VOIP service - what about non-Internet users and multiple handsets?

[moggyman]

The switch over to VM's VOIP system doesn't really bother me that much. I work in IT and can understand the pros & cons and what I'll have to do in my own home. However, my Mum is in her 80's and only has her landline, basic Freeview-equivalent TV package, and a Tivo box. It took me 18 months to train her how to use the Tivo and there's no way on God's green earth I'd let her near the Internet, even if she wanted to. She's on a State pension so any further costs on top of what's currently going on in the world are a great concern for her.

Question 1
How much is VM going to sting her in order to get a hub into her house and (as some posts I've read here suggest) are they then going to try and hike the price of her package further down the road?

Question 2
She has one phone (the main base unit including answerphone) upstairs in her bedroom and a second cordless handset downstairs. As she's frail and likely to take a fall, having multiple handsets is quite important. How is she supposed to use multiple handsets when this shiny new service is introduced? 

I guess I'll have a similar problem to Q2 because I have two handsets. The only way I can see it working is if I plug the extension phone into a powerline adapter. However, the intended RJ45 socket on the powerline adapter for that is already in use by a CCTV camera I've got plugged into it. I can work around it but it's Mum I'm concerned about. How can she still use multiple handsets?

[moggyman]

PS. Just to backup the point raised in Q1. I went on a WhatsApp chat with VM earlier today to discuss this problem and all the guy in India wanted to do was flog Mum a broadband package, despite me telling him repeatedly that Mum doesn't want it. He wouldn't listen and tried to tell me that Mum's bill would 'only' be £45pm. She pays about £12pm now. I gave up in the end.  

[BenMcr]

Landline only customers will get a Hub provisions for phone services only. There is no requirement to take broadband services and no-one should be forcing a customer to do that.

Powerline adapters won't work for Virgin Media home phone service as it's converted to an analogue home phone service on the back of the Hub so that it's compatible with recent landline handsets including cordless multi-handset systems. It is not an 'Over The Top' VoIP service.

If there is requirement for access to 999/112 when the Hub doesn't work and the customer doesn't have a mobile phone in order to do that, Virgin Media will supply a backup unit that will allow a wired handset to contact the emergency services.

[moggyman]

Ah, I see. Thanks for that. I had it in my head that Mum's phones all plugged into the wall but now I think about it, the main base does but the second handset is wireless and only needs a power socket. Ditto with my own. Well that helps. She'll just have to make her main handset the one located downstairs to make it easier for hub access although the existing VM cable comes into the living room and the phone socket is in the hall, some 15+ feet away. I presume Mr Installation will run a cable under the carpets?

She's got a mobile to use should the service drop or a workman down the road sticks his shovel through the mains cable. That should be OK.

I presume that she'll still have to pay an installation fee for the hub or is the Government offering any help?

Maybe someone at VM needs to have a word with the overseas call centre and get them to change their script. I know that she doesn't need a broadband package but I can imagine that elderly people calling VM might get totally confused and end up paying for stuff they simply don't need or want.

Cheers for the info.

[Lee_R]

Hi @moggyman thanks for getting back to us.

Just wanting to clarify, do you now feel you've received an answer to the issues you've raised?

Regards

Lee_R

[BenMcr · Accepted solution]

As part of the switchover any work required to get it set up to the customer's needs is free of charge.

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/home-phone/virginphone/switchover#tech

[moggyman]

Many thanks for that.

Mum should be fine and have no extra costs to pay and that is my main concern.

Much appreciated.

[Lee_R]

Please do keep us updated with how things go @moggyman.  We will be more than happy to look into things on yours and your mum's behalf.

Regards

Lee

[moggyman]

Apologies if this is in the wrong place but I couldn't find anywhere obvious to post it. In an attempt to explain the ridiculous situation I find myself in, I will split the text below into two parts.

Part 1
Some time ago I booked an appointment for my elderly Mum to have a hub installed, ready for the switch over to VOIP. I sat in the phone queue for over half an hour and finally got through to a human. I explained that the existing VM cable came into Mum's living room behind her TV but her phone sits about 15 feet away on a table in the hall. I was initially told that the phone would need to be moved into the living room but I explained that Mum didn't want that and couldn't the installer just run a cable from the hub under the carpet to the hall table. I was told that this wouldn't be a problem. I also checked that this would just be the installation of the hub and the actual switch to VOIP wouldn't take place for a while. I was assured that this was the case. Before I finished the call I asked the lady if I could just double check that the requirement to have a cable running from the hub to the hallway had been recorded because....and I quote....."I don't want an engineer turning up on the day only to scratch his chin and say 'Sorry Mrs, I can't do that.'". I was told that everything had been noted and would be passed on. Lovely.

Fast forward to today. The engineer turned up, scratched his chin and said "Sorry Mrs, I can't do that." I spoke with the guy over the phone and found that there was no option but to have the phone in the living room. He also informed me that what I'd been told was incorrect and that the actual switch to VOIP would be made today and not at a later date. So what was the point of me taking the time to call and specifically ask about keeping the phone in the hallway as Mum wanted? I thought I'd lodge a complaint and find out......

Part 2
I logged into Mum's online account - I have her authority to manage her account - and found the option to make a complaint. However, when I selected it, I was given a 404 error and the jocular "Oops! Something went wrong" message. Super. So, I tried the Chat option and have now disappeared into a world of annoyance. After going through the annoying autobot process and being directed to continue the chat on WhatsApp, I then waited 20-30 minutes before my complaint report was picked up. 

There appears to be a weird time delay between me posting a message and receiving a reply. As we speak, that session is still open and we're now over the 3 hour mark. Ridiculous!! In short, the guy won't tell me why my installation instructions were ignored. I have asked if they were actually recorded as I'd been told but he won't tell me that either. All I've had so far is a promise that the issue with be reported to the 'back office team' and it won't happen again. As this hub installation is hopefully a one-off, I don't find that a great comfort and I don't see why the reason for this farce has to remain an internal matter. He's offered my Mum a one-month credit on her account (which I've gratefully accepted) but as for why the problem occurred in the first place - no explanation at all. I took the installer's call at about 11am and it's now gone 3.30pm - I am not happy.

As for why I can't open a complaint via the website, he told me that he'd confirmed that it was working and maybe it's my browser. So, I tried a different browser and even a different PC but still no joy. After I posted this information back, he told me that it was a known problem and it was down to an 'upgrade issue'. What the.....??!

I now wish to open a complaint about how this complaint has been dealt with. I've told him that but that weird WhatsApp time delay has appeared again and it's 10 minutes plus between responses and the poor fella just doesn't understand my point.

It's quite simple - how do I lodge a formal complaint about VM's dreadful complaints system? If I offered this level of service to my clients, I'd get fired pronto. If anyone can help me with that, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks

[goslow]

A sorry story but one which is oft-repeated on here. Regarding your mother's phone extension, that should be completed free of charge as part of the switchover process (linking the phone socket on the back of the hub to an existing extension or providing one in the required location). See

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/home-phone/virginphone/switchover

You’ll need to book a free technician visit if:

You’ve got connected devices such as a burglar alarm linked to a control centre, use a telecare device, or have other phones connected to extension sockets. You’ll need to contact your provider and let them know about the switch if you have any of these to make sure they’re compatible with a fibre service

Your Hub and phone can’t be placed near each other

The part where this often seems to go wrong is making sure the VM technician has enough time to do the work and is aware it needs doing as part of the switchover. On some past topics the switchover has happened first then the extension work has followed as a separate visit.

There could possibly be some genuine reason a connection to the hall might not be possible but I would guess the VM tech wasn't expecting to do this (or possibly didn't know how or have the right parts) and has just come up with his own excuse in order to leave.

You have taken all the right steps to have the work done but it has been bungled by the VM system/phone support in not booking the work properly.

Hopefully the VM forum team can rescue this for you and sort out the connection of the extension socket for your mother. Someone should reply here within a day or two.