Virgin damaged my existing TalkTalk/ Openreach connection during prepull

[gspannu]

Signed up to Virgin in November. New Installation.

Confirmed Installation date provided by Virgin: 09 Dec 2021
Virgin pre-pull/ installation team arrived on 06 Dec 2021.
Cleared an obstruction so that a cable could be laid, however the crew damaged my existing TalkTalk/ Openreach box outside the property.
Got message from Virgin same evening: New installation date provided: 27 Dec 2021 (instead of 09 Dec)
Pre-pull of cable still not completed.
4 appointments promised fro prepull, no one from Virgin turned up.

I have NO Broadband/ No telephone line since 06 Dec, because Virgin damaged my existing line.

Multiple calls, chat with Virgin - but no response from Virgin to fix the existing line.

Can anyone from Virgin help?
- Either get my new Virgin broadband installed
- Or repair damage to my existing broadband line.

Photos below… the state in which Virgin crew (construction guys responsible for clearing obstruction) left the site having damaged my existing Openreach box.

I have spoken to my existing Broadband provider and they have stated that if the damage has been done by Virgin, then I should complain to Virgin or complain to OFCOM.

[gspannu]

Just as predicted by all of you !

The pre-pull was scheduled for today; I took a day off work, waited outside for the engineers to turn up and .... no one from Virgin turned up.

Called up Virgin at 3pm... was informed that work schedule is still 'ON for today'.

.... Once again, another appointment missed by Virgin - and no communication from Virgin.

@gareth: You are the only hope now... to get this progressed.

[goslow]

Report your experience of these delays to OFCOM via their monitoring form

https://ofcomforms.secure.force.com/formentry/SitesFormCCTMonitoring

Sadly, it won't do anything to help your individual situation but, if all of the customers posting on here who have experienced these delays reported them, it may start to form a collection of evidence of VM's (lack of) activity in this area.

[gspannu]

👍

[jem101]

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@gspannu wrote:

👍

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Trying to be become a Virgin customer,,

Why? Masochism possibly? 

[gspannu]

Just to provide an update….

As already advised by many people on the forum… no one  should not trust Virgin dates.

I have had 3 further missed appointments… Initial installation dates from November 2021, went into December 2021, into early Jan 2022 and is now scheduled for 26 Jan 2022.

I actually have little hope even for the 26 Jan 2022 date. I have called up Virgin about 50 times in the last 8 weeks, complained 5 times. 

I have not received a single response from Virgin so far on my complaints…

See attached one of the status of the complaints …. Read the comments from Virgin, It is a complete joke - this is from 26 Nov onwards !!!

I have not given up yet and am continuing to get this resolved only because @Gareth is still trying to assist in getting something done.

And to top it all…. I have been without Broadband and Phone line since 06 Dec; because the Virgin installation team damaged my existing BT Openreach connection box as well !!!

@Virgin: Are you reading this?

[Jonny-M]

You need to report the issue with your Openreach service to your ISP. Don't mention that Virgin damaged it, whoever told you that VM need to fix it was not correct, only Openreach can work on the network side of the cabling.

Even if you did manage to get someone from VM to come out and look at it they wouldn't be trained or have the tools to test a copper VDSL service, it would be a waste of time.

[gspannu]

Already on that route...

- I have already informed TalkTalk (did not mention hat Virgin damaged my install)
- OpenReach engineer came today morning (08:30 am) and inspected the external box.
- The problem is now even worse ... The inspection has revealed that Virgin have damaged the cables in the underground pipe; while trying to clear the obstruction.

- So now the issue has been escalated to Openreach Field services.
- Someone from Openreach has called me just now to inform that their quoted time is anywhere between 45 to 180 days; as they would need permissions, need to dig up the driveway, part of the street... It is now a proper construction job.

It has now become a far bigger problem than just an external box damage.

I don't know what to say - Virgin have just totally messed up everything.

The only solution for now is for Virgin to complete their installation...

There is very poor mobile signal coverage in the area, so I cannot even use 3G/4G as a backup.
I have to either go to work each day (60 miles trip) or go 4 miles to a coffee shop - in order to do my day job ! 
No internet in the evenings or weekends.

All my other internet services (Netflix, Amazon prime, etc...) are also not functional as I have no internet. I'm in contract with all those services and I continue to pay for those services; although I cannot use any of their services. Will now get on the phone to all these service providers to see if I can cancel any of them or put them on hold. I doubt any of the will actually stop my payments.

.... and all this is happening, because no on in Virgin Customer Services knows how to inform/ contact their subcontractor (Kier) who manage the outside works to
1. Update & correct Kier system records and
2. Instruct Kier to actually visit the property to check the actual conditions on site
3. Setup an appointment for a cable pre-pull

My site is now fully ready for a cable pre-pull.... but someone in Virgin needs to force the issue and correct their 'mismatched paperwork'

@gareth: Please help...

Anyone from Virgin ... reading this... please help.

[mart1969]

Oh my word I feel for you ! Virgin have really [REMOVED] things up on this one and now your having to run around fixing an issue not of your own making. Not acceptable!!!!

 [MOD EDIT: Inappropriate language removed, please review the Forum Guidelines]

[Andrew-G]

@mart1969 In the circumstances I struggle to think of ANY language that could reasonably be classified as inappropriate to this particular mess.

[mart1969]

Excessive use of asterisks it appears.....