problems with Virgin Mobile phone+sim contract (Long)

GrumpyBear

Ok, this will be a bit a long winded, so apologies in advance.

In October, I got a new phone on contract with Virgin Media (they provide my sim, and my old phone was dead, so getting one with them seemed fine for only £6 a month)

It arrived fine, and for 3-4 weeks it was fine,



as my phone reached 70% capacity issues arose.

Bare in mind, the phone comes with 53% capacity already with userUI and the virgin stuff installed.

i filled 17%, which was basic stuff. FAcebook, banking, smart meter, and one game.

Phone would lock, shut down apps, blank screens, and make it impossible for me to answer calls as it would fail to recognise me swiping.

This all intermittent but happened multiple times every day.



I got in touch for help via their online help, i was not well over the winter months, email and text chat was much easier than a phone call.

I was told someone would be in touch in 7 days. I heard nothing.



2 weeks later, still nothing, i chatted online and was told 28 days max.

i waited, and this took us to the Christmas holiday,

i waited longer and then complained and was told it was a new complaint... and it would be 7 days, and then again told maximum of 28 after the 7 passed.

In February I got a call, from a very cocky sales adviser who claimed to be a manager.

I explained my problems and was literally told 'tough luck' because my 14 days cool off was over,



I explained that considering the problem, it was unlikely I'd find it in 14 days, and the warranty should cover it.

HE said ok, but a repair would take 6-8 weeks.



I would need to send my phone to them,

postage which would be covered by them, which would take 3-4 days for me to receive the packing,

3-4 day for them to receive it, then it will enter a queue for repair which is currently 2-3 weeks,

then they have it for a week to go through the problems,

call me and ask for more details,

make sure it works ok, then send it back and 3-4 days i would get it back.

But if there's delays, it could be longer.



I had no backup phone, and i'm a carer, I need a phone at all times it's how I stay in constant contact with my wife (whom I care for) and my father (who i'm a carer for too) anytime I'm not with one of them.



I said it seemed long, and I cant be without one that long, is there a way it can be replaced... especially given the current 4 month time frame to get any help, when it was meant to be 7 days.



At this point, he became moody and told me to send everything back (including an Alexa device which has been really useful), and he'd cancel my contract and send me a new phone (without Alexa), but I'd need to pay £120 to cut out that contract. I said no way, and he told me tough again, and if its not good enough, he'll deadlock the contract and send me the paperwork to take it to an ombudsman. I said ok.


I never got that paper work.

I waited 28 days.

I contacted them for the paper work.

Was told it would arrive soon.

I waited 28 days... actually, six weeks, because I was ill.



Its the End of May, I get in touch and whilst talking about this deadlock stuff, the new adviser tells me they can do a repair in 1 week.

Fantastic. I can live with that easily.



they sent me a box 24h delivery, I put my phone in and sent it back.

2 days later I got a call to say my phone works fine in factory setting mode.

I explained that it only shows faults when it's above 70%

(I had uninstalled and installed a bunch of different apps, 70% always seemed to be the issue, as the apps that caused it was always different) he told me and I quote

"Ok sir, I'll keep the phone for another 24-48 hours, I'll install a handful of apps and run it at 70,80 and 90% and see if we can recreate it"

Sounds good.

90 minutes later, I get an email from DPD, letting me know they've just picked up my parcel from Virgin and I'll get it the next day.

So they did NOT do what he said he was going to, in fact, I'm inclined to believe he'd already boxed it up ready for postage at that point.

I did a system restore, got my apps back and no shock.

Phone still acts the same.



I factory reset and did a fresh install, and not a restore, and slowly added my things back to it. Incase the backup had a bug or something causing the issue. But no luck, 70% roughly and again it starts to have the issues.



I phoned up, and after speaking to an adviser we got it working a little better, but he told me "You may want to upgrade, you are entitled to a free upgrade right now and it would fix this problem with a more reliable phone". HE offered me a phone, but I said I'd look at it online first, so I could see what it was I was being offered and he said ok.
That night, phone still acting up,



I went onto their store and used the chat to place an order.

During this chat, I explained all my issues, and that I had been told I was due a free upgrade.

HE asked for my number and I told him (ending 77) and that my wife was also on the account (ending 66).

IT was the 77 one that was due a free upgrade and I wanted to take it.



HE said it would cost £95, but the 77 account could have it for free,

I explained that 77 is the one we're talking about.

He apologised and confirmed 77 was due a free upgrade.

(i have this screen shotted)



AS we went through this upgrade, no less than 6 times i made him confirm that 77 was the right account and every time he said yes.

I got a contract emailed (which was pricing, but no details on the number attached to it) I digitally signed it, job done.

next morning, my wife got a text congratulating her on her new contract... which is now £7 more expensive, but removes he 8GB extra data allowance because what a shock, he upgraded the wrong phone. Despite constant assurances he was doing the right one.



I called to complain.
I got passed to a 'manager'.

Who told me they would cancel it, but if I wanted a new phone that they promised me for free multiple times, I'd need to pay £95.

Now, at this point I asked to speak to his superior, as he was adamant that there was nothing they could do and if they promised me something, they don't owe it me if it was a mistake (which is true), but no good will gesture or anything? he was just telling me sorry, but you need to pay.



When I asked for his superior he said "there's no one higher than me" I started to say that I think there is, but I'd not finished saying 'think' when he repeated "no one higher" and as I tried to say it again, he butted in to repeat the phrase "no one higher" 5 times, until I shouted over him to say ok I'm asking something else.



I pointed out that my phone currently has 6 months half price (due to the rudeness of a previous manager) and he said yes, and offered me 2 further months free.

Which gives me a total discount of £70 (still a poor condition phone though) I asked, if they accept my phone as trade in (which they do, for £35) can I not use my £70 discount to lower my contract early closure, plus the £35, to then pay off the £95 to end the contract early... but no. If I end it early, i lose my multiple discounts, I just get my £35 trade up for my phone, but nothing else.



I'm still left paying £60... although actually, it's still 95, as I only get the trade up AFTER as they dont ask for my phone until after I get my new one, and they then test it to see if I get trade. IF it works fine I get the money, but it's sliding scale if it's not working. I could potentially get nothing,

I restated I'm not happy, and asked for a further management, and he said I would need to find that out as he's not at liberty to give his seniors contact information and he will close my complaint as 'satisfied' because we came to mutual agreement that I would move on find help outside of his management chain. I argued that so he closed his 'not satisfied' and then he asked if there's anything else he can help with... I said "Well not rea.." and he replied "Great, bye" and hung up.

I should also point out that he claims no one could mistakenly offer me an upgrade my mistake, as it's really clear on their systems... and then proceeded to tell me a half dozen times my contract ends Dec 2019. At one point I made him say it 3 times, before telling him to look harder cause he just made a mistake he claims his team cant make. As my contract actually ends 2020 (I knew that) he apologised, but still claims a free upgrade mistake is impossible

after all that, is there anyone else I can contact... does anyone know of someone to speak to?

Ideally, I just want my phone taken back and replaced with one of the same value (even the same one, if it works) but this has been over 6 months now, and the service has been constantly rude, and it just seems like there should be someone higher up I can speak to. Because I struggle to believe that a big company like Virgin has someone who will say "no one higher" like a petulant child repeating "Stop hitting yourself" at their highest management point for customer service.

Thanks for any help, and I apologise for the wall of text.



Just wanted to make sure it was all explained.

If I'm in the wrong, or !!!!!! out of luck, let me know.

But it sure seems like they're more in the wrong than me


(Also, I'll just point out, I do use my memory card in my phone to expand memory... but most of my apps do no allow installation to SD card, and those that do only move 10-20% of the data. So buying more memory is not a 'fix', and even if it was, that's a bandaid for a phone that still fails to work at 70% capacity, when it starts off at nearly 55%)

eDicky

GrumpyBear wrote: »

In October, I got a new phone on contract with Virgin Media (they provide my sim, and my old phone was dead, so getting one with them seemed fine for only £6 a month)

It may have seemed fine but as you've discovered, your expectations were too high at that price for a low-end phone with a low-end network.

In future stick to SIM-only and a decent handset without the network bloatware.

GrumpyBear

I'd had their network for 2 years without issue, and the phone was a £149 phone... which at the time, I could not afford... and it had everything I needed and was a 40% improvement in specs on my old phone.

It was the easiest, quickest, and most affordable solution using a company I've used for years... I dont think having a working phone was having expectations too high.

I get that Virgin get a bad rap for their customer service, but I've always managed to sort out any issue with them. This was the first time I've dealt with the mobile team though, and like I said, all I wanted was the phone to work. 'low-end' or not, a phone should be fit for purpose. This was not.

I'll be cancelling my phone though, and my wifes, and the broadband, TV, and phone line. Apart from my phone, everything else is currently rolling contract so I'll drop immediately, because I'm so annoyed.

eDicky

You wrote a lot but you still haven't mentioned which handset you have that's so troublesome. So although you've obviously received abysmal service from Virgin, it's hard to comment on the main issue.

mobilejunkie

GrumpyBear wrote: »

I'd had their network for 2 years without issue, and the phone was a £149 phone... which at the time, I could not afford... and it had everything I needed and was a 40% improvement in specs on my old phone.

It was the easiest, quickest, and most affordable solution using a company I've used for years... I dont think having a working phone was having expectations too high.

I get that Virgin get a bad rap for their customer service, but I've always managed to sort out any issue with them. This was the first time I've dealt with the mobile team though, and like I said, all I wanted was the phone to work. 'low-end' or not, a phone should be fit for purpose. This was not.

I'll be cancelling my phone though, and my wifes, and the broadband, TV, and phone line. Apart from my phone, everything else is currently rolling contract so I'll drop immediately, because I'm so annoyed.

If you're on a rolling contract for broadband you'll almost certainly be paying through the nose.