Virgin Media - Crap/Not Crap

[skyscraper101]

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) 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?

For the most part I've just been tethering to my phone. But this is shit because I want to connect my echo dot, and smart TV, and various other devices and I'd burn through my tethering allowance in no time if I started with all that.

The neighbours WIFI is too weak sadly anyway.

Do BT have a cooling off period? I think I'd get lumbered with having to pay for the install cost if I cancelled anyway (they need to install a fibre line, I checked).

 

[cybershot]

For the most part I've just been tethering to my phone. But this is shit because I want to connect my echo dot, and smart TV, and various other devices and I'd burn through my tethering allowance in no time if I started with all that.

The neighbours WIFI is too weak sadly anyway.

Do BT have a cooling off period? I think I'd get lumbered with having to pay for the install cost if I cancelled anyway (they need to install a fibre line, I checked).

Pretty much everything you order over the phone/internet has to provide a 14 day cooling off period.

In relation to Phone/Broadband/TV specifically Cancelling a phone, TV, internet or mobile contract

But yeah, unlikely you'd get the installation fee refunded.

 

[cybershot]

I seem to have inherited a new Virgin Media problem. I use private trackers for torrenting, over VPN, so most require seeding back. I generally let anything I download seed for about 2 weeks. I have couchpotato set up also, which monitors the sites for films I want as soon as they become available. So prime example, this morning Ghost in The Shell Bluray 1080p appears about 7am, by 7:30am it's downloaded. Come 7:30pm about 16GB of that torrent has been seeded back already (150Mbps Down/10Mbps Up package) and at 7:30pm, my internet just goes off, and stays off until about 9:30pm

This is the 5th time it's happened in a month, and always once a popular film appears that will seed like crazy. I've raised a ticket with them, but billed it as data going from one NAS box to another over OpenVPN, I'm sure they will see through that blag, but be interesting to see what they say.

Proof in the pudding, as I still have quality monitors on my IP address from my high utilisation issues at the tail end of last year and most of this year.

16th June

17th June

29th June

30th June

tonight

 

[fishfinger]

I seem to have inherited a new Virgin Media problem. I use private trackers for torrenting, over VPN, so most require seeding back. I generally let anything I download seed for about 2 weeks. I have couchpotato set up also, which monitors the sites for films I want as soon as they become available. So prime example, this morning Ghost in The Shell Bluray 1080p appears about 7am, by 7:30am it's downloaded. Come 7:30pm about 16GB of that torrent has been seeded back already (150Mbps Down/10Mbps Up package) and at 7:30pm, my internet just goes off, and stays off until about 9:30pm

This is the 5th time it's happened in a month, and always once a popular film appears that will seed like crazy. I've raised a ticket with them, but billed it as data going from one NAS box to another over OpenVPN, I'm sure they will see through that blag, but be interesting to see what they say.

Proof in the pudding, as I still have quality monitors on my IP address from my high utilisation issues at the tail end of last year and most of this year.

That looks like Virgin's traffic management due to high utilisation of the upstream. If you don't want to get managed, then you'll need to upgrade to VIVID 200 gamer or VIVID 300 according to Virgin.

https://help.virginmedia.com/system...gin-Media-broadband-traffic-management-policy

 

[Johnny Doe]

Worth noting that Virgin lay their cables so shallow that other utility contractors are always going through them and cutting off customers' suppies

 

[cybershot]

That looks like Virgin's traffic management due to high utilisation of the upstream. If you don't want to get managed, then you'll need to upgrade to VIVID 200 gamer or VIVID 300 according to Virgin.

https://help.virginmedia.com/system...gin-Media-broadband-traffic-management-policy

I don't mind being upload traffic managed, I do mind being cut off, I'm supposed to have 'unlimited download'

 

[sim667]

I don't mind being upload traffic managed, I do mind being cut off, I'm supposed to have 'unlimited download'

Seeding isn't download, its upload. There's traffic shaping for uploads on most VM packages.

One way round it is to limit your seeding speed on your torrent client, to just a few kbps, so it will take longer to reach your required ratio, but shouldn't uploading at a speed where you hit your upload limit.

I use an offsite seedbox to avoid this.

 

[fishfinger]

I don't mind being upload traffic managed, I do mind being cut off, I'm supposed to have 'unlimited download'

It's possible that all the requests being made to your torrent client are saturating your connection when you are being managed. As sim667 says, try limiting your seeding speed.

 

[sim667]

It's possible that all the requests being made to your torrent client are saturating your connection when you are being managed. As sim667 says, try limiting your seeding speed.

Or just set it up so it stops seeding at a ratio of 1:1.

The VM network suffers in the evening pretty badly as its focussed on gamers and streamers, so being limited due to overuploading on top of heavy network lad is going to be shite.

 

[cybershot]

I want to keep it seeding, that's the whole point of private trackers is it not.

Admitelly, didn't even think of changing the upload speed limit during peak hours, but I'll try that now.

As already mentioned, I'm not bothered about being traffic shaped anyway, regardless of how much data has gone up during the peak hour period, surely I shouldn't just get chucked off the network?

 

[sim667]

I want to keep it seeding, that's the whole point of private trackers is it not.

It is, but as long as your ratio stays above the threshold on the tracker, then you won't get banned.

TBH most private trackers work on a basis that you accumulate seeding points and you can then buy upload credit anyway.

 

[cybershot]

See if it makes much difference, I have set the client to use alt upload speeds between 6pm and 11pm, and based it off the max reduction in speed that I 'should' get punished, which is 65%, so 3.5Mb should be the lowest upload speed I get at any point between 6pm and 11pm.

Used Azureus upload settings calculator to make the calcs, and also adjusted peer limits accordingly.

See what happens, thanks for making me think slightly differently on this! To be honest, I thought VM had axed their upload traffic policy recently. :s

 

[skyscraper101]

Just got a call from Virgin. The roadworks they need to complete have been submitted to the local authority for approval and unless they push back this should be happening on Tuesday 18th July and complete by Thurs 20th.

Obviously I've got very little faith in this happening given their form lately, but assuming it does. I may have an install date this side of August?

*fingers and toes crossed*

 

[gentlegreen]

My broadband has been a bit crap recently - having to reset the router every day - I noticed just now that my front door cam hadn't emailed me anything today and I can't get through to it.

I signed in to Virgin for remote repair and they tell me I now have 70MBPS

 

[gentlegreen]

77 down, 5 up ... hopefully the dodginess was related to the upgrade.

If only I had a use for that sort of bandwidth ...

 

[skyscraper101]

I phoned them back today to get an update. They're still saying engineering due for completion by 20th and it could be a further 2 weeks until they then install the service.

I'm going to call them every day until they get sick of me.

 

[cybershot]

They can't speed up the council bit, so no point. Pester them every day after the 20th thou!

 

[skyscraper101]

Surprise surprise... The contractors who were supposed to be out fixing this and due for completion by today have not even started.

After ringing them now every day for an update and being told the same thing every time, that the work is due to be completed "by the 20th July", Virgin have now told me that the application to the local authority was sent back to the contractor and refused because they forgot to include some mandatory information.

So now they have to re-submit the application, again. More delays. FFS

 

[cybershot]

Surprise surprise... The contractors who were supposed to be out fixing this and due for completion by today have not even started.

After ringing them now every day for an update and being told the same thing every time, that the work is due to be completed "by the 20th July", Virgin have now told me that the application to the local authority was sent back to the contractor and refused because they forgot to include some mandatory information.

So now they have to re-submit the application, again. More delays. FFS

I didn't want to say it at the time, but my gut feeling was, some stupid red tape or paperwork would mean it wouldn't happen, and now you'll have to wait weeks for the council again to give a window for the work to be completed!

I also had comms from VM today about my sudden loss of service in the evening, which is still happening by the way but less frequent and not for so long, apparently they have tested my kit this afternoon, and ironically i had paused my torrents this afternoon in order to do a skype call. Not sure if the skype call would have effected it as much as the lady claims, but she got over 3000 timeouts!!!

Awaiting for a date for an engineer now, she didn't say my voltages were out or anything, so i guess all he will do is change the router, which, i am sceptical about because it might mean i end up back on the IP range of where all my previous utilisation issues were! Oh well, see what happens.

 

[skyscraper101]

I didn't want to say it at the time, but my gut feeling was, some stupid red tape or paperwork would mean it wouldn't happen, and now you'll have to wait weeks for the council again to give a window for the work to be completed!

I mean, it's just the sheer predictability of it that fucks me off. As if to reassure my already low opinion of customer service and efficiency in this country.

 

[RoyReed]

Make a communications complaint - complain now

 

[skyscraper101]

Make a communications complaint - complain now

If I thought it'd make engineers magically appear outside my house I'd do it now.

Looks like you need to have had a complaint which is ongoing for 8 weeks or more. Mine started on June 8 which was when I was supposed to have the service installed after I ordered it on May 23, though we're not that far off 8 weeks the way its going.

If you have received a deadlock letter or your complaint has been ongoing for at least eight weeks then you can bring your complaint to us.

I think I would like something in writing from them stating what exactly the fuck up from the contractors was. From what I could infer they forgot to put some mandatory info on the paperwork so it got sent back and they now have to re-apply. I just knew this would happen.

 

[RoyReed]

I can't believe they haven't at least offered you some 4G WiFi option to cover this period. I think it's appalling.

 

[skyscraper101]

I can't believe they haven't at least offered you some 4G WiFi option to cover this period. I think it's appalling.

Apparently they 'stopped' that policy 10 years ago. Motherfuckers.

 

[skyscraper101]

I just called them again for the latest update. The news from this morning is that the amended application has now been rejected. So they have to re-submit the application from scratch to the local authority

Also... as I was on hold waiting to speak with someone from the construction team for over 15 mins, I asked if I could just be CC'd on these updates so I don't have to keep calling in every day. They said their 'systems' couldn't do it because they were a small team in the construction department (?), and then said something about also 'data protection' (lol). So I have to call, every time, and my time and expense.

Thanks for nothing, again.

 

[Winot]

I just called them again for the latest update. The news from this morning is that the amended application has now been rejected. So they have to re-submit the application from scratch to the local authority

Also... as I was on hold waiting to speak with someone from the construction team for over 15 mins, I asked if I could just be CC'd on these updates so I don't have to keep calling in every day. They said their 'systems' couldn't do it because they were a small team in the construction department (?), and then said something about also 'data protection' (lol). So I have to call, every time, and my time and expense.

Thanks for nothing, again.

Sympathy from me. When I was first considering Virgin someone said that it was good when it was working but as soon as something went wrong it was shite. That was borne out to be true and the only solution in the end was to ditch them but I had a good few years decent service first. Sorry you have drawn the short straw.

 

[chandlerp]

Mine went from 220 meg last week to less than 4. I rang up and was promised a new hub immediately. It arrived a couple of days ago. Never had any issues with them at all.

 

[skyscraper101]

Chased again today. Virgin still waiting on the Local Authority to get back to the contractors to confirm a start date. They also mentioned Thames Water being on site too (?) which is news to me. I have no idea how a water company are suddenly involved in this. I just want internet FFS.

 

[og ogilby]

I have no idea how a water company are suddenly involved in this. I just want internet FFS.

They're needed to pour cold water on your internet connection.

 

[bi0boy]

Chased again today. Virgin still waiting on the Local Authority to get back to the contractors to confirm a start date. They also mentioned Thames Water being on site too (?) which is news to me. I have no idea how a water company are suddenly involved in this. I just want internet FFS.

Are you in a new-build with no phone or cable connection from the street? If not why haven't you fucked off Virgin already and gone with a non-BT ADSL provider?