Virgin Media - Crap/Not Crap

[cybershot]

So I bit the bullet today and ordered Virgin. I'm hoping/praying there won't be any major issues. I was on the HotUKDeals website and PM'd someone who said he'd managed to refer many people onto a good deal, so I gave him my details, and someone from Virgin called today, and I think I got a pretty good package?

TV with 500GB TiVo Box
100Mbps Unlimited broadband
Medium Telephone with weekend calls
Line Rental included
Free Connection/Activation
Free Equipment
£20/month for 12 months on 12 month contract
plus £50 credit on account for being referred

This works out the equivalent of £15.83 per month for 12 months (12 month contract). I don't really care about the landline and probably won't plug one in anyway, but 100Mbps with basic TV and a Tivo box seemed fair enough for that price. I'm not too fussed about the TV but it'll be useful to be able to record stuff on freeview channels.

They'll have to send someone over to drill a hole in the wall as nobody has had cable before in my place. And I have to wait til June 8. But at least it's now ordered.

I'm paying £34 JUST for 150Mbps Internet!

I should really do some haggling, but I just have no need for the TV/phone services.

 

[skyscraper101]

I'm paying £34 JUST for 150Mbps Internet!

I should really do some haggling, but I just have no need for the TV/phone services.

I found the website HotUKDeals a valuable source of help for knowing the best retention offers and deal haggles.

I guess I benefitted from being a new customer and having a referral.

 

[chandlerp]

I'm paying £89 for 150mbps, 2 tivo boxes and phone line. Not even getting any free phone calls for that

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I'm paying £34 JUST for 150Mbps Internet!

I should really do some haggling, but I just have no need for the TV/phone services.

They offered me the TV and phone line for 2 quid. It's about what it's worth to me tbf.

 

[skyscraper101]

They just showed up at my house unannounced (I wasn't there but the OH was), to fix up some cabling in advance of the install. They still won't install it properly and switch on until June 8th however.

But they wanted to know what services I am taking. Luckily she answered the door and phoned me to speak with them, but I had no advance warning they were coming today, and they had no idea what they were supplying.

Not a great start

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Can you cancel a TV package mid contract? I don't mind paying the whole £2 a month for it and the phone line, but don't actually want their box anymore. We don't really watch broadcast TV or use iplayer, so I don't want to pay the liscene fee and I bet they pass the details on that we've got one to the TV licencing authority.

 

[cybershot]

Can you cancel a TV package mid contract? I don't mind paying the whole £2 a month for it and the phone line, but don't actually want their box anymore. We don't really watch broadcast TV or use iplayer, so I don't want to pay the liscene fee and I bet they pass the details on that we've got one to the TV licencing authority.

I imagine you'd still have to pay the price for the duration of your contract because it's part of a bundle. Say you're aware of this but don't want the box.

When you end the contract they send you packaging to send the equipment back to them. Ask for this, and obviously photograph this when you send it back, also ask for a reference number for your telephone call, and don't forget to ask who you're speaking too. Make a note of the date and time of the call so you can back all this up should TV Licensing get in touch with you. (It's easier if you contact them, and advise them of your situation, this will mean you're far less likely to get pestered by them down the line.) You'll probably also need all that info to backup to Virgin when the contact is up and you want to change it, that you've already sent it back, as otherwise they'll be fining you for loss of equipment.

Worse case scenario, just unplug the box. Virgin will be able to confirm to TV licensing that it's not connected.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I imagine you'd still have to pay the price for the duration of your contract because it's part of a bundle. Say you're aware of this but don't want the box.

When you end the contract they send you packaging to send the equipment back to them. Ask for this, and obviously photograph this when you send it back, also ask for a reference number for your telephone call, and don't forget to ask who you're speaking too. Make a note of the date and time of the call so you can back all this up should TV Licensing get in touch with you. (It's easier if you contact them, and advise them of your situation, this will mean you're far less likely to get pestered by them down the line.) You'll probably also need all that info to backup to Virgin when the contact is up and you want to change it, that you've already sent it back, as otherwise they'll be fining you for loss of equipment.

Worse case scenario, just unplug the box. Virgin will be able to confirm to TV licensing that it's not connected.

I don't mind paying the price of the contract, but they wanted £170 as it would have meant ending the contract and starting a new one.

Ive just unplugged it, filled in the online form and bought a chromecast.

 

[skyscraper101]

Marvellous. I'm still waiting since May 24th to get online and had June 8th as my install date, and now I get a text this evening asking me to call Virgin 'about my installation', to be told that there's cable problems in the street and it'll be fixed within 5 days and I'll then have a new install date scheduled after.

This is the second black mark for Virgin and I haven't even got any service yet

 

[skyscraper101]

They've now just called me to say they have to apply to the local authorities to complete the works and it's going to take 6 to 8 weeks!

The actual fuck. I've had no internet for over a month already and now I'm having to wait potentially another 2 months.

 

[sim667]

They've now just called me to say they have to apply to the local authorities to complete the works and it's going to take 6 to 8 weeks!

The actual fuck. I've had no internet for over a month already and now I'm having to wait potentially another 2 months.

Is it worth cancelling then signing up for something else either temporarily or permanently?

 

[skyscraper101]

Is it worth cancelling then signing up for something else either temporarily or permanently?

I thought briefly about it but with the deal I've been offered I don't want to cancel now. £20p/m is too good to forego to a landline based ADSL service which will charge at least this for a less fast service and have no TiVo.

I checked out "relish" the contract-free wireless Internet service as an interim measure but they only serve central London and not SW15. The only thing I can think to do at the moment is get a 4G dongle and buy some data for the next couple of months but that's going to be a totally second rate experience for my needs.

 

[sim667]

I thought briefly about it but with the deal I've been offered I don't want to cancel now. £20p/m is too good to forego to a landline based ADSL service.

I checked out "relish" the contract-free wireless Internet service as an interim measure but they only serve central London and not SW15. The only thing I can think to do at the moment is get a 4G dongle and buy some data for the next couple of months but that's going to be a totally second rate experience for my needs.

Ask a neighbour if you can use their wifi for a contribution and promise to look at anything dodgy?

 

[skyscraper101]

Ask a neighbour if you can use their wifi for a contribution and promise to look at anything dodgy?

Already considered but the only two signals I pick up (talk talk and sky) are quite weak and I have no clue who owns them. I don't really know or trust my neighbours well enough even if there was a solid signal anyway.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I thought briefly about it but with the deal I've been offered I don't want to cancel now. £20p/m is too good to forego to a landline based ADSL service which will charge at least this for a less fast service and have no TiVo.

I checked out "relish" the contract-free wireless Internet service as an interim measure but they only serve central London and not SW15. The only thing I can think to do at the moment is get a 4G dongle and buy some data for the next couple of months but that's going to be a totally second rate experience for my needs.

Unless your paying for all the channels the Tivo is shit. There is no way to get rid of all the greyed out ones you arent paying for, making browsing more frustrating the a standard free view.

 

[cybershot]

The only thing I can think to do at the moment is get a 4G dongle and buy some data for the next couple of months but that's going to be a totally second rate experience for my needs.

You can get some really good deals on fully loaded SIMS on eBay. Throw them into an unlocked Mifi, or an an old smartphone as a hotspot.

 

[skyscraper101]

Unless your paying for all the channels the Tivo is shit. There is no way to get rid of all the greyed out ones you arent paying for, making browsing more frustrating the a standard free view.

I'm really only interested in the PVR function for freeview channels. Pay TV or UI isn't a deal breaker.

 

[The Boy]

I thought briefly about it but with the deal I've been offered I don't want to cancel now. £20p/m is too good to forego to a landline based ADSL service which will charge at least this for a less fast service and have no TiVo.

I checked out "relish" the contract-free wireless Internet service as an interim measure but they only serve central London and not SW15. The only thing I can think to do at the moment is get a 4G dongle and buy some data for the next couple of months but that's going to be a totally second rate experience for my needs.

Better than no rate tho, Shirley?

 

[skyscraper101]

Better than no rate tho, Shirley?

Of course. I just saying it's an extremely below par situation when I need to run a house full of connected devices.

 

[skyscraper101]

I've written them a letter now


Customer Services
Virgin Media
PO Box 333
Matrix Court
SWANSEA
SA7 9ZJ

12th June 2017

RE: POSTPONEMENT OF INSTALLATION OF VIRGIN MEDIA SERVICES

Account number: XXXXXXXXX

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing regarding the postponement of the installation of a new Virgin Media service at the above address on May 24th 2017. When I agreed to take the service and entered into the contract, I was given an installation date of June 8th 2017 and altered my schedule accordingly to make sure to be present for the installation.

However, a couple of days prior to the installation date, I was contacted by text message from Virgin Media to request I contact them by phone, which I did, to be then told would be an unspecified delay on the installation and I would be contacted again within 5 days.

I was contacted again on June 9th 2017 and told there would now be a delay of at least 6-8 weeks on the installation owing to some unspecified problems in my area regarding cabling, and that I would be contacted again to arrange a new installation date of my services.

To say that this is inconvenient is a huge understatement. I was not told of any cabling issues at the time of my order when I agreed to take a new service in May, and I now face the possibility of not having any internet connection until at least the latter part of July and quite possibly August or even later than this. I currently have no internet or phone service in my property and this has already cost me a rescheduled day of work for the postponed installation, and it is set to cost me many hundreds of pounds of lost income as I will be unable to access any internet or landline services from my address. I have contractually agreed with Virgin that they will supply my service from June 8th 2017 and I now am left with no service for an unspecified amount of time.

Given the inconvenience I am already experiencing, and the loss of an essential internet connection which I had been relying for my work since the original installation date was postponed, I am writing to request that Virgin Media show the necessary goodwill to help remedy this situation and partly offset my loss of this essential service which I rely on for work.

Please will you therefore supply me with a Virgin Media Mobile Broadband Device (IMO Go) with an appropriate level of data allowance (10GB per month) for the duration of the delay at no extra cost (details as per: Mobile WiFi device: mobile broadband | Virgin Media). This will go part-way to addressing the problems that I am facing because of this situation, and I will be hugely grateful for your help in being able to supply an alternative Virgin product in the meantime.

Furthermore, as I don’t feel that the explanation of the problem was sufficiently explained over the phone, nor why it will take so long to fix. I am also writing to request as much information as possible to explain why there is such a delay in commencing the service, and to request that the matter is escalated in the utmost urgency to resolve the problem as soon as possible.

I appreciate your time in looking into this matter in the utmost urgency.

Yours faithfully,

skyscraper101 yo

 

[chandlerp]

I think that is a more than reasonable request

 

[RoyReed]

I've written them a letter now


Customer Services
Virgin Media
PO Box 333
Matrix Court
SWANSEA
SA7 9ZJ

12th June 2017

RE: POSTPONEMENT OF INSTALLATION OF VIRGIN MEDIA SERVICES

Account number: XXXXXXXXX

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing regarding the postponement of the installation of a new Virgin Media service at the above address on May 24th 2017. When I agreed to take the service and entered into the contract, I was given an installation date of June 8th 2017 and altered my schedule accordingly to make sure to be present for the installation.

However, a couple of days prior to the installation date, I was contacted by text message from Virgin Media to request I contact them by phone, which I did, to be then told would be an unspecified delay on the installation and I would be contacted again within 5 days.

I was contacted again on June 9th 2017 and told there would now be a delay of at least 6-8 weeks on the installation owing to some unspecified problems in my area regarding cabling, and that I would be contacted again to arrange a new installation date of my services.

To say that this is inconvenient is a huge understatement. I was not told of any cabling issues at the time of my order when I agreed to take a new service in May, and I now face the possibility of not having any internet connection until at least the latter part of July and quite possibly August or even later than this. I currently have no internet or phone service in my property and this has already cost me a rescheduled day of work for the postponed installation, and it is set to cost me many hundreds of pounds of lost income as I will be unable to access any internet or landline services from my address. I have contractually agreed with Virgin that they will supply my service from June 8th 2017 and I now am left with no service for an unspecified amount of time.

Given the inconvenience I am already experiencing, and the loss of an essential internet connection which I had been relying for my work since the original installation date was postponed, I am writing to request that Virgin Media show the necessary goodwill to help remedy this situation and partly offset my loss of this essential service which I rely on for work.

Please will you therefore supply me with a Virgin Media Mobile Broadband Device (IMO Go) with an appropriate level of data allowance (10GB per month) for the duration of the delay at no extra cost (details as per: Mobile WiFi device: mobile broadband | Virgin Media). This will go part-way to addressing the problems that I am facing because of this situation, and I will be hugely grateful for your help in being able to supply an alternative Virgin product in the meantime.

Furthermore, as I don’t feel that the explanation of the problem was sufficiently explained over the phone, nor why it will take so long to fix. I am also writing to request as much information as possible to explain why there is such a delay in commencing the service, and to request that the matter is escalated in the utmost urgency to resolve the problem as soon as possible.

I appreciate your time in looking into this matter in the utmost urgency.

Yours faithfully,

skyscraper101 yo

Amazingly restrained in its lack of profanity given the circumstances.

 

[cybershot]

Except now they'll be trying to put you onto one of their business packages, and advising as you're entering into a consumer product, they don't need to compensate you, and as such you also provided incorrect information if the service is to be used for business purposes.

However as you're a potential customer, they'll prob agree to the SIM thing in order to keep you.

For what it's worth the 300Mb business package isn't that much more expensive than the 200Mb package and gives better support.

As for the delay, I expect it involves laying more cable to a cab, which is going to result in digging up the road/pavements and requires council permission.

Depending on your council, this could take weeks/months and is out of the hands of VM until they are given permission to do so (dates usually controlled also by the council)

 

[skyscraper101]

Except now they'll be trying to put you onto one of their business packages, and advising as you're entering into a consumer product, they don't need to compensate you, and as such you also provided incorrect information if the service is to be used for business purposes.

However as you're a potential customer, they'll prob agree to the SIM thing in order to keep you.

For what it's worth the 300Mb business package isn't that much more expensive than the 200Mb package and gives better support.

As for the delay, I expect it involves laying more cable to a cab, which is going to result in digging up the road/pavements and requires council permission.

Depending on your council, this could take weeks/months and is out of the hands of VM until they are given permission to do so (dates usually controlled also by the council)

To be clear I'm not running a business from home or using it solely for business purposes. I just require a functioning internet service so I can continue to answer work emails and that.

I don't actually expect them to offer anything but words of apology but stranger things have happened, and I'm in a stern letter writing mood these past few weeks.

 

[skyscraper101]

So, how long do I give these fuckers before I start involving OFCOM?

I've now written two letters to Virgin, I've only had one response (below) over three weeks ago. They said they "aim" to be in touch in 2 weeks. And now three weeks on, I've heard nothing.




That was over three weeks ago. Still nothing. Last week I wrote a follow up letter and I'm awaiting a response:

XXXXXXX XXXXXX
Customer Service Director
Virgin Media
Matrix Court
SWANSEA
SA7 9ZJ

3rd July 2017

RE: POSTPONEMENT OF INSTALLATION OF VIRGIN MEDIA SERVICES

COMPLAINT REFERENCE ID: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Account number: XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dear XXXXXXX,

I am writing to urgently request an update to my current situation. I have had no further response from Virgin Media since your letter dated 19th June 2017 (copy attached) regarding the postponement of my Virgin Media service installation despite your stated aim that somebody would in touch ‘in the next 2 weeks.’ As of today, I am yet to receive any further contact by phone or mail.

You will appreciate that having no internet at home is proving costly and difficult, and as I still have no idea when I will be getting any installation from Virgin, I am now beginning to get extremely frustrated at the lack of communication or help from Virgin Media on the matter.

You stated that I “can be sure of [Virgin Media’s] commitment” to resolving this matter. Please will you now get in touch with me as a matter of urgency either by reply or by phone on: +44 (0) 7xxx xxx xxx

I appreciate your urgent response to this matter.

Yours thankfully,

Skyscraper101

 

[cybershot]

virgin are not governed by OFCOM sadly.

You need to go to CISAS for Virgin

Useful information here from someone who suffered with high utilization issues for years.

How to Complain about your ISP

http://store.virginmedia.com/content/dam/eSales/Downloads/Consumer Complaint Code of Practice.pdf

 

[skyscraper101]

virgin are not governed by OFCOM sadly.

You need to go to CISAS for Virgin

Useful information here from someone who suffered with high utilization issues for years.

How to Complain about your ISP

http://store.virginmedia.com/content/dam/eSales/Downloads/Consumer Complaint Code of Practice.pdf

Thanks for this. Useful.

I got tired of waiting for a response to my letters so I called again today and after being diverted from what sounded like Scotland to India, then back to the UK, I eventually ended up speaking to the 'construction desk' who seemed to be a lot more clued up on whats going on.

Apparently, they have to get 'traffic management' approved by the local authority before they can get to the cabling that they need to get at.

I'm grateful that someone could finally explain in technical terms what the issue is and how long it may likely take to resolve (4 weeks) - but it still leaves me with no internet, and they won't issue me with a dongle (policy for the last 10 years). They couldn't offer me anything in fact because the installation fee waiving which they said they would've offered me was already agreed when I took out the contract.

I'm seriously considering fucking them off still for ADSL. But it would be a lot more costly for the same speed, and I still may have to wait 3 weeks or so... so it's a bit catch 22 now.

 

[chandlerp]

You're not in Liverpool are you? I ask because all construction works by Virgin have been suspended by Liverpool City Council owing to not doing the remedial works when finished to the required standard

 

[skyscraper101]

You're not in Liverpool are you? I ask because all construction works by Virgin have been suspended by Liverpool City Council owing to not doing the remedial works when finished to the required standard

No. SW15, London. Of course none of this was mentioned at the time of my ordering their services.

 

[cybershot]

Thanks for this. Useful.

I got tired of waiting for a response to my letters so I called again today and after being diverted from what sounded like Scotland to India, then back to the UK, I eventually ended up speaking to the 'construction desk' who seemed to be a lot more clued up on whats going on.

Apparently, they have to get 'traffic management' approved by the local authority before they can get to the cabling that they need to get at.

I'm grateful that someone could finally explain in technical terms what the issue is and how long it may likely take to resolve (4 weeks) - but it still leaves me with no internet, and they won't issue me with a dongle (policy for the last 10 years). They couldn't offer me anything in fact because the installation fee waiving which they said they would've offered me was already agreed when I took out the contract.

I'm seriously considering fucking them off still for ADSL. But it would be a lot more costly for the same speed, and I still may have to wait 3 weeks or so... so it's a bit catch 22 now.

Yup, this type of stuff takes months, funny poster above should mention Liverpool, because at my old work place we had to wait 3 plus months to get a line into a building that was already full and required digging up the roads etc, this was done with Openreach thou.

Councils take ages to authorise it.

As the BT line could take as long as Virgin to sort, you 'could' try playing devils advocate and get both installed. If (big if, I'd expect the Virgin one to be honest to fall even further back as we enter prime summer holidays season) Virgin install within the 4 weeks quoted and BT the 3, you could, cancel BT within the cooling off period without getting an additional charge. Risky thou, as I know if it was me, this just wouldn't go to plan.

Could you not ask a neighbour if they wouldn't mind sharing their Wifi for the time being and offer them a cash incentive as well as showing all your letters etc to prove you're not pulling their leg?