totally dumb

ironpetal

Ive arranged to have the basic package of Virgin phone TV and broadband installed on Friday this week. The half price one for 6 months. Im new back in the UK Im lost as to if I need to HAVE anything ready (apart from a TV and a phone hand set) before they come to fit it all?

Im not registered with any phone provider at all because Im new in this flat so obviously I dont have a landline number!

All I have is a TV with freeview which Ive not been able to get working with an indoor Ariel. There is a TV Ariel port in the wall but I think its analogue.

I can see a phone port on the wall but dont know if its connected up or not to anything.

Ive only got a netbook which I hope to use by wireless as my other laptop's screen has gone funny.

I think I posted on here a while back but can never find my posts because there are so many.

I am in a VM cable area.

So is there anything I should have before they turn up as I dont want to get charged anything or pay for extra equipment that I could buy cheaper elsewhere?.

thanks in advance!

spike7451

No,all you have to do is clear the area of any furniture/breakables ect from where the VM services will be installed.Everything is supplied free of charge with VM because,unlike Sky,you do NOT own the equipment VM supply,you have it on loan & it must be returned if you leave VM.
An added advantage of this is,again unlike Sky,if the TV box goes faulty for example,VM will replace it free of charge or upgrade it if needed.
However,if you are found to have caused the damage,like the woman that thought it would be a good idea to put candles on top of her PACE DT100 box & let them burn down & drip molten wax inside the box,then you'll be charged.

ironpetal

Thanks Spike for your speedy reply! I will just stand back and let them do the job!

My place is full of smoke alarms.....good job I dont smoke ha ha so no chance of lighting candles anywhere or even burning toast!

spike7451

Yup,I charged her £50 & then she tried to sue NTL (who it was at the time) as the box could've caught fire....

ironpetal

Im supposed to be having my virgin package put in on the 9.50 a month for 6 months with free install. The guy came today and told me even though all the other flats alongside me have virgin packages he will have to do the FULL INSTALL on mine and gave his reasons about not being able to pass a wire over someone elses property. What will this mean how much will I have to pay?? Hes gone now to check if he can do this but will be back later if he gets permission to do the full install! I need to know before he comes back in a couple of hours! I might phone virgin too as I cant afford it.

spike7451

Full installs are normally done by a two man crew as a fresh drop cable would have to be ran from the street cabinet to the flat unless it's a pre-wired block.The install should be free & if they say it isn't,I'd argue that a check on the VM SMS (Subscriber Management System) should've shown your flat wasn't a current/previously installed property.
I had a few of these when I was doing installs myself,I just rescheduled the job for a two man crew & the customer was only charged the same as they would've paid if I'd been able to do the job in the first place.

spike7451

Just looked at the website & it says if you ordered online,installation is free.

http://shop.virginmedia.com/bundles.html?buspart=Portal_HP_1_1_21

macman

Most Freeview reception requires an external aerial, not a set-top one. If you have a socket for an external aerial then try it.
NB: there is no such thing an 'analogue' or 'digital- aerial-they're the same thing.

ironpetal

thanks again Spike I got really worried when he said this and I think he mentioned something about he was looking for a dead cable so he could connect me up. Ok if they say there is a charge then of course I will ask Virgin that a check on the VM SMS (Subscriber Management System) should've shown your flat wasn't a current/previously installed property. Yes he was on his own and will be back later probably with another bloke. Thank God for this website! )

ironpetal

He connected my ariel and it WORKED and Ive got 120 channels! I couldnt believe Ive been sitting there with an ariel and a TV that I could have been watching already and had I known I might not have bothered with Virgin but I need the phone and the broadband! All he did was pinch the end of the ariel ha ha - I warned you - totally dumb!

ironpetal

After my panic they men never came back so not sure what's happening now.