No landline phone service

[wren]

Yesterday (26th Oct), and with no warning whatsoever, I lost all my VM services. My broadband and TV came back on after a few hours but I am still unable to use my landline phone: the line is completely ‘dead'. I then discovered that there had been ‘system upgrades’ in my area (Cambridge) so I strongly suspected that there must be a connection.

I spent an hour or so today clicking through the VM web site but could not find any online help or guidance at all so, in desperation, I used the web form for complaints. I have just received a reply but it is almost incomprehensible to me:

"From your complaint, we understand that you are unhappy as your telephone services are not up and running currently. Upon our investigation, we would like to confirm that currently there are no outages which could affect your telephone line. However, the telephone services are being migrated to DOCSIS Telco. Due to changes in service (unable to use phone on network/power outage). The telephone service has recently switched to 21CV DOCSIS as part of the home phone switchover activity. If you have received any adapters, then please plug in your adaptor correctly. If you need support with the connectivity and or to set up, please contact our customer cable team on the number mentioned below so that we can book a switchover technician who will be able to get this sorted for you at the earliest. You can also use our chat platform to connect with our support team using the [live chat] link below." 

Well, this is the first I have heard of a "migration of telephone services"… And I have not received an adaptor or any information on what I would do with it. It seems extraordinary to be cut off in this manner with no warning or notification. Naturally, I cannot contact the customer cable team as my phone does not work. I did try the live chat link but the links lead to dead ends with no chat available.

What am I to do?

I would be most grateful for any help - thank you!

[John_GS · Accepted solution]

Hi wren, thanks for posting and welcome to the community. I am sorry for the issue you've got with the telephone line. Changing to the phone service via cable is a government objective and this has to be completed by 2025, we are choosing to take the change over now to ensure all of our customers have been migrated prior to the current telephone exchange being closed down in 2025. Please see the links below which explains more;

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/landline/switchover and https://www.futureofvoice.co.uk/

I will now send you a PM to assist further with this and to sort you an adapter out.

Best wishes,

[wren]

Thank you for your help, John, I do appreciate it and I look forward to receiving my adaptor!

I wonder why it is, though, that I never received any communication about any of this: no letter or leaflet, no e-mail, nothing. I have been a VM customer since 2001.

When I experienced the loss of my landline, I did read through all the Help>Landline pages (and more!) on the main VM site, but I didn't see anything about the switchover or the need for an adaptor. It seems inconceivable that this information isn't readily available. There is also an incorrect link: clicking on 'Manage your landline>Landline Issues' actually leads to the 'Landline features' page. Rather a rookie error...

Also, why isn't there a simple web form on the main VM site where customers can order an adaptor? This would be much more cost-effective than customers having to waste your time, surely?

Just asking!

[rizzles5]

i recently switched from BT to virgin media on feb 3 however BT still havent closed my account with them i have contacted them and they replied my account will be closed on the 25either this month or march so they are expecting me to pay for BT and virgin

[Kain_W]

Hi rizzles5,

Thanks for your post and welcome to the community.

Apologies for any issues faced, can I ask was there a phoneline that was due to switch to us?

Let us know,

[rizzles5]

ty for the welcome and yes i was supposed to have all my services with virgin but i am having a lot of stresses with my previous provider BT 

[Steven_L]

Thanks for coming back to us rizzles5, I would be happy to take a further look into this for you but first I would need to confirm a few details via private message, please look out for my message and we can get started.
Kind Regards,
Steven_L

[rizzles5]

its driving me nuts its been a mess and im at the end of my tether 

[Steven_L]

Its no problem at all rizzles, I just looked into your account and could see some notes from the technician and wanted to check in from your side,

Glad to hear that your line is ready to take the ported number on Tuesday 28th. 

Kind Regards,

Steven_L

[rizzles5]

i just wish it had been handled a lot better