How do I report VM land phones not working in FK6 5NU and FK6 5NW

[JoseManuel]

How do I report VM land phones not working in a full area? This is the second day that in the post codes FK6 5NU and FK6 5NW the house telephones are not working. Problems we are having:

1) No dialing tone in the VM land phones of the whole area of the above post codes, no being able to make calls, when you call any VM house phone in the area you get the immediate reply of either the answering service (those who have it), or a message a system voice message saying "you have dialed a wrong number". 

2) If you phone VM (150) with your mobile, a computer take you around through a series of options, and finally offer you to send and engineer, with the threat of charging you. It is impossible talk to a person

3) Going to the web site and log into our accounts it is also is a waste of time. The help links links take you around and you never can explain. either sending a mail, or messaging about the problem.

4) One of the help advices is to log into your account and check the Service Status. When you do it, the system tells you there are no detected faults in your phone service.

 It is really ridiculous not to be given the option to talk to an operator in this circumstances, and even more ridiculous that when you check VM's Service Status, it tells you that no faults are detected. How do they try to detect a failure like the one described in 1 above? If the system calls the numbers, they will get a reply - see above.

This is the second day I am without my house phone working. I am a voluntary worker for a charity, and I am mainly contacted via my phone number, which is a real problem now. And on top of everything, I AM PAYING FOR A SERVICE THAT IS NOT BEING PROVIDED, AND I CANNOT TELL THE PROVIDERS ABOUT IT.

[StuartBudd]

Landlines also down for FK6 5EN.

Online Virgin checker states no problems.

Telephone automatic status check states there is a problem and their engineers are working on it. Then gives option for link to be sent to email so I can link to the online checker for updates. However the link is to the checker that says there are no problems!!!

The landline has been out since at least this morning.

Virgin - please - when will this be fixed? What is your current estimated fix time?

[Tom_W1]

Hi @JoseManuel and @StuartBudd thanks for your post although I'm sorry to hear of your concerns raised.

It does look like this was a known fault yesterday affecting the FK areas but it has since been resolved.

Can you please confirm if everything is back working for you today and if not, we can review again?

Many thanks

[JoseManuel]

Well, finally our land phones are working. They came back over the night, so I cannot say when the problem was fixed. however, we were without our house phones for more than 48 hours. How is that we are still charged for that no-service period?

However, there is still the underlying problem of communication with VM. When there is a fault, how do we phone and get to talk with an agent/advisor? It is imposible to do it either accessing the help by logging onto our accounts, or phoning 150. I think VM should get its act together on Customer Service!!

Is it not curious that if you try to upgrade or buy online something extra, immediately a "talk text dialogue" facility appears for you to get advice, but not when you go online to try to report a failure? I feel this new policy of not talking to existing customers is recent. I still remember when I was always able to talk to a VM agent/advisor over the phone. It looks as an abuse and bad implementation of the "improved" digital communications, and a serious lack of consideration (respect?), of VM existing customers.

For the first time, in more years I can remember, I am considering to move back to BT. The question is, would they have a better customer service?

[Tom_W1]

Hi @JoseManuel thanks for your reply and great news that things are working for you now.

Ultimately, this should have been identified as a known service issue affecting the FK postcodes and usually, this would be available on the service checker for you either online or would be read as a message by the automated service when you call us.

Generally though, if you do have a fault you should be able to call us on 150 / 0345 454 1111, if you follow the relevant options this should get you through to a staff member.

If you do require any further assistance in the future, please don't hesitate to let us know.

Many thanks

[Virg12]

You are 100% correct. The service provided is abysmal, and as you point out there is no guarantee that it will be better elsewhere.It comes down to sheer numbers - they are trying to provide a service to an increasing number of people with a decreasing level of support. This will never work, and I have very little faith it will ever change, if not only get worse.

In terms of identifying faults, when you cannot get through to other numbers in the same area, then the fault obviously is not with your phone, it is an area fault (sorry for stating the obvious). You can check the online checker, however the results you get are not always accurate so you cannot rely on this.

You can also check the status by calling 0345 454 1111 from any phone - if it is an area fault you tend to get confirmation of this straightaway (pre-recorded message), and that the issue is being dealt with.

I wouldn't then waste anymore time trying to speak to someone. Just come on here and post a message asking for an update on expected fix time. This forum is much more responsive. 

When it comes to any faults that are only affecting you, then good luck with that one!

Come the revolution!

Best wishes

[Virg12]

Thanks Tom. All working for me now.

[Tom_W1]

Hi @Virg12 thanks a lot for your confirmation, that's great news! Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Many thanks

[JoseManuel]

Hi TOM_W1, I don't know if you are a VM employee, but you sound as one. I don't know if my level of English is so bad, that you seemed not to have understood the second issue of my first message, which it is the impossibility to get in touch with VM to report a service fault affecting a full post code area or larger. In the particular case that I highlighted in my first message we find that:

1) From Friday morning till yesterday early evening (I checked last ar about 19:30), the service checker replied that there were no land telephone faults in the FK referred to in my message. Hence, what you say in your second paragraph did not, ever, happen for us.

2) When I logged onto my account and tried to report the fault, the system took me through a series of options which always finished going back to the first one, i.e. asking what service was service I was having problems with. The system never offered the option to chat (by text) to somebody, nor the option to call, or be call, to/by a member of the staff.

3) I called 150 several times on Friday and yesterday, and the system took me through a series of questions (options). When nothing worked, it offered me the visit to my house by of an Engineer, warning me that the visit could be charged. At no time the system told me the there was a fault in my area, as you state at the end of your second paragraph, and at no time during the whole time of the call there was an option to talk to a VM staff member. The admission that there was a fault in my post code happened only yesterday late afternoon, when I called for the last time, well after I had posted my original message. This can be corroborated by other neighbors who also called 150.

So, what you say in your las post did not work for any of my neighbors or I, and it should be reported to somebody with authority in VM. I hope you will. The normal approach of doing nothing about it once a problem has been fixed does not help to improve the system. Definitely the system is not working as you think it is!

[Ashleigh_C]

Hi there @JoseManuel

Thank you for reaching back out and I am so sorry to hear that you have faced this issue with your landline and the service status page. 

This information would usually be available on the service status page here or via the phone line on 0800 561 0061. 

I'm very sorry that this information was not available to you and I will feed this back to the relevant teams. 

Thank you.