Virgin? Don't bother!!

grimsalve

Just wondering - when you first contacted VM customer services about this problem did they raise it with BT CFT and Openreach? and did Openreach carry out a full e2e test?

Bit of a coincidence - my ADSL connection dropped from about 4mbps to less than 400kbps last week and an Openreach engineer found a wiring problem at the cabinet this morning (I'm just waiting for DLM to ramp the link - the attenuation seems to have settled but the SNR is flapping about at the moment).

I'm actually considering becoming a VM customer at the moment but fortunately my house is within reach of their cable network so in theory I can get maybe 10mbps cable for the same price as 4mbps ADSL (fingers crossed!). VM Customer Service is a concern though.

orchidlady

Virgin Media has the worst customer service I have ever come across. I should have run a mile when it stopped working within 2 hours of installation and then it two weeks to get installation complete. Leaving was a test of patience. If you have the time, grab a coffee, and be warned. Bear in mind I joined on 24 September.
Friday 18 November
Wireless connection has stopped working but wired connection okay. Called 151 and told them it had been working on and off for the past week. The (No.1) lady I spoke to connected into my laptop and reset it something and got it working again.
Saturday 19 November
9.22 – Wireless connection has gone off again so called 151 and spoke to (No.2) Yadav (8446410-01) who connected into my laptop. He said the driver needed upgrading and he would do this and call me back when it was done.
11.51 - I saw that Yadav had disconnected at 11.20 but had not called back so I called 151 again and spoke to (No.3) Imran. I explained again what was going on. It appeared that Yadav had uninstalled my wireless adaptor. Imran told me to call Dell and get it sorted as it was my problem. I asked to speak to supervisor.
12.45 – I spoke to (No.4) Manager Ketan who referred me to another IT department. He told me that if there was any charge it would be refunded and he (Ketan) would call back in two hours to check everything had been sorted.
13.03 - IT Dept person gave me a number in case we got disconnected (0800 014 7393) as my phone’s battery was now getting low. I had to wait half an hour in queue to speak to someone.
13.35 - Spoke to (No.5) David who said he would connect into my laptop and sort the problem but to keep checking the screen for messages.
16.45 - David now trying system restore. He will have to disconnect and when back on I should go to www.myvmfixmac.com and enter 34dca936.
17.00 - Up to now Ketan who had promised to call in two hours has not.
17.05 - Logging on to chat.
17.20 - Connected to (No.6) Nadia. Had to explain problem again. No one seems to have or read notes.
17.41 - Transferred to another technician.
18.12 – Connect to (No.7) BC Paul D
18.24 – He types in “How can I help? "I reply and wait.
18.45 - BC Paul D’s shift ended so transferred to yet another person without him having done anything at all.
18.52 - Now speaking (online) to (No.8) Kenneth. It appears that Dell Wireless 1395 WLAN Mini-card has been re-installed.
20.06 – I am told that there is an issue with software controlling the wireless adaptor. He is checking problem with Dell.
21.48 – Kenneth is unable to resolve problem. I am told to reset the Hub/check wired & wireless connection. Call back if not working.
Message from Kenneth:
21:48 Kenneth: Hi *****, first of all please accept my appologies that things have taken so long. I've been looking into the issues and Ican't seem to be able to resolve the issue. I think the best course of action from here would be to try completely resetting the virginhub back to its factory settings and checking things after that. This is something I would need to get you to do - on the back of the hub there is a a small recess that holds a reset button. You would need a pin or a pen top to reset it. It should be held in for just over 10 seconds while the router is on. I would switch off all computers first. Once it is done and the lights come back on, switch back on the PC and check the wired conenction. You can then check wifi - if it doesn't work, come back to us via chat and we can double check the router settigns and set up a new network if necessary. If that fails, I would contact customer services and ask for a new hub

22.05 - Logged on to chat with technician again but no response.
22.28 – Call 151 and in a queue again.
23.00 - Still no answer. End call.
Sunday 20 November
11.45 – Call 151. Yet again on hold for around 12 minutes. Eventually connect to (No.9) Akhilesh who checks settings again. He will send out a new Hub which should arrive by Tuesday. I should call 0800 073 1685 (Quick Start) when it arrives.
12.20 - Ended call.
Tuesday 22 November
18.40 – Call Quick Start telephone number and on hold again for about 15 minutes. Told by (No.10) Amy that once all plugged in etc to wait five minutes and it should all be working.
19.39 – Hub is still not working. Call customer services again and on hold for 18 minutes.
20.19 - Spoke to (No.11) Anand. Ended call at 20.37
22.36 - Still unable to connect.
22.39 – Call 151 again and on hold. After half an hour speak to (No.12)Dutta. He manages to get wireless connection but told that in future I have to go to Task Manager/WL.Tray – Dell Wireless and end process as this is a normal problem with Dell computers (it seems that he is the only one who knows about this problem!!)
Thursday 24 November
Go to Virgin Media store in Harlequin shopping mall to make a complaint and cancel VM. They are unable to help and just call VM on the phone and let me speak to someone. Eventually speak to (No.12) Daniel. He is very rude and tells me that if I cancel I will have to pay £180 (apparently this in their Terms & Conditions) because I am breaking the contract. I tell him that by not providing me with the wireless connection I am paying for VM are in breach on the contract but he responds that I have to give them three chances to fix the problem and going into the store does not count or the fact that I have spoken 12 different people now and been on the phone for hours. He gave me an address to complain to: Matrix Court, Off Nantong Way, Siemens Way, Enterprise Park, Swansea SA7 9BB
Saturday 26 November
On Virgin Media’s Face Book page I asked where does it say in the T&Cs that I should give Virgin Media three chances to fix a problem before there is a breach of contract. Apparently 12 different advisors over 5 days is not enough reason. Ian at Virgin Media on Face book confirmed this is not in their T&Cs is not in their T&Cs as Daniel told me.
Monday 28 November
Call Virgin Media to cancel. Spoke to (another?) Daniel at Customer Services who has now agreed to waive the cancellation fee and confirmed that I will only have to pay one month’s subscription (£42.32). He has arranged for the TIVO box and two hubs to be collected on 28 December.
Thursday 1 December
I receive a letter dated 28 November confirming 30 days notice and collection of equipment on 28 December.
Wednesday 28 December
TIVO box and 2 Hubs collected by courier.
Tuesday 24 January
I received a bill for December/January period!!!
Sunday 29 January
2.10 - Call Virgin Media on 0845 454 1111 to query bill. Speak to Chemtami (spelling?). She tells me that I have to pay for December – January which will then be refunded on next monthly bill. I refuse to pay this and ask to speak to a supervisor.
2.33 - Speak to Mike (Floor manager). He tells me that I will have to pay this bill and that any refunds will be given in February. I refuse and tell him I want to be told exactly how much I owe now as that is all I will be paying. He says I should call Digital Home Support on 0800 014 7393 to get the Digital installation Adjustment removed from the bill. Spoke to Melissa who explained the charge (charge was Tech Support on November 19 and I was told then by Ketan that I would not be charged for this) and applied a refund to the account. No reference but she has made notes and there should not be a problem.
I have sent email via Virgin Media website
I have received a bill for £97.97 which for some reason includes charges for the period 26 Dec - 23 Jan and a Digital Installation Adjustment. I gave one months notice and cancelled my VM services on 28 November so should not owe anything after around 28 December. I was told by your Customer Service to call Digital Home Support and spoke to Melissa who has refunded the £58.93 as I was told I would not be charged for this. Last Direct Debit payment from my account to Virgin Media was for £42.32 on 5th December 2011. Please send me an up to date bill with the final amount owing. Regards

Automated response from Virgin Media Team 1 (IT6) [EMAIL="IBMKANA.TW@virginmedia.co.uk"]IBMKANA.TW@virginmedia.co.uk[/EMAIL] on 29 January 2012 at 15.10
Thanks for the email you sent to us on 29 January 2012. We're on the case and a member of our team will get back to you as quickly as possible. You can expect a response from us within the next 48 hours. Don't forget - if there's anything else you'd like to know, just log on to our website. It's at www.virginmedia.com Kind regards, The team at Virgin Media

---

Save Paper - Do you really need to print this e-mail? Visit www.virginmedia.com for more information, and more fun. This email and any attachments are or may be confidential and legally privilegedand are sent solely for the attention of the addressee(s). If you have received thisemail in error, please delete it from your system: its use, disclosure or copying isunauthorised. Statements and opinions expressed in this email may not representthose of Virgin Media. Any representations or commitments in this email aresubject to contract. Registered office: Media House, Bartley Wood Business Park, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 9UPRegistered in England and Wales with number 2591237

31 January
I have to give in and call Customer Services as the email route is not getting me anywhere. I ask if the Technical Support refund by Melissa is showing on my bill and apparently it doesn’t. I am told again that I should just pay the whole amount and any overpayment will be refunded in February. After refusing to pay any more that I owe I manage to get someone to confirm exactly how much is outstanding. Once again ask for a new bill to be sent out. They tell this is not possible as they are unable to issue amended bills.

You have been warned!!