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Virgin media misery
gemwilson
Posts: 1 Newbie
Never in my life have I encountered such terrible customer service 
Moving to a new house, I fell for the advertising and booked Virgin Media to be installed about 2 days prior to me actually moving into the property. I cancelled Sky and paid £75 to end the contract early, and £55 to end the contract with BT early, opting instead for an all in one Virgin Media package of broadband, phone and TV.
Having waited three weeks for Virgin prior to the installation date, on the morning it was due to be sorted, I received a text saying the installation date was cancelled and I would receive a call within 5 days of a new date. No one called.
I phoned Virgin Media customer service, who are based in India and really don't speak English very well, or be able to do much at all in terms of service. I was promised a call back within 24hrs. The call never came.
I phoned again and was told that a new installation could not be provided and I would get a call explaining why, that day. No one called.
Back on the phone again, I tried to make a complaint and was told that complaints cannot be made over the phone. I explained I had seen online that they could be, and there was complete refusal to take my complaint. But someone would call me. No one called me.
I phoned again and asked to speak to a manager, I was told one wasn't available but I would get a call back. Explaining I never get these calls, the woman said she would look into my account. Turns out the guy I had spoken to the day before had accidentally cancelled my account and I would now have to wait 3 weeks for a new installation date. Since everyone I had spoken to thus far was based in India, could not have cared less about my issues, and refused to deal with anything other than to offer me a call back I begged to be put through to someone in the UK. I was put through to a guy who said he couldn't believe how I had been treated and that he would get the order back up and running, giving me an installation date of 2 weeks away, and guaranteeing that date.
Lo and behold, 2 days prior to the installation date I get a message saying the installation cannot go ahead, and that I will get a call within 5 days. I waited 5 days, and no one called.
I managed to get the number for installations, again, based in India. The guy explained that it will be a minimum wait of 6 - 8 weeks before I can get an installation date. And, no, complaints have to be put in writing.
The best alternative to 350Mb boradband from Virgin Media is 15Mb down the phone line from BT, which we have had previously and was very unreliable so really would rather not go back to it.
Point being, I bought into Virgin Media's hype. And all ive ended up doing is waiting, being lied to, being misled, and gone through infuriating calls with customer service agents in India that barely speak English, and could not care less about getting any kind of resolve, and now, 2 months beyond my original install date have still got no idea when/if Virgin broadband will ever be installed.
I hope this serves as a warning to anyone thinking about getting a package with Virgin Media.
Moving to a new house, I fell for the advertising and booked Virgin Media to be installed about 2 days prior to me actually moving into the property. I cancelled Sky and paid £75 to end the contract early, and £55 to end the contract with BT early, opting instead for an all in one Virgin Media package of broadband, phone and TV.
Having waited three weeks for Virgin prior to the installation date, on the morning it was due to be sorted, I received a text saying the installation date was cancelled and I would receive a call within 5 days of a new date. No one called.
I phoned Virgin Media customer service, who are based in India and really don't speak English very well, or be able to do much at all in terms of service. I was promised a call back within 24hrs. The call never came.
I phoned again and was told that a new installation could not be provided and I would get a call explaining why, that day. No one called.
Back on the phone again, I tried to make a complaint and was told that complaints cannot be made over the phone. I explained I had seen online that they could be, and there was complete refusal to take my complaint. But someone would call me. No one called me.
I phoned again and asked to speak to a manager, I was told one wasn't available but I would get a call back. Explaining I never get these calls, the woman said she would look into my account. Turns out the guy I had spoken to the day before had accidentally cancelled my account and I would now have to wait 3 weeks for a new installation date. Since everyone I had spoken to thus far was based in India, could not have cared less about my issues, and refused to deal with anything other than to offer me a call back I begged to be put through to someone in the UK. I was put through to a guy who said he couldn't believe how I had been treated and that he would get the order back up and running, giving me an installation date of 2 weeks away, and guaranteeing that date.
Lo and behold, 2 days prior to the installation date I get a message saying the installation cannot go ahead, and that I will get a call within 5 days. I waited 5 days, and no one called.
I managed to get the number for installations, again, based in India. The guy explained that it will be a minimum wait of 6 - 8 weeks before I can get an installation date. And, no, complaints have to be put in writing.
The best alternative to 350Mb boradband from Virgin Media is 15Mb down the phone line from BT, which we have had previously and was very unreliable so really would rather not go back to it.
Point being, I bought into Virgin Media's hype. And all ive ended up doing is waiting, being lied to, being misled, and gone through infuriating calls with customer service agents in India that barely speak English, and could not care less about getting any kind of resolve, and now, 2 months beyond my original install date have still got no idea when/if Virgin broadband will ever be installed.
I hope this serves as a warning to anyone thinking about getting a package with Virgin Media.
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Comments
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So go to an ISP that does not use Indian call centres, though that means using the BT network as VM do not offer wholesale access to theirs. There are ISPs that use only UK based staff that operate over the BT network.
But despite all the complaints about Indian call centres, people still use the ISPs that have them for some reason.Proud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 20230 -
Have used Virgin Media for many years with no issues.
Maybe try posting on their community forum and one of the forum team (who are UK based, not that that matters) will look into the issue for you0 -
My experience was very similar. Never had a problem with the call centre people though. It's not their fault the systems are inefficient. They may not have been able to help me much but they were all - bar one - very polite. And thinking about it, the least helpful person was actually when I received a call from someone in the UK based call centre!
After 3 months I gave up waiting for them to do the installation!0 -
Have used Virgin Media for many years with no issues.
Maybe try posting on their community forum and one of the forum team (who are UK based, not that that matters) will look into the issue for you
This, been with them on and off for the past 5-6 years on their various packages, go to their forums or even their Twitter if you have an account0 -
That will be because most people probably don't need to use customer services. When something goes wrong and you do it's pretty much too late. India doesn't have a monopoly on poor support either as a lot of UK based support can be pretty poor.onomatopoeia99 wrote: »But despite all the complaints about Indian call centres, people still use the ISPs that have them for some reason.0 -
I am in the same situation. Left BT after many years joined Virgin bundle came to install on the day but no phone line. The installation guys told me this happens all the time. So I have broadband and tv but, no phone. Apparently BT own the box and only supply so many lines to each company. So virgin knew they couldn!!!8217;t give me a phone when I signed up.
When I spoke to customer service told it could take up to three months,this was not what I signed up for and they should not legally be advertising something they cannot supply. If they had told me when I signed up I would have delayed leaving BT as I need a phone to have a life line for my elderly mum.
After my first letter of complaint and several calls they arranged to install the phone and on the morning I received a letter delaying it indefinitely. I have rung several times and written again and now received a letter telling me they are not prepared to offer me any further discount as the deal I signed up to gave me £11 a month for a year and they think that is sufficientl and it will be July or longer before I have a phone. There answer was go and get the phone from someone else as you are not prepared to wait, so I am expected to pay for two services.
How can a company advertise and sell a product that is not fit for purpose. I joined virgin because I could keep my number and they were a bigger company. I wish now I hadn!!!8217;t changed. I won!!!8217;t be staying with them when my contract is up0 -
Virgin Media operate their own network which is separate from that operated from BT. Whoever fed you that line about it being BT's fault was making it up.I am in the same situation. Left BT after many years joined Virgin bundle came to install on the day but no phone line. The installation guys told me this happens all the time. So I have broadband and tv but, no phone. Apparently BT own the box and only supply so many lines to each company.Proud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 20230 -
Have used Virgin Media for many years with no issues.
Maybe try posting on their community forum and one of the forum team (who are UK based, not that that matters) will look into the issue for you
Same as GaryIve been with VM for a number of years and not had a problem, Im also considering having the services at another property some point in the future.
OP if you want to speak to UK based staff try phoning during the day, can't guarantee the staff will be able to deal with the issues experienced by the OP.0
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