Can't connect to London Underground WiFi

[petenice]

I've been connecting to Virgin Media's London Underground WiFi as a Vodafone customer for a few years. It seems that Vodafone are no longer supporting this. I can now login using my Virgin Media login details but it gives me an error each time I try and I end up in a perpetual loop. 

Anyone else experiencing the same issue?

 

[petenice]

Can a member of VM staff explain to me why I can't communicate with the person dealing with my complaint? What am I supposed to do if I get cut off and no one calls me back? Just wait another 5 days until someone calls me back?

Is that what you call efficiently dealing with my complaint?

[Paul_DN]

Hi petenice,

Thank you for coming back to me, I am sorry for any delay in answering I was waiting for further help, please see the answer I received below?

To use the LU WiFi our customers should download the Connect app which will configure their Android or iOS device for use with hotspots on the Underground (along with the other hotspots). Doing this also means they use the secure WiFi network rather than the open version which generates the page below.

However, there is a known issue with Android 11 devices which is being investigated. This currently prevents those devices from working for our WiFi hotspots. This is logged with IT.

Customer page for the app is here https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/virgin-media-connect-app

If the customers had a Virgin Mobile SIM then there is a connection method that’s similar to the way they’re used to with the other networks, as described here

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/sim-based-wifi-eap-profile-settings

Unfortunately this is currently part of the known issue that I mentioned on my last response with Android 11, and it is being looked at.

However as they are wanting to use their My Virgin Media broadband details to get on to the LU WiFi, then we have no way of doing the SIM authentication, which is why we advise customers to use the Connect app to authorise their devices using those details.

I don’t know why that help page still recommends the older connection option as that’s not been the recommended one for years now.

I hope this helps.

kind regards

Paul.

[petenice]

Haha so your solution is to not fix the portal login issue - but tell me to use the Connect app that doesn't work with Android 11 which my phone is running?

So no solution then.

How about you get your team to fix the portal login issue - then I can login the same way I have for the last 4 years.

[Paul_DN]

As advised there is a I T ticket logged to get this issue with Android 11 which will then allow you to use the service , in the mean time I can only apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Regards

Paul.

[petenice]

Paul you can't keep ignoring the portal login issue and I'm going to keep hammering away at this and I'll just keep continuing to make complaints until you address it - what does it say on your own website about connecting:

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-how-to-connect-to-london-underground

EE & O2 can use the portal to login. There is also an option for VM customers - please explain why the other providers can use the portal but VM customers can't.

[Paul_DN]

Hi Petenice,

Thanks for coming back to me, as advised in the reply's, all customers should now be using the connect app and not the portal. We have not recommended the portal for a years now and is being phased out, apologies if this is still showing online this has been fed back.

Regards

Paul.

[petenice]

But EE & O2 customers still use the portal? If you're suggesting that this is the only way we can connect I would suggest you remove the Virgin icon from the portal and change the information on your website:

[BenMcr]

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@petenice wrote:

But EE & O2 customers still use the portal? If you're suggesting that this is the only way we can connect I would suggest you remove the Virgin icon from the portal and change the information on your website:

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Both EE and O2 are moving away from using the portal. They both now use a similar connection method that uses SIM authentication in the same way that Vodafone did. EE don't mention the portal at all on their website now so it will likely disappear from the portal soon. O2 do but only as a backup to their other option which seems to be firmware based alongside the SIM authentication.

The SIM authentication option is available for Virgin Mobile customers (excluding the temporary issue with Android 11), but isn't possible for Virgin Fibre customers. That's why the Connect app is used instead, it provides the authentication required.

All SIM authentication based connections for the London Underground WiFi use secure WiFi connections, as does using the Connect app to configure your device. The 'Virgin Media WiFi' network is an open public WiFi network.

[petenice]

So it's only taken 4 weeks for someone to explain the reason why - that's all I wanted to know - except no one who works for VM could explain why the portal doesn't work when logging in as a Broadband customer.

Please do explain to me though - why is there an option to log in as a Broadband Customer on the portal if it's not possible as it requires SIM authentication?

[BenMcr]

When the WiFi service was first launched on the Underground, the portal was the only way for everyone to connect, and that was to the open public WiFi network, same as you get in pubs and shops.

Since that initial launch, Virgin Media introduced a secure WiFi network for their own customers, and other networks did the same (apart from Three). This moved them away from using the portal.

For EE and O2 (and Vodafone), they use a SIM based authentication option for it. As did Vodafone before they stopped their service.

Virgin Media use the Connect app as the recommended option, as this not only sets up your device for the London Underground, but also covers the Hub based hotspots around the UK, some UK airports, the Glasgow Subway and similar WiFi networks run by Liberty Global companies in the EU. For customers with Virgin Fibre, the Connect app also allow management of the home WiFi too.

For Virgin Mobile customers who can't or don't want to use the Connect app, there is still the SIM authentication option. This is called EAP-AKA. As this relies on the SIM to work, it is impossible for Virgin Fibre only authentication - which is why the Connect app is the recommended option.

Personally when I visit London I've usually got my device set up with the Connect app, so I've not attempted to use the portal for years and have no idea what the current issues with it could be.

One of the reasons portal is still around though is that it's needed for the PAYG service for visitors who don't have a UK SIM or Virgin Fibre.