Considering Virgin Media broadband

grimsalve

I currently use Orange (BT WBC) broadband but the speed has always been a problem - only around 1mbps at the moment due to a recent increase in attenuation and noise on the line (Openreach can't fix it).

Virgin have their cable running down our street so I'm considering their broadband service at the moment but I have a few concerns...

1. There's no existing cable connection near my house - how big a job is it for VM to install this? How much of a mess do they make of the garden and pathways bringing the cable into my house?

2. Do VM have a freephone number for customers who don't have the phone package? I'm thinking of keeping my BT phone line but does this mean it will be awkward and expensive contacting VM if there's any problems with their broadband?

3. I'm thinking of the VM 10mbps service - in general, how close does the actual speed relate to what's being advertised?

spike7451

1-An install crew will pull a Siamese drop cable (phoneline & coax) from the street cabinet to the house.Outside your property the should be a small cover,called a Toby.The installer will then drill thru the back of the Toby into the garden or track using a sawcut.If the's any grass,then this is spliced by making a slit in the turf along the length of the garden,lifting up the slit & laying the cable in a protective plastic flexi duct,along the slip.The the turf is tampered back down.You'll see a line where the splice was made in the grass but this will fade over time.
If the's any tarmac or concrete to cross,a sawcut is made with a Stihl saw,the cable again in flexi dict,is laid & then the cut area is re-enstated.
On the outside of the house,a box,called an ETB,which is about 6in by 10in is affixed to the wall & the external drop cable is terminated & connected to new internal cable,inside the home a cable is ran from the ETB to phone point & a new CTE5 master socket is mounted next to the existing phonepoint,and a Isolator is affixed to the wall for the TV & Broadband.Depending on the layout of the house & where the phone/TV/BBand is depends on the cable run from the ETB.

2-I believe dialing 151 will get you thru to VM

3-You will get the speeds you subscribe to as long as the install is sound & the installers check the signal levels & forward/return path.

(I started off as an installer with CableTel many moons ago before moving to Service)

grimsalve

spike7451 wrote: »

2-I believe dialing 151 will get you thru to VM

But for a non-VM phone customer is this an 0800 number or is it chargeable?

I'm still not sure whether to keep my phone line with BT or move that to VM too - the price is slightly more expensive with VM and I've never had a problem with BT phone services (just their broadband!)... but if the VM service is a bit flakey then I guess it's possibly worth paying for a VM phone line just so I can call them to complain.

If I decide to pay for a VM phone and ditch the BT line then is it a relatively straightforward process to get my phone number transferred? I'm guessing BT make it as awkward as possible.

Buzby

Go to the VM websiite, and follow the online method of enquiry. VM to not force you to take telephone service with BB, but it will be cheaper the more services you take. Porting your phone number to VM is rather easy, and you get a letter from BT urging you to stay. IF you don;t port, you can keep both services seperate.

dave_dph

You will get better deals if you also take the phone line and it also makes it easier to negotiate retention deals in the future.

For customers without a VM phone line, customer services is accessed through an 0845 number, or free via the VM internet forums.

If you dont want to take the VM phone service have you looked at voip? Check out Vonage, for a plug and play option. The service will run over your VM broadband connection and costs £5.99 per month, which includes the line and up to 2000 minutes to landlines. You can port BT to voip easily enough.

www.vonage.co.uk

Their call rates are also cheaper than VM and can be accessed through the website. Cash back for new customers is available through quidco or topcashback.