Delayed Installation (half a days notice)

[rychels]

I have seen so many threads on this topic and it seems the frustration is widespread.

I booked Virgin Broadband to be installed on 08/OCT/22 as it was the earliest date available. Which I applied for in early September. It made me think, wow must be popular but at least all I have to wait is 3-4 weeks and everything should be ready to use.

Boy was I wrong about that... the WiFi was important for us as we need it to work from home most of the time. So I made sure on the installation date, I was freed up to ask any questions and make sure the engineer would make swift progress. Then I received a text on Friday the day before that it will be delayed for almost a month (28/OCT)... 

At first I was thinking, fine let me use the CHAT option to speak to the Technician which they provided in the text for me to understand the situation better. Turns out the Technician is a robot and did not even get to my case but instead sent me the same message over and over again to contact the customer support number instead (where Id have to wait 30-60mins to talk to someone for them to do nothing about it). 

So our whole family is now working with a hotspot with no clue what to do, the reason we wanted to try virgin was because of the speed difference compared to others but did not expect the customer service to be this ridiculous.

[jbrennand]

See this old post
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The current VM installation process is badly managed when things aren’t straightforward and cable re-pulls are needed. Just let the installation play out maybe check with the the Pre-installation and delivery team on 0800 052 1734 or 0345 454 1111 every week or so. Do nothing else. 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, Sky, BT etc - or to a 4G/5G service - perhaps on a 30-day contract? Three recently had a 30-day 4G unlimited package for ~£20 - as do Smarty.

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 took 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...

And then 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...

And an example of >£1300 “bill credit” upon connection.

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/showpost.php?p=36130259&postcount=1

And, a successful Compo outcome see message 29 …

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Help-please-to-progress-pre-install/td-p/...

[goslow]

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@rychels wrote:

I have seen so many threads on this topic and it seems the frustration is widespread.

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There is no shortage of delayed-installation topics on here and no shortage of advice and opinions on how to handle the dealings with VM.

One of the most important things to do at this point is to make sure you have kept the written record (as evidence) of the first installation/activation date VM gave you when you first ordered the service(s).

VM may have provided you with two dates (one to run in the cable to your home and another later to install and activate the equipment). The installation/activation date may make reference to a 'technician visiting to install the equipment in your home'. It is this later date you need the written record of the first date you got from VM when you ordered. In some cases they just give you one date and expect the cable work to happen first, then the equipment installation later in the same day.

Then familiarise yourself with the OFCOM compensation scheme

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/216962/Industry-Code-of-Practice-for-Automatic-...

and keep careful records of all dealings and communications with VM esp. missed appointments with less than 24 hours cancellation notice. All of the above will be relevant to whatever compensation you may be due for the delays.

In the meantime, familiarise yourself with some of the other topics on here about this subject. Many of them drag on for weeks or months with no resolution but, occasionally, some do get resolved shortly after the initial failure to install. Unfortunately, no one at VM will be able to tell you too much more about how your own installation is actually going to progress!

[Akua_A]

Hi @rychels,

Welcome to our community forums and thank you for your first posts.

Sorry to hear you are having issues with delays in your installation. We can understand the frustration this may have caused. I can however see you were very recently in contact with our team regarding this. Were they able to give all the relevant details? Do you need any further help?

Thanks,