We've been disconnected... again :(

rickymallory · 20-02-2010, 02:32

So, the dreaded message has shown up again...

"Network access disabled by provisioning"

Our bill is due on the 17th of each month... as far as we were told you're supposed to have 2 weeks to pay the bill but we seem to get disconnected pretty swiftly. 20th Feb is not 2 weeks after 17th Feb.

Last time we was disconnected on the 16th of February.

We have not received a single paper bill since being with VM and we pay via PayPoint and have paper billing.

We ended up receiving 20Mb broadband for 4 months instead of 10 as compensation, but we were unsure if that was for free or what we usually pay. We were also given the new N router at no cost.

What can we do about the billing... all they said last time at the call center was that they were unsure why that was and would look into it... Nothing!

So when we pay our bills it's just guess work. the bill always falls on our bad week too. we only have about £60 on the bad weeks. Would it be possible to ask for the billing date to be moved to a better date on our good week to make it easier... At the moment it's ending up with up to a week out of every month without any connection due to this and them cutting us off it seems, too quickly.

Ignitionnet · 20-02-2010, 03:24

Is payment due 17th or is that when the bill is generated?

I'm unsure about having 2 weeks to pay the bill after the due date, makes due dates a bit pointless, though evidently something is going wrong.

I'm sure someone familiar with the billing can advise re: changing payment date. They may, again, be weird about it if you're repeatedly paying late.

rickymallory · 20-02-2010, 13:34

Well, I have heard something about being billed in advance... we've always been told by them it's the 17th of each month. I'm not sure about it being the due date, they never seem to cut us off on that date... always a few days after or the day before. We aren't too sure if we haven't seen a single bill turn up since being with them. it's beyond a joke when we are paying for paper billing and have from the start.

*sloman* · 20-02-2010, 13:39

Can't you not set up a Direct Debit or make a Debit Card payment online, paperless billing will also save you £1 per month (i think)

I think your bill/statement gets produced 14days before the bill date so roughly the 3rd of each month for you.

**Rob** · 20-02-2010, 13:46

So you are on paper billing but don't receive bills

What are Virgin Media saying about that?

Many Virgin Media services are billed for the upcoming period. You need to have paid in advance for those to be able to use them, phone line rental, broadband standing charge, TV package. Those are normally fixed rate amounts.

But if you aren't getting bills, how do you know if you have been paying the correct amount (changes in VAT, package line ups etc).

You then pay useage related charges in arrears i.e. phone call costs, movies on demand, etc.

A bill will have a due by date. That is when the money needs to be in Virgin Media's account. That is different to when the bill is published, usually a few days in advance of the due date.

rickymallory · 20-02-2010, 15:20

Direct Debit is a big no no really... last time we had BT on DD and my step dad cancelled it through spite AFAWK. At least paying at pay point we know it will get payed.. we don't trust my step dad.

Yup, no bills are showing up in the mail, we've asked them why but they said they aren't too sure and would look into it... seems they don't care.

We have had to phone their call centers before to ask how much we owe... looks like we will need to do that again this time.

I tried telling my parents that you're billed in advance but they don't seem to understand or believe me.

I think we may be ditching the phone sometime soon due to the cost of their calls. also dropping that we only have the set price of the BB to contend with.

If we drop the phone service but leave the phone in the socket, will we still have access to 151?

Digital Fanatic · 20-02-2010, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickymallory

Direct Debit is a big no no really... last time we had BT on DD and my step dad cancelled it through spite AFAWK. At least paying at pay point we know it will get payed.. we don't trust my step dad.

Yup, no bills are showing up in the mail, we've asked them why but they said they aren't too sure and would look into it... seems they don't care.

We have had to phone their call centers before to ask how much we owe... looks like we will need to do that again this time.

I tried telling my parents that you're billed in advance but they don't seem to understand or believe me.

I think we may be ditching the phone sometime soon due to the cost of their calls. also dropping that we only have the set price of the BB to contend with.

If we drop the phone service but leave the phone in the socket, will we still have access to 151?

Are you in any calling packages? maybe you should see if any can save you money?

rickymallory · 20-02-2010, 15:38

Just Phone M, it's all we can afford really, we may as well drop it and upgrade the BB to 20Mb from 10Mb after the 4 months of 20Mb at the cost of 10Mb as compensation.

Digital Fanatic · 20-02-2010, 15:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickymallory

Just Phone M, it's all we can afford really, we may as well drop it and upgrade the BB to 20Mb from 10Mb after the 4 months of 20Mb at the cost of 10Mb as compensation.

Is it the calls causing the high bills?

rickymallory · 20-02-2010, 16:22

I think so, most people we know are on mobile phones... expensive to call from a landline but seems to be that bit more expensive with VM. We have mobile phones so we can call family cheaper.

joglynne · 20-02-2010, 16:53

Sorry if this seems a silly question but is there any reason your couldn't swap to e-billing?

rickymallory · 20-02-2010, 17:02

I have suggested that to my mum but she's not too sure that would work out... the BB is in her name but I wasn't told that when I set it up, so now my step dad has the default account and thus the control over the services.

I could have logged in and changed the account but he's changed the password.

Digital Fanatic · 20-02-2010, 17:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickymallory

I think so, most people we know are on mobile phones... expensive to call from a landline but seems to be that bit more expensive with VM. We have mobile phones so we can call family cheaper.

From April calling Virgin Mobile is inclusive to your calling package.. a better package would actually save you money... M pack isn't good if you use the 'phone for calling mobiles alot... you could go on Talk Mobile too to save on calls to non VM mobiles? Worth speaking to Customer Care on 150 and see what you can actually save.

---------- Post added at 16:03 ---------- Previous post was at 16:02 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by joglynne

Sorry if this seems a silly question but is there any reason your couldn't swap to e-billing?

Good idea

---------- Post added at 16:23 ---------- Previous post was at 16:03 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickymallory

I have suggested that to my mum but she's not too sure that would work out... the BB is in her name but I wasn't told that when I set it up, so now my step dad has the default account and thus the control over the services.
I could have logged in and changed the account but he's changed the password.

I don't understand? You can only have 1 account at any address.

BenMcr · 20-02-2010, 17:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

I don't understand? You can only have 1 account at any address.

That's correct now.

However in the past it was not enforced as strictly as it is now - so it is quite possible they may have two accounts.

If they have though they certainly won't be getting best value

Digital Fanatic · 20-02-2010, 17:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

That's correct now.

However in the past it was not enforced as strictly as it is now - so it is quite possible they may have two accounts.

If they have though they certainly won't be getting best value

Yeah that was exNTL wasn't it.. are there still dual accounts for these open? I thought they were all migrated to ICOMS? Telewest always had 1 account for all services.