Installation Day

I'm having my 20Mb broadband installed today. The appointment was confirmed by phone yesterday and it looked like they were checking the cable run to the street cab.

The apointment is for any time between 08:00 and 13:00. (12:30 now and no sign of them)

Going to have to use their wireless router for a few days until my pre N one is returned to me at the weekend. Don't really care to much about trsaffic management as my ADSL line will only go to about 2.4Mb. Anything I should lookout for on the install? What's the first thing I should try with my 20Mb broadband.

Welcome to VM -- you join us in "interesting times"...
(See Phorm, BPI and revised STM.)

In reply to:

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What's the first thing I should try with my 20Mb broadband.

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• Check for broadband problems in your area at http://status2.virginmedia.com/
  
• Disconnect any home networking equipment you have (eg. a router) and only connect directly to the cable modem with a single computer
  
• Close as many applications on your computer as possible, in particular any P2P, streaming or IM programs
  
• Start 2 simultaneous downloads from the VM demo games server plus 2 simultaneous downloads of Zen test files. That's four file downloads happening at once!
  
• Now add up each of the four download speeds to get your accurate download rate.

Then maybe reconnect your router and check your download speeds again.

If the results are less than spectacular, post back here and I'll suggest a host of other checks and hints on contacting Tech Support without (too many) tears!

Yes interesting times indeed. I have been reading up on Phorm, BPI and STM and go into this with my eyes wide open.

No engineer for install yet so I will have to phone them. Network status does not look to good either

Tickets for region : England - London
Ticket Number Status Description Customers Affected Date Modified
690722 Opened
National Issue - Loss of Internet
Broadband Internet
17/04/2008 11:26

690867 Opened
National Issue - Loss of Email
Broadband Internet, Dial Up Internet
17/04/2008 10:53

690521 Updated
N21 ( Enfield )- Loss of Broadband Internet, Digital TV
Broadband Internet, Digital TV
16/04/2008 21:30


Well at this rate looks like I'll be broadbandless come Monday when BT complete my RTD.

In reply to:

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No engineer for install yet so I will have to phone them.
[...]
Well at this rate looks like I'll be broadbandless come Monday when BT complete my RTD.

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If you point out to CS that it's not a good start for a new customer coming over from BT, they ought to get the installation tech to you ASAP. And may offer you a small (�10) credit in compensation.

Good luck!

Just phone CS. They said it was rescheduled to the 25th. I did point out to them that they rung me yesterday and confirmed today. I have been given the install department number.

Time for an arguement.

Quick update. A supervisor claims to have spoken to me yesterday to reschedule. I have now raised a formal complaint.

Edited by gverschoor (Thu 17-Apr-08 14:13:59)

What a dreadful way to treat a new customer!

If you aren't too dispirited enough for one day, I'd recommend you call CS once again and insist on being put through to Retentions -- tell them you're considering canceling your contract before your broadband has even been supplied.

Many people are reportedly given the run-around by CS and only get a satisfactory solution from the usually intelligent and co-operative Retentions staff.

I may just give them a ring but I will wait and see if I get a call back regarding my complaint first (Tuesday at he latest). Thanks.

Yes their installation Dept looks to be a taotal nightmare, A friend of mine has an ongoing installation problem, it now looks like it MIGHT be completed by Saturday - some 11 days AFTER her original appointment. Its been a total farce.

Well I've not received a call from a manager re my official complaint. I must chase them up over that one. New installation date is tomorrow so we'll see if they turn up then.

think Virgin is Bad, my partners grand mother who is almost 80 switched from Virgin to BT because of problems with Virgin, BT came out and said they couldnt connect their phone for some reason the day of her appt and would be back a few days later with what was needed and thats the last she saw of them, its been almost 9 weeks.

Today was my new installation day. The VM guys got the cable to my property yesterday and my appointment was between 08:00 and 13:00 today. Sat there and waited and guess what - another no show. Phone CS and was told that my new installation date is now 15th May and that I should have been told it was cancelled. Apparently it was cancelled because someone miss understood the message from the engineers saying that the had cleared the blockage and installed the cable and thought that they said it was blocked. Insisted on speaking to a manager as I was not very happy and they had not come back to me about my previous complaint. Spoke to manager who is trying to speak to speak to the manager for installs in my area. I will post back when I know more.

I'm appalled.
And marveling at your patience.

Just in case you've not found it yet, the snail mail address to lodge a formal complaint is:
Complaints,
Virgin Media,
PO Box 333,
Matrix Court,
Swansea.
SA7 9ZJ

My Virgin broadband (via set-top box) stopped working Thursday. I thought it was the usual kind of service problem where I lose the Internet for a day or two (happens every few months).

This was different,. After a few hours of telephone ping-pong between India tech support and customer service in Scotland, I found out that they are switching the systems which hold your accessible packages/services, and that they had somehow disabled my access AND IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO RECONNECT UNTIL 5 MAY EARLIEST!!??

Of course there is no letter or other communication from them to advise of potential problems. They did not offer any alternative arrangements either, not even dial-up!

Anyone else heard this or having problems? Are they telling the truth (if they even know what that is)? Virgin aren't normally great, but they usually muddle through. This is insane, however!

Help!!

Might be worth going straight to the top, according to a post today to the VM broadband support newsgroup:

In reply to:

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The only time anyone ever answered a complaint of mine was when I wrote
to this address

Chief Executive Officer
Virgin Media Investment Holdings Ltd.
NTL House
Bartley Wood Business Park
Hook
Hampshire
RG27 9UP

They responded very quickly and problem was resolved. I wrote loads of
other letters, to addresses I had been given and not once did I get a
response. I called and even used the online e-mail, nothing.

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(And I think the author is an ex-VM employee!)

Thanks for the information. I am going to ring them today as I thought it would be useless trying over the weekend. I will write a letter detailing my experiences to that address regardless of any resolution and see what comes back. Managed to borrow a 3 3G modem so may have a bit of net access back from today.

Just had a phone call from CS and my new install date is tomorrow 08:00-13:00. Fingers crossed.

When it finally is installed, don't forget to demand reimbursement of the installation charge as a minimum recompense for your trouble - try for a couple of free months..

My cable was due to be installed on a particular day and, sure enough, wasn't. By dint of phoning and complaining (no, they didn't ring me telling me it was cancelled; no, there wasn't a note through the door; no, I wasn't out when they called), it was installed the next day by the engineer who should have come (foreman told him that the foreman would do it) and I demanded and received the installation charge back for my trouble.

Regards,

Felix

Hope it happens this time!

Probably not a bad idea to check your (multiple file or mulit-thread) download speed before the tech leaves you.
If you don't get within 90% of 20Mb, tell the tech to check the modem power levels and the utilization at the UBR.

Well it happened today . I've not got time to do all the tests yet got to go to work. Here's a quick speed test http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results/id/12094705805748823186.html

It's true, I'm afraid.
VM are attempting to integrate TW and NTL's customer databases onto a new platform with new tools.
It's a complicated business and it's vital that they get the job done properly before permitting any records to be changed.

Hoorah!
Very pleased to hear that you're now connected.

However for the time of day, that's not a very good download speed.
Do the multiple file download test (without a router) when you've got some time?

Speeds seem to be fine at the moment. Here's a wireless speed test

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results/id/12096654279926012556.html

Now all I need is them to set me up on selfcare. My default email works on webmail but says it's invalid in selfcare. Oh and nearly forgot they need to replace the taped up joint from the external cable to the internal with a proper wall mounted box (another complaint).

In reply to:

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Speeds seem to be fine at the moment. Here's a wireless speed test
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results/id/12096654279926012556.html

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That's more like it!

In reply to:

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Now all I need is them to set me up on selfcare. My default email works on webmail but says it's invalid in selfcare.

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I suspect that'll be connected to the merging of the TW + NTL customer databases that's due to be fully working on May 6th.

Just a quick update.

Phoned TS regarding no selfcare access last Friday and was told it would be fixed within 3 working days. Lost email access on Tuesday. Phoned them Thursday and was told it was a problem effecting more than just me but got access to my email back. Don't know if I will ever get selfcare working.

Phoned CS asked about my outside box complaint and I now have an appointment on Wednesday for them to put one in.

Good job my Bulldog email still works.

Now your connected @18 Mbit check your area to see that you don't fall under the " New Rules STM" that VM are testing in certain areas, the "New Rules STM" now start at 10am, as opposed to 4pm for the existing STM. On an 18Mbit connection it will be very easy to hit your download allowance very quickly and trigger STM no matter where you live ... just so you know.

http://tinyurl.com/4szvz5

Edited by deleted (Sat 17-May-08 10:09:21)

I am in Enfield so the new rules apply.

Quick update. They finally fixed my selfcare login.

then welcome to the wondeful world of VM ... you should be fine on your connection.