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How to talk to a human VM email doesn't work and the phone either cuts out or breaks up

DEP890606
Joining in

Our broadband has been cutting out several times a day since February. Phoned VM several times that month to try to get an engineer out to check our system. I'd tried all the online remedies many times. Finally spoke to somebody who after an hour fobbing me off with the usual stuff (difficult to try again as our broadband wasn't working), he got his manager to agree to arrange an engineer to call. The manager was due to phone back to fix a time, but it never happened.

Then learnt broadband outage was a general problem in parts of St Albans. Our MP wrote to the CEO about it and there was talk of compensation. (We’ve heard nothing more about compensation, of course). Maybe this was why the engineer’s call never happened.

Since February almost every road in St Albans seems to have been dug up and new cables laid. Some of the vehicles were VM’s, so we assumed that our broadband service would improve.  It never did. Then a letter from VM said broadband in our area was going to be upgraded last Thursday and that we might experience some loss of service before 4pm. We were away on Thursday, but since then the intermittent outages have continued. Did the upgrade happen, or has it been delayed due to Covid self-isolations?

I used the message service yesterday but only had a “conversation” with a bot which went round in circles. I was instructed to check my service status (as I have done several times since February): this said that broadband service was fine, but when I moved on to test the WiFi performance of our equipment it said “something’s gone wrong – go back to service status”. The bot instructed me to repeat the test, which I did several times with the same result. I’ve also gone round that circuit twice more this morning.

I downloaded VM Connect, which told me that our broadband is GREAT and so is the connection to WiFi in our kitchen, where we use it a lot and experience the same outages as in the rest of the flat. In the study, our connection is apparently poor. I used the app to optimise the connection there, and was then told that I’ve connected to our home network via an unrecognised access point and should connect to our WiFi booster. I don’t know how to do that, as it didn’t seem possible to scan the booster, which wasn’t supplied by VM. The difference in WFi quality between the kitchen and study is surprising, as the connection in the study is equally unreliable in both (and in the bedrooms and hall). 

The last straw was when I tried to email and was told regularly over the last five hours to retry in an hour, and then phoned 150 as advised only to find the line breaking up so badly that the message from VM end was incomprehensible. Rang 0333 000 3331 and was cut off while going through the menu of options. Tried both many times without success. The line was perfectly clear until I was put through to one of the VM team and it broke up again. No problems with calls to anyone else. 

Unless this gets sorted out very quickly I’m going to give up on VM and find another service provider.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
You cannot contact VM by eMail

Have you checked first for “known network faults”

As well as trying the “check service,” Area status webpage" (link at top right of this forum), also try the “free & automated” Service Status number - 0800 561 0061 - which usually gives the most up to date info. and tells you of more local issues down to postcode level. These may not be listed on the Area Status web page (Areas are not “Geographic” they are billing areas) as that usually only covers faults affecting 1000’s of customers) so phone may give you more info, but even that wont cover problems affecting just a few customers.

If nothing shows on there, try calling it in as a fault (free on 150 VM line - or 0345 454 1111 others - national rate) and see what they say when they test your connection. If they say it’s a known fault, get a fault reference number – n.b.- the UK call centre is still picking up and calling at 08.00 (Mon-Sat) or 09.00 (Sun) gives the best chance of getting through quickly.

Or, a VM person should pick this thread up and be able to help but it can take a few days.

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John
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I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

16 REPLIES 16

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
You cannot contact VM by eMail

Have you checked first for “known network faults”

As well as trying the “check service,” Area status webpage" (link at top right of this forum), also try the “free & automated” Service Status number - 0800 561 0061 - which usually gives the most up to date info. and tells you of more local issues down to postcode level. These may not be listed on the Area Status web page (Areas are not “Geographic” they are billing areas) as that usually only covers faults affecting 1000’s of customers) so phone may give you more info, but even that wont cover problems affecting just a few customers.

If nothing shows on there, try calling it in as a fault (free on 150 VM line - or 0345 454 1111 others - national rate) and see what they say when they test your connection. If they say it’s a known fault, get a fault reference number – n.b.- the UK call centre is still picking up and calling at 08.00 (Mon-Sat) or 09.00 (Sun) gives the best chance of getting through quickly.

Or, a VM person should pick this thread up and be able to help but it can take a few days.

--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Thanks. I'd previously tried everything except the 0800 number. I've rung that now, and they say there are no broadband problems in our area. I'll ring it again next time we lose our connection, and see what happens then.

I note that a number of other posters are reporting intermittent loss of broadband.

Can you post your Hub status and logs?
Someone should be spot if there is a problem
Navigate to http://192.168.0.1 (or http://192.168.100.1 - if in modem mode)
Don't log in!
Click on 'router status'
Copy/paste the data from each of the tabs. The forum software will remove the MAC addresses for you (you may need to click the 'post' button again).

Also, set up a 'Broadband Quality Monitor'. This will monitor the state of your connection and record any network dropouts etc - You can do this at ThinkBroadband (https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality)
Give it a while to gather data and then click 'Share Live graph' and paste the 'Direct Link' into the forum!



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Hub 3 - Modem Mode - TP-Link Archer C7

Hi DEP890606,

 

Thank you for your post an welcome to the community. 

 

I'm very sorry to hear about the issue you've been having with your broadband service. 

 

I have been able to locate your account and run some tests. 

 

Can you confirm for me if this affecting both a Wired & Wireless connection?

 

Can you also confirm if your hub is: 

 

  • Out in the open
  • Next to the TV not behind it
  • Away from large bodies of water (e.g. fish tanks)
  • Away from baby monitors and cordless phones
  • Away from microwaves

^Martin

 

The wired TV works fine; all the broadband connections are wireless, and all start and stop working at the same time.

The hub is in the open and on a shelf, with nothing blocking it. No water, cordless phones or microwaves anywhere near it.

David 

Thank you for that information. 

 

Do you any computer or laptop you can connect to the hub via a Wired connection to test the connection? 

 

On the WiFi connection does it show as 1 connection or 2?

 

^Martin

We've had a thorough hunt around and can't find a cable that fits the hub.

When you got the hub you would have been provided with an Ethernet Cable. Is this what is connected to the Tv?

 

^Martin

At the risk of sounding like an idiot - or being one - I have to say that our VM equipment, Sonos and booster were all installed by other people and the wiring is a complete mess. Not helped by the connection to the TV running through a wall. I've arranged for somebody (not from VM) to come and sort out our wiring on 3 August, so if connecting a laptop to the hub is a necessary step we'll have to leave it until after that.

Thanks for your help anyway,

David