Misold as Customer Service lack adequate technical knowledge.

[Trypta]

I'm a bit frustrated. I'm currently on a volt 350mb package and since my router is on the brink and has a constant red light, I thought I'd upgrade to gig1 since I would be needing a new router anyway.
I called on Monday and was reassured several times that I would receive a full FTTP installation along with this to replace to coaxial going to my property from the cabinet. 
However, upon looking at the details this was booked as a self-installation. (I don't intend on air-blowing fibre through your ducts for you) and no date set for an engineer visit. 
I called in again to confirm this, and got hung-up on several times, and then another agent didn't know the difference between your HFC, RFoG or XGS-PON networks and couldn't confirm which I would be on once my order is complete. For clarity, my area is currently listed as a HFC area, which is hybrid-fibre-coaxial.

Your sales and customer service team cannot advise, upgrade products nor packages without basic knowledge of how these are to be delivered or what processes are required to have these installed.

The worst part is that I was confidently told I would be receiving an FTTP line several times but in retrospect, this was either ignorance or malice and simply wanting to have a sale added against their KPIs.

This is not acceptable in any circumstance, and worst is that I have zero faith in your customer service being able to confirm what's correct and what isn't correct when I'm getting conflicting information from each of your agents. Madness- I type this as I sit on a 'silent hold' with yourselves too. 

I only upgraded as I thought I'd get a solid FTTP network installation, however, it seems waiting for CityFibre to go active on my street may be a better idea. What's required for me to receive what I was initially promised for the £1170 which I have agreed to pay? 

[Client62]

What is posted above is exactly why I headed for programme delivery and avoided production support !

[Adduxi]

Considering the VM co-ax is good for up to 10Gb, I would suggest a VM engineer will just use whatever infrastructure is already in place.  Going from 350Mb to 1Gb will just require a new Hub, either the Hub 4 or Hub 5.  Both are VM's products for this Tier.

I don't believe VM would remove an existing co-ax or RFoG, to update to XGS-PON, and besides not all areas support all these products.

[Trypta]

There's the matter of the principle also too. HFC isn't FTTP. RFoG would at least fit this description but isn't what's currently installed.

[Adduxi]

Agree, but VM have been calling it's Broadband "Fibre" for a very long time.  It's a marketing spin I would think.  It's not the first time users have been surprised when their new "fibre" install is run in with co-ax cable.

[Client62]

OFCOM failed to get a grip on the term "Fibre" decades ago. That's spilt milk under the bridge.
Assuming a new fibre would be run from a street cabinet to one home is not a reasonable expectation.

[Trypta]

On top of it, to make sure, I specifically asked "this will be an fttp installation then?"  and this was confirmed more than once. FTTP isn't as ambiguous as just saying "fibre" so I wouldn't say this was equivalent.

[Kath_F]

Hi Trypta, 

Thanks for taking the time to post about your recent experience and apologies for any confusion caused. 

As mentioned by another user, our cables are able to handle speeds of up to 10GB so as long as your area supports the 1GB service, a quickstart installation would usually be given. 

I can see that you've spoken to the team and they have booked for someone to come out and check if FTTP is an option for you. You may have received a text message to advise of this appointment but if not, pop back and let us know and we can then give you the details privately. 

In the meantime, the new hub will still be delivered as normal and you'll need to activate this within 3 days before it's done automatically after delivery is confirmed. 

If you have any further queries, pop back and let us know. 

Thanks,