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jenfamily1's avatar
jenfamily1
Dialled in
31 days ago

Help uninstalling coaxial cables

I'm clutching at 'straws' and have already admitted I'm not a well person. I cannot find anyone ( my family can't help ) who actually knows the correct way to remove the coaxial cable ( which might simply be pulled out of the socket at the rear of the two V6 boxes I want to return but there will be a chrome connector ( ?coupler) to dismantle having been told if this isn't done correctly it will affect my remaining V6 box, possibly the hub and my telephone line!

What appears to be a simple process for some on this forum, because of my illness, it is like 'climbing a mountain' I'm finding it quite scary! [Mod Edit: Content removed]

I know I've already tried to explain that it doesn't look like there will be that much coaxial cable to return as the cable which runs around the external walls of my house enters my two sons' rooms via a hole drilled in the external wall  and is then connected to what someone described as a coupler?

I've discovered from VM that I need to give 30 days notice to have the boxes disconnected at their end. VM said that as these two boxes were 'add-ons' I could get my bill reduced by the £15 per month they are charging me until I cancel altogether March 2026. Does this sound correct? Does anyone know if a 'doorstep' collection is free? Again because of my illness I find it difficult to be able to get the kit to a Yodel or O2 shop. [Mod Edit: Content removed] Once notice is given, how soon can the cables be uninstalled in readiness for the packaging to arrive? There wont be any need to use the boxes during the 30 day notice period.

Thank you all for listening

Steve

15 Replies

  • jenfamily1's avatar
    jenfamily1
    Dialled in
    2 months ago

     Help!

    Two of my three V6 boxes will shortly no longer be needed. VM said, when having given them the serial numbers of the two boxes in question those boxes will be disconnected at VM's end and I'll  need to disconnect their cables from the rear of the boxes and include them in the packaging. Neither of these TV boxes have the 'white' 'coaxial' ( or whatever it's called ) cables fitted to a 'wall box' so I cannot just unplug them.

    From what I can see the white cable comes into the house through the wall and meets a 'double ended' metal cylindrical piece  (just one has a rectangular metal piece marked 6Db ) with hexagonal nuts at either end and marked ' cablecon 3.9' then a further metal connector, also with a nut a bit higher up connected to a shorter cable pushed into the rear of the box.

    I'm quite unwell at present and was never very technically minded and also can't find anyone able to physically help me. I am finding difficulty understanding how much of / which parts of the cable need to be undone ( presumably with a spanner ) and returned.

    Thank you all again

    Steve

    • japitts's avatar
      japitts
      Very Insightful Person
      2 months ago

      Post up some photos, they may help.

      • jenfamily1's avatar
        jenfamily1
        Dialled in
        2 months ago

        Sorry japitts I'm a luddite and at the moment unable to post photos but I appreciated your reply nevertheless. I watched some youtube videos about returning the 'kit' but didn't actually see anyone disconnecting the coax cables and as per my reply to nodrogd, on the first floor the coax comes through a drilled hole and runs around the walls of the house so I can't disconnect much of it if that makes sense?

    • nodrogd's avatar
      nodrogd
      Very Insightful Person
      2 months ago

      The white coax cable screws into a CEC coupler. These then just push into the coax socket in the back of the V6 boxes. So, no spanners needed to disconnect them, you literally just pull the connector out.

      • jenfamily1's avatar
        jenfamily1
        Dialled in
        2 months ago

        Thank you.

        I know you're right but why does VM send a 'spanner' with the packaging? Also having watched some youtube videos, unlike some customers, my coax cable enters the house on the first floor through a drilled hole to each of the boys' bedrooms and so I can't disconnect at a wall socket as per the ground floor. There won't be that much coax cable to return!

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    31 days ago

    You have posted quite a few times on various aspects of this issue and I'm sorry your health situation is preventing you from completing the task.

    There are many good people who post regularly on this forum and offer good advice and help for free in their spare time. I would suggest, however, that there is a bit of a leap in getting help online versus asking someone into your home via an online forum. You may receive unwelcome attention from the wrong kind of person to such as request (which may well be delivered to you via PM to stay under the radar of public scrutiny).

    If you post up some clear photos of your setup, users on here will be able to help by telling you what to disconnect and what to return.

    Alternatively (and if you are continuing with VM for other services) I wonder if you can pay VM for a non-fault call out (£25) for a VM tech to come and do the disconnection and return the kit for you. A VM person should be able to advise if this is possible.

     

    • Cardiffman282's avatar
      Cardiffman282
      Community elder
      31 days ago

      Yes as per goslow only accept genuine VM engineers with confirmed appointments into your home and in terms of direct messaging only correspond with official VM forum staff this way. 

  • jenfamily1's avatar
    jenfamily1
    Dialled in
    31 days ago

    Thank you for your advice.

    I hadn't thought about what you said SO will Not allow anyone to my home that may contact me through the forum. Good job I only gave the first part of the post code & area.

    Do you mean one of the VM moderators might send a PM ( personal message )  warning me 'to stay under the radar of public scrutiny?' I apologise to them for any inconvenience I might have caused.

    I have heard from a friend who used to have VM & might be able to help but in the meantime I'll look into posting some photos

    Steve

    • goslow's avatar
      goslow
      Alessandro Volta
      31 days ago

      Hopefully your friend can help you out with the task.

      When you do return the equipment (by whatever means) I would suggest that you record the serial numbers of the items going back. If a VM person collects the equipment, I would also suggest that you note the date and time of the collection and something to identify the person collecting (such as an ID badge number and name, van registration plate etc.).

      If someone drops off the equipment for you at a VM/O2 drop-off, you need to get a receipt with a tracking number for the consignment.

      VM's returns processes are not without their problems so you need a paper trail to prove what items you sent back and how they were returned.

      A VM person will get to your topic (usually within a few days) and will advise whether a tech visit is possible to decommission the equipment and return it for you.

      Given your health situation, that does not seem an unreasonable thing to ask of VM (especially since you are continuing as a customer).

      A VM staff member has a title under their name including Forum Team, Moderator or Community Manager. They have a Virgin Media logo next to their name.

      They may ask you to confirm account details via a PM to prove your identity. You should only provide personal/account info, via PM, to a VM forum team member.

      Hope you can resolve the issue with least hassle.

    • jenfamily1's avatar
      jenfamily1
      Dialled in
      31 days ago

      Can you see anything wrong with me calling VM yet to give notice & ask for packaging to be sent whether a VM person makes contact with me or my friend helps?

  • jenfamily1's avatar
    jenfamily1
    Dialled in
    31 days ago

    I've attached two photos ( one of each room ) I'm not very good at photographing so hope these are clear enough. You can see where the socket is located in the rear of the V6 box and as you follow it down two types of connectors, after that the cable goes out through the wall. I wondered if the lowest fitting was disconnected, everything above it ( after pulling out the socket ) needs to be returned? Does the coaxial cable need to be returned or just the HDMI & power cable?