Virgin Media Community

[tangotonyb]

OK - I have had substandard Broadband service for a while now.

I originally started having a problem on 20th May - I completely lost internet connectivity. Rang up, engineer booked for 21st. Evening of the 20th service resumed again so I cancelled the engineer.

Issue not resolved however, had intermittent access during the following week and then lost it completely on 28th. Rang up again, during the first call, the service returned, but then went again, so called again and this time a new box was ordered for me.

31st May new box arrives - doesn't work. Rang technical support - they arranged an engineer. Service resumed later in the day, so I cancelled engineer.

25th June - I didn't have time to mess for the start of June, but my internet connection was awful - constantly dropping for periods of time. Rang up again on the 25th and booked an engineer.

2nd July - Engineer arrives and announces issue fixed
It wasn't
5th July - rang again - 1st call was told it was fixed. Had to ring back later as it wasn't, and another engineer booked.
8th July - engineer comes out again, does lots more work, reports issue may be fixed, although may need a new line in to the property from the street box.
10th July - reported issue still not fixed and asked about the new line - told an appointment was already made for 2 weeks time for this work. I asked how they could possibly do the part in my garden unless I'd been notified of the appointment and was told they'd call me.

It's now 16th July- I haven't heard anything more about this work. My internet is still up and down - on a weekend and evening it's fine, but during the week, especially the morning, the connection only lasts about 5 mins at a time. Each time, it takes about 1 min to come back. As things stand, I'm unable to work from home as a loss of connection causes all sorts of issues.

I would like to know what Virgin are going to do about it, and what compensation I am going to be paid for a non-working service.

[jbrennand]

You said they have made an appointment for two weeks time from 10 July to put in a new line - I am guessing that is what they are going to do about it. I would just call back to check the appointment is actually made, or a VM person monitoring this thread sould be able to check for you.
Your presence wont actually be "needed" for them to do the cabling work as its ll external, but with the track record of some of VM's subcontractors who do this, I think it would be wise if you were there. They should schedule a technician to balance the connection internally though.
Re. compensation, you wont be eligible for the new "Ofcom" derived scheme as you do not have total loss of service. They may however offer a "gesture of goodwill" of course.

[Tom_S]

Hi tangotonyb,

In regards to what we're going to be doing to help you fix this @jbrennand is indeed correct that if we've arranged a repull of the cabling into your property, that is what we're doing to fix it for you.

It may be the case that we may offer some goodwill due to the issues you've experienced, however if you're experiencing faults with the service we always recommend keeping the appointment in place unless the services have been working for you uninterrupted for a prolonged period of time.

If you're wanting an update on any work that has been scheduled for you and you've not called in to get this let us know and we can drop you a PM to check this.

You should also be able to view any fault appointments arranged for you through your online account. MyVM Appointments

Thanks,

Tom_S

[tangotonyb]

I had had good consistent service for many years until the first issue arose. 
When the service appeared to go ok again, I cancelled the appointment rather than take a morning off work unecessarily.

The SECOND time I cancelled was because I assumed the issues I'd had were due to the new box being set up properly.

Since then (early June), I've realised it's an ongoing problem which I reported on the 25th - since then I have done everything according to the advice I have been given by your technical team and the visiting engineers. The link you have sent me shows no appointments. I have NOT been informed of an appointment - all I know is that the last person at VM I spoke to mentioned that the last engineer to visit me had raised a job to have that the cable replaced - the job is not connected to my account though it seems. 

Anyway I STILL CANNOT understand how they can change the cable in my garden without me being home and in order for me TO BE HOME, surely you'd make an appointment with ME?? My garden is enclosed, there is no access except via a padlocked gate, yet you are the third VM representative now to poo-poo me when I mention this as an issue - the person on the last phone call told me it had nothing to do with me!

I also want to know what happens next - I strongly suspect that changing the cable won't actually resolve things. I'm certainly unwilling to continue paying for a service that is totally substandard and forces me to use my Mobile phone's data allowance every time I need a stable connection for work!

[Dean_C]

Thanks for the reply tangotonyb, 

I'm very sorry for any frustration this matter has caused and rest assured the cable re-pull we have agreed to carry out will resolve the issue. 

I have also sent you a private message so I can check your account to confirm when this work will be carried out. 

Thanks, 

Dean C 

[tangotonyb]

"rest assured the cable re-pull we have agreed to carry out will resolve the issue. "

Can you read?

Let me try again in blunt English because it appears I'm not getting through.

How the **bleep** are your engineers gong to be able to replace a cable that runs through a locked garden without me being there?

[jbrennand]

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@tangotonyb wrote:

Let me try again in blunt English because it appears I'm not getting through.

How the **bleep** are your engineers gong to be able to replace a cable that runs through a locked garden without me being there?

---

They are subcontractors, so they will just cut the lock off or climb over

[chenks]

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@tangotonyb wrote:

"rest assured the cable re-pull we have agreed to carry out will resolve the issue. "

Can you read?

Let me try again in blunt English because it appears I'm not getting through.

How the **bleep** are your engineers gong to be able to replace a cable that runs through a locked garden without me being there?

---

unless the cable runs overground then they shouldn't need access to the locked garden, the re-pull will take place via the ducts.
besides unless the garden is like fort knox then i'm sure access can be easily gained.

[Roger_Gooner]

The cable repull team will leave coiled cable outsdie the property for the technician to install.

[tangotonyb]

1. Yes it's like fort knox. they could possibly climb over the gate if they can find something to stand on, but it's a 7ft high gate!. The fences, also 7ft high, are topped with a thick growth of pyracantha which even the local cats avoid.

2. There is no technician booked. VM have scoffed at me when I've tried to point out that  their plan will not work, but they insist it will.

3. If they "leave the cable coiled", then that means they will cut me off until VM arrange an appointment with a new engineer to come out and join things up. That is NOT how things should be done.

If I didn't need the internet so much, I'd be laughing - it's a total comedy - anyone remember That's Life - this is so the sort of tale they used to love to narrate!