ALIS - change of Terms & Conditions

[Pierre ZFP]

I had a letter from Alis regarding my télépéage badge

Whereas it was free to use, they now want 1 euro in any month that it is used.

Not a huge sum I know but a bit of a cheek I thought.

Anybody know of any free offers out there?

[Théière]

If you don't use it it's free [:)]

Emailed them this morning but no response, I have two tags one is for the van which is not needed any more so it says contact them but if they don't answer the phone or email I will just have to go online and register the car one and send the other back.

[NickP]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]I had a letter from Alis regarding my télépéage badge

Whereas it was free to use, they now want 1 euro in any month that it is used.

Not a huge sum I know but a bit of a cheek I thought.

Anybody know of any free offers out there?

[/quote]

We've been Alis clients for ages; since the Le Mans auto route opened, and were told a couple of months ago that this was changing as they are being taken over. We still think it's cheap as if you go to another company it will cost you about 20/30 Euro start up fee. Having driven to the south of France and back in the last ten days; it is a no brainer to have a telepeage badge, I amazed how many French drivers don't have it; and think that a basic charge of one Euro a month for administration is fine, in fact I'm surprised that we've got away with it for so long.

 Not only that as we travel to the UK and back at least a dozen times a year it's worth the cost for the Boulogne peage alone.

[Gardengirl]

I also had a letter from them a few days ago. I guess I'll continue with them (or their new company) as I haven't found a free one. As you say, it's not a fortune, but a nice steady income for them.

Edit following reading the post above mine which appeared while I was typing: French friends mostly don't want anyone to know their business. Older ones won't have credit cards and some just don't use autoroutes because 'they' will know where they have been. Quite a few younger friends have credit cards and use autoroutes but won't have 'doofers' as again they don't want 'them' to know where they've been. Seems odd to me, as the younger friends use iPads, iPods, emails etc so lots of 'some bodies' know where they are and when. It can't be because they live in the Gard, so are a bit odd as many have moved for employment or family reasons or else retired down there from various parts of France, particularly the Paris area!

We do have French friends who not only have credit cards but also 'doofers' as they know how useful they are when queues are long and aren't as wary as some of the others.

Following on from Alis's letter, I've also had the English mobile company (Coms mobile) tell me to change companies unless I wanted to stay on at a higher rate, via EE or something similar. I took out the contract via IKEA and it's been very good and cheap. I've just changed over to Giffgaff, which 'Which' recommended recently; more expensive than the previous company.

[andyh4]

I think Alis was the only company to have a free doofer.

Other companies have offers for use on their network. Possibly of interest to Pierre, since it is relatively near to Luxembourg is APRR (AutoRoute Paris Rhin Rhone). 24€ per year, but you can get one trip in six free on a designated (by you) part of their network - so if you regularly head South from Luxembourg it may be of interest. I used to save much more than the 24€ per year when I was travelling down from Germany.

AFAIK SANEF have no offers whatsoever - oh well someone has to try and rip the Brits off.

[michelin79]

I think I'll stick with them while it's 1€ per month used although I seem to be doing more trips to St Malo (hence less to Calais) than I used to. If they change it to per every month or it goes above the 1€, I'll be off. At the moment it's probably weighing up the hassle of returning the doofer versus the relatively small amount they're asking for.

[Alan Zoff]

I like the fact that it's optional in that the fee is only incurred if a toll road is used. Even then, it's peanuts and at least as cheap as the others charge.

Particularly as I often travel alone and struggle to reach across to the cashiers or card machines, it has proved to be very useful. Also satisfying to slip in front of cars that have burned past me a few kms earlier but have then been stuck in the peage queue. Good old schadenfreude.

So I have simply accepted the transfer and have been thankful for the completely free use over a number of years.

[AnOther]

Well said !

OK a Euro is a Euro but it never ceases to amaze me how petty minded some folk can be.

I'm sure that without even trying we could all save more than that on a daily basis.

[Théière]

[quote user="AnOther"]Well said !

OK a Euro is a Euro but it never ceases to amaze me how petty minded some folk can be.

I'm sure that without even trying we could all save more than that on a daily basis.

[/quote]

[:D]

It's not even a Euro on a daily basis [Www]

Swopping the swimming pool to Eco system would save a Euro and a bit per day.

Sorry just had to squeeze that in [;-)]

[Alan Zoff]

And also with a nil upfront cost, of course

[Pierre ZFP]

It's not the odd euro I'm bothered about but I get a bit miffed with the attitude of some companies to move the goalposts.  I'm sure it says somewhere on page 693 of the T&C that they can do this but it's the 'like it or leave' attitude that gets to me.

[Department71]

Same thing happened with NRJ with their mobile phone tariff, they changed from use it once in six months and you won't lose your credit, to use in a month or lose it.

Well we had quite a few euros credit on it. Lost quite a bit when they changed, still it spured us on to get a land line installed. never looked back since. We have a APRR doofer best thing to come out of France.

But knowing our luck one day in the future there will be farmers/ lorry drivers at the toll booths waving everyone through without paying and then us hearing the bleep as we pass through.

Peirre totally agree with your comment.

[Frederick]

I have tried to phone Alis to inform them I agree to the change but have been unable to get connected .. I have emailed them stating I agree to the change and asked that they reply to say it is done ......no reply to email.

They expect everybody to agree to the change over on line ...but ... I have been with them years and the application for the doofer was by post so dont have an on line account with a password registered to do it . They suggest people without an active on line registration should write to them This I have done ....But when it comes to the thing still working in September when the change over kicks in ...If they cant even reply to an email ....anything might happen.

There is 30 euros to pay if you dont agree to the change and send the tag back to them by the September change over day .... I am half expecting that will happen and the 30 euros will fly from my French bank account If they dont get round to reading the emails and post and press a few buttons first....This is France after all ..and ..I gave up expecting things to be done efficiently by the French years ago .

[Théière]

Frederick, Mine too was a postal join many moons back but I was still able to join up and transfer easily with the Alis subscriber No

and my email address as they didn't reply to phone or email either.

Got to send back the camion doofer now to make sure I don't hand over the €30

[Frederick]

[quote user="Théière"]Frederick, Mine too was a postal join many moons back but I was still able to join up and transfer easily with the Alis subscriber No

and my email address as they didn't reply to phone or email either.

Got to send back the camion doofer now to make sure I don't hand over the €30

[/quote]

Hi Theiere.....

Wonder upon wonders ... looks like paper and a stamp works ...New contract arrived in this mornings post for me to sign and return so looks like after September 15th my tag will still be active

[DerekJ]

Can I just check something out please.  We've been in France for the last month and will be going back to the UK next week.

As far as I can remember, all postal communication with Alis has been to our UK address so I'm guessing there will be something on the mat there when we get back.

We get a monthly email from Alis telling us the last month's charges and link to our online account.

From what I've read on this thread it seems that we'll need to confirm to Alis that we accept their revised T&C. Should I be able to do this online or is a somewhat more crude method of communication required from me?

Thanks for any clarification.

[NickP]

I changed ours on line, no problems at all. There was a small problem when I went to log in to verify my last bill, my password didn't work, same one I've had for years, I E/mailed them and received help, it did take a few days but I put this down to a new system and of course maybe a new regime.

[DerekJ]

Thanks Nick.

[Pierre ZFP]

Just changed mine too, easy peasy after I found my User Id and Password

Seems the new service is called 'Easytrip'  Ugh, who thinks up these ridiculous names?

[Gardengirl]

User ID and password? I don't remember ever having those! I don't suppose they would be my email address and Alis subscriber number would they?

[Gardengirl]

I shouldn't have been at all concerned; I went onto their website, had a couple of guesses at answers needed, as I joined a very long time ago, an ancient password from that time worked. All done in 2 ticks.