This post is to make community aware !!! Stay away from Virgin Media !!!
Long story short (as short as possible): I wanted to unblock port 44158 on my router to be able to use Hellium miner, also wanted to be able to unblock different ports (some gaming server for my child). Obviously it didn't work despite following correct procedure (have done it many times before with different ISP's). I have tried everything including buying new 3rd party router and switching VM router to "modem mode". Still no luck. So I decided to contact VM customer service via phone. This was a nightmare. Hours on the phone with 5 or 6 different reps among few days. First of all : none of them could speak clear English (yes, we all know about abroad customer service but I was with SKY for 11 years and they have as well reps with Asian background - the difference is that SKY reps can speak English - I am not English myself, so don't have any issue with people of a different nationality). Also none of them knew what "port forwarding" is !! Not even tech team !!! One of their geniuses advise to "connect the cable to next port on my router" ??!!! Probably he assumed that mentioned port is physical and I have a router with over 44000 ports on the back (router from his mind would be size of a lorry). Obviously despite explaining myself many times I still had to repeat all from the beginning to next rep I was transferred to. Waiting time ....... you can imagine, probably over 2h only "on hold". One of them finally decided to appoint engineer for me, I was waiting half of the Saturday for mentioned guy who never turned up (later another ace confirmed that his friend rep done this incorrectly, so I wasted half of Saturday). Another day, another call and again engineer visit booked (it was strange to me as engineer normally deals with infrastructure issue not "server issue" but ok, I let them to try). In the mean time I was advised to contact paid service "Geek Team" to sort out issue. Which I have, some guy from them remotely connected to my pc and done exactly same thing I was doing before (with my help as he didn't know where that option on the router is !!?? Probably he was following some manual). He advised that he can't help as it's VM issue and I have to call VM customer service. So decided to wait for engineer to see what's going to happened. Guy who turned up was friendly and had knowledge about infrastructure but not about "port forwarding" (as expected). He advised, that is nothing to do with him and my signal is ok. He also changed the router for me to see if that will help (HUB 4 TO HUB5). Obviously it didn't (since is not working even on "modem mode" new router won't change anything). Engineer was really sorry and said that probably not many can be done as : "VM customer service is useless, he has heard loads of complaints and he is having problem calling them on engineer line as well" I was shocked finding out that I won't get any help as they are clueless, all that said by their technician 😞 I don't like giving up so decided to write formal complaint. I have described all my problems (port forwarding, time wasted, useless, lying and clueless reps etc.). Day after submitting my complaint I have received phone call, finally someone with proper English (rep named Jack or Jake) another apologies and another promise. He said that he came across this problem before and he will pass it to team, who will solve it once for all. He asked for up to 72h patience as they are busy. As you can imagine nothing happened since (he rang on 7th or 8th of Feb now is 29th), no.... sorry one thing happened: there is no sign of my complaint anymore, has been closed and deleted from my acc !!!! (Luckily got a ref number, email confirmation and print screen as a proof). Port forwarding is not working, time wasted on the phone and online, I am ignored but that's not all. One of their rep (would love to call him an idiot but it might be offensive to idiots) decided to add some premium services to my plan (just discovered on the newest bill), he switched on some paid addon for £9.99 a month, plus some charge for changes to my plan £6.33. Never asked for any additional service, not sure if that is a revenge from one of them or their poor English (maybe instead of fixing my "port forwarding" they understood "I want new addon" - of course joking as nothing else I can do 😞
I have submitted another complaint today, no hopes but need to be able to prove Ombudsman OFCOM that I've tried everything. I don't thing I can solve this problem without OMBUDSMAN help.
To everyone who came across this post : STAY AWAY FROM VIRGIN MEDIA, go to different ISP might be bit more per month but is worth it !!!! SKY, BT etc - they have customer reps who knows what they doing, they speak English and willing to help - don't waste your time!! Maybe your broadband works fine today but one day it might not and then I feel sorry for you!
There is only one world to describe it : PATHETIC
