Forum Discussion

joekoruk's avatar
joekoruk
Tuning in
30 days ago

Installation issues

Virgin Media, the company that can’t figure out how to install their own broadband, yet still insists on pretending they can.

It started simply: I asked for fiber. Virgin said yes. They gave me an install date. Then the circus began.

The Never-Ending Clown Show

For months, Virgin’s engineers have arrived, yanked on the conduit like confused cavemen, watched it fall apart, and then run away—only to reschedule and do it all over again.

  • December 23rd: Failure.
  • January 9th: Failure.
  • January 21st: Failure.
  • February 5th: Failure.
  • February 21st: Failure.

At this point, it’s not even incompetence. It’s performance art.

Blame Everyone but Themselves.

Rather than just admitting they’re useless, Virgin Media has mastered the fine art of pointing fingers:

  • “It’s Avonline’s fault!”
    • You hired Avonline, you absolute muppets. That’s like hiring a dodgy builder and then acting shocked when your house collapses.
  • “The council won’t let us access the road!”
    • Funny, since Avonline’s engineers have been out there working on the road. In fact, one of them even said:
“Virgin Media on this road? Not a chance. The conduit’s knackered. Not gonna happen.”
  • Then they tried anyway, snapped the fiber, and left the conduit even more broken.
  • Genius. Truly. I hope the person responsible gets a bonus.

I would just leave and give up, but they insist they will only send me all of the money they owe me (for multiple missed appointments, and an agreement to cover the difference between my Virgin bill price and the extortiantate out of contract BT price in the meantime) if I stay and wait to be connected - is that even legal?

Lies, Lies and more Lies

Meanwhile, their customer service team—trained, I assume, by a group of concussed pigeons—kept assuring me that everything was fine.

Me: “Can you install fiber at my house?”

Virgin: “Absolutely!”

Me: “Then why are you literally paying my neighbours to leave because you can’t install fiber?”

Virgin: “Uhh… unforeseen circumstances?”

And speaking of my neighbours, I find out they were actually PAID TO LEAVE VIRGIN MEDIA because the company knew it couldn’t provide service - due to a broken conduit!

Let me repeat that: They gave people money to go away rather than just fixing the damn conduit. Then they continue to sell this knowingy broken service to others on the same road. Even going so far as to send sales reps door-to-door!

We have been waiting for installation since November 2024. Other neighbours have been waiting since October 2024. It is now nearly March 2025.

Gaslighting 101

And just when you think Virgin can’t sink lower, they send me an email implying I haven’t been in touch.

I’ve spent more time chasing these clowns than they’ve spent actually doing their job. At this rate, I could hand-dig a new conduit myself before Virgin Media figures out what’s happening.

Final Thoughts

Virgin Media, just be honest:

  • Either fix the conduit and install the fiber, or
  • Admit you can’t do it and stop wasting everyone’s time.
  • Stop selling products you cannot provide.

Instead, you’re stuck in an infinite loop of lying, blaming, failing, and rescheduling—like some kind of broadband time-wasting machine.

Virgin Media: The only thing they connect is excuses.

Avonline
clowns
false advertisement
false advertising
Idiots
incompetence
incompetent
Lies
ofcom
useless
  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    30 days ago

    Sadly, this is just 'business as usual' in the wacky world of VM installations.

    Brush up on the compensation scheme if you have not done so already. OFCOM version below is more readable than the VM versions

    https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/consultations/uncategorised/98684---automatic-compensation/associated-documents/industry-code-of-practice-for-automatic-compensation.pdf

    https://www.virginmedia.com/help/billing-and-payments/automatic-compensation

    https://www.virginmedia.com/legal/fibre-optic-services-terms-conditions/automatic-compensation

    Day rate for a delayed installation is £6.10 and £30.49 for a no-show appointment if VM says you have to be in and fails to give you 24 hours notice of a cancellation.

    You are eligible for the compo whether you become a VM customer or not although you may need to go to the ombudsman to get paid what you are owed. The compo continues until you, or VM, cancels or the installation happens so it is in your interest to let VM do any cancelling as far as the compo goes.

    Keep detailed evidence of everything, as you go along, in a timeline format and link evidence (texts, emails, screenshots etc.) to each entry on the timeline.

  • Akua_A's avatar
    Akua_A
    Forum Team
    26 days ago

    Hi joekoruk 

    Sorry to hear you have had such a poor experience when trying to get our service installed. We can assure you this is not the level of service we look to provide especially to a new customer. We would be happy to take a further look into this if you wish? We have sent you a private message. Please keep an eye out for an envelope at the top right corner of your Forum page. Let me know if you have any issues locating this. 

    Thanks,

    • -tony-'s avatar
      -tony-
      Alessandro Volta
      26 days ago

      Akua_A wrote:

      We can assure you this is not the level of service we look to provide especially to a new customer.

      surely you jest - it is exactly the level that VM repeatedly manage with success after success - thats certainly the pattern of such threads on here

      would be interesting to know what you can look into - opening a complaint maybe for it to be immediately closed or a suggestion to ring the install people

      the OP is in the VM loop of despair - best he can hope for is a good compensation amount  

    • joekoruk's avatar
      joekoruk
      Tuning in
      25 days ago

      How are you going to fix the ethics of an entire company? Virgin media is souless and flawed to it's very core.

      I ring up or go on the chat most days. Every time they just lie to me. Saying all they need to do is a cable pull and that is happening today/tomorrow. It has been happening today/tomorrow since November 2024!

      If I kick up enough of a fuss, well then they admit there is an issue in the road with the conduit. And promise to call me back within 24 hours with a solution (e.g. compensation or a plan).

      NO ONE EVER CALLS BACK!

      I got the number for the pre installation team specifically, thinking they would know more. They are clueless, just read from a script and insist it will happen soon and to be patient.

      I don't mind taking my business elsewhere. But why promise some of my neighbours and I broadband, whilst simultaneously paying off other neighbours to leave as you know your conduit is broken?!? It's like the left hand of your company doesn't know what the right hand is doing!

      I can see now that all these complaints on this forum are definitely justified. 

      Virgin media is an awful company and cannot be trusted. 

      • Cardiffman282's avatar
        Cardiffman282
        Trouble shooter
        25 days ago

        In its own peculiar view of itself VM reckons it has outstanding ethics https://community.virginmedia.com/discussions/chatter/outstanding-ethics-at-virgin-media/5550810

  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    26 days ago

    Sign up with a different provider as a new customer, and leave VM to fiddle about.

    When they finally connect you, you'll have 14 days to cancel without penalty and collect the compensation. Or if they finally give up you will still collect the fully compensation plus another 30 days. 

    You win either way. 

  • joekoruk's avatar
    joekoruk
    Tuning in
    7 days ago

    Just as an update to this saga...

    Apparently virgin media has no bespoke complaints section (that probably says a lot!). So your complaint just gets given to whichever section randomly gets your complaint when you phone/email/chat in to make the complaint. Mine was with the "phone section", even though I have not ordered a phone.

    On seeing my post above, Virgin media asked my permission to assign this over to the social media team instead to allow them to investigate the complaint. They have at least sent me messages. But they are all along the lines of "there are delays, we are working on it". Basically, absolutely nothing has budged, changed, or moved on.

    It looks like they have now sent 12 (yes 12!) Avonline teams to blow the cable down our conduit. Virgin media are still denying any conduit issue, despite Avonline saying that the conduit is crushed and they are struggling to get any cables through.

    I've raised a complaint formally with Ofcom. The evidence provided by Virgin was hilarious. It basically says that I may or may not be allowed compensation, and they are working on it.

    I intend to see this through. So even if the ombudsman can't do anything, I'm contemplating taking them to small claims court. This whole debacle is just ridiculous.

     

    • Robinson17's avatar
      Robinson17
      Joining in
      7 days ago

      OK, firstly did you receive a ‘firm’ installation/go-live date in writing, oh, and legally an email counts), as to when they promise, pinky-promise that you will all be connected up and good to go?

      If so, did it happen? If no, then you are absolutely entitled to compensation of roughly £5.90 per day since that date until it happens - no if’s, no buts - well, OK, there are a few if’s and buts; the delay is due to something totally outside of VM’s control, Act of God, Act of War*, 'force majeure' etc. Incompetence of either themselves or their contractors doesn’t count!

      Anyhow, leaving all that aside, nobody can ‘make’ VM connect you up if they don't want to or aren’t able to - at best the Ombudsman service can order (and their orders can be legally enforced**) them to pay the OFCOM mandated compensation levels if they refuse to do so, plus extra compensation for the poor complaints handling, failure to follow the rules, attempt to ‘illegally’ deprive you of your dues, etc.

      As I recall, the record delay as reported on here between the promised installation date and when it actually happened was a tad over 18 months (no, not a typo), the compensation ran into many thousands of pounds and they got paid out!

      Right, here’s what you do, keep records, everything, what was offered by VM and when, when did they say it would happen, what actually happened, what was VM’s excuse for it?

      Sign up with another supplier, let VM’s 'Laurel and Hardy’ process play out; then one of three things will happen.

      a) You have enough and cancel with them - they are obliged to pay the compensation up to that date.

      b) They finally connect you up. You test it, make sure it is all good and then immediately cancel under the 14 day ‘cooling off’ period rules in the Distance Selling Regulations (2000). They still have two pay the compensation, but at least you know the cables are there and working, should you fancy giving VM another chance in the future.

      c) VM themselves formally notify you that they can’t connect you up and will be limiting the compensation - a so-called ‘Cease Notice’. Now here’s the kicker, under the rules they need to carry on paying you the daily compensation for 30 days after issuing said notice. 

       

      * Shouldn’t have said that, VM will start blaming Putin for installation delays.

      ** In theory at least, if the Ombudsman were to order VM to pay compensation to you and they simply didn’t, you could partition the Court to enforce judgement. If they still refuse then bailiffs could be send in to VMs offices to remove 'goods to the value of’, along with Police to arrest anyone who tried to interfere. Personally, I’d pay good money to witness this!

      •  
      • joekoruk's avatar
        joekoruk
        Tuning in
        6 days ago

        Thanks, useful info. We do have it in writing - our contract PDF doc has the go-live date as 23rd December 2024.

        I would like to go elsewhere but Virgin is the only option for anything resembling good speed. So I would actually like the service, if they can provide it. What annoys me more than anything is that they cannot just say "yes"/"no" as to whether they can get the cable actually in. I would sign up with someone else in the meantime as you say, but if Virgin went live, then I would not be able to cancel the other one unless it happened in the first 14 days etc.

        It's infuriating as both Avonline and our neighbours have acknowledged the conduit issues. In fact so did Virgin, when they paid our neighbours to leave Virgin! But now they seem to have selective amnesia about that one. Although they do acknowledge that they have sent 12 teams to blow the cable through the conduit, and can't due to "blockages" - yes, because the conduit has been crushed/damaged!

  • Sephzer's avatar
    Sephzer
    Tuning in
    7 days ago

    I have similar issues... similar dates as well. Ordered on the 24th Dec 2024, due for installation the first week of Jan. Never happened. Someone tried every 2 weeks. Found out there's a blockage in the road and they need a permit (the council says they don't) but they don't tell their engineers so the next one comes to try and connect the house up. It's an absolute joke.

    My problem is, VM are the only ISP in my area that I can get anything above 50mb so I'm stuck with them... if they ever manage to connect me. 

    On that note, I will start making notes of my correspondence with them as I will be trying for compensation. This is extra stress that nobody needs, I'm just lucky I work from home so I'm almost always in when an engineer arrives (plus networking is my field).

    • Robinson17's avatar
      Robinson17
      Joining in
      7 days ago

      Let me ask you this; "VM are the only ISP in my area that I can get anything above 50mb”; fine OK, but do tell me, do you need anything more that 50 Mb/s? Yes I know it's nice to have, but do you ‘need’ it?

      Just a thought.

      • joekoruk's avatar
        joekoruk
        Tuning in
        6 days ago

        Very similar to me. We can get 45 Mb/s on the download, but the download isn't the problem. We get about 2-3 Mb/s on the upload. And for remote working, or video calls etc, it is not enough.

  • armcbain1's avatar
    armcbain1
    Just joined
    7 days ago

    Similar issue to myself.

    Ordered in early Jan 25, first installed date moved due to blockage, Avonlane came twice and said issue is the conduit needs to be dug up. 2nd install  date early Feb still no fiber so the Virgin guy installed the inside stuff and left a router. He escalated the situation. "System closed the escalation". 3rd visit booked, that engineer raised same ticket and Avonlane came..."Need to dig up the path". New install date given for yesterday. Virgin no show, no Avonlane work either...

    Chased the complaint I had logged over chat....and "We have disconnected you as we cannot offer service to your house". I then get emailed a " Your moving house" email.

    So locked into an 02 Phone deal for 18months thorugh Virgin and no Fiber. 2 holes in my extra wall and a blown brick....Joke

    • -tony-'s avatar
      -tony-
      Alessandro Volta
      7 days ago

      get the paperwork sorted for compensation - £6 a day from your fist install date up to today plus another 30 days because they have refused to install - work it out and see what they offer - i doubt it will be the full amount - open a complaint and let them close it or ask for a deadlock letter which they legally must issue but tend to forget then go to the arbitrator - claim all you are due plus £200 for the damage and being messed about

  • joekoruk's avatar
    joekoruk
    Tuning in
    3 days ago

    Partial "success"... 

    Virgin admitted that they too now acknowledge that the conduit is broken! Finally!

    It only took a few months of me hounding them.

    However, still no closer to getting anything installed. And still no answer as to whether installation is even possible! 

    • Robinson17's avatar
      Robinson17
      Joining in
      3 days ago

      Now, I certainly wouldn’t want to 'burst your balloon' so to speak; but "Virgin admitted that they too now acknowledge that the conduit is broken”; so who acknowledged it? Would it be someone from their third party (ie not a VM employee) call centres, who would tell you that black is white, if it got you off the phone?

      Did you, by any chance happen to mention that you believe the conduit is broken first? Could it be that the CS person simply took what you said and agreed, just to shut you up and get you off the phone? They then clock up another ’successfully closed call’! Just a thought!

      "However, still no closer to getting anything installed” No you’re not are you? But still the compensation timer carries on clicking up!