Ono or Telefónica? Decision time!
Written by mpowellLuckily, it’s a rather easy decision. Ono is far better. If you’re new to Spain and have a choice, go with them.
We’ve experienced both services — with Ono, we had speedy internet, friendly customer service and a fair price. With Telefónica… no, nope, and nurp.
Telefónica ordeals have become the stuff of legend in our household. When we moved into our new apartment, we simply wanted our existing service transferred. It took them over 6 weeks. I called them about 15 times to complain, and each time was a joy. Apparently, their customer service representatives take master’s courses in Misinformation and Bitchiness. They were really good at both!
This is impossible over the phone, I thought, so I’ll just go down to the gigantic Telefónica store at the Ayuntamiento. Ha, as though it would be so easy!!! Oh no, no no, the lady explained. Nurp. Because we had signed up online, everything had to be handled over the phone. She had no way to help us. Red-faced, I nearly screamed, “My service is Telefónica. You’re Telefónica. NOW HELP ME!”
Nurp. She shrugged, and a little smirk crept across the corner of her mouth. Nothing she can do. Separate division. Bye-bye now, thanks for choosing Telefónica.
Our 12-month contract has nearly run its course and we are switching back to Ono. We’ll be paying less and getting television, free national land-line calls and faster Internet. They’re handling the Telefónica cancellation for us, and I can’t tell you what a weight off my shoulders that is.
Has anyone else had Telefónica horror stories that they’d like to share? Were we just unlucky? What telephone/Internet service do you use, and how has your experience been?
Tags: Internet, Ono, Telefonica
Valencia
30°
urbicande wrote,
I feel sorry for you
I heard so many horrible stories about Telefonica from friends and colleagues you cannot imagine!!
I have Jazztel for Internet/Landline. When we moved in november they actually transferred everything on the same day we entered the new flat. We simply plugged the new router and everything was perfect. The whole process was free (including the new router). Since then I highly recommend Jazztel to everyone…
Link | December 30th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Martijn wrote,
My (now ex-) girlfriend had telefonica as well, and it was crappy as hell, way overpriced -compared to things here in Holland anyway- and bad service. So seems like it is a common thing.
Link | December 30th, 2009 at 10:47 am
JM wrote,
i’ve been with telefonica for three years and have no complaints, it was very expensive to start with but a call threatening to leave last summer got me a major price reduction. i have heard good things about Ono but it’s irrelevant to me as their service is unavailable in the darkest recesses of el Carmen.
Link | December 30th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
valencia blog wrote,
JM,
that’s why we switched to Telefonica – on Murillo there was no Ono available. We threatened Telefonica, they just laughed
Link | December 30th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
adomon wrote,
Great post! Please Holavalencia followers share your Valencia experiences with telco services as expats. Customers services are always creepy, as you describe. Even in the great Holland, and this in special for Martinj: In 2008 I was living in Leiden (downtown) KPN installation time was 30 days, so I signed with Ziggo, equivalent to ONO here, I got the service in 15 days, installation was delayed, only in Dutch. Then I had several problems, and the ONLY customer service was in a 902 equivalent number in “perfect” Dutch
Link | January 1st, 2010 at 8:44 pm
valencia blog wrote,
We also have good horror stories from the German Telekom. Flawless was the internet service we had in Ireland.
Link | January 1st, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Tim van der Moer wrote,
Be happy you all that at least you have a choice in most parts of the country. Her in Latin America most countries privatized their national telecommunications companies in the 90s and almost every single one sold out to Telefónica. Most countries still have a virtual Telefónica monopoly. Meaning sky-high prices.
The current going rate in Peru is 32 euros a month for a lousy 500kb ‘broadband’ connection, want a speed that’s actually of this millenium? prepare to pay 65 euros for a meazly 2Mb. And these are maximum speeds as a bunch of little stars and little letters everywhere indicate. Like in many Latin-American countries, Telefónica doesn’t invest in infrastructure and at the best times reaches about 70% of this speeds. Needless to say, those good times never last for long.
And of course, the prices I’m quoting are for Lima and some main urban centers. Everything else is considered ‘rural’ which legitimizes a surcharge for infrastructure investments (which are never made): 280 euros one-time ‘connection fee’ and then a whopping 180 euros a month for a connection which is 128kb up and 64kb down.
Anyway, just thought you might want to know how extremely lucky you are with just crappy service and slightly elevated prices, the third world is far worse off. Go Telefónica!
Link | June 24th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
John M\aher wrote,
Telefonica (now called Movistar across the board) are appalling and perverse. Every time you call them they contradict what was said previously and pretty much call you a liar or an idiot. I contemplated getting a recording device just to have their empty promises on record. After one sequence of errors I sent a letter of complaint and left. They eventally acknowledged I was right and waived the problem bill. However, their recovery department has sent me a certified letter pursuing the amount and today I received a letter from Experian saying Telefonica had put me on a problem payer database. It’s like being pursued from beyond the grave by some hideous zombie.
Link | June 24th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
John Maher wrote,
Sorry, in my passion I forgot to say that Jazztel working well and Masmovil.es are a revelation – straightforward and cheap as chips.
Link | June 24th, 2010 at 7:04 pm