Warning about getting VM installed to properties with no current connection

Question

After many years of being a VM customer I have had a truly awful experience with them over the last few months and I feel I really need to post this to act as a warning to other people who may find themselves in a similar position. This is probably going to be a long post, so in short, If you are looking to get VM installed into a property that does not have a connection into the property itself then NEVER assume that your property will be connected regardless of what information you have to the contrary.

So a few months ago I was looking for a property to buy and it was paramount that this property had a good internet connection for a variety of reasons. Eventually I managed to find a place that I liked so I checked the VM online broadband availability map and this showed that the property could receive all the usual services. The owner of the property had not had VM installed and was struggling with an unreliable BT / openreach connection but based on what the online map said I did not see an issue. After noticing that the online map showed that a neighbouring property could not receive VM I phoned customer services and insisted that they arrange for an engineer to visit the property to confirm that it was serviceable, This they did, and I even spoke to the engineer on the phone when he was at the property. He told me that there was a VM cabinet right next to the property and was absolutely unequivocal that there would be no issues with getting the property connected. I bought the property based on this information.

So I guess you all know how this ends. I moved in, tried to arrange an installation, and two days before the planned install date I phoned CS to make sure that everything was OK, only to find out that the install has been cancelled (I never received any call or email to say that this had happened). Then after a long, painful call being passed from department to department, I eventually managed to glean that this was because the ground works team who had tried to do works outside the property had experienced 'access issues'. Apparently the ground works team had tried to call me to discuss this which they hadn't because I had no missed calls or messages. CS were unable to give any more information and I was obviously unhappy with this, especially considering that I had been told there was a cabinet right next to the property, and so I pushed back and was able get them to arrange for another engineer to visit the property. This engineer was a bit more cautious than the first one but still thought there shouldn't be any major issues, and he arranged for a team to come out and do the necessary works outside the property.

Three weeks passed - no news, so I phoned CS and I was told by the rep that he was 100% certain that my property could be connected and so I assumed the works had been done and everything was fine. On this basis I arranged another install. Two week later I phone CS again to find out the latest, only to be told that my install has been cancelled (again I have received no notification of this). The information I got from CS was that this time it was due to 'health and safety reasons' although I could get no more information than this. Again, the ground works team's notes claimed to have phoned me to discuss but I had no missed calls or messages to indicate that this was true.

So that's us up to present, I have no idea whether these ground works teams ever even visited my property or if an attempt was ever even made to make a connection but I've had enough now and it is increasingly obvious that nothing is going to happen anytime soon. I will just have to try BT instead and if this isn't good enough then either I am going to need to get Starlink installed which will obviously be far, far more expensive than VM, or I will have to sell the house which will potentially cost me tens of thousands.

So, a word of warning for anyone looking to buy a house that doesn't have VM installed into the property. Basically assume that it is never going to happen and look at your alternatives.

jpeg1 · Answer

You have to understand that Virginmedia have different departments that don't talk to each other.

The sales department just want to sign up customers. The Installations department hand the outside work to a contractor and promptly forget about it. The subcontractors want to do as little work as possible. If a connection is finally made, the network staff have to make it work.

Somewhere out of all this is a customer who may or may not get his connection, but as you have found none of these departments consider it's their job to speak to him.

Cardiffman282 · Answer

Have a look at the automatic compensation link below re missed appointments and delayed installation.&nbsp;

nodrogd · Answer

If there are no other FTTP providers in the area, then the likely VM issue is lack of capacity. VM has been hauled over the coals by OFCOM for allowing over subscription of network segments in the past, as it results in poor service. DOCSIS internet has a finite user capacity, so while it might be physically possible to connect you to the network, they won’t connect more customers if it has a detrimental effect on services for others.

asim18 · Answer

Are you saying there no mechanism for VM to know how many people are connected to a single cabinet, before they actually take a customer order, twice, and provide guarantees that it's "100% certain that the property can be connected" ?

Not saying you're wrong, it's just bizarre that VM wouldn't know how many customers they have! hahaha.

It's a bit of a paradox, because if VM doesn't know how many customers they have.... then how do they know that they have too many customers?

Jonny-M · Answer

The first thing to realise with Virgin Media (and probably lots of other companies) is that the people selling you the services have zero incentive not to put the most positive spin possible on whatever result they are getting from the computer, because they want their commission. So in your case the database saying that you could get VM was translated into someone being "100% sure".

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Warning about getting VM installed to properties with no current connection

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