Fibre optic broadband became available on our street for the first time over the past year and so I started shopping about for deals. Originally, I went with Sky but then received a call from a Virgin salesperson who convinced me to go with them and reassured me that the transition would be smooth so that my Virgin would be installed prior to the end of my Sky contract ending which is important for me working from home.
I wasn't aware that we needed a fibre box installed on the house. I found this out on Tuesday (27th Feb) when I got a call when I was out and about and they asked about the box. I gave them permission to look in our garden and they confirmed there wasn't one. I got home whilst they were still there and they told me they need permission from the council to dig up the pavement which is fair enough. He mentioned something about a team being likely to come back over the next few days. They made some green marks on the pavement in front of our drive, I guess to indicate where work needed done.
I got to Saturday and was aware that nobody had come. I called the customer service team to find out what was going to happen next. I was very taken aback by the telephone manner of the advisor. I was friendly, polite and easygoing and he was quite unpleasant and spoke to me with contempt. He then triggered my anxiety by stating that the external work may not get completed before 13th (installation date) and could be delayed. I had to end the call as I had to take my kid to a swimming class but I returned back later and called again as I had a feeling he wasn't the best person to be advising me. The second person said someone would be coming out on Saturday to install the services. This seemed odd to me as it was already 4 o'clock but I accepted this and ended the call. They didn't come so I called today and they said they were scheduled to come today (Sunday). It's almost 6pm. I highly doubt they're coming at 6pm on a Sunday to dig up the pavement in front of my house.
I know I still have 10 days until installation but the initial customer service has wound me up and left me anxious. Reading other people's bad experiences on this forum hasn't helped. I just want to know when it's likely an external engineer will be coming back and I'd like to know exactly what they will be digging up and where this box will be located. I now have to consider if I have to make alternative plans if I can't work from home such as driving a 42 mile round trip to the office every day or a 30 mile round trip to my parents.
I was pretty laid back about all this until I spoke to the call centre abroad this weekend. You feel like you are talking to automatons with zero empathy or knowledge of your circumstances. I'm feeling major regret over my decision to change from Sky.
