Engineer updates?

[vm1]

I've had a few connection issues for the last 3 days, and I'm not alone as a local community Facebook group has also had multiple comments re 'Virgin Media not working'.

When I click on 'Check service status', it replies with:

We can’t see any issues affecting (my postcode)

but if I then click 'still having issues', and get it to perform further checks, it announces:

Looks like there are issues in your postcode affecting your services

There’s a broadband issue in your area and our technicians are on the case to fix things. Check back here at any time for updates.

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I've tried using WhatsApp to make contact, but haven't yet got passed the bot.

I have repeatedly been advised by the bot that:

If you haven't already, you can sign up to get updates from our engineers here:

https://my.virginmedia.com/faults/service-status

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However this address redirects to:

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/service-status

and I can see nowhere on that page to get updates.

Is this all just more BS from VM to try and make you give up hope, or is there a hidden link somewhere?

It would be great to find out when the connection issues will be fixed, or even get progress updates, but all I've had so far is 3 days of complete BS.

[vm1]

As a further example of the VM BS machine, on: https://www.virginmedia.com/help/service-status it states

Yellow

There’s a network fault in your area. You’ll see the problem listed and information on when it should be fixed.

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Unsurprisingly, the 'diagnostics' page shows neither.

[jbrennand · Accepted solution]

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 down to street cab/ postcode level.

The "compensation "timer" can also be started on this number if appropriate.

[vm1]

The freephone number did acknowledge there's an issue that's 'taking longer than expected' to fix, though it didn't offer any more detail.

I also finally managed to get through to a human (I think) on WhatsApp, and they informed me there's an issue somewhere. 'Not their fault' or words to that effect, and they gave me the reference number for the outage ticket. Apparently I'm also signed up to get a notification when it's fixed.
I have a vague memory of being able to monitor these tickets once, but Google hasn't provided any clues, so maybe I'm just imagining it.
I just find VM's whole system frustrating. There's clearly a problem, so why does my account tell me there's not? I'm given links to make status checks, but none work as advised.
And as for their rolling out of the old

'We're busier than expected today.'

It gets a little stale when they use it every single time you try to contact them.

Anyway. Rant over. I'll go and find something else to keep me busy until everything's fixed.

[jbrennand]

Your account is probably tied to your "Area".  But, areas are not Geographic” they are "legacy billing" areas) and as such that usually only reports faults affecting 1000’s of customers across the country (like the status page). So 0800 gives you more info, on local issues down to individual street cab level which will not be tied into your account

[vm1]

Looks like I accepted the 'solution' too quick, as I assume this will deter any VM reps from viewing the conversation, and maybe offering a more insightful response than I got on the chat.

Over a week later, and still no end in sight to the issue. On the WhatsApp chat last time, they claimed it would be fixed by the following day. 7 days later and I can still hardly upload anything. Almost 5 minutes to add a photo (about 2MB) to an email!

I contacted VM on WhatsApp again, and this time they've given me Friday (28/07) as the expected completion date.

I'm supposedly signed up for text updates, but have had nothing yet, so they're either very sparing with their text messages, or they're just not working. 

[Lee_R]

Hi @vm1 thanks for getting back to us.

Sorry to hear that your area issue has been ongoing. We've had a look on your behalf and the current estimated fix time is 6:00pm today.  Sorry for any inconvenience this may be causing you.

Regards

Lee_R