Virgin Media - Faulty Phone

Stompa

Mrs Stompa's 82 year old mother has just found that her Virgin Media phone is faulty. She can't call out, and if I try to phone her I get a message saying:

This is a BT announcement. The telephone network is busy at the moment, please try again later.

Now she contacted them earlier today, and was told that the earliest they can come and take a look is Friday. I was not very impressed that they'd leave an elderly lady without any means of communication for so long, so called them myself. Got through to a completely hopeless call centre and was told that the best they could do was hope for a cancellation in which case they might be able to fit her in sooner.

Does anybody know of any ways of getting them to pull their finger out?

(I guess we could lend her a mobile, but I suspect she might find it a bit confusing to use)

Thanks

BexTech

Unless on the priority scheme then there's not really anything you can do.

When we were with BT, we'd have to wait a week or two for someone to come out, so it's not just VM who sometimes take a few days.

If you look at the Virgin Media support newsgroups you'll sometimes see that depending on area you can get a fix next day. It just depends on the number of faults reported.

If not on the priority scheme might be worth asking for the paperwork - though needs signing by a GP or other health profession.

Stompa

BexTech wrote: »

Unless on the priority scheme then there's not really anything you can do.

When we were with BT, we'd have to wait a week or two for someone to come out, so it's not just VM who sometimes take a few days.

If you look at the Virgin Media support newsgroups you'll sometimes see that depending on area you can get a fix next day. It just depends on the number of faults reported.

If not on the priority scheme might be worth asking for the paperwork - though needs signing by a GP or other health profession.

OK, thanks. I must admit I'd already suspected that we'd probably have no choice but to wait.

Farway

No help to you, but BT do have a priority scheme, I know my mum was on it because her emergency call "lifeline" button used the phone line

They even came out Christmas Day and repaired the junction box up her road when her phone went down that day

BexTech

Farway wrote: »

No help to you, but BT do have a priority scheme, I know my mum was on it because her emergency call "lifeline" button used the phone line

They even came out Christmas Day and repaired the junction box up her road when her phone went down that day

Virgin Media have a priority scheme too. I'm on it. They have to fix the fault within 4 hours of it being reported.

Stompa

BexTech wrote: »

Virgin Media have a priority scheme too. I'm on it. They have to fix the fault within 4 hours of it being reported.

How do you get on the scheme?

BexTech

Stompa wrote: »

How do you get on the scheme?

You need to phone up and ask and they will send out a form. Sadly won't help in this instance.

Stompa

BexTech wrote: »

You need to phone up and ask and they will send out a form. Sadly won't help in this instance.

OK thanks. Handy to know for future reference though.

Stompa

We thought we'd have another try, and by some miracle managed to speak to a competent person at Virgin. They were able to resolve the issue in a few minutes while we were on the phone to them.

So lots of brownie points to that individual, a shame that the person to whom the fault was originally reported couldn't have done the same.

BexTech

Stompa wrote: »

We thought we'd have another try, and by some miracle managed to speak to a competent person at Virgin. They were able to resolve the issue in a few minutes while we were on the phone to them.

So lots of brownie points to that individual, a shame that the person to whom the fault was originally reported couldn't have done the same.

Pleased you managed to get it sorted, shame the first person spoken too couldn't have resolved it as you thought they would.

lgb2100

My Virgin LG Shine developed a fault (no power) during its 11th Month since its purchase date, and was replaced with a replacement by Virgin Mobile.

However this replacement has developed a fault (switches itself off) a few months later.

I have contact Virgin Mobile regarding a replacement, as I assumed this phone must have a warrenty period (I assumed 6 months).

I was told by Virgin Mobile that it only has the remaining period of the originally warrenty - hence only had one month.

As I was not happy with this reply, I contacted them again, this time they state

"if we replace a phone the warranty continues from the original purchase date. We do however extend our warranty for an additional month so if your phone breaks within 13 months we'll replace it free of charge. "

I mentioned the Sales of Goods Act 1979, and requested a replacement, only to be told :

"With regards to the extract from the Sale of Goods Act we believe that the phone we supplied was of 'satisfactory quality,' was 'fit for purpose' and has lasted a 'reasonable' amount of time. While we regret that your phone has developed a fault we cannot offer to exchange it unless the fault falls within the warranty period. "

So I am left with a faulty mobile.

I have again contacted Virgin Mobile stating that 4 months is not what I class as a 'reasonable' amount of time, and requested that they once again re-consider and replace my mobile.

Is Virgin mobile correct in refusing to replace the phone ?