Virgin Media Broadband Faults

normanmark

Sounds like they left an ethernet cable & the poster uses usb to connect the modem previously!

weegie.geek

berbatov10 wrote: »

The problem is that they came to install broadband on 15 Dec and just left a cable and disc. The cable didnt fit and i have been waiting ever since!!!

You've been waiting since? For what? The cable to plug itself in? Or have you phoned VM to tell them to come back out and set it up properly?

jowie

RichA wrote: »

Go on, give us a clue...

ETA - This link works though.

--Rich

Beg pardon! Well done for sorting it out. I updated the title and it updates the url! :rolleyes:

weegie.geek

aardvarkuk wrote: »

ADSL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADSL

DSL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSL commonly know as a cabled connection was what I was reffering to as also stated on Router Boxes in laymans terms.

Nice wiki though :beer:

DSL's the technology, the A just means it's asymmetrical - different upload and download speeds, whereas SDSL is symmetrical - identical upload and download speeds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_modem is what a cable internet connection really is.

echo

150 is still free from my virgin landline

RichA

normanmark wrote: »

4-9pm - if you can't last that long without downloading huge chunks of data then you need help

Utterly irrelevant. I signed up for a service that wasn't throttled. But I'm now subject to download limitations for approximately 20% of the day(wasn't it for a third of the day not too long ago?). Do I see a price reduction for that 20% of my month where I receive a reduced service?

It isn't a big issue for me. But on occasion it is an inconvenience, and one that I didn't subscribe to when I joined.

Sorry Rich, but a bit unrealistic on the expectations there. You won't get unmanaged, non-traffic shaped access ever again in this country i don't think. Not for the short term anyway. Check out Virgins T&C's (which changed from when it was NTL) as tbh i think anyone who was offering a 'commitment' like that was talking from their backside!

Unrealistic? It was the offer made to me to keep me as a customer. It was an offer made based on a competitor making a very similar offer.

The only person 'talking from their backside!' here is you. The offer was made, and I accepted. The offer was re-confirmed and re-applied every three month for quite some time. On what basis have you decided that the offer was made and applied from a 'backside'?

Short of it is I was sold a service. I remained on that service for some 2.5 years. I phoned up to cancel that service as a far better offer was being made elsewhere. The offer was matched(and slightly beaten) to keep me as a customer.

They have now turned their back on my custom - they withdrew the service-match, shaped my traffic for a third of the day for several months, and now give new customers a better deal than the one that was given to me just weeks ago.

If I offered a customer who purchased a car from me a basic engine service twice per year, for life, for the sum of 30 minutes labour and nothing else each time, but revoked that offer 6 months down the line, offering them a basic engine service and suspension inspection for 60 minutes labour - but because my labour was throttled for a third of the time, their car wasn't completed by the end of the day, and the customer was further inconvenienced by having to return to collect the car the next day.

That would be nothing at all like the promise I gave to them in order to retain them as a customer. Yet you are trying to argue that the latter deal would be perfectly reasonable?

Is there something really, really simple here that I'm failing to notice? Have I not been lied to, in order to retain my custom? Have I not had my service level changed, after being lied to? Am I now not paying above and beyond what a reasonable customer can purchase on a daily basis?

Exactly where am I being unrealistic?

--Rich

normanmark

The backside comment was that you was under the influence that a 'commitment' was made to have a fully unmetered service from Virgin by signing up again. If it isn't for one customer then quite clearly it's not going to be unmetered for yourself. I was referring to the advisor talking from their behind, not yourself, so dry the eyes.

Expecting a un-metered service when its quite clear they don't even offer what you're after now. Thats what i mean by being unrealistic. No you've not been lied to about retaining custom, you've clearly stated that you could find a better offer financially. They said they would drop the price of the bill for the service you're receiving - so clearly money talks or you would of walked elsewhere.

Just precisely find me a completely unmetered, untouched broadband service in the UK that has no form of limitations or periods of traffic shaping.

RichA

normanmark wrote: »

The backside comment was that you was under the influence that a 'commitment' was made to have a fully unmetered service from Virgin by signing up again. If it isn't for one customer then quite clearly it's not going to be unmetered for yourself. I was referring to the advisor talking from their behind, not yourself, so dry the eyes.

The offer made to retain my custom was made long before the Virgin takeover, and subsequently long before either the 20mb 'upgrade' or the traffic shaping.

Expecting a un-metered service when its quite clear they don't even offer what you're after now. Thats what i mean by being unrealistic. No you've not been lied to about retaining custom, you've clearly stated that you could find a better offer financially. They said they would drop the price of the bill for the service you're receiving - so clearly money talks or you would of walked elsewhere.

I expect what I was sold. Which was a 10mb connection, without daily periods of time where I have to consider my downloading actions, for £17.50 per month.

I was lied to because the discount was not applied indefinitely, and I had to chase them every three months to have it reapplied, which was a minor inconvenience.

I was lied to, as the service now being given to me was not what was offered in order to retain my custom. Nor is the service being given to me for the money agreed with them to retain my custom.

Money does talk. I'd been with them for 2.5 years, and saw an offer elsewhere which gave me four times the speed for less money than I was paying now. I phoned up to cancel my service, but had a change of heart when my current provider offered to match the deal elsewhere. But I'm failing to see why you made the point that money talks - I had no issue with the service given to me by NTL prior to the day I telephoned to cancel my service. It just seemed daft to not pay someone else the same money and receive a better product.

Just precisely find me a completely unmetered, untouched broadband service in the UK that has no form of limitations or periods of traffic shaping.

Pass. I've not looked for a replacement service. The product I was sold from my service provider was unlimited when I agreed to pay for it. And now it isn't. Would Virgin be happy with me if I just deducted 20-33% of my payment to them each month, after agreeing to pay 100% of it every month?

Of course not. I'd be disconnected and pursued legally to reclaim what they feel is theirs. But we're all supposed to adhere to their every whim regarding removal of products and altering of prices.

All I want is what I was sold. I rarely(very rarely, to be honest) get throttled because of bandwidth transfer - but this isn't the point. If I were leasing a car with a 1.8 litre engine, then I'd be pretty peeved if after driving 60 miles one evening, someone turned up and removed three of the HT leads, leaving me with less than a quarter of the service I had paid for.

It just isn't right. Existing customers should have the option to stick with what they agreed to, rather than have the service 'improved' and additional limitations added at the same time, and for the cost per month to then double.

I should be entitled to the product I was sold. I shouldn't have to continually phone them to try and have my price reduced. I shouldn't have to periodically check their website to see if the standard price for the service I now receive is less than I am paying.

It just sucks. And I believe I will be voting with my feet this time, because they have blatant disregard for their customers and fail to honour any commitments made to them.

In fact, I'd gladly enter into a contract with another supplier where my service was limited, because I'd be choosing to take on these terms and conditions. I'd not have them sneakily added after joining, nor would I see the product package sold to me just disappear after signing up with them, only for the price to double at the same time.

--Rich

mrochester

Thanks for all the replies so far, it's a good topic to discuss.

TonyHague I think you hit the nail on the head, and that is what I have suspected all along. VM try to pass it off as BTs fault, but since my current provider can give me a constant 1.5-2mb connection at all times of the day, everyday, I certainly don't buy that excuse. I'm guessing VM ADSL are massively over-subscribed for the amount of bandwidth they have available.

I decided to be extra pro-active today and give VM a call. I looked them up on saynoto0870 and found nestled among the search results a number for 'Virgin Management'. I called and was put through to an answer machine for someone who was in the office, but wasn't currently available. I left my details for them to call back.

Shortly after they did call back, and it was a very nice woman called Patricia Wolstenholme. I got the impression that she must be part of senior management at VM as she freely spoke about how VMs network has an awful lot of customers but seriously needs updating to keep up with demand. You wouldn't usually hear a normal call centre bod saying something like that. Unfortunately, she is only management within the cable side of things, but she said she knows someone well in the .net business who she referred to as 'James' (I'm guessing also of fairly senior management) and she sent him a high priority email detailing the whole issue, and asking him to call me as a matter of urgency.

She acknowledged that it was bad practice for VM to have not responded to any of my letters of complaint and that it was unnacceptable for this to have been going on for so long.

She said that she couldn't guarantee that I would get the outcome I wished, but I said that at this point, I simply wanted the matter to be dealt with because of the length of time it has been going on for. She said in her email to this James fella that her thoughts would be to waive the £50 disconnection fee as a gesture of goodwill, but then it is entirely up to him to decide whether to go ahead with that.

Needless to say, I am looking forward to getting to the bottom of this once and for all, regardless of the outcome (yes, I could just 'give up' and pay Garlands the £50, but to me that is not entirely satisfactory until Virgin Media have at least responded to my complaint).

normanmark

RichA wrote: »

The offer made to retain my custom was made long before the Virgin takeover, and subsequently long before either the 20mb 'upgrade' or the traffic shaping.

Well during the name change I myself was on a retention deal & was advised that deals offered previously during the NTL status were now not valid and that new offers were being implemented. Whilst i may not be over the moon, an extra £7 wasn't going to make me loose sleep over it. Also the fact that Virgin is well within their rights to change their offers at any time. Emphasis on offer.

RichA wrote: »

I expect what I was sold. Which was a 10mb connection, without daily periods of time where I have to consider my downloading actions, for £17.50 per month.

Times change, deals changes, terms & conditions change. They advised most customers if they didn't agree with it then they could cancel the service. I was told this by THREE advisors at the time during my retention renewal!!!!

RichA wrote: »

I was lied to because the discount was not applied indefinitely, and I had to chase them every three months to have it reapplied, which was a minor inconvenience.

I was lied to, as the service now being given to me was not what was offered in order to retain my custom. Nor is the service being given to me for the money agreed with them to retain my custom.

Bring it up with Virgin over the fact you was lied to, they record their calls so im sure if its that much of a crux to yourself they'll bring back the calls for your benefit. What you will use them for I have no idea, but i guess you want to prove a point with them, then that will do that for you.

RichA wrote: »

Money does talk. I'd been with them for 2.5 years, and saw an offer elsewhere which gave me four times the speed for less money than I was paying now. I phoned up to cancel my service, but had a change of heart when my current provider offered to match the deal elsewhere. But I'm failing to see why you made the point that money talks - I had no issue with the service given to me by NTL prior to the day I telephoned to cancel my service. It just seemed daft to not pay someone else the same money and receive a better product.

Well if they gave you 4 times more the speed for less money why did you not take it? Surely you look a fool now saying that you're getting more for your money with another provider & when in actual fact you've stayed with the company whose clearly offering you 4 times less the speed for more money?! Wheres the logic in that?

RichA wrote: »

Pass. I've not looked for a replacement service. The product I was sold from my service provider was unlimited when I agreed to pay for it. And now it isn't. Would Virgin be happy with me if I just deducted 20-33% of my payment to them each month, after agreeing to pay 100% of it every month?

Rich, the fact stands that Virgins service in the UK is technically the best around. People might offer great speeds (dependent on distance) but might not actually deliver. If you think you'll find an ISP who is totally unmetered then I think you're in for a bit of a shock.

RichA wrote: »

All I want is what I was sold. I rarely(very rarely, to be honest) get throttled because of bandwidth transfer - but this isn't the point. If I were leasing a car with a 1.8 litre engine, then I'd be pretty peeved if after driving 60 miles one evening, someone turned up and removed three of the HT leads, leaving me with less than a quarter of the service I had paid for.

It just isn't right. Existing customers should have the option to stick with what they agreed to, rather than have the service 'improved' and additional limitations added at the same time, and for the cost per month to then double.

I should be entitled to the product I was sold. I shouldn't have to continually phone them to try and have my price reduced. I shouldn't have to periodically check their website to see if the standard price for the service I now receive is less than I am paying.

Sorry, thats just being naive. Business' have the option to change their packages when and where they want. It's clearly stated in most T&C's, mobile companies have done it for years. Whilst we would all live in a perfect world where companies would keep existing tarrifs and the like most people know that in the telecommunications industry that changes from year to year. Don't like it? Then you've clearly got the option to leave due to the contractual terms & conditions you've agreed to.

RichA wrote: »

It just sucks. And I believe I will be voting with my feet this time, because they have blatant disregard for their customers and fail to honour any commitments made to them.

In fact, I'd gladly enter into a contract with another supplier where my service was limited, because I'd be choosing to take on these terms and conditions. I'd not have them sneakily added after joining, nor would I see the product package sold to me just disappear after signing up with them, only for the price to double at the same time.

--Rich

Sorry Rich, happy customer of 5 years here. Even through the changeover to Virgin. Instead of replying back to this call 0800 0520184 and cancel the service. I'm pretty sure you won't. If you don't like the service - don't use it! No one's forcing to use such an inferior service are they?!

I tell it straight down the line. It's been obvious for months the traffic shaping methods they've introduced (and rightly so imo) they've given customers plenty of room and time to cancel their contracts. Instead of doing that you've decided to sit & moan. Fair enough but where has it gotten you? You're sat complaining about a service you don't want! If that was myself I'd be getting rid of it quicker than you can type moneysavingexpert dot com