jem
19-03-2007, 11:00
Just thought I'd give some feedback re. my V+ box installation on Saturday.
Firstly I'd booked the install about three weeks ago and Saturday 17th 1pm-6pm was the earliest available slot - not too bad I thought and I really didn't mind waiting. The customer service rep was on the ball, noticed that I had my 4 Meg broadband though a Samsung 2100 set-top box and and explained that it would need changing. Which I already knew but she volunteered the info before a had a chance to ask about it. She also asked me if I had a HD TV-which I do, and she made a note of it. Originally I had booked an engineer to bring the modem a week earlier but I had to change the date and managed to get a slot in the same time period and the V+ install. Hopefully they would both arrive and I'd not be left without internet.
A few days after the original booking I received a 'welcome pack' giving me some info and a card with the TV pin number on it. I knew that switching from STB to modem involves setting up a new account so I was a bit worried when no more info about the new BB account arrived. Eventually last Wednesday I rang CS and explained the situation. The person I spoke to told me that no new account had been set up (so good thing I called them then!) but she would do so now and told me the broadband pin number I'd need to activate it.
Saturday came and at 4pm an installer arrived. His worksheet was slightly wrong, he thought I was keeping the old box which I wasn't, quick call to his supervisor and he said it was all sorted out. He had brought the cable modem and said that another engineer was on his way with the V+ box. He spilt the cable where the old STB was (which was exactly what I wanted-so easy job for him) fitted the SACM (black VM branded 250 so all fine there), got a sync up light and attached it to my router. He handed me a disk and welcome pack-not that it was much use to me as I use a Mac and everything is ethernet and wireless, and said he was just going outside to see if the V+ box had arrived. Just then another two VM vans appeared and an annimated discussion ensured between all the engineers. It sounded to me like the V+ box was somewhere in transit-although nobode seemed to know where.
Meanwhile I thought I'd get my internet connection going. No connectivity. OK, the line seems to be up so I'll manually entered the address for the registration page. Up comes the page, so internet connection is live but the first thing it asks me for is an eleven digit serial number, which I don't have.
Well I could go out and get the installer back, who is now sitting in his van parked outside on the phone, but decided all he'll do is call customer services which I can do myself. Only a few seconds wait on the queue, got though the CS, explained the situation, went though some security checks, gave him the mac address of the modem and eventually was given the serial number. At that point I was distracted by the arrival of the V+ box (a black VM branded one), so thanked the rep and rang off.
While the installer was fitting the box, I tried entering the serial number, username and password.
Didn't work, tried again, same result.
Back on phone to customer services, first rep didn't seem to understand what I was asking for and put me on hold. I think she must have transferred me to faults because another person came on and I had to repeat the whole story. I confirmed the numbers with the second person who asked me to wait for a minute and then try again. This time I thought I'm not putting the phone down until it's working, entered the data and it worked!
I suspect they hadn't activated the account properly the first time, but anyway we're on.
Meanwhile the V+ box is in place and the installer is going through the installation screens. He had to make a few calls so I suspect something else hadn't been set right. He hooked it up via scart and was about to slide it back into place when I pointed out that he hadn't attached my own HDMI lead that I had already plugged into the TV and left in place for him to connect.
I also noticed that the little blue light was flashing (lack of return path) and queried it with him. 'Oh that ok', he said, 'the box is just receiving its info'. 'Well there's no way you are leaving until that stops and I see everything working'; I think to myself; but a few seconds later it stopped and while he was packing up I quickly checked I had all the channels including BBC HD, that the interactive worked and the pause live TV function worked-I had downloaded and read the booklet on the unit so knew what to look for.
The installer then handed me the booklet, told me it was all ok and left. He did not offer to demonstrate the functions, or set up the HDMI output and after he had left, I realised that he had also not left me the HDMI cable that should have been in the box.
In my case this is not too bad, I know how to configure these things myself and I was satisfied myself that it was working before he left, but I do think that some other people could have found themselves a bit lost.
I don't think I have real grounds to complain too much about the installation, they came on time, fitted what I asked for, it all works-the box is very quiet although I do see what people mean when they complain about the delay in changing channels. The broadband install was an annoyance though and it really should have been sorted out properly. Yes I know I should probably have gotten the installer back in to fix it rather than do it myself which I did purely because I know the procedure and in the interest of speed.
So overall, just a little bit slapdash but all right in the end. I thought that if I recounted what had happened then it might forewarn anyone a similar setup in the near future as to what to look out for and be prepared for.
Good luck
Firstly I'd booked the install about three weeks ago and Saturday 17th 1pm-6pm was the earliest available slot - not too bad I thought and I really didn't mind waiting. The customer service rep was on the ball, noticed that I had my 4 Meg broadband though a Samsung 2100 set-top box and and explained that it would need changing. Which I already knew but she volunteered the info before a had a chance to ask about it. She also asked me if I had a HD TV-which I do, and she made a note of it. Originally I had booked an engineer to bring the modem a week earlier but I had to change the date and managed to get a slot in the same time period and the V+ install. Hopefully they would both arrive and I'd not be left without internet.
A few days after the original booking I received a 'welcome pack' giving me some info and a card with the TV pin number on it. I knew that switching from STB to modem involves setting up a new account so I was a bit worried when no more info about the new BB account arrived. Eventually last Wednesday I rang CS and explained the situation. The person I spoke to told me that no new account had been set up (so good thing I called them then!) but she would do so now and told me the broadband pin number I'd need to activate it.
Saturday came and at 4pm an installer arrived. His worksheet was slightly wrong, he thought I was keeping the old box which I wasn't, quick call to his supervisor and he said it was all sorted out. He had brought the cable modem and said that another engineer was on his way with the V+ box. He spilt the cable where the old STB was (which was exactly what I wanted-so easy job for him) fitted the SACM (black VM branded 250 so all fine there), got a sync up light and attached it to my router. He handed me a disk and welcome pack-not that it was much use to me as I use a Mac and everything is ethernet and wireless, and said he was just going outside to see if the V+ box had arrived. Just then another two VM vans appeared and an annimated discussion ensured between all the engineers. It sounded to me like the V+ box was somewhere in transit-although nobode seemed to know where.
Meanwhile I thought I'd get my internet connection going. No connectivity. OK, the line seems to be up so I'll manually entered the address for the registration page. Up comes the page, so internet connection is live but the first thing it asks me for is an eleven digit serial number, which I don't have.
Well I could go out and get the installer back, who is now sitting in his van parked outside on the phone, but decided all he'll do is call customer services which I can do myself. Only a few seconds wait on the queue, got though the CS, explained the situation, went though some security checks, gave him the mac address of the modem and eventually was given the serial number. At that point I was distracted by the arrival of the V+ box (a black VM branded one), so thanked the rep and rang off.
While the installer was fitting the box, I tried entering the serial number, username and password.
Didn't work, tried again, same result.
Back on phone to customer services, first rep didn't seem to understand what I was asking for and put me on hold. I think she must have transferred me to faults because another person came on and I had to repeat the whole story. I confirmed the numbers with the second person who asked me to wait for a minute and then try again. This time I thought I'm not putting the phone down until it's working, entered the data and it worked!
I suspect they hadn't activated the account properly the first time, but anyway we're on.
Meanwhile the V+ box is in place and the installer is going through the installation screens. He had to make a few calls so I suspect something else hadn't been set right. He hooked it up via scart and was about to slide it back into place when I pointed out that he hadn't attached my own HDMI lead that I had already plugged into the TV and left in place for him to connect.
I also noticed that the little blue light was flashing (lack of return path) and queried it with him. 'Oh that ok', he said, 'the box is just receiving its info'. 'Well there's no way you are leaving until that stops and I see everything working'; I think to myself; but a few seconds later it stopped and while he was packing up I quickly checked I had all the channels including BBC HD, that the interactive worked and the pause live TV function worked-I had downloaded and read the booklet on the unit so knew what to look for.
The installer then handed me the booklet, told me it was all ok and left. He did not offer to demonstrate the functions, or set up the HDMI output and after he had left, I realised that he had also not left me the HDMI cable that should have been in the box.
In my case this is not too bad, I know how to configure these things myself and I was satisfied myself that it was working before he left, but I do think that some other people could have found themselves a bit lost.
I don't think I have real grounds to complain too much about the installation, they came on time, fitted what I asked for, it all works-the box is very quiet although I do see what people mean when they complain about the delay in changing channels. The broadband install was an annoyance though and it really should have been sorted out properly. Yes I know I should probably have gotten the installer back in to fix it rather than do it myself which I did purely because I know the procedure and in the interest of speed.
So overall, just a little bit slapdash but all right in the end. I thought that if I recounted what had happened then it might forewarn anyone a similar setup in the near future as to what to look out for and be prepared for.
Good luck