Delay after Delay

[benh6]

Well I suppose I am among many people that have had issues with getting there services installed. So I've moved into a new property and I was over the moon I could get much faster internet speeds than what I have got with BT over the years. When I was doing the order I was told I only need to do the set up at home kit which would make things easier

Now this is when all the issues start, The first issue which is no fault of virgin (From what I gather) It looks like the previous person in the house cut the virgin line. From seeing this I thought It would be best to request a engineer visit (This was requested before I even received my kit). So I got my kit Friday 27th May as I thought it did not work as the line was cut, I knew I did the correct thing by asking for a engineer to come out which was set for Saturday 28th May. The guy came out and said he would have to put a temp line in, He did a very poor job of this but managed to get a line up to the property. This is when everything goes all down hill!!! The engineer could not work out as to why its not working and requested a cable repull 

So the first repull team came out, as they were trying to get the cable out it fully explained why nothing was working the engineer connected the temp cable up to a little bit of cable in the CATV point outside but was not connected to the Virgin Media Network. I was thinking why did the original engineer tell me the cable was working outside which turned out to be a lie. At this point I was told there was a blockage which granted I can understand things can happen. I was told it should be fixed by end of the week by the construction team which also did not happen

I kept getting told someone will be coming out on the Thursday and the Friday which I found hard to believe due to bank holiday but I was told via various phone calls and texts to say someone will be coming. Calling customer service for an update was a waste of time as they are too busy following a script rather than trying to listen to what the customer was telling them based on the feed back from the field team. I finally got another text message to say someone is coming on Saturday 4th June. I called up in the morning to the field support team number just to confirm it's 100% the construction team, I was told yes it was with a two man team. Well I got lied to again, it was another repull team which I knew couldn't do anything as construction need to come out and unblock the pipe and lay down some new ones. I called customer service after this to explain why me as a customer does not seem to be getting listen to, Ever since the first repull team I've been trying to explain and get an update on the construction team. I just keep getting false promises. Even better the second repull team said I would be better off going with another ISP!    

In total I've had three repull team's come out in a week and half. There just does not seem to be any form of communication in VM between all the sub-contractors. As a new customer to Virgin Media this is just very poor communication and a let down. It's vital I have internet!! The most frustrating thing for me is all the lies and the broken promises, I've been on the phone with virgin on almost a daily basis to try and resolve all this so I can actually get working broadband, I've even put in a formal complaint (Bet that will go unheard) 

To top it off I got a phone call yesterday 7th June from Virgin, I thought ooh this will be an update on everything. Yea It was an update right to say 1st August for the install, I'm thinking you having a laugh. If you listened to me over a week and half ago about getting a construction team out the works would probably be resolved or getting done next week. 

Lucky enough I had about a week left with BT as I put in my 30 days (For my previous address) notice in which I was even going to pay £200 to get out early with regards to the contract as I need the faster broadband. I've now asked BT to transfer things over from my old place to the new one and they will get everything done and activated on 17th June. From what I've read with everyone else having issues I'm not prepared to wait months on end. VIRGIN this is to you - FIX YOUR COMMUNICATION!! I'm giving it until the end of my 14 days cooling off period with BT for you to fix things and make things right which is 1st July

[Anonymous]

Very wise to keep BT going. After the cooling off with them you might want to consider a rolling contract with a 4/5g modem service from the likes of 3 unless you plan to ditch VM and switch back to BT. 

[jbrennand]

See this post on that issue...
_________________________

The current VM installation process is badly managed when things aren’t straightforward and cable re-pulls are needed. So dont bother chasing it. Just let the installation play out. Do nothing. You will pay nothing (£0) until a VM connection is actually installed and activated. And even from then (if it gets that far) you have 14 days in which to cancel - again with no costs. Or keep it if you like it after those 14 days

In the meantime, can you connect to (or jut keep your) OR, Sky, BT etc - or get to a 4G/5G service - perhaps on a 30-day contract? Three have a 30day 4G unlimited package for ~£20. If so, do it now and just let the VM install run its course.

As said, you will pay nothing until VM's service is installed and operational. When it finally happens, you have 14 days in which to cancel it at no cost to yourself and keep the other service. Or, if VM is working to your satisfaction, keep it and cancel the other service (hence better if you are on a 30-day contract).

FYI - Re. VM’s recent installation issues - see John’s excellent précis of the situation in message 18 here…

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Multiple-Failed-Installations-zero-commun...

Re. Install compensation - see Tony’s excellent advice in message 7 here….

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Join-the-club-FAILED-INTERNET-INSTALLATIO...

[benh6]

Hi Thanks for getting back to me, Just going to see what will happen.... I'll more than likely stick with BT, I've still had no updates or nothing from Virgin 

[benh6]

Hi thanks for getting back to me, I'll be having my BT moved over to give Virgin a few extra weeks to get what they need to do. If it goes past 1st July I'll stick with BT. But I'll keep the Virgin order open so they get this work done whenever they decide to get the contraction team down

[David_Bn]

Good Afternoon @benh6, thanks for your post on our Community Forums, and a very warm welcome to you!

I'm terribly sorry to hear of the issues you've been faced with by construction.

Check out the purple envelope in the top right hand corner, and I'll do all I can to ensure we're able to advise further and give you a firm date, so you're best placed to make the right decision for you.

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

[benh6]

Hi David, Thank you for getting back to me. I've just replied back to your message

[-tony-]

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@benh6 wrote:
Hi thanks for getting back to me, I'll be having my BT moved over to give Virgin a few extra weeks to get what they need to do. If it goes past 1st July I'll stick with BT. But I'll keep the Virgin order open so they get this work done whenever they decide to get the contraction team down

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search the board for other stories its all there - but play the game - if you had an original install date and that was missed for cable problems or similar you are in the loop - thats one of [likely] excuse after excuse and white vans turning up to do the work that dissapear quicker than summer frost without actually doing anything - but you should be due £5.25 a day compensation for every day they are late from the original install date - so as i say - play the game 

go with BT but let the install with VM run its course - if you cancel they will cancel all work orders so if you want it in the future you are back to square one

once its installed you have 14 days to cancel at no cost to you and god knows how many days compensation - if it goes like that they will twist and turn to not pay you and you will have to go to CISAS - again read the board theres help to do that

the one thing you will not get is info - the team her will try they will contact the area field manager [maybe] or tell you its all with the correct team and thats it - the correct team will guarantee you it will be installed on a date which will likely pass to give you a guaranteed new date

the system is broben when it goes wrong - so back to the game and £5.25 a day - stay with that part and dont settle for less 

[Andrew-G]

I'm sure you would anyway based on your experience so far, but take any "firm date" from VM with a pinch of salt.  The longest delay we know of in this forum relating to construction/pre-pull work is one year one month and still counting, and in that case VM have assured all interested parties that the matter is "with the right teams" and "being treated as a matter of urgency".

[benh6]

**Update**

Just to give everyone an update... 

Still have nothing installed and still no updates from Virgin, only thing I keep getting told is 1st August which is a month away. Happy to say my BT services are fully working and they did everything in an hour! Only got two days left of my 14 days change of mind with BT. Looks like Virgin doesn't want my custom then! 

What's so bad is the lack of communication and nothing been sent over to me as a new customer to keep me updated, I did see on one.network there was a permit granted by the local council for works between 24th - 28th June but no one from the construction team came

All I want it to get much faster broadband but with how things are I'll probably get BT Full Fibre 900MB in my area before Virgin come but that's between now and up until 2025.