Help

Most Frequently Asked Questions

If you need help with your Nokia handset, please visit the Nokia web site.

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About getting started

How do I install Tesco Talk Wi-fi on my Nokia phone?

The key steps that you need to follow are:

1. Requesting the download Text

To receive the Tesco Talk Wi-fi download on your mobile phone Text "talk" to 86688.

This request is exactly the same for both non registered and Web Registration accounts. If the message is sent without the word "talk" as described above, no download Text will be received.

This is a premium rate text charged at £1 plus your normal network rate, On completion of the download, you will receive £1 of credit to your Tesco Talk Wi-fi account to get you going.

If you are registering for an account through the website you will be prompted when to send the above text. If you are applying for a non registered pay-as-you-go account, then this will be the first action you take.

2. Receiving the Download link

After successfully sending the text download request, you will receive a new message in your inbox.

Clicking on the show button or directly opening it from the inbox will bring up the download link.

Clicking on the link will bring up the ‘Open link’ option.

If your Wifi connection is already active, connection will be established to install the application. If no internet access is found, you will be prompted to ‘Select WLAN network’ from the available networks.

After a successful connection, a new browser is opened and a download alert pops up. If the download does start automatically within 1 minute, click on ‘start download’

Click OK when prompted to do so. Once the download has completed, click close.

Another window will then open up asking your permission to start the installation process.

Click continue on next screen displayed.

Press ‘Continue’ to progress

Press ‘OK’ to Continue

If asked where to install select Phone memory. However if full then save in Mass memory

You will then see installation bar.

When asked if you want to activate your Tesco Talk Wi-fi account click OK.

You will see a congratulations message, your account is now active.

Read disclaimer and press ‘Accept’ to continue

Finally you will see a reminder on how you can top up your phone.

Please select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to continue.

Application should launch automatically

I have not received a response to my initial premium rate text, what should I do?

We rely on your network / service provider to send text's to your phone. Most of the time they are delivered very quickly but they can take up to 24hours. If you have any questions or concerns then please call our contact centre on 0845 300 20 20 (7 days week, 9am - 9pm) FREE from your Tesco Talk wi-fi phone (within a Wi-fi enabled area) or up to 7p a minute from a BT landline, other providers may vary. Alternatively e- mail us at tescotalkwifi@tesco.net.

Can I use any wifi hotspot provider?

Yes you can use any Wi-fi hotspot provider as you just need access to the internet. However you must be aware that some Wi-fi hotspot providers charge for their service. In order to use them you must be registered as a customer before you can use their Wi-fi zones. You should be able to use any of the open free Wi-fi hotspots, provided they have enabled access from a mobile phone.

Can I use any broadband provider?

Yes, you should be able to access the Tesco Talk Wi-fi service with any broadband provider.

How do I sign up for Tesco Talk Wi-fi?

It’s easy! As long as you have one of the specific Nokia handsets (E51, E65, E66, E71, E90, N81, N81 8GB, N82, N95, N95 8GB) you can either request the download without registering the account on a purely pay-as-you-go basis or register online. Click on the Register or Login button on this web site. Once you have the application installed on your phone, it will automatically connect you over the internet so that you can benefit from free and cheap calls, but if this is not possible then your call will go over your normal mobile network.

Can I use my existing mobile number?

Yes, you can, when you sign up for Tesco Talk Wi-fi , you will use your existing mobile number.

If I want to cancel my Tesco Talk Wi-fi service, how do I do it?

If you want to stop using the Tesco Talk Wi-fi service you should contact the customer care team on 0845 300 20 20*.

* FREE from your Tesco Talk Wi-fi phone (within a Wi-fi enabled area) or just 7p a minute from a BT landline, 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. Other providers may vary.

If you have signed up to one of our call plans or recurring add-ons you will need to do this at least 4 days before your call plan subscription payment is due. Remember, if you have signed up to one of our call plans you have agreed to a 3 month contract (although you do have a 28 day cooling off period in which you can change your mind).

I am an existing customer and I want to change my Tesco Talk Wi-fi service what do I need to do?

i. Joining a call plan

Click on "Manage my call plan" under "My service". Select the call plan that you want to sign up to and follow the on screen instructions.

ii. Upgrade a call plan

Click on "Manage my call plan" under "My service". Select the new call plan that you want to sign up to and follow the on screen instructions. Once you have completed this process, your old call plan will be automatically cancelled.

Your new call plan will come into effect on your next call plan subscription payment date (provided you have given us at least 4 days’ notice).

iii. Downgrade a call plan

Unfortunately you are not able to downgrade your call plan in the first three months of your contract.

To downgrade you call plan click on "Manage my call plan" under "My service". Select the new call plan that you want to sign up to and follow the on screen instructions. Once you have completed this process, your old call plan will be automatically cancelled. Your new call plan will come into effect on your next call plan subscription payment date (provided you have given us at least 4 days’ notice).

Remember, if you downgrade to our pay as you go service you will lose your international add-on.

iv. Add or change an add-on

Click on "Manage my add-on(s)" under "My service". Select the add-on that you want to sign up to or the duration of the add-on and follow the on screen instructions. Your new add-on will come into effect on your next call plan subscription payment date (provided you have given us at least 4 days’ notice).

v. Remove an add-on

Click on "Manage my add-on(s)" under "My service". Select the add-on that you want to remove and follow the on screen instructions. Your add-on will be removed on your next call plan subscription payment date (provided you have given us at least 4 days’ notice).

I have an existing Tesco Internet Phone account, can I include Tesco Talk Wi-fi in the same account?

No, unfortunately this is not possible because the two services use different numbers, one is an Internet phone number and the other is your mobile number.

If I want to change my payment method, what do I need to do?

i. For call plans and add-ons

Click on "Manage my payment for call plans and add-ons" under "My service". Under payment method enter the new payment details.

Please note, if you are making changes to or changing an existing Direct Debit the first payment will be taken from the credit or debit card that you provide during the process of changing these details. You need to do this 4 days before your next billing date.

ii. For automatic payments

Click on "Manage my automated payments for topping-up credit" under "My service". Under "Update automated payment method" enter the new payment details.

You need to do this 4 days before your next billing date.

About calling plans

What are the different calling plans and how much do they cost?

There are 4 call plans Pay-as-you-go; Off Peak UK; Anytime UK and Anytime World. You can find out more by clicking on ‘What’s the cost?’ on this web site. You can also use this service as a non registered Pay-as-you-go customer, where you top-up your phone at a Tesco store.

How long do I need to sign up for?

i. Call plans

If you sign up for Off-peak UK, Anytime UK or Anytime World, you need to agree to a minimum 3 month contract, although you do have a 28 day cooling off period if you change your mind. During this time, you can upgrade your package, but not downgrade it.

ii. Add-ons

Add-ons last for one month.

What happens if the price of the call plan changes?

You’ll pay the same amount in the first 3 months, whether the price of the call plan goes up or down.

What happens if I make more calls than the ‘Fair Use’ policy allows?

It’s unlikely that this would happen because Tesco Talk Wi-fi is for personal use, not businesses that make calls all day. But if it does happen, you will not be able to make any more paid calls until you have contacted us. We do this to protect you from the possibility of fraud.

You can contact us by phone, email or letter. Our customer care team is available 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. Just call 0845 300 20 20* and one of our friendly staff will be happy to help. Or, you can email us at tescotalkwifi@tesco.net

* FREE from your Tesco Talk Wi-fi phone (within a Wi-fi enabled area) or just 7p a minute from a BT landline, 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. Other providers may vary.

What does ‘unlimited calls’ mean?

‘Unlimited calls’ means you can make as many calls as you like as long as it’s a reasonable amount. After all, Tesco Talk Wi-fi is for personal use not businesses, so it’s unlikely you’ll be on the phone all day. It’s what we call our ‘fair use’ policy.

Why are my inclusive minutes limited to 70 minutes?

This time limit is in place to protect the Tesco Talk Wi-fi service from abuse that may impact the service we provide for the rest of our customers. Don’t worry, just hang up and redial to avoid being charged.

What happens if I run out of credit in the middle of a call?

If the number you have called is not listed in your call plan, you’ll be cut off immediately your credit runs out. So remember to always keep your credit topped-up.

I want to call a friend who has the Tesco Talk Wi-fi, service too. How much will it cost?

Calls to other Tesco Talk Wi-fi Phone numbers are free if both you and the person receiving the call are in a Wi fi area. There’s no time limit so you can chat for as long as you like without it costing a penny.

About add-ons

What is an ‘add-on’?

Add-ons help you get even better value for money from Tesco Talk Wi-fi. There are 2 types of add-ons available. There are mobile add-ons that give you 25% off all calls to UK mobiles; and international add-ons that let you buy up to 5 hours of call time to selected destinations at a lower rate. To find out more, click on the'What's the cost?' button on this web site.

I have a Pay as you go call plan. Can I buy add-ons?

You can buy a mobile add-on and get 25% off all calls to UK mobiles and international add-on. To find out more, click on the 'What's the cost?' button on this web site.

About using Tesco Talk Wi-fi

Do I get voicemail with my Tesco Talk Wi-fi?

No, you do not get voicemail with your Tesco Talk Wi-fi account. You will use your existing voicemail box as provided by your mobile network operator.

How do I playback any messages on my voicemail when I’m connected to Tesco Talk Wi-fi?

Dialing your voicemail couldn't be easier. All attempts to access your voicemail while in a Wi-fi area, will be automatically routed via your mobile network provider.

Can I call 0845 numbers and any other premium rate numbers?

Yes, you can. Please visit http://www.tescointernetphone.com/about/rates/ for details of our call charges.

Can I put a stop on calls to premium rate numbers?

No this is not currently available.

Can I redirect calls to my mobile phone or another number?

No, you cannot redirect your calls to another number, however if you have redirected your number to another phone number on your mobile line, calls made to you through Tesco Talk Wi-fi will be redirected to the number you provided on your mobile network.

Can I use my Tesco Talk Wi-fi account to call an emergency number?

Yes you can call emergency services, the call will automatically be routed via your existing mobile network provider.

Can I send text messages with my Tesco Talk Wi-fi phone?

No, you are not currently able to do this with Tesco Talk Wi-fi as any text you send from your handset are sent over your default mobile network and charged at your network operators text rates. We do have a feature which groups all your text messages on your phone into a handy conversation view. This is found under the ‘Messages’ option in the Tesco Talk Wi-fi application on your handset.

About Instant Messaging

What is instant messaging?

Instant messaging is a presence enabled messaging service that enables the user to send and receive an instant text based message for FREE* using their mobile phone (supported handset only) over the Tesco Internet Phone network

Instant messages can also be sent for FREE* between all Tesco Internet phone customers using either Talk Wi-fi or the softphone application available on PC.

*Please be aware that contacts may appear green and online, but may have just become offline. This is due to a 90 second delay for information to be relayed from our servers to your mobile handset. In this instance you will not be sending an instant message but instead an SMS. This will be charged at your normal network rates.

Are Tesco Talk Wi-fi instant messages free?

Yes, all instant messages you send while you and the recipient are both online in a Wi-fi enabled area will be FREE*. You can check your recipient is online before sending the instant message by checking the icon is green next to their name at the top of the ‘Messages’ or ‘New Message’ screen. If the icon is green this means that they are online, if it is orange then they are offline.

* Please be aware that contacts may appear green and online, but may have just become offline. This is due to a 90 second delay for information to be relayed from our servers to your mobile handset. In this instance you will not be sending an instant message but instead an SMS. This will be charged at your normal network rates.

If you encounter any problems, please contact our customer care team on:

You can contact us by phone, email or letter. Our customer care team is available 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. Just call 0845 300 20 20** and one of our friendly staff will be happy to help. Or, you can email us at tescotalkwifi@tesco.net

** FREE from your Tesco Talk Wi-fi phone (within a Wi-fi enabled area) or just 7p a minute from a BT landline, 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. Other providers may vary.

Can I send pictures via instant messaging?

No, unfortunately you cannot send pictures via the Tesco Talk Wi fi instant messaging service at this time.

Is there a limit to the number of Instant messages that I can send within my Call Plan?

No, instant messaging is a FREE* service available to all Tesco Talk Wi fi and Tesco Internet Phone customers.

* Please be aware that contacts may appear green and online, but may have just become offline. This is due to a 90 second delay for information to be relayed from our servers to your mobile handset. In this instance you will not be sending an instant message but instead an SMS. This will be charged at your normal network rates.

About Presence

How do I know when my friends are online so that I can make free calls to them?

Your mobile phone contact list is used by Tesco Talk Wi-fi to show you whether your contacts are online. Each contact name will have an icon next to it.

It is also possible to see the status of your Tesco Internet Phone (softphone) friends, via the Tesco Talk Wi-fi contacts list found within the application. Although the specific Tesco Internet Phone number will need to be stored in the default Nokia Contact list.

Online - The green icon means that the contact is currently online*. Calls to online contacts are FREE via the Tesco network. As long as you are in a Wi-fi enabled area

* Please be aware that contacts may appear green and online, but may have just become offline. This is due to a 90 second delay for information to be relayed from our servers to your mobile handset. In this instance you will not be sending an instant message but instead an SMS. This will be charged at your normal network rates.

NOTE: If a Tesco Talk Wi-fi customer is online and they do not answer your call within 20secs, it will be diverted over the mobile network to their GSM (mobile) voicemail where your standard mobile operator costs will apply. You will be informed before the call is transferred to the paid network.

Off-net - The Orange icon means that the contact is either unknown or is currently not logged into the Tesco network but can still be contacted. Calls will be made via the Tesco network and will be charged at Tesco Talk Wi-fi rates. Click here for call rates.

You will only see these icons below if the stored contact is a Tesco Internet Phone customer:

Offline - The grey icon indicates that the contact is currently not logged into the Tesco network and cannot be contacted. If the customer is a Tesco Internet Phone customer and has internet voicemail enabled, calls will be made for FREE* via the Tesco network to the customer’s voicemail box.

* Within a Wi-fi enabled area

NOTE: Tesco Talk Wi-fi customers don’t have internet voicemail boxes. Voice messages left for Tesco Talk Wi-fi customers are left in their default Network mail boxes. Voice messages left for other Tesco Talk Wi-fi customers will be charged at Tesco Talk Wi-fi rates to a mobile network.

Busy - The yellow icon with the red sign means that the contact is busy. Calls to your busy contacts will be made for FREE via the Tesco Internet Phone network to your contacts voicemail box. (May vary due to individual account settings)

Away - The Yellow icon with the White Clock means that the contact is away from their phone. Calls to away contacts will be made FREE via the Tesco Internet Phone network to your contacts voicemail box. (May vary due to individual account settings)

About using ‘My Account’

How do I update my address and payment details?

You can update all your address and payment details within your ‘My account’ section. Click here to login. You will need to login to the site with your phone number and the password provided in the settings page of the Talk Wi-fi application on your phone.

I can’t log into My Account. What should I do?

There are several reasons why you may not be able to log in to your account:

If you have forgotten your password go to https://www.tescointernetphone.com/account/recoverpassword/ and follow the on screen instructions to have your password emailed to you. Remember when you type in your password that it is case sensitive.
If you still can’t log in to your account, contact us by phone, email or letter. Our customer care team is available 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. Just call 0845 300 20 20** and one of our friendly staff will be happy to help. Or, you can email us at tescotalkwifi@tesco.net

** FREE from your Tesco Talk Wi-fi phone (within a Wi-fi enabled area) or just 7p a minute from a BT landline, 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. Other providers may vary.

If I change my password does it automatically update my details on the handset?

No. You will you need to manually enter the new password through the <SETTINGS> option within the Talk Wi-fi application found on your handset. Failure to update the application with your new password will cause the service to stop.

How often do I get billed?

If you are a pay-as-you-go customer, you will be billed per call made based on the destination the call was made to. If you are a call plan customer, you will be billed at the end of your billing cycle which is one month from the day you signed up for Tesco Talk Wi-fi.

How do I change my call plan?

You can change your call plan anytime by logging into your ‘My account’ section. Click here tologin.

How can I top up my Talk Wi-fi account?

You can top up your Talk Wi-fi account by purchasing a Tesco Internet Phone voucher from any Tesco store in the UK. These may be redeemed via the My Account function.

About technical issues

Can I use Tesco Talk Wi-fi on any mobile phone?

No, you can only use the Tesco Talk Wi-fi application on selected Nokia mobile phones. These phones are the:

E51
E65
E66
E71
E90
N81
N81 8GB
N82
N95
N95 8GB

How can I display the Talk Wi-fi icon on the home page of my phone?

Once you have successfully installed the application on your phone carry out the following steps:

Go to menu MENU>TOOLS >SETTINGS >GENERAL SETTINGS

> PERSONALISATION >STANDBY MODE >ACTIVE STANDBY APPS

Opening Active Standby Apps will allow you to edit the shortcuts by selecting options 1,2,3,4,5,6.

Changing the application will allow you to replace one of the current icons with the Talk wi-fi icon.

When a call comes in, my phone doesn’t ring. What should I do?

The volume of your phones’ ringer is not controlled by the Tesco Talk Wi-fi application. This is managed internally by your mobile phone. You can try the following options to increase your ringing volume.

You can check if the phone is set to either silent or in meeting mode. This can be modified to general by selecting:
Menu => Tools => profile => General, if it was not in meeting or silent mode.

Alternatively, you can check to see if the ringing volume had been turned down by selecting
Menu => Tools => profile => General => options => personalize.

Go to the ringing volume option, and increase to ringing volume from this option. When you have finished, select done to return to the profiles option, and then exit out from profile.

For further information on how your phone works refer to your phone’s user guide.

I was cut off in the middle of a call. Why did this happen?

There are a number of reasons why this may happen:

Congestion on your router

This could be as a result of the number of connections into your router. This can be noticed by the router flashing an amber light rather than the normal green when operating properly You will have to restart the call again.
The distance covered by your wireless router has been exceeded. Wi-fi connections to mobile phones have a given range outside which they do not operate or transmit signals properly anymore. The ranges covered by router differ, and is usually specified on the routers user manual. Please ensure you are within the range recommended by your router manufacturer. Please wait for about a minute and try making the call again, and try calling closer to your wireless rout

Dropped calls

The person you were calling could have dropped out of coverage or their network may have dropped out, or there may have been some network interruption to the call path.

Insufficient funds

If you are a pay as you go customer, you may have run out of credit and had the call terminated by the network. You will have to get an e-voucher to top-up your account. Go online to Top-Up at http://www.tescointernetphone.com , or visit any Tesco store to purchase an e-Voucher.

Can I have more than one Tesco Talk Wi-fi account?

Yes, you can have more than one Tesco Talk Wi-fi account; however each of these accounts can only be associated with a different mobile phone number.

A message has appeared asking me to upgrade to a new version of Talk Wi-fi. What is this about?

This indicates that the latest improved version of the application is available for download to your handset. Simply follow the onscreeen instructions to install the new version. This will be at no extra cost to you provided you carry out the installation in a Wi-fi zone.

About customer care

How do I contact Tesco Talk Wi-fi?

* FREE from your Tesco Talk Wi-fi phone (within a Wi-fi enabled area) or just 7p a minute from a BT landline, 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. Other providers may vary.

How much does it cost to call customer services?

It’s FREE* to call our helpdesk from your Tesco Talk Wi-fi Phone. If you use a BT landline, calls are charged at 7p per minute. The cost of calling from other operators may vary.

* Within a Wi-fi enabled area

How do I make a complaint?

We hope that you are happy with your Tesco Talk Wi-fi and the service we offer. However, if you are not happy and you want to make a complaint, please contact us by phone, email or letter.

You can call our customer care team on 0845 300 20 20* 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. One of our friendly advisers will try to solve the problem during your phone call. If they cannot, the next step will be agreed with you. You can also email us at tescotalkwifi@tesco.net

* FREE from your Tesco Talk Wi-fi phone (within a Wi-fi enabled area) or just 7p a minute from a BT landline, 9am - 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm Sunday. Other providers may vary.

What can I do if I’m not happy with the way my complaint has been handled?

We will do our best to deal with your complaint and make sure you are happy. However if you are still not satisfied, we will write a letter so that you can make a complaint through Otelo, an independent scheme that resolves disputes.

You will, of course, want the matter dealt with as quickly as possible, so if you have not heard from us within 8 weeks of making your complaint, please contact Otelo direct. You can write to Otelo at PO Box 730, Warrington.