Virgin Media

[ChrisCooper]

I've just about had as much as I can take of Virgin Media these last few weeks. On Sunday 3rd the Cable Modem failed, leaving us without internet access. On Monday I rang up to try and get a replacement, and which took nearly half an hour what with being on hold, then trying to get the Indian in the technical support centre to understand the problem, and to finally get put through to someone to arrange delivery of a new modem. This was supposed to come on the Wednesday, which was good since I was in all day, although I hoped it would come early since I had things to do. After sitting in all day it didn't turn up, yet when I rang about 5 to ask where it was I was told it was still coming. I was out all day Thursday, and arrived home to find a Royal Mail "we tried to deliver a parcel" note through the letter box, so despite being totally nackered I went into town to pick it up, and not suprisingly it was the modem. Fitted it, and rang the number to get it activated, again lots of holding before going to technical support, and when they told me to turn it on, it was showing it wasn't getting a signal. After about half an hour of being told to turn it off and on, they said they would send an engineer out, and one was booked for Tuesday afternoon, which I decided to take of work. Friday though it started working so I cancelled, but then it began to play up again, intermitantly going off and on, so Monday I rang to re-book for Friday morning, when I am off. Got home Tuesday and had barely sat down when the doorbell rings and it's a Virgin engineer, who takes a look at the wiring and see's it's damaged where it goes up the wall. He isn't able to replace the wiring outside (it needs a ladder and two people), so said he would arrange for someone to come out, and would ring with the details. He rings up and says they can come Wednesday, but since this is no good he says to ring customer service and get a better time. After the usual trouble, it's arranged for monday. Today (wednesday) I get home and again have just sat down when the engineers turn up to do the cable. I then have to clear room for them to get to the wall socket in a hurry, after a long tiring day at work, but I'm damned annoyed that this is twice they have failed to inform engineers about the cancellation. On both occasions, it's lucky they came late or else nobody would have been in, and apparently they charge if that happens. Of cource, Friday and Monday are both days they have been supposed to be coming aswell, both times in the morning, so they could turn off at 8 o clock, yet I feel sorry for the poor engineer who disturbes me at that time when I'm having a lie in on my days off. If they do (especially it it's both days) or alternativly come and I'm out and then bill me, I think I'll be telling them were they can stuff it and switching to another provider. Just to make things worse, in the future they will be charging by the minute (+ a connection charge) for technical support.
Sorry for the long rant, but I'm pretty annoyed, and am interested to know if anyone else has had similar experiance, and also if I'm right in thinking it's worse now than when it was NTL.

 

[Craig]

Paragraphs! :?

I'm on Virgin Media too and have noticed that the service has gone downhill since they took over from Blueyonder (I haven't had any major problems with them in 5 years). They're supposed to be sending out a new modem so I can get my connection speeded up, but there's no sign of that yet.

 

[Turbostar]

We been with them since Telewest/Blueyonder days. Apart from the hiccup here & there with the tv digibox, had no probs down here. Service has been fine. Even had broadband double speeded up recently as dad negotiated over the phone due to the loss of Sky, & one or two other niggles. Also got free evening & weekend calls for life as well now. Nope, all's been ok down here, touchwood. Like I said, only probs been the digibox, but there's been probs with the bloody things for ages now anyway.

Mart

 

[Coxster]

Sorry for the long rant, but I'm pretty annoyed, and am interested to know if anyone else has had similar experiance, and also if I'm right in thinking it's worse now than when it was NTL.

My brother's cable box stopped working a week or so ago so Virgin were phoned and said they'd send someone out on Tuesday. The box began working again on the Saturday/Sunday so Dad gave them a ring to cancel, but on Tuesday we get a call from the technician saying he would be round soon! Apparently it's not all that uncommon for the technicians to be the last to know they're not actually needed at an address.

 

[TheSlash]

We've had the same trouble but reversed with engineers. The engineer read our fault, decided it wasn't worth him visiting and cancelled the appointment, but nobody told my Dad, who waited in all day for him.
My Dad is always sticking it to Virgin Media about the crap service and getting loads of compensation deals {free channel packages etc}
The actual box normally lasts about 6 months in our house, then we have to go through the routine of getting through to get it changed

 

[theblackwatch]

I don't think Virgin Media were much better as NTL - it took absolutely ages to get my parents on to broadband due to various problems which (from memory) involved a new set-top box and replacing all the wiring in the garden to get a good enough connection - and a visit from them when nobody was in! My folks aren't very computer literate so I went round and set it up, and when I came to use the install disk, I discovered that despite being labelled as and install disk, it was in fact a medicine journal on CD Rom. The whole thing was only resolved when my mum rang up and told them if it was wasn't sorted by the end of the next day, she would cancel the direct debit. They were round that afternoon....

Luckily neither my folks or me have had any problems recently. It seems things haven't changed!

Having said all that, I do find that the broadband is pretty reliable - I hear of people with other providers who seem to have constant connection problems.

 

[Daniel]

I was with Cable London, then Telewest/Blueyonder and now Virgin - av it :P


I always thought the service provided by Telewest was excellent.... got free package upgrades from Blueyonder... and Virgin? They seem to have done NOTHING! I really do mean nothing.... they've just re-named things Telewest introduced.

 

[Guinness]

I never really had many problems with NTL or Virgin Media with Internet. The connection is quite reliable, I do suffer the "Turn it on and off" syndrome now and again.

Perhaps I'm just speshal?

 

[D306]

I was on cable, like 10 years ago, before I moved out to the country. We called NTL as they were the cable company there and then, and they said that they were coming out to where I was living next year. 9 years later, we got a freeview box, as we got fed up of waiting for them. I still have my old cable box in my attic. You probably would have noticed that Big Brother is back. Has anyone seen their sponser for this series? It's Virgin Media. With all these complaints here, especially Chris Coopers one, no wonder they're spnsering them, with all the money they're raking in with people being on hold for like half an hour

 

[Mojo]

My sister works for Virgin Media, does something like making sure they're not loosing too much money - and that the people in the Call Centres don't give away too much free stuff!

I've never had any problems with them - I used to be with Sky and that box continually needed restarting, but OTOH the Virgin/Telewest interface is extremely slow. Had problems with my Broadband the other week - the upload speed was faster than download!

 

[Tom]

She has something to do with the retentions department then.

 

[Jordy]

I was with NTL before Virgin, and IMO the internet connection seems to be working better since Virgin took over, no more having to "turn it off turn it on". The TV is another story however, they have removed the option to rearrange channels, so you now have to scroll through all the unsubscribed ones to find something worth watching, they have also made "TV Hits" or whatever its called now a paid service, it all used to be free with NTL.

Jordy

 

[tedted]

I very rarely have problems with Sky, and the "turn on, turn off" strategy actually works! And I very rarely have problems with the box.

Last year, when my dad upgraded to Sky Plus, we kept having problems with the box, so they came round and replaced our box for free - since then, we've not had those problems.

Long live Sky!

Oh, and the best way for Virgin customers to get good service is to switch to Sky.

 

[Jordy]

Oh, and the best way for Virgin customers to get good service is to switch to Sky.

You either;

a) Work for Sky
or
b) Have been watching too many of their adverts



Jordy

 

[mbonwick]

With the cable modem problems, teh best way to sove them is to buy a half decent one...yeah, I know it ain't free but...



....it's probably cheaper in the long run.

 

[TheSlash]

Last year, when my dad upgraded to Sky Plus, we kept having problems with the box, so they came round and replaced our box for free

I wouldn't expect them to charge...