Virgin Media instalation - how to get it done???

ginvzt

Hi, we signed the contract in November (!!!!) for Virgin 20mb internet and phoneline, and were promised all will be done in a couple of weeks, definitely before Christmas.

Now, I paid £25 (which will be deducted from my bills later on) in November, and had a letter saying the installation will be done on December 14th. So far so good. The same day as the letter I was told that the installation will have to be cancelled as construction team needs to do some work outside my house, and it will take 2-3 weeks.

Then weather turned for the worst, and when I called them on December 13th to find out what is happening, I was told that as construction team is based in Scotland, they will not be able to install this before Christmas, but they will call me back with the installation date. Haven't heard anything.

Fast forward, January 14th, I called again. The operator couldn't help or explain what is happening and promised someone will call me back soon. Or not, as it happens.

I sent an email to customer services, get acknowledgement that I will receive reply within 48 hours - haven't.

Sent a complaint through their website last Wednesday, got a reply that it will be responded to within 5 days, still haven't heard anything.

Where do I go from here? Whom do I write or call? I just want this installed and working.

It is our only option for hopefully reasonable internet connection, as we are so far from exchange that we don't get even 0.5mb through the phone line.

Please help me to get this sorted!

spike7451

Where do you live first off?
As they said the construction team is in Scotland,I'm guessing either Wales,Scotland or N.Ireland.If it's Northern Ireland,then the construction & also the two man & one man installation teams work for McNicholas contractors who are based in Mallusk.
It sounds like you need a full install from street cab to house including internals,problem is tho that because of the cold freezing weather,in all likelyhood the install wouldn't have gone ahead anyway if the ground was frozen as it's bloody impossible to dig,open frozen shut pits,rod street ducting full of ice to pull the cable thru ect.
If you are in NI,I may know what is holding the work up but I cannot put it on an open forum.

ginvzt

Hi, I am in North West, not too far from Preston.

Actually, I have just called them again, and they refused to install it for me, saying that the box in the street is too far from me and it will cost them too much (£1000). The point is - the box is in my front garden, on the far side from the house. When I said this to the guy ion the phone he said that no, it is not! I told him that last summer Virgin were digging my lawn to do something to it!

Anyway, I requested an official report asking to detail what the problem is and my money back.

I have also checked the website, and according to that, the services are now available in my house, but not for the neighbour, who is in the corner of the - his house is considerably further from the 'box' in the street. When I checked couple of weeks ago, I was not in Virgin fibre optic cable area, but now I am.

The current plan is to wait for the money back and the letter, and then apply through the website - they still probably refuse to install it, but I have to give it a go...

We are so tired of the slow connection - we can't really use iPlayer and the likes either!

Oh - and we were renting the house for about 20 months before we bought it. When I mentioned to the landlord/previous owner about thinking of getting Virgin cable, he showed me where it would come in the house, and said that there is probably a rope to pull the cable through! We couldn't open the box on the house, as we didn't have the right key, but I might have to try and have a look in there some day soon.

spike7451

ginvzt wrote: »

Hi, I am in North West, not too far from Preston.

Actually, I have just called them again, and they refused to install it for me, saying that the box in the street is too far from me and it will cost them too much (£1000). The point is - the box is in my front garden, on the far side from the house. When I said this to the guy ion the phone he said that no, it is not! I told him that last summer Virgin were digging my lawn to do something to it!

Anyway, I requested an official report asking to detail what the problem is and my money back.

I have also checked the website, and according to that, the services are now available in my house, but not for the neighbour, who is in the corner of the - his house is considerably further from the 'box' in the street. When I checked couple of weeks ago, I wasnot in Virgin fibre optic cable area, but now I am.

The current plan is to wait for the money back and the letter, and then apply through the website - they still probably refuse to install it, but I have to give it a go...

We are so tired of the slow connection - we can't really use iPlayer and the likes either!

Does the box in your garden look like this;
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/393286930_e148b54a14_z.jpg

If the's a number on the cabinet,like the one in the pic (CAH5022) then that identifies the cabinet & the mux it's off.It's called an E Cab.You should also see one of these near your home on the footpath,this is the Swept T or Toby;

ginvzt

Yes, a similar looking box is right in front of my driveway. (it is diagonally from the house- will see if I can put a picture of this)

ginvzt

Here we go...

spike7451

ginvzt wrote: »

Yes, a similar looking box is right in front of my driveway. (it is diagonally from the house- will see if I can put a picture of this)

If you can get the cab number then give it to the person you speak to,if they are refusing to install,insist on a site survey to be done &/or a meeting with the Install manager.

ginvzt

Thank you so much - I'll try and have another go. I might wait for the official letter (if they will ever send one) and see what it says. Maybe they were trying to install it to my neighbour's house that is at the top of the picture?

I have talked with the guys before when I had to fill in the details and the engineer would call you and the guy who called me, looked at the plans and said it was possible to have the services to my house!

spike7451

ginvzt wrote: »

Yes, a similar looking box is right in front of my driveway. (it is diagonally from the house- will see if I can put a picture of this)

I take it the red & blue cars are yours? If the is no little black box near your property,then why don't they cut a saw track across the tarmac about 2in wide & lay the cable down in Flexiduct.

I've done a couple options of hoe we would do it. (I started out as an Installer for NTL before moving to Service (Faults)

I've marked what I think is the cabinet & the track to the opposite house.





Both options are going on the is no swept T outside your house,To save construction cost's they can run the flexiduct up & into the cabinet directly.Done that many a time.

ginvzt

Thank you. That round thing is a small leylandii type bush. I wouldn't cry if it died.

The cabinet (the lid that is in your pic) is just on the road next to it. I need to see if there is a rope in the cabinet in the house (accessible from outside behind a concrete looking door with a special key - where the services come to the house apparently). This cabinet is under the window, that is between the garage and front door (where that small green 'square' is).

There is still some hope that we might get it in the end...

I really need to see that report to find out why is it not possible.

jb66

If you and your neighbour agree to install virgin at the same time they might be more inclined to go the extra mile to get it installed