mix up with virgin and sky

naz101

hi guys

this really is a question on behalf of a friend who is really scared now.

2 years ago, she called to stop her whole package with virgin media. This included tv, phone and broadband. They then switched the whole package to sky.

for 2 years she has had no problems. However, she recently needed to call sky and query something. At this point sky told her that they never set up boradband for her and it wasnt on her account!!
Now she is thinking that when the virgin engineer came out to disconnect her he never did it properly and she has still been using virgin boradband but not paying for it.

she is wanting to call up virgin and tell them that she thinks she is still connected but is scared that they will charge her for the last 2 years, which she definately cant afford!

does anyone have any experience in this?

thanks very much

DCFC79

Surely she would know if she was on virgin as she would recieve bills for the internet, the only way i can think of to be sure for her who she is with is to do a speed test here and it will say who the isp is,

pressure drop beat me to it

naz101

i will find out and post asap

bb999

I assume that because she had TV from Virgin that this was a cable set up, then if she had switched to Sky broadband she would have had to buy or be given a broadband modem / router because the virgin one would not work.
If she did not get a new modem / router then yes she is still with Virgin.

What to do?
Firstly, check her bank statements to ensure she is not actually paying Virgin for broadband.
If she is paying Virgin then she can either carry on, or cancel and switch to Sky (or any other provider.)
If she is not paying Virgin, then I personally I would play dumb and carry on - Virgin obviously don't know you are taking their broadband and if they ever find out you simply tell them that you cancelled and as far as you knew you were with Sky.

Alternatively, you could phone Virgin and tell them what has happened - again explain that the contract was cancelled and you should be ok.

naz101

81.103.47.60

vandanfc

tracks as virgin media

naz101

she has checked her bills for the last year and she has not been charged by virgin at all for the last year at least.

if she doesnt tell them she is worried they will come back and slap her with a huge bill

ABH_3

hi guys

this really is a question on behalf of a friend who is really scared now.

2 years ago, she called to stop her whole package with virgin media. This included tv, phone and broadband. They then switched the whole package to sky.

So she called VirginMedia or NTL as it should have been wouldn't it? Anyway, she called and concluded her contract. That's really as much as any reasonable person would do. They would then receive various letters and paperwork explaining what had been done, this assumes that VM was doing what it's supposed to be doing, which is doubtful. If ever there was a company that could blunder its way through everything, it's been NTL\VM.

If someone on the phone tells you something and there's likely to be a cost factor involved RECORD IT! As things as do employees change frequently, and most of them aren't bothered or are too pressured to care if they've gotten everything correct, only caring when it affects their employment contracts.

for 2 years she has had no problems. However, she recently needed to call sky and query something. At this point sky told her that they never set up boradband for her and it wasnt on her account!!

So your friend is using VM's ADSL product, instead of SKY's ADSL equivalent. It suggests either someone at VM didn't release the line to SKY. Or that your friend didn't pass on your MAC Code (MAC being your migration code, you pass it to your new supplier as it authorises them to disconnect the line and connect it to another supplier). This assumes of course that your local exchange had the correct equipment in place to connect to SKY. It could be that it didn't and as such just nobody got back to your friend.

Now she is thinking that when the virgin engineer came out to disconnect her he never did it properly and she has still been using virgin boradband but not paying for it.

Yes, that's also possible. But your friend will have to take some of the blame, assuming she didn't pass on her MAC.

she is wanting to call up virgin and tell them that she thinks she is still connected but is scared that they will charge her for the last 2 years, which she definately cant afford!

Well she would be better advised to post the above 'query' on www.nthellworld.co.uk which directs the visitor to here: http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/56/ if you goto nthellworld.co.uk and click on one of the discussino topics on the right side, you'll see that it directs you. So anyway, post over there what you did over here and they will in all likelihood get involved on your friends behalf. It's attended too by lots of Virgin Media Volunteers who maybe able to assist, even though they are under NO obligation to do so, they're purely volunteers. The company possibly doesn't even know they post over there, however, they know how bad NTL\VirginMedia are and as such volunteer their services to sorting everyone out. They may get involved and know someone within the company who can sort it.

On a sidenote, I personally have had a modem from them that and they were for a period of time not collecting the agreed amounts from my bank. As a consequence, I advised them of this and the guy I spoke too admitted their mistake, they wouldn't be backdating their claim and so I only needed to pay from now on. So there's a good likelihood it will end ok.

Truth be known, there are thousands of people out there using virgin modems that they don't even know about. They try to kick them from the network, but they always find a way back on. It's the nature of the beast and due to the type of equipment they're using. In point of fact there's lots more people paying for a basic connection, but receiving their top tier connection. Such is the lack of control that VM exercise over the network as a whole.

The point in all of this is, your friend shouldn't have much to worry about, those with no rights to access the network during the last clampdown took the form of them finally cutting those connections.

Also, once you've finally cut ties with VM, be sure to get proof that you've done so. Get an email to say they're releasing your connection, get your MAC code and GIVE it to SKY! However, be sure that SKY can provision you with ADSL at the address first, just to be sure

HTH

naz101

thank you very much guys.
she has been worried sick but i have called her to tell her what has been said and she is a bit calmer now.

i will tell her about the forum and maybe she could post on there.

but once again thank you very very much:T:T:rotfl:

Helix

ABH wrote: »

So your friend is using VM's ADSL product, instead of SKY's ADSL equivalent. It suggests either someone at VM didn't release the line to SKY. Or that your friend didn't pass on your MAC Code (MAC being your migration code, you pass it to your new supplier as it authorises them to disconnect the line and connect it to another supplier). This assumes of course that your local exchange had the correct equipment in place to connect to SKY. It could be that it didn't and as such just nobody got back to your friend.

If she had TV from Virgin Media then she wouldn't have been on the ADSL broadband it would have been cable. In which case you wouldn't be able to get a MAC code as they are not used.

She would have had to get her BT line activated again if it wasn't already and then get Sky to set up broadband on the line from scratch.

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

The problem is Virgin are likely to realise at some point and demand payment. If she is using it she hasnt any reason not to pay.

My suggestion - based on it being cable based and not needing a MAC would be to connect to sky now and cease using virgin.

Then if they ask for the money she can provide proof she wasnt using it and shouldnt pay for it. If she is and doesnt have other broadband then its far harder. That aside if Virgin pursue it she will be liable for the costs.