Virgin Media installation - have I just been unlucky?
Discussion
- Sorry, this ended up being longer than I planned...anyone bored enough late on a Saturday night, feel free to read on and be even more bored
This has at least got a chronology for me to refer back to when I have the inevitable argument about terminating the atreement*
I’ve always had broadband with BT. Save for some customer service issues and inevitable price hikes (and having to negotiate back down each year), they were generally okay.
I moved to a new area where Virgin seem to be the main provider. The download speed is claimed to be roughly 10 times that of BT and Sky. Having known a few residents already with them who seem to be happy with the service, I signed up in July.
Due to Covid, I was told, understandably, that there would be a bit of a delay with the installation. But the internal installation would occur on 8 August and they would do the external work prior to that and I wouldn’t need to be around.
On 7 August, an engineer turns up. He said he has come just to check all was in hand and left saying they would be here the next day to complete things.
21:45 that night, I get a text saying they had moved the installation date to 1 September. I phone on 8 August to find out why/express my frustration etc. They say it is a two man installation re the external works and that is the first time they can do it. I said the guy who came the day before said all was set to go ahead, but nothing they could do.
I was told the external works with a two man team was booked for 27 August, so 1 September wouldn’t be an issue. Annoyed, but knowing I had no quick alternative, and happy with the package I had signed up for, I just had to sit tight.
26 August: two man team turns up. Day early, hooray. They tell me their plans re the cable and I leave them to it. They spend about 20 mins here and then just drive off without saying anything.
As it was booked for 27 August, I thought I’d see what the next day would bring. Nothing, so I call up and am assured all is still set for 1 September and they would now book a team for 28 August. But that only seemed to happen due to my call. When I asked about the visit the day before, I was told that was just a survey.
28 August: two man team arrive first thing. They’ve been told noting about the survey from two days before. I inform them what the other team said the plan was. They say that won’t work and they need to come down the other side of the drive and it will be much neater. Sounds good to me, so they tell me they will crack on. One then drives off after about 10 mins, the other about 20 mins later whilst I’m speaking to the boiler installer and didnt see until I saw the van leaving.
Back on the phone to them and I’m told it’s a full days work but will happen pre-1 September and that date will not change. To further reassure me, they would get the installation team to call me later yesterday to confirm the plans. No call follows.
Instead, today I get an email at 07:00 which says:
Your new installation date: Saturday 7th November 2020
Your new installation time: 8:00am - 13:00pm
Ordered July, now install proposed 4 months later, with no guarantee that would actually happen.
Back on the phone, I tell them to cancel.
They say they will get the install done 1 September (didn’t say which year, mind
).I say I’ve no confidence that will happen, especially given external works are needed and that will have to be on the Sunday or BH Monday. They won’t put me through to complaints, so I insist on cancellation.
I’m now looking at Sky, who say they can do 10 September...just hope I don’t get a text from them the night before...
Edited by Cudd Wudd on Saturday 29th August 22:46
Terrible service, I wouldn’t cancel just yet though
Sky may yet start to dick about or have a problem
Is Sky over the Openreach line & Virgin new cable to the house?
Make sure that Sky works before binning Virgin
See who wins the race ..
Also the previous link is a good find
Looks like Virgin should be paying you £5 a day !
Sky may yet start to dick about or have a problem
Is Sky over the Openreach line & Virgin new cable to the house?
Make sure that Sky works before binning Virgin
See who wins the race ..
Also the previous link is a good find
Looks like Virgin should be paying you £5 a day !
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 31st August 07:47
Ridealong said:
Ah, the good old compo...I think some VM installs are done by contractors who get paid per installation. Hence they may be less motivated to do one that's complicated. They can always make up some story to VM about why they couldn't do it on the day...
I know when ours was done the installers were really pissed off because it was way more complicated than they were expecting.
I know when ours was done the installers were really pissed off because it was way more complicated than they were expecting.
Many thanks for your replies. Sorry for the delay, turns out not having had internet since 28 July limits what I can do online 
Thomas, many thanks for the PM. I did email you on Sunday, not sure if you got that? Your offer is most appreciated.
I’ve not heard from Virgin at all since Saturday.
Sky are apparently on to things. Had some stuff posted to me and engineer due next week. They don’t foresee any hiccups. But then neither did Virgin (well, that they’d tell me...)
Thank you all
PS, may be better covered elsewhere but does anyone know how I can get temporary Internet on my laptop using a dongle? Never had need for one before, but my limited research (due to both lack of knowledge and difficulties getting online) finds deals with 12/24 month terms. PAYG sounds ideal but I’ve no idea how much data I’d get through each day.
If anyone has experience of this, just to (hopefully!) get me through the next 1-2 weeks, I’d be most grateful
Thomas, many thanks for the PM. I did email you on Sunday, not sure if you got that? Your offer is most appreciated.
Jimboka said:
Is Sky over the Openreach line & Virgin new cable to the house?
Yes, exactly that. And I agree with the last poster, I believe the two teams that have turned up just haven’t fancied it. They just didn’t look interested whilst here and may have thought there were easier jobs to move on to.I’ve not heard from Virgin at all since Saturday.
Sky are apparently on to things. Had some stuff posted to me and engineer due next week. They don’t foresee any hiccups. But then neither did Virgin (well, that they’d tell me...)
Thank you all
PS, may be better covered elsewhere but does anyone know how I can get temporary Internet on my laptop using a dongle? Never had need for one before, but my limited research (due to both lack of knowledge and difficulties getting online) finds deals with 12/24 month terms. PAYG sounds ideal but I’ve no idea how much data I’d get through each day.
If anyone has experience of this, just to (hopefully!) get me through the next 1-2 weeks, I’d be most grateful
outnumbered said:
I think some VM installs are done by contractors who get paid per installation. Hence they may be less motivated to do one that's complicated. They can always make up some story to VM about why they couldn't do it on the day...
I know when ours was done the installers were really pissed off because it was way more complicated than they were expecting.
Mine was done by two young lads. They work for a 3rd party firm but all their clothing and vans are branded Virgin Media... They advised they have a set number of jobs and can't go home untill done. Mine were complaint too, as they had just done a massive house and the home owner was very particular about the routing so had taken ages.I know when ours was done the installers were really pissed off because it was way more complicated than they were expecting.
So very strange for them to have done that OP as sounded to me like the 3rd party company was whippig them.
Hi OP sorry you are having so many problems with VM , I have just gone through a similiar thing.
Long story short
Moving home - want to move VM bundle
said no problem, give us a installation date
they book installation under a diff a account, so cancel that but them lose the original date immediately. it's now 2 weeks later
get a text to say the install is cancelled as we can't have virgin in new area after they have confrmed we can. They then cancel our contract.
I sign up as a new customer and then get a install date quicker than our previous one. All done and sorted now and on a cheaper deal.
Its an absolute pisstake i am sick of dealing with them .
Can your mrs phone up and sign up as a new customer ? see what happens then ?
Long story short
Moving home - want to move VM bundle
said no problem, give us a installation date
they book installation under a diff a account, so cancel that but them lose the original date immediately. it's now 2 weeks later
get a text to say the install is cancelled as we can't have virgin in new area after they have confrmed we can. They then cancel our contract.
I sign up as a new customer and then get a install date quicker than our previous one. All done and sorted now and on a cheaper deal.
Its an absolute pisstake i am sick of dealing with them .
Can your mrs phone up and sign up as a new customer ? see what happens then ?
Cudd Wudd said:
PS, may be better covered elsewhere but does anyone know how I can get temporary Internet on my laptop using a dongle? Never had need for one before, but my limited research (due to both lack of knowledge and difficulties getting online) finds deals with 12/24 month terms. PAYG sounds ideal but I’ve no idea how much data I’d get through each day.
If anyone has experience of this, just to (hopefully!) get me through the next 1-2 weeks, I’d be most grateful
can you get a data sim maybe ? smarty to unlimited cals texts and data for £20 no contract and just hotspot from your phone ? If anyone has experience of this, just to (hopefully!) get me through the next 1-2 weeks, I’d be most grateful
The workers who turned up were wearing virgin branded clothing. The vans they arrived in also had virgin on the side, but also another name which now escapes me… Possibly began with “O”...or any other letter of the alphabet...
I will probably try calling them tomorrow just to find out what their system now says, but I need to find a solution way before 7 November.
I will probably try calling them tomorrow just to find out what their system now says, but I need to find a solution way before 7 November.
nealeh1875 said:
can you get a data sim maybe ? smarty to unlimited cals texts and data for £20 no contract and just hotspot from your phone ?
Thank you for your replies. At least I know it is not just me…I will consider making those further enquiries if there is any delay with Sky, but hopefully they will get me sorted out soon enough.
And i’ve just looked at the smarty website, thank you. I will look into that and see whether that will see me through as a temporary solution. Thank you very much
I ordered Virgin media broadband, they had to tunnel across the road so their was a long delay.
They credited my account by £5/d, all automatically without me asking, so I will effectively get free broadband for 10 months or so. They also doubled the speed I initially ordered and discounted the monthly cost by £2.
I have been too embarrassed by their generosity to ask for my Forces discount (but I may do once I actually start to have to pay bills).
They credited my account by £5/d, all automatically without me asking, so I will effectively get free broadband for 10 months or so. They also doubled the speed I initially ordered and discounted the monthly cost by £2.
I have been too embarrassed by their generosity to ask for my Forces discount (but I may do once I actually start to have to pay bills).
I remember having virgin media fitted and the guy moaning about needing to run a cable to the lounge that wasn't the front room like in a lot of houses.
I remember being slightly miffed when he had to call in to say he would be longer and he described my house as a back to front house with the kitchen at the front.
The last 3 houses I've lived in have had the kitchen at the front.
I remember being slightly miffed when he had to call in to say he would be longer and he described my house as a back to front house with the kitchen at the front.
The last 3 houses I've lived in have had the kitchen at the front.
ging84 said:
I remember having virgin media fitted and the guy moaning about needing to run a cable to the lounge that wasn't the front room like in a lot of houses.
I remember being slightly miffed when he had to call in to say he would be longer and he described my house as a back to front house with the kitchen at the front.
The last 3 houses I've lived in have had the kitchen at the front.
Sounds back to front to me. only ever had them at the back or side.I remember being slightly miffed when he had to call in to say he would be longer and he described my house as a back to front house with the kitchen at the front.
The last 3 houses I've lived in have had the kitchen at the front.
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