No PVR or HD

jc_150 · 22-08-2007, 20:13

Hi all in the forum
This is my saga and any help would be appreciated.
I live in Harlow in Essex, and just over a week ago ordered V+ and paid £150. This has been paid as I can now see it on my credit card statement. I also have the XL package. I could not manage to book an engineer call at the same time as ordering as the system was apparently down to be able to do this. After many calls CS managed to book an engineer call "manually" and the engineer came today and fitted the V+ box. He could not activate it so he called into the "office" and they activated the XL package as I now have all my tv channels working. My V+ and PVR are showing me as not subscribed, and the engineer said it was because of the manual booking he did not have access to some stuff on his laptop so couldnt do it but a phone call that he made said it would be activated in around 2 hours. That was at 9:30 this morning so phoned again and they told me the same thing to reboot and try again within 24 hours, that is up at midday tomorrow. it is now 20:10 and just got in and still not working. What is my next move to get V+ registered or whatever the techi term for it is and start getting some HD TV and be able to record missed programs as I have now taken the VCR off the system. Thanks for any replies andd apologies for the long post
regards
John Calleja

Nedkelly · 22-08-2007, 20:48

Oh dear sounds like the Hit has not gone through the system or the tech put the wrong details in.The best thing to do is to write down the box number and the smart card number the box numer will start 104 i think its on the botom of the box .This will help when you ring up get them to check the details are the same and ask if the hit failed .Please note DO NOT LET THEM SEND A TECH IT CAN BE DONE OVER THE PHONE .They will want to sent a booster signal then get you to call back in 2 hours if the system is working ok and there are no delays this should only take 5 to 10 mins .If this does not work and you ring in again they will want you to do this again at this point say no if it did not work the first time it must be a problem your end do not let the fob you off .THese faults can be fixed over the phone and do not need a tech

Good Luck

jc_150 · 22-08-2007, 21:14

Thank you for the speedy and informative reply, I will do as you suggested tomorrow first thing, and report back with the result.
regards
John Calleja

jc_150 · 23-08-2007, 10:07

Hi again
Next Installment. Phoned CS today, and they went through the loop and said there was a fault with their system stopping the authorisation of the V+ box for HD and PVR. They have e-mailed their IT dept, and said I should expect a response within 5 working days. This has turned from a minor inconvenience to an unacceptable situation. My credit card has been charged the £150 with a date of 13th Aug. it is now 23rd Aug and still no service. Whilst typing this am trying to get in touch with disconnections to see what they can do, 5 mins on hold so far, patience wearing thin. Next will be a call to Barclaycard and see if they can get my £150 quid back. How is this a sevice?
regards
John Calleja.

---------- Post added at 10:07 ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 ----------

Hi again
Next installment.
I thought ide posted this but can't see it so posting again, hope it doesn't double post.
Got through to disconnectios, and they got in touch IT. bottom line is they took all details and advised should have a service in 24 hrs. and they gave £20 off my next bill for the inconvenience. will keep updating till its fixed
regards
John Calleja

jc_150 · 23-08-2007, 17:51

Hi again
Next installment of my saga
System still not fixed. CS put me on to technical. They say their system will not allow a signal to be sent to my box, so I need a tech visit to the house. Next they say their system will not allow them to book an engineer, and they said will call me back within the next two hours. will keep you posted. Sky tv becomming more and more like a realistic alternative.
regards
John Calleja

---------- Post added at 17:51 ---------- Previous post was at 16:39 ----------

Hi This looks like the final installment as I am at the end of my tether now. Still no V+ service or PVR. Disconnections connected me to faults and they could not register my system, they have passed this on and said it will be cured in 48 hours,But with the bank holiday that will be Tuesday evening. They credited another £10 for my inconvenience. Have been on to Barclaycard to try anbd get my £150 back. They have posted me out a Dispute form, and when I fill that in they will take up my claim and try and get my money back. anyone got any other ideas?. all I want is the V+ service and PVR but that is beyond all those I have spoken to so far.
any techies that monitor this forum, prepared to try and help would be very welcome
regards
John Calleja

Nedkelly · 23-08-2007, 23:24

This is very poor customer service .Why oh why do they insist on sending a tech out Agghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Basicly they can not be arsed .The sytem has been fine this afternoon it went down this morning but it was fine as boxes i have swapped have been hit within 5 to 10 mins

This is a fault that can be done over the phone if they can be arsed to do it .Why do they need a tech all the tech will do is a dummey box swap and ask if the hits have failed .This is a big pet hate of mine can not be botherd ill book you a tech .No wonder customers leave

chickendippers · 24-08-2007, 00:07

Just keep ringing until you speak to someone competent. I had to call 3 times before this was sorted.

jc_150 · 24-08-2007, 11:16

Hi again
This is the situation today, Friday.
Spoke to a technical guy yesterday at around 5pm, he said that he has passed the fault on to another department as their systems are showing a fault at their end, and they have to go through procedures that cannot be altered and the 48 hrs from then will be Tuesday becaus of the weekend and bank holiday. He has assured me that he will ring me up Tuesday at 3 pm to see if the system is working and take it from there. Why can't that be done today as its a working day and get me up and running?, but no I have to wait till Tuesday before anyone will look at my problem. Also the lady who tried to book an enginneer call did not phone back after assuring me that she would so no engineer booked either. I am spending £37 per month on the 20 Meg service which crawls along rather than flies, and £20 odd per month for the tv and whatever the phone costs, and I am being treated like an idiot and getting no where. They have up till Tuesday to fix this, then hopefully my dispute forms will have arrived from barclaycard. and for my inconvenience VM have given me £30 off my next bill and half price internet for 3 months due to the slow speeds. Thats not a solution its a softener. If NedKelly works for VM and you want to use my case to to show to any senior manager then you may do the general public a service, all that I have said is true, and I am sure they have been recorded on my notes. If you would like my accound number I can send privately if you want to kook into this any further, and see what the real problem is. There is absolutely no re-dress with anyone I have spoken to at VM and the only protest one can make is to leave.
John Calleja

Mick Fisher · 25-08-2007, 03:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc_150

There is absolutely no re-dress with anyone I have spoken to at VM and the only protest one can make is to leave.
John Calleja

The way you are being treated is deplorable and totally unacceptable.
No surprises there as we are talking about VM.

The only thing I do find surprising is that you are still hanging in there.

One way or another I hope you take the necessary steps to get your situation sorted out. Nobody deserves the hassell that VM are inflicting on you.

jc_150 · 25-08-2007, 11:11

Hi Mick
Thanks for the kind words, the reason I am hanging on for a result is that I have never had HD so not missing it. My general tv pictures are much better with the V+ box than with the standard box I had before. But I am retired, and the £150 that I paid VM represents a big chunk of my pension this month. Barclaycard said they would try and retrieve my money if I do not get the situation resolved, waiting for paperwork from them to put this in motion. I am like a dog with a bone, I will not let this go, can't do anything till Tuesday when the honourobility of the tech guy is at stake, and if I get let down by him then watch out VM. Every word that is written here I have saved into one document for printing off as its a sort of diary of events, then its off to the Citizens Advice after Tuesday to see what options are open to me.
regards
John Calleja

Mick Fisher · 26-08-2007, 00:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc_150

Hi Mick
Thanks for the kind words, the reason I am hanging on for a result is that I have never had HD so not missing it. My general tv pictures are much better with the V+ box than with the standard box I had before. But I am retired, and the £150 that I paid VM represents a big chunk of my pension this month. Barclaycard said they would try and retrieve my money if I do not get the situation resolved, waiting for paperwork from them to put this in motion. I am like a dog with a bone, I will not let this go, can't do anything till Tuesday when the honourobility of the tech guy is at stake, and if I get let down by him then watch out VM. Every word that is written here I have saved into one document for printing off as its a sort of diary of events, then its off to the Citizens Advice after Tuesday to see what options are open to me.
regards
John Calleja

HD (although I have an HD ready TV) is not important to me either. This will likely change when the BBC, ITV and other major channels start to transmit in HD.

What was important to me was, I wanted a PVR that worked. As VM in all their previous guises have never got an ordinary V box to work properly in the 10 or so years I've been with them, I very much doubted that they could do it with a V+ box. Apart from the inherent failings of the V+ that we hear about there was also the risk of falling into the exact same hole that you find yourself in at present.

It's a lot of bother changing but I decided to bite the bullet and go with Sky+. Up to now I have not had any problems whatsoever and am 100% satisfied with it. Another plus is that due to the way Sky market the channels I could get a better selection to match my needs. I am also no longer conned into paying for a VM phone line which they have always wriggled out of actually connecting.

The end result is I now have a perfect DTV service and am also saving £30.00/month.

That will soon get me back the £129.00 it cost me to get the service installed.

Good luck with it John.

jc_150 · 26-08-2007, 13:20

Hi again
Latest development
VM engieer phoned today to say signals are being sent to my V+ box. Not activated as I write but at least VM is making an attempt to solve my problems
regards
John Calleja

Nedkelly · 26-08-2007, 16:46

Keep us informed

jc_150 · 26-08-2007, 18:11

Hi all
Hopefully this is the last report.
I went out this afternoon and just got back, there was a message on the answerphone from VM saying all was fixed, and checked it all out and it works fine. Still learning how to use it. This is 13 days after they charged my card with the £150, umpteen phone calls and a few polite but firm words.
regards
John Calleja

homealone · 26-08-2007, 18:20

glad you got there in the end - congratulations on your perseverance, although it shouldn't have been necessary