Poor comms during loss of service

[PVJ]

Coinciding with a letter notifying of an above inflation price rise just a few days prior, we recently experienced a full loss of internet - and a shocking lack of communication from VM.

We noticed internet access had gone down in the early hours of Tuesday morning and after running tests and speaking to a neighbour also with VM (who had also lost service), we reported the issue Tuesday morning. An engineer visited the following day - seemingly unnecessarily changed the router, said there was “noise on the cable” and after phone calls identified that there was a fault on the box in the road, which another engineer would have to come out to look at (as he couldn’t). We were left without internet and no alternative (like a mobile hotspot) available, but was told the engineer would attend the following day (Thursday).

We then never heard from VM again. 

After another 30 mins call again on Saturday AM (when I was able to call back), I was told the engineer couldn’t have booked the second call out as they are unable to authorise it! I was told someone would visit on Monday morning. No one visited, no one called, no messages received - but somehow internet coverage returned on Sunday afternoon. 

I have reported issues regarding a lack of communication before - is this poor communication level really standard procedure from VM?

Can a member of the VM team confirm that automatic compensation will be applied to my account for a full loss of service?

I would also like to ensure I am not charged for the booster pods for the remainder of my contract. These were originally given free of charge, but are now going to be chargeable. I really don’t want to wait on a phone call again to do this!

[PVJ]

And the internet is down again! Unable to book an engineer to visit tomorrow, so will be without internet until Thursday when I can wait in for an engineer to visit.

I’ve found the support team here helpful previously - so would appreciate it someone can review and get in touch. Thanks 

[jbrennand]

If you got service back it may well have been a known issue which was repaired.   Did you check for that in the two places that VM normally use to communicate these issues ?

1) Try the “check service,”Area status webpage (https://www.virginmedia.com/help/service-status)

2) Then 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 and fix estimates, down to street cab/ postcode level.

The "compensation "timer" can also be started on this number if appropriate.  See this...

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/automat...
https://www.virginmedia.com/help/automatic-compensation
https://store.virginmedia.com/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-fibre-optic-services/automati...

Re Pod charges... they are only free to customers on the 1GB,, Volt (or old Ultimate Oomph) packages - is that you?   VM Wifi is now “guaranteed” to 30 Mbps/room it’s now called… Wifi Max
See if anything in here helps….

https://www.virginmedia.com/wifi-max

[PVJ]

Hi John,

Yes I always check the Status Checker and try to self-repair through resets etc whenever there’s a problem. The Status Checker was incorrect - claiming there was a TV issue but no broadband issues, when the situation was the opposite.

I’ve just had to make another 30 mins phone call to be told what I already knew, an engineer can’t visit today and a supervisor “should” call me back - with no SLA to when I should expect a call.

Hopefully a member of the VM a team can help out. I’ve found them much more useful in the past than the call centre.

[jbrennand]

Do you have any connectivity at all?  If so, whilst waiting for VM on here,  post up the upstream/downstream data from the Hub as shown in dozens of other posts on here - and see if we can spot an issue that clearly needs a Tech visit to fix.

[nodrogd]

Oh dear!
Sounds like a dreaded SNR fault, something that is unique to cable Broadband. Most of VMs network is Hybrid Fibre Coaxial using a huge chunk of radio spectrum. Issues with wiring or equipment (sometimes caused by customers doing unauthorised alterations to the network) can cause noise to leak in & disrupt the service. This disruption can be constant or intermittent depending what it is caused by (broadcast services or mobile phone use for instance). Some of these will not show up on network monitoring equipment, so will not trigger fault reporting. If an SNR fault is found that is not equipment related it then requires every single line in the network segment (up to around 2000) to be tested until the offending line is found & fixed. If this is on a customers property then access has to be arranged etc.

I can only say best of luck in getting it fixed quickly, if that’s what it is.

[Waseemmm89]

Good luck with the compensation buddy, if it was more 48 hours or more then probably. Its like talking to brick wall with VM. They would rather send the same engineers out than fix the actual problem. 

As for the engineer not able to come out again as they themselves can't authorise it is a lie. One of my engineers left his number, I messaged him that I was still having issues. He turned up the next day... and I didn't even call VM for them to authorise it!

Customer service is abysmal, you have more chance sorting things on here than on the phone, if you do phone call in the morning you might get through to a UK call centre. Even the engineers that were coming to my house were like VM can send 1000 of us but we can't fix this issue as there is nothing here to fix. The network team need to fix things at the exchange. 

Well anyway I hope you have better luck then me.

[PVJ]

Thank you all for the responses - just seen these after a working day from the coffee shop!

Sadly, whilst my mobile and laptop show as connected to the internet - no data is being transmitted. Whilst the neighbour’s internet went down the first time, they haven’t the previous times. Does this suggest an issue with the wiring into my property? Nothing has been changed by ourselves since the last outage when an engineer visited.

[Gareth_L]

Hello PVJ.

Thank you very much for your post.
Can I just apologise for loss of service
We can run a few tests from here and check on your equipment.
Sadly it's not showing anything wrong, So I will need to send you a private message to gain account access and run further tests.
If you can check the logo top right of your screen that would be great. 
Regards     
Gareth_L
 

[Gareth_L]

Hello Paul.

This is great news to hear.

I did receive an email just after I sent my last reply saying an engineer had been around and fixed the issue. What I have done is raise a new complaint (C-230324245)

That way I can work out the money due back for loss of service.

I will also remove the Pods for you.

Although looking at credit is is due to run for the duration of your contract.

So it's up to you if you feel the need to keep them?

I am only in for a short while today and will have an answer regarding the credit on Monday, if that is okay?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Gareth_L