary personal information for every request, presumably with the intent of selling it (as their so-called “privacy policy” allows).
Pipex customers who are stuck with them might be interested to know about a site called Say No to 0870 where you can search for alternative numbers to the premium rate ones Pipex publishes. Here’s the numbers I found (untried as yet, but I will update if I ever need to use them):
Customer services (0871 222 5550): 020 3302 8401 / 020 33028402 / 0161 4515100
Customer services (0871 663 3300): 020 3302 8403 / 020 33028404 / 020 33028454
Check out the rest by simply searching for Pipex at the Say No to 0870 site.
“Vogons are one of the most unpleasant races in the galaxy. Not actually evil, but bad-tempered, bureaucratic, officious and callous. They wouldn’t even lift a finger to save their own grandmothers from the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal without orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters. The best way to get a drink out of a Vogon is to stick your finger down his throat, and the best way to irritate him is to feed his grandmother to the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal. On no account should you allow a Vogon to read poetry to you.”