Why is the Helpdesk so secretive?

[Mike5555]

Why is it so hard to get information out of VM when there's a system outage?!?

Our Internet and TV service have been down since 10:30pm last night. It's now 14:30 and if you believe the service status on the website there's no issue!!

To get an update you have to phone the helpline, who then have to put you through to the second line team as they're the only team who can see what's going on. They were able to tell me that underground cables have been damaged somehow and it should be fixed by the end of the day.

Now why can't that info be put on the service status website?!? Instead people are relying on facebook groups to share information and on more than one occaision people have been told different things. One version of the truth is better than many.

I've just been chatting to their Twitter help desk who said that they will only update things on line when it's been fixed! People don't want to know when it WAS fixed. They want to know when it WILL or at lease MIGHT be fixed.

[Client62]

To check for known faults in your street use both of : -

Call 0800 561 0061 – this is an automated number.

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/check/status/identification/identify

[jbrennand]

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.

[Mike5555]

They were saying no issue too. Just checked again and the automated system is still saying no issue! 🙄

[Tudor]

VM helpdesk are not "secretive", they just don’t know. VM never ever advised what caused an outage or problem. Just use the phone number provided in earlier posts, that’s the best you will get.

[Deaks88]

Hi Mike

Our of curiosity which area of the country are you in? Mine has been down since 22:30 on Monday, no real answers on multiple calls. 

[Mike5555]

DE65. 

It's ridiculous how people have to keep phoning when a simple message on the website would suffice. It would reduce the call centre traffic considerably. Especially when people keep being told different things by different people in the centre. 

It just looks like they're making it up.

[jbrennand]

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@Mike5555 wrote:

DE65. 

It's ridiculous how people have to keep phoning when a simple message on the website would suffice. It would reduce the call centre traffic considerably. Especially when people keep being told different things by different people in the centre. 

It just looks like they're making it up.

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They are... as advised above - they dont know - you get simple messages on the automated (no need to call CS) processes for any "known faults"

Faults may not be listed on the Area Status web page. Areas are not Geographic” they are "legacy billing" areas) and as such that usually only covers faults affecting 1000’s of customers across the country. So 0800 may give you more info, on local issues - but even that wont cover problems affecting just a few customers - or just you.   In that case - call it in and report as a fault and they will test your connection.

[Matthew_ML]

Hey Mike5555, thank you for reaching out and a warm welcome to the community I am sorry to hear this.

I have taken a look and I can see there is an area outage in the area.

We understand this is frustrating and we are sorry for any trouble caused.