Features

Years ago, technical support was something that came as standard when you bought a PC, peripheral or software package. Nowadays it's usually an extra cost option or a premium rate call. Cynics might say that's because vendors have found they can get away with it, but it also has a lot to do with plummeting profit margins as high-tech goods have become consumer commodities.

At the same time, computer products have also got more reliable and user-friendly, so you may find you rarely need help. But when your hard disk starts making funny noises, the devices on your home network refuse to talk to each other, or your PC just plain conks out, the time may come to call in the experts - and sometimes you really need them round your house, not on the Mumbai end of a telephone line.

In this article, we look at the kinds of support on offer today, the prices you can expect to pay and the pros and cons. We can't rate the service provided by particular companies, but we aim to give you more to go on when making your choice.

Who you gonna call?

Sources of third party support can be divided into two categories: national and local. In the past year or so, several new UK-wide support services have been launched. PC World's Tech Guys, promoted in stores and on the web, offer '3000 plus technicians 7 days a week'. They'll come to your home, wherever you are, and carry out repairs and setup tasks for fixed prices that include parts and labour. Anyone can make a booking; there's no subscription fee. So you can just pay for what you need and avoid

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'plumber syndrome': the feeling that someone who's getting paid by the hour is dragging out your job longer than necessary.

The downside is that the charges are pretty steep. For example, a fixed price desktop PC repair costs £149.99 including VAT. An engineer will be with you within two working days to diagnose the problem and tell you how fast it can be fixed, and no matter how long it takes or what parts need replacing, the price won't go up. If the problem can't be solved, you won't be charged.

But what if it can be solved, and it only takes half an hour? Arguably you've lost nothing - you wanted your PC fixed, you accepted the price, it's fixed - but you might not feel too chuffed.

Alternatively, you can take your PC into your nearest store, saving the Tech Guy's trip and reducing the preset price to £69.99. However, parts aren't included, so it's slightly more of a gamble, though of course you'll be asked if you want to proceed before incurring further expense.

Another recent arrival in the UK is Geek Squad (www.geeksquad.co.uk). They're big in the States, and now they're over here, with a little help from Carphone Warehouse. So far, though, onsite support is only available in the South East and North West of England. A home visit, suggested for tasks from troubleshooting to network setup, costs from £120, or £90 if you sign up for MyGeek membership at £10 per month.

This also gets you unlimited free telephone and remote support, 24 hours a day, which could be reassuring. Remote support means the engineer will, with your permission, access your PC over the Internet and operate it directly to fix the problem, rather than having to tell you what to do. It can be a great time-saver, but relies on your PC and broadband connection not being part of the problem, and only works with recent systems.

As you'll find with other subscription services, MyGeek is limited to one PC, which seems odd in this day and age. Adding a second brings the monthly cost to £19, and two is your limit with this 'consumer' service. MyGeek doesn't cover hardware maintenance or repairs.