Appalling customer service for renewals and faults

[astoncj]

1.  Our router has had a red light on it for weeks and our mesh network has stopped working.  Wifi is dire.  According to VM website, the red light indicates the router is overheating.  Followed all the steps to resolve and still have red light.  Then did the recommended factory reset of router and still have red light.  Contacted tech support to be told there is a known broadband issue in our area and that is why we have a red light (so not the over heating stated on VM website).  However, when I check our broadband status it states there are no issues.  Our neighbour is also on VM and not having issues.  I was told via WhatsApp support that it would magically be back to a solid white light this morning and it isn't.

2.  Our contract is up for renewal.  Struggling to get clarity from anyone in customer service, retentions etc.  I have complained about misrepresentation of packages when they say all our current channels are included when this is not the case.  First they said no film channels and no TNT and now, no TNT but keep saying channels are the same.  They then say our current bundle no longer exists and offer me a different bundle but cannot tell me what channels are included (but reassure me it's the same as existing channels) so when I ask if that includes movies and TNT, I'm told that's another £18 please!  I have downloaded the channel list from VM website for May 2024 and the bundle they have offered me is not on there.  However, my existing bundle for current contract is on the channel list  and it includes TNT.  So how can they say my channel package would be the same then tell me TNT is not included.  They are very quick to ask you to commit with no transparency.  I'm going to cancel VM altogether and file an external complaint about their lack of transparency when trying to sign you up to a contract and their misleading, pressurised sales tactics.  

3.  My father-in-law renewed his VM contract on 2nd May 24 - he has been offered significantly more in a bundle from VM for £78.  We however, have been offered significantly less for anything ranging from £99 upwards.  I have asked for an explanation of why two existing customers cannot get the same deal and nobody can give me an answer.  I have also asked for an explanation of their pricing structure to account for such differences in what is being offered and again nobody can answer.  

It's all smoke and mirrors with VM at the moment and sadly after many years, the only thing to do is cancel and file a complaint with Ofcom.

[japitts]

Post moved from the TV360 section of the forum.

1: I believe the red-light on a Hub is indicative of a fault, but others more familiar will know for sure. Staff should pick this up.

2: What TV tier are you on now? TNT is inclusive on the legacy Maxit tier, but is now a premium add-on for all packages - this is the only difference between Maxit & Mega. I presume by "movies" you refer to Sky Cinema, which has always been a premium add-on, except where a bundle specifically includes said add-on.

"I have downloaded the channel list from VM website for May 2024 and the bundle they have offered me is not on there" - what TV tier have you been offered? The broadband speed, TV tier & landline-tier all make up the bundle you have.

3: Differential pricing for different customers/postcodes has always existed, and not just in telecoms/broadband provision. An analogy would be two passengers in identical seats on the same flight, and they could be paying wildly different amounts.

In VM's case, local competition in broadband can directly impact the pricing & discounts offered. And that's just one factor.

[astoncj]

I'm on Maxit tier.  When I asked if I would get all my current channels they said yes.  I asked for a channel list so I could check this.  They then said well all channels except any film channels (not Sky Cinema which I know is an add on) and not TNT.  

They have offered me the Bigger Bundle but cannot tell me what the channels are for bigger bundle.  It's hard work trying to get a straight answer from anyone.

As for the router - that's anyone's guess.  Tech support insisted I would wake up to a solid white light this morning and I have not.  It's exhausting and time consuming dealing with VM at the moment.

I'm not buying the explanation on prices and discounts as the disparity is so huge, it is highly unfair.  

[japitts]

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@astoncj wrote:

I'm on Maxit tier.  ...I asked for a channel list so I could check this.  They then said well all channels except any film channels (not Sky Cinema which I know is an add on) and not TNT.  

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A channel list is at the bottom of ... https://www.virginmedia.com/virgin-tv-edit/tips-and-tricks/virgin-tv-channel-guide 

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@astoncj wrote:

They have offered me the Bigger Bundle but cannot tell me what the channels are for bigger bundle.  It's hard work trying to get a straight answer from anyone.

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You won't get much disagreement on the marketing piece, but I'm pretty sure that "Bigger Bundle" includes Mega as the TV tier.

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@astoncj wrote:

I'm not buying the explanation on prices and discounts as the disparity is so huge, it is highly unfair.

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It may be unfair, but that doesn't make it impossible. Say two people were on the same flight together, and one had a 50% reduction for booking early, the other passenger missed the deadline so paid full price.

Is that also unfair?

[Alex_RM]

Hi astoncj,

Thanks for posting and welcome to our community 😊

Sorry to hear you've had some issues with the, this is something I'll need to arrange an engineer visit for so I've popped you over a private message.

Alex_Rm

[astoncj]

Thanks for the channel list.  I had already found this.  However, I still don't know 100 pct which channels are in the bigger bundle. Appreciate you are pretty sure but that's not guaranteed is it?

As for comparing the pricing to an airline, I thought Virgin Media was better than that and if this is how they operate, why are these deals not openly available to all those looking for a deal on a given date.  Both myself and my in-laws enquired on the same day and he got preferential rates.  Not transparent at all.

[astoncj]

I'll reply privately.