virgin broadband

carrieparkinson

im a virgin broadband customer, and i ring 151 n then its option 3 n that gets me thru to tech for free....

JAYMARSH2005

carrieparkinson wrote: »

im a virgin broadband customer, and i ring 151 n then its option 3 n that gets me thru to tech for free....

From the 1st of July calls to broadband tech will be 25p per min plus a 10p connection charge.

BexTech

The details of this was leaked a few day before being put up on VMs website and a while before VM started to email people.

Using VMs own newsgroups you can let them know your feelings.

virginmedia.feedback

If you are xTelewest then as long as you can get connection to the internet you can use their support newsgroup that has been running for years.

blueyonder.support.access.hi-speed

Although these have been running for years only about 2% of VM actually use newsgroups.

The support newsgroups are excellent, they have other groups for TV, phone etc the support staff are there until 22:00 each night, and you usually get a response in minutes.

Ideal if you have a problem with slow speeds on the broadband, certain sites not loading, TV service playing up, can often be sorted within minutes instead of waiting on the phone.

When the VM website or email didn't mention and only those who pestered VM on the newsgroups and those who later posted on forums, is that if the fault is with their service itself and not your computer or router then they will refund the cost of the call.

However the refund is down to whether VM think you should be refunded, and the problem is sometimes it takes 5 attempts before they recognise there is a fault on their system, so the previous 4 attempts won't be refunded, also if the fault has been added to the status page and status line, and you call in about that fault then you won't be refunded.

So you need to phone the status line first (0800) number and then call the (090x) number, hoping that by the time you get connected to the support staff the fault hasn't been added.

So although you may get a refund, you may not either, also VM didn't want too many people to know about the refund, hence only letting it known to the people on the newsgroups. Though as previously well service has changed it's not unknown for VM to change their minds because of feedback on their newsgroups, so maybe they weren't going to refund at all, but because of all the bad feedback they have decided to.

The refund will be based on the cost of the call from a VM phone line.

So if you call from a mobile you won't get the full amount refunded.

Calls form VM phone lines are 25p/min + 10p connection with per min billing.
Calls from BT phone lines are 25p/min (no connection fee) and billed per second.
Calls from mobiles are around 200p/min.

64,000 customer per quarter are leaving VM for phone service due to the high costs, how many people will leave the broadband now they have throttling in place and now premium rate number for help.

BexTech

espresso wrote: »

Ever heard of dial-up? Alternatively make use of a friend or relatives PC or go to the local library or cybercafe. All better than ringing an expensive technical support line, manned by script monkeys!

:rolleyes:

Reporting faults via their webform is dreadful you may get a response within 11 days if you are lucky, often you get no response at all.

Their newsgroups on the other hand are excellent, response in minutes, however no good if you don't have a internet connection, no good if you can't dial in to their dial up service as it's only available using a VM connection.

I don't have a phone line, I use VoIP through my broadband, so if my broadband goes down I have no phone, plus as I have no phoneline I can't use dial up, I am left with a mobile at 200p/min.

I don't know people close enough to me who have VM broadband, the friends and family I do have don't know anything about newsgroups, and using the webform is pointless because it takes them around 11 days if you are lucky to get back to you, and most times they never do.

JAYMARSH2005

They are definately shooting themselves in the foot here, that is why I have started this thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=480266

if it helps people and you dont have to pay the stupid prices they are putting in place then I am happy.

Another thing they dont tell you is that although they say it is unlimited downloads, it isnt, if you download mre than 750mb of content between the hours of 4pm and 12pm then your speed will be reduced by half for 4 hours, so a 20meg connection will become a 10meg connection. This is one of the main reasons why people are calling up as they are not getting the full amount of broadband they are paying for, and what they will do is not tell you that is is halved for 4 hours they will go through the usual checks on equpment etc resulting in a long phone call.

BexTech

As VM are switching to an 090x number, there are certain rules they can't break.

Two are:

1) The call can not be put on hold or in a queue
2) The call can't last more than 20 mins.


This means that when you ring, the call will either ring out until a human is available to answer the call, or you will get the busy tone if no one is available. If the number is still ringing out the system will drop the call after 3 minutes, you will have to hang up and redial, as you haven't been connected you are charged.

Once connected if the call is likely to last more than 20 mins, then the support staff have to tell you this and will have to hang up and they will call you back.


(This doesn't mean I like the idea of them charging, I've let it known this past week or so in their newsgroups, but have to post the details above to clear things up a little).

JAYMARSH2005

The main problem that is happening all to often is that calls are lasting long, if there is a 20 min limit then its going to be a case of a 15min call and then they will have to call you back or send an engineer out to look at the problem, but that still results in 20 mins at 20p and a 10 charge on top of that £4.10 if my maths is right. At the moment then broadband tech support is manned by overseas people after 5pm and this is the main time of problems due to peak times of broadband use. The overseas call centres are not qualified tech support, they are reading things off a sheet in front of them, if they dont solve the problem they tell you a complete load of nonsence, like its because you have a mouse attacthed to your computer (That excuse has not been used before to my knowledge but some of the reasons they give are just as outrageous) !

BexTech

JAYMARSH2005 wrote: »

The main problem that is happening all to often is that calls are lasting long, if there is a 20 min limit then its going to be a case of a 15min call and then they will have to call you back or send an engineer out to look at the problem, but that still results in 20 mins at 20p and a 10 charge on top of that £4.10 if my maths is right. At the moment then broadband tech support is manned by overseas people after 5pm and this is the main time of problems due to peak times of broadband use. The overseas call centres are not qualified tech support, they are reading things off a sheet in front of them, if they dont solve the problem they tell you a complete load of nonsence, like its because you have a mouse attacthed to your computer (That excuse has not been used before to my knowledge but some of the reasons they give are just as outrageous) !

If the call will last more than 20 mins, they will call you back, if it requires a tech visit or they locate the fault during the call, then you will be refunded (though make sure you ask for the refund, at the moment they don't want too many people knowing, otherwise this will all work out dearer for them than it did before the charge).

They have no plans whatsoever to switch support to UK only.

Myself and many others are not happy about this change, we accepted that Virgin Media wasn't the cheapest provider, because they used to have good reliability and support was a free call from VM lines or lo-call rate from BT lines (though I would use their 0800 number). The problem is since NTL took over Telewest reliability has dropped and it's got worse again since the re-brand. They have brought in throttling and now premium rate support calls, it's not looking good. They have said they have no plans to improve the infrastructure nor make their phone service value for money. Around 90% of the money coming in from customers is simply paying off interest on NTLs debts.

derrick

JAYMARSH2005 wrote: »

but that still results in 20 mins at 20p and a 10 charge on top of that £4.10 if my maths is right.

Yes your maths is right, but as the cost is 25ppm + 10p the total cost is:- £5.10 for a 20 minute call.

JAYMARSH2005

derrick wrote: »

Yes your maths is right, but as the cost is 25ppm + 10p the total cost is:- £5.10 for a 20 minute call.

Me and bloody numbers !! ha ha