Virgin media are just terrible! - This is long!

[indebtstudent]

Ja-De if you feel you are getting a poor deal say so, I have the 3 for £30 deal which is for new customers only even though I am no a new customer. You don't ask you don't get, if you are having issues make it clear you will take the matter further. They know they're c**p so they will give in and offer some kind of goodwill gesture or offer if you keep pushing. Speak to retention after giving notice if you are feeling particularly determined

 

I've recieved the reply which ignores the very simple points made in my letter and suggests I call 150to discuss the matter. This is utterly pointless since every person I've ever spoken to says something different. I'm going to go to OTELO and not because it costs them money. The simply fact is I have asked some very simply questions which they are unwilling or unable to answer.

 

Does anyone have any ideas re organising some sort of super complaint? I believe Which have been known to make them???

[MARTIN3030]

My understanding is that as with all regulators,Super Complaints can only be done through appointed organisations and bodies.

[OutsideMMAdotCom]

Virgin Media is the worst ISP I have ever had, the connection is unreliable. They took 7 times as much money as they should have from my bank account and never gave me back my money and then disconnected my internet because I complained about their services on the web

 

(edit)

Edited April 11, 2010 by ErikaPNP
unapproved link removed

[buzby]

That might be your experience, however they're the best of any ISP I've had, with 99% uptime, and at least 50% of the advertised speed at peak times. Cable BB cannot be bettrered, as it is the only reliably way to get a web connection. Co-ax and fibre rule - ADSL is simply a make-do.

 

Secondly, they offer two service types, cable BB, and ADSL using BT circuits. In this latter type, they are no better (or worse) than anyone else using BT Openreach infrastructure.

 

As for taking money - you gave them a DD why were you so silly to believe anyone can be trusted? I don't give anyone this ability, as to do so removes your control over finances, and is just begging for it to go wrong.

Edited April 12, 2010 by buzby

[locutus]

Virgin Media is the worst ISP I have ever had, the connection is unreliable. They took 7 times as much money as they should have from my bank account and never gave me back my money and then disconnected my internet because I complained about their services on the web

 

This is the VM official code of practice. Code of Practice

 

Follow section 5.5 on the bottom of page 9 to complain effectively.

Edited April 11, 2010 by locutus

[MARTIN3030]

People moan about Talk Talk and their customer services-but VM are no better and charge lots more.

VM packages are quite expensive and many dont need the TV since the digital switchover with lots of people using freeview boxes / Plasmas with built in freeview and others.

But I can say that their speed and connection is unrivaled.

Also people will remember VMs spat with sky not so long ago-which resulted in them withdrawing popular Sky programming.

Given the recent decision by the regulators for sky to offer wholesale prices to people like VM -You can bet your life that they will be jumping for joy-anjd expect VM to be doing some good deals if the sky appeal fails which the regs seem convinced it will.

 

VM still lag behind on the landline side-Talk Talk have the edge with free calls.

All my family are on TT now and their bills average 22 quid a month.

My VM bill started off at around £38 quid a month and calls took it sometimes to £100.

I have just signed up with TT -I will take my chances on the customer service-but if have any big probs you can rest assured that I wont be keeping it to myself.

[buzby]

Just a side issue - Freeview whilst it can provide some additional choice, many will admit that the selling off of terrestrial bandwidth to firms like ESPN and TopUp TV had worked against the non-pay TV viewer.

 

Forgetting the additional radio channels (on Freeview), I can honestly say the additional 3 channels available that I might consider watching, are a useful addition to the standard 5, but certainly not an 'alternative' for those channels provided FoC as part of a subscription - then there's the 'on demand/iPlayer additions which for me make the icing on the cake.

 

Since this is uncharged - for iPlayer at least it should not be ignored, and does away with all those non channels (plus 1) etc. VM are not without problem, as you'll certainly find with TT - but then, what company is trouble free?

Edited April 12, 2010 by buzby

[MARTIN3030]

Yes worth thinking about.

I dont watch that much TV-BBC news 24 mainly which I have on 24/7

[indebtstudent]

I was surpsied to see this thread spring back to life and thought I'd join in to see if its possible to get a better deal than what I have now.

 

You'll see from an earlier post (cira 2008) I was getting the lot for £30 and this included XL TV with Setanta as it was at the time. I've since moved and the costs have increased slowly, 50p here and a £ there. So I'm now paying £39.50 per month, again largest TV and as part of that I get ESPN for free.

 

I have looked for cheaper deals a couple of times but, bizarrly, the saving would be neglibile if I got rid of the home phone which I seldom use. I am open to freeview but I don't seem to be able to find a setup where I get ESPN. The going rate for that seems to be £10/month, and I really like watching the UFC on there since its my favourite sport.

 

Anyone know of such a deal? Honestly all I need is broadband, doesn't even matter much about speed since I mostle come on sites like this

[Bazooka Boo]

TBH even though I have all the VM channels the Large package provides, I very rarely go past the four usual ones which you can watch without VM, but, I do like the idea of being able to watch on demand, and a few other channels, am just about to tell them I am thinking of moving, as I too have noticed they have been steadily increasing the monthly payment, with the odd 50p and £1 here and there, and the palava I had trying to get them too connect me on the phone, was hilariously incompetent, so if they will offer me a V+ box free, I'll stay, if not, I'll look elsewhere.

[indebtstudent]

I've noticed that too, and it never says in the leaflet so your new monthly charge is. It just mentions like you say 50 on line rental and a quid elsewhere so people don't notice. Quite clever really.

 

Here's another question when I moved they sent me a thing to sign for a 12 month hire agreement, but its the same equipment I always had. I never signed it, does this mean I'm tied in for 12 months?

 

I could understand it if I was a new customer, but all the connections were there all the guy had to do was plug them in a make sure they were working. It took about 20 mins, and five minutes of that was him having a cup of tea!

[buzby]

Not signing is irrelevant, it is good practice (as they could remove your services on a whim and you could not complain as you hadn't 'signed'). By paying their fees, you are deemed to have accepted them... (notice how it works for them, but against you?).

 

The 12 months covers changes or amendments to service, nothing to do with cable provision. Get a new V+ box, and you must stick with it for a year, although you can change your package and downgrade it to the lowest level.