Problem with ‘additional box’ not working ... and getting nowhere with replacement request to Virgin

[jamesv111]

Hi,                                                                                                                            6/8/21

After getting an upgrade to a Tivo  box some years back, the engineer offered to fit and connect the original Virgin box into another room which he did and it worked fine for a while. 

Unfortunately it failed to boot-up over around 18 months ago and I have tried many times to seek a solution by contacting ‘Virgin Media help-line’ and also email links to arrange for a replacement or for other advice on how to progress …. but have been fobbed of, after being on the line for ages each time, with the comment that ….‘an engineer will call you to discuss’… but this has never happened yet.

Am so frustrated with the current Virgin helpline arrangement.

We are missing the extra box/tv link… .and are desperate to have it working again.

Any advice would be welcomed.

By the way I see this ‘additional box’ is still showing each month on my statement/ bills, even though I advised Virgin by email that it was not working when it first failed so long ago. 

Exasperated  !!!

[japitts]

If your TV box hasn't worked for 18months and you're only now reporting it, then there's a whole collection of reasons as to why this is happening. So we'll go through some of the more obvious. Firstly, can you confirm which boxes you have - you've mentioned an additional box... Check here if you want to make sure.

You've mentioned that you're "missing the extra box/tv link" - can you explain what you mean? All VM TV boxes need a co-ax connection for live TV channels, and an internet connection for OnDemand & streaming. A TiVo combines these two into one, but a V6 separates them. Are you saying that the physical wall-point connections aren't present and therefore, that you've never had them?

You've alluded to the box not booting up - and you've left it like that for 18months without having it rectified? This could be a faulty box, it's almost certainly been deactivated - but what happens when it boots up? Is it stuck in the boot loop and won't complete it? Is it getting so far, but giving an error message?

[jamesv111]

Hi,

To thank you for your prompt response to my query and to say that the  additional box is a ‘TV V6’ .

The cable and connections are fine and it seems that it is the ‘box’ that is the problem.    

When I switch on mains power  and press the rectangular button to the right hand side, that button light starts flashing with intermittent red light/white light …  and the symbols on the front panel also flash.  The lights continues to flash …. but that’s it … and as far as it gets. 

   In the past the light would eventually show constant red … but no more.

I realise it is probably an unfixable fault within the additional box and I need a replacement, which I am prepared to pay for ..  but after many tries at phoning and trying to progress with Virgin, and after lengthy questioning I keep getting advised that ‘an engineer will call me back to discuss … but nothing !!

Regrettably I also am unable to obtain terrestrial stations in that room with indoor aerial either.

Just to ask that , If the TV V6 box is not repairable, do you know how best to arrange for a new box, of any type from Virgin please ?

Also do you think it is fair that it seems I am constantly being charged each month for a Virgin box that doesn’t work, after I first reported the problem so long ago ?

Thanks for your advice.

Best regards,

Jim

[japitts]

If your box won't bootup, then it's clearly faulty and the appropriate response from a faults agent is to arrange either a replacement, or a tech visit. There's no difference to you - the end result will likely be a replacement box in either case, and there shouldn't be a charge for this.

It doesn't seem clear to me over what timescale you've made efforts to report this, and VM do have some form in offering callbacks that don't serve any purpose other than to get you off the phone. But if you then don't follow it up over a period of months, VM will assume - with some justification - that all is ok and you don't have any service issues. When did you last call them?

If you're genuinely getting nowhere with calling the fault in, forum staff will respond to your post on here - but this may take 24-48 hours, possibly slightly longer given it's the weekend.

[Robert_P]

Hello jamesv111

Really sorry to hear of both the set top box issues and the problems faced getting this looked into, it's certainly not the level of service or experience we aim to provide any of our customers. We appreciate you taking the time to raise this via the forums and welcome to the community.

From looking at the connection and equipment it looks like a technician is required, I will send you a Private Message to get some more details in order to arrange this for you.

Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Rob