Virgin? Don't bother!!

sparksoft

Hi All

I do not know if this is the appropriate place to post this, but I am sick and tired of the `service` I am getting from Virgin. I am even more sick and tired of ads implying that Virgin has already blistering speeds that are about to double, especially when mine is lumbering along in the bus lane at 160kB ! Well, it was, I now have NO service at all (again).

I work from home and I have deadlines. Fat chance of meeting any of them with a `service` like this!

It seems I have to write to Mr Branson again ... of course, I doubt he was even aware of my last missive, but his secretary did take it up ...

This is the second time in as many weeks that I have lost my broadband ...

I am going to the media and ofcom etc and every broadband forum under the sun to `promote the service` I am getting.

Partly it is because when you contact `Customer Support` you are presented with an endless set of menus ... then you get someone who knows, as there is no continuity, they can fob you off, as they are unlikely to get the call next time ... SO they give you the usual gibberish about have you plugged it into the test socket, have you replaced the rj11 cable and, despite being irritated, day after day, I have jumped through all the hoops ... and of course, nothing happens. Then you realise they are just playing you along in the hope the problem disappears by itself, or you do, they really don't care which.

Then of course, they blame BT - they do this as BT are unable to discuss or investigate any accounts that belong to virgin, so they feel they can blame BT and get away with it. They did this with me; when they last did it (today), I told them BT had called me, ran tests on the line and confirmed there was no problem with the line or the exchange ... the line went quiet and I was told someone would call me back and they were treating my problem as urgent, as I'd had repeated problems ... but of course, I have heard nothing since ... par for the course, comparing it with the last time I had problems with Virgin ...

Virgin just do not realise (or care) about how exasperating it is for an existing customer, who has a service that crawls, or stops altogether, as mine has done, to see the fictitious adverts showing speeds that will blow your mind ...

As soon as I can take a holiday long enough to accommodate the transition from the over-priced and under (zero)performing Virgin Broadband to one that works I will be off - but rest assured, I will NOT be going quietly!

In the unlikely event this is spotted by anyone in Virgin who is sufficiently bothered by the fact a customer may be dissatisfied with the zero service he/she is getting, I would welcome some decisive action, but I will not be holding my breath ... it could be a dangerous thing to do.

But anyone who fancies a 160kb connection (or a dead one) for a small fortune a month, let me know, you can have mine!!

I am only glad I don't have their TV package as well!!

If you are thinking of leaping out of the frying pan (any other ISP) into the fire (Virgin), please don't!!! I would hate for someone to suffer what I have suffered ... You have been warned!!

Les

spike7451

First off,going by your post you have a few facts wrong.

The " blistering speeds that are about to double " refer to Cable broadband.As you refer to BT running tests on your line,you cannot get these " blistering speeds that are about to double " as you are on Virgin National,not Cable so any faults on the phone line you receive your broadband on are fixed by BT Openreach,the same as all ISP's.VM can only do basic tests.As BT also ran these tests & not Virgin,it also suggests you are on a 'off net' package,meaning Virgin are supplying you a re-sold BT broadband service.These on all ISP's are generally a dire product.

Secondly,you cannot have their TV package anyway as you are not on cable,nor can you have broadband on a cable phone line,it's not possible.

Thirdly,you're working from home therfore using a residential service for business use,which breaks the T&C's of all ISP's out there.Unless you have business broadband the is no SLA in place to provide a level of service along those lines.

If you went to Virgin on the basis of their adverts offering " blistering speeds that are about to double " because your previous speeds were low & you hoped you would have a better speed it wouldn't have happened.

Line speeds on DSL are dependent on the distance you are from the exchange to the NTE & also the age/condition of said line.Other things can affect the speeds like extensions,microfilters ect.

macman

As above. Why on earth would you sign up with VM for a dire resold BT Wholesale product if business use is essential to you?
If your 'norma'l speed is 160KBps, that would indicate that you are a long way out from the exchange and that your broadband is always going to be marginal. If that is the case, no change of ISP is going to help you.
Post your router stats and someone can have a look at them for you.
The other issue may be a line fault-if so report it to your line rental provider (if not VM), not your ISP.

sparksoft

I know the ads refer to their cable service. Just because you are an ex-cable jockey, it doesnt mean the rest of the world is dim.

I also know that TV is only available to cable customers - I was simply making the point that I am glad I don't have it, if it is as good as their broadband service they can keep it!

I am also aware that speeds are affected by distance from the exchange etc. ... but 160kb/s is not the normal speed. When it works, it gets up to 5+ MB/s ... trouble is, just lately, it has been apalling ... and right now it has stopped altogether (again).

As for working from home, I do not *work* online - but I do send emails to colleagues at work. if that breaks the Ts & Cs then 90% of the population probably do.

So you jumped to the wrong conclusion on all three counts ... another forum cruiser looking for a comment to shoot down so you can beat your chest I suppose ... tedious!

I am simply pointing out that Virgin are crap - people who are thinking of joining them should be warned.

spike7451 wrote: »

First off,going by your post you have a few facts wrong.

The " blistering speeds that are about to double " refer to Cable broadband.As you refer to BT running tests on your line,you cannot get these " blistering speeds that are about to double " as you are on Virgin National,not Cable so any faults on the phone line you receive your broadband on are fixed by BT Openreach,the same as all ISP's.VM can only do basic tests.As BT also ran these tests & not Virgin,it also suggests you are on a 'off net' package,meaning Virgin are supplying you a re-sold BT broadband service.These on all ISP's are generally a dire product.

Secondly,you cannot have their TV package anyway as you are not on cable,nor can you have broadband on a cable phone line,it's not possible.

Thirdly,you're working from home therfore using a residential service for business use,which breaks the T&C's of all ISP's out there.Unless you have business broadband the is no SLA in place to provide a level of service along those lines.

If you went to Virgin on the basis of their adverts offering " blistering speeds that are about to double " because your previous speeds were low & you hoped you would have a better speed it wouldn't have happened.

Line speeds on DSL are dependent on the distance you are from the exchange to the NTE & also the age/condition of said line.Other things can affect the speeds like extensions,microfilters ect.

macman

We have no idea of the cause of the slowdown-it could be your equipment, a line fault or exchange fault. None of these are the responsibility of VM unless you take your line rental from them. And any equipment faut is not their responsibility at all.
If you want assistance then post your router stats as requested.

sparksoft

Hi as above,

Another one who as missed the point! No, 160kb/s is NOT my normal speed and I do not live in the valleys of Invercockieleekie. 160kb/s is what I get when it does wrong - or it stops altogether, as it has now and has before like 2 weeks ago ...

I know the service is dire compared to cable, but cable isn't an option for me.

5MB/s will do fine - if only it would keep going!

All the usual tests have been run, including the BT speed test (well when it was working at all!)

BT have checked the line and the exchange and they were decent enough to call me and tell me ... since I pointed that out to Virgin they have not contacted me.

macman wrote: »

As above. Why on earth would you sign up with VM for a dire resold BT Wholesale product if business use is essential to you?
If your 'norma'l speed is 160KBps, that would indicate that you are a long way out from the exchange and that your broadband is always going to be marginal. If that is the case, no change of ISP is going to help you.
Post your router stats and someone can have a look at them for you.
The other issue may be a line fault-if so report it to your line rental provider (if not VM), not your ISP.

spike7451

sparksoft wrote: »

I know the ads refer to their cable service. Just becuase you are an ex-cable jockey, it doesnt mean the rest of the world is dim.

I also know that TV is only available to cable customers - I was simply making the point that I am glad I don't have it, if it is as good as their broadband service they can keep it!

I am also aware that speeds are affected by distance from the exchange etc. ... but 160kb/s is not the normal speed. When it works, it gets up to 5+ MB/s ... trouble is, just lately, it has been apalling ... and right now it has stopped altogether (again).

As for working from home, I do not *work* online - but I do send emails to colleagues at work. if that breaks the Ts & Cs then 90% of the population probably do.

So you jumped to the wrong conclusion on all three counts ... another forum cruiser looking for a comment to shoot down so you can beat your chest I suppose ... tedious!

I am simply pointing out that Virgin are crap - people who are thinking of joining them they should be warned.

Er..No I didn't! I went on the information YOU provided in YOUR post.Before you slag someone off for posting in a thread YOU started.Take a good look in the mirror pal!!
I explained a couple differences based on your post yet you chose to insult not just me,but the other person who replied to your thread,it's you that is the tedious one,not me!

YOU said;

I work from home and I have deadlines.

AND if YOU know the adverts refer to a service that YOU cannot get,why refer to them!!

Not to mention you have also had a pop at macman for offering his point as well.If you don't like the replies you get,then don't post!

sparksoft

Do you work for VM?

macman wrote: »

We have no idea of the cause of the slowdown-it could be your equipment, a line fault or exchange fault. None of these are the responsibility of VM unless you take your line rental from them. And any equipment faut is not their responsibility at all.
If you want assistance then post your router stats as requested.

macman

sparksoft wrote: »

Hi as above,

Another one who as missed the point! No, 160kb/s is NOT my normal speed and I do not live in the valleys of Invercockieleekie. 160kb/s is what I get when it does wrong - or it stops altogether, as it has now and has before like 2 weeks ago ...

I know the service is dire compared to cable, but cable isn't an option for me.

5MB/s will do fine - if only it would keep going!

All the usual tests have been run, including the BT speed test (well when it was working at all!)

BT have checked the line and the exchange and they were decent enough to call me and tell me ... since I pointed that out to Virgin they have not contacted me.

I repeat, if you want assistance, post your router stats.
And confirm what internal tests you have done to rule out equipment fault. Have you run the speedtest using ethernet (not wireless) and plugged into the test socket behind the master socket faceplate? Have you swapped out all your filters for known good ones?

sparksoft

Correct! I work from home. Where in that sentence does it say I work online??

I wasn't setting out to insult you or anyone else, I am just irritated by people who jump to conclusions.

spike7451 wrote: »

Er..No I didn't! I went on the information YOU provided in YOUR post.Before you slag someone off for posting in a thread YOU started.Take a good look in the mirror pal!!
I explained a couple differences based on your post yet you chose to insult not just me,but the other person who replied to your thread,it's you that is the tedious one,not me!

YOU said;



AND if YOU know the adverts refer to a service that YOU cannot get,why refer to them!!

Not to mention you have also had a pop at macman for offering his point as well.If you don't like the replies you get,then don't post!

sparksoft

Hi

Who are you? Do you work for VM?

I am on another system so cannot give routers stats anyway right now.

What have I tried?

Another router.
new RJ11 cable.
I am plugged into the test socket.
I have replaced the microfilter(s)
I have connected the PC via ethernet.
I have 3 pcs, and a net book ... none work via wireless nor ethernet
I connected okay to a neighbour's network ok (as a test)
yes, I did the BT speed tests via the ethernet cable.

I was told by VM to leave everything on overnight, with the router plugged into the test socket and that the speed would then begin to increase.

I got up the next morning to find I had no connection at all.

If I chase them I get asked to do all the above all over again and then they say they are going to chat to the engineers.

I asked for an engineer to call me, they said they can't.

I asked to speak to a supervisor, they said I can't.

And people wonder why I am sounding irate.

Les

macman wrote: »

I repeat, if you want assistance, post your router stats.
And confirm what internal tests you have done to rule out equipment fault. Have you run the speedtest using ethernet (not wireless) and plugged into the test socket behind the master socket faceplate? Have you swapped out all your filters for known good ones?