Virgin Media Community

[Salty1]

I was advised by VM that a new SIMs on my VM account will be issued and that current SIMs will be disconnected within 14 days of new SIMs issue date.  I called the call centre and asked for this not to happen as we are on extended vacation outside the UK.  I had assurances that my request would be carried out.  Woke up this morning and my wife's SIM has no service!!  Just phoned the call centre and they can only apologise that only my SIM replacement was cancelled and not my wife's one too albeit both SIMs are on the same account.  We are abroad (outside the UK) for an extended vacation period and my wife has no access to her mobile banking account which also needs her phone number to work to verify certain bank transactions with an SMS code.  Not good enough VM!!  Have lodged a formal complaint but I need an activated replacement SIM for my wife couriered to our current locastion. 

[Zach_R]

Hi @Salty1,

Thank you for your post and welcome back to our community forums. We're here to help.

I am so sorry to hear that there's been a complication with your replacement SIM cards. We can get some new replacements sent out, but we can only issue these out to a UK address. If you need them sending to a different address outside of the UK then you would need to arrange that with someone yourself once it arrives at a UK address.

Along with this, they can only be activated whilst they're connected to a UK mobile network mast, so whoever they're sent to in the UK would also need to activate them for you before then posting them over to your location.

Is this something that would be possible? If so, let me know and I'll send you a private message to get some details from you and get this arranged ASAP.

Thanks,

 

[Salty1]

Why should I have to go to the trouble to get the SIM sent out to me via someone in the UK. This is a problem that has been created solely by VM and should be resolved solely by VM. A new SIM should be pre activated and sent by courier direct to me at my current address abroad.  VM created this unacceptable problem and VM should rectify it with minimal inconvenience and no cost to me.

[Beth_G]

Hi Salty1,

I do completely appreciate your frustration with this, however I'm afraid that we are unable to send deliveries to a non-UK address. We'd be able to send out the SIM pre activated if needed, but only to a UK address.

We regularly update our services and equipment to ensure that we're providing our customers with the best service. We've been rolling out a few updates to our mobile service recently which required some customers to have a new SIM sent out. We'll always do all we can to avoid having new equipment sent out as we appreciate it can sometimes cause an inconvenience, however it would have been necessary on this occasion.

[Salty1]

• Sorry Beth, you are wrong. It was not absolutely necessary on this occasion and the VM call centre told me that this upgrade rollout could wait until I am back in the UK and that's why they said they would cancel the new SIMs for my number and my wife's and therefore avoid the disconnection whilst we are in extended vacation. This worked for my number but didn't for my wife's number and now she cannot perform certain online banking functions. Not good enough VM. I registered a formal complaint with the call centre on Tuesday afternoon and they said that the complaints department would call me within 24 hours but so far no call and it's almost 48 hours now!  Port service and massive inconvenience which is marring our vacation.  

[Hayley_S]

I am sorry for the inconvenience @Salty1.

The complaint will be actioned as soon as possible.

We are unable to send SIMs to a non UK address, Beth is correct with the information she has given to you.

I understand your frustration, but we are limited to what we can do about this with you being out of the UK at the moment. 

Many thanks,

[Salty1]

Hi Hayley. I'm sorry Beth is incorrect when she says,

"We'll always do all we can to avoid having new equipment sent out as we appreciate it can sometimes cause an inconvenience, however it would have been necessary on this occasion."

As I explained this was not necessary on this occasion having spoken to the call centre they said the update could wait and therefore cancelling of the SIMs sending out would have been possible as it was with my phone number but they made the mistake and didn't cancel the SIM update on my wife's therefore she has no telephone or data service this is unacceptable.

[Hayley_S]

I do not wish to go back and forth with what Beth has said, I am here to help you where I can @Salty1.

Are you both back in the UK now? Is your wife's phone connected to your mobile account with us? We can send a new SIM out to your UK address if you need one, due to the error that has been made.

Please let me know.