Forum Discussion

GingerBeast's avatar
GingerBeast
Joining in
3 days ago

Ordering WIFI Pods NIGHTMARE!

Why oh why is it so hard to do anything with Virgin Media?! Their processes are so I efficient and time consumming for customers and staff. 

We live in an old house. The walls are thick so the WiFi is not so great. We have always bought TP Link boosters to improve this, but they have a lifespan. We work from home and have 2 teenage children. The wifi takes a hammering, so we have 3 boosters. 1 has stopped working and the others aren't reliable. We've been with Virgin for years so thought we'd order their wifi boosters. 😲 OMG.

  • I spent over an hour trying to login to our online account and install Virgin Connect.
  • I spent nearly 2 hours trying to run the Home Scan necessary to prove we have black spots. I had to do this in the evening when everyone had finished working, so I could turn the boosters off. Despite the lack of activity, we had 3 blackspots. 
  • I spent nearly an hour trying to work out how to order the pods as Virgin Connect only 'advised'.
  • I gave up trying to do it online as I kept being charged for a new package and could only order 1 (we need 3).
  • I rang. When I eventually got through to a human, they tried to sell me upgrades and then charge me £8pcm per pod. I said 'No'. It's cheaper to buy new TP Link Boosters. After being put on hold numerous times, I was eventually offered a 'new package' (the same as our current one), but with  free pods....on a new contract.
  • They read the contract in verbatim. Let's be honest, no one listens. Then texted me a link to it. 
  • I was told they'd send me 3 pods and was put through to another department who'd 'post' them....
  • They insisted on trying to run a home scan. I said sorry, no can do. We're working and can't switch the boosters off. I explained I'd run the home test and would happily share the results.
  • This went on for sometime before they agreed to make an exception, but they'd have to raise a complaint then close it. OK??
  • Finally, they confirmed that the pod (singular) would be with us in 2 days. They can only send one at a time. To order other's I have to go through all the above, all over again x 2 (leaving 7 days between each request)!
  • That was another 1hr, for 1 pod and an additional £5pcm (not free as promised). 

So frustrating. It would have been quicker and easier to go to Asda and buy boosters, and that is saying something. They better bloody work!

If anyone knows a quicker and less painful way, please let us all know!

4 Replies

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta

    The walls are thick so the WiFi is not so great.

    When you open your post with remarks about wall thickness you already signal you know using 
    VM Pods which are just Wi-Fi Repeaters will be the worst possible choice.

    Try some power line adaptors or for the best results install some cable connected Wi-Fi access points.

    • GingerBeast's avatar
      GingerBeast
      Joining in

      Unfortunately, VM don't offer the plug in mesh extenders anymore. The pods are the advertised solution. Hopefully, correct placement will help. We do have an open stairwell, so fingers crossed. If they don't work I'll have to take VM up on their guarantee. 

      Fingers crossed. 

  • Adduxi's avatar
    Adduxi
    Very Insightful Person

    VM only guarantee 30Mb over Wifi.  As long as you haven't changed the "out of the box" settings on the Hub, the Pods will work.  If you have made any changes to the Wifi setup, for IoT devices for example, the Pods will not work.  Your own statement about buying your own Wifi solution hit the nail on the head.