WITH the heatwave forcing a large proportion of the UK workforce to work from home, internet outages can be a big issue.
Recent figures suggest that TalkTalk has 4.3million customers using its internet in their homes.
Workers have been urged not to travel to and from work as temperatures soar across the country.
But if your internet isn't working, your frustration levels could also reach a boiling point.
We explain how to check the status of TalkTalk's service in your area.
We also take a look at whether you are entitled to compensation for a drop in service.
How do I check the status of TalkTalk broadband?
TalkTalk customers can look online or log into their account, where the provider will help run tests to see if the service in their area is down.
Customers can also contact TalkTalk directly on its helpline on 0345 172 0088 to check what has happened.
Its worth checking on social media to see if TalkTalk has communicated about widespread service loss or if other customers are having similar issues to you.
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Am I entitled to compensation?
If you're suffering issues with your internet, call or mobile services then you may be entitled to compensation.
Internet firms usually pay out £8 for each say that broadband and phone service is not repaired after two full days of no service.
The automatic compensation was paused at the beginning of the pandemic but it has since mostly resumed.
In a small number of circumstances your provider might not be able to repay you automatically – for example if the problem requires a home visit and the customer is self isolating.
In that case, you shouldn't be charge for a service you're not receiving.
If you're a mobile customer and you suffer from a lack of service then depending on the circumstance you may be entitled to a refund or account credit.
If you're without service for a sustained period of time then you may have the right to leave without incurring a fee.
TalkTalk is signed up to the Automatic Compensation Scheme alongside other broadband providers. This makes it easier for customers to get money back when there's an outage.
If your service goes down then it's worth asking for compensation, even if it doesn’t fall into one of these categories.
Has TalkTalk suffered an outage before?
On July 23 2020, thousands of BT, Plusnet and TalkTalk customers complained of outages. The companies said this was due to a fire at an exchange – the point where your home broadband connects to the network in your area.
Customers also had issues on May 29, when Downdetector showed that 31,000 people were having issues with their service.
At the same time, 1,900 customers were complaining about BT while 1,600 people reported issues with Post Office internet.
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They're not the only providers to cut out for households – on July 21 2020, Sky customers suffered an outage leaving hundreds of users struggling to access the internet.
Virgin Media also went down earlier that month, affecting hundreds of customers.
Post Office internet also suffered an outage recently, leaving thousands of customers unable to work from home.
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