Apalling Service for the last 7 Days

[bioboy]

Hi,

Is anybody else suffering the same dreadful service as me? On 17th May I woke to find my TV and 4MB Broadband wasn't working at all. At work I checked the server status and there was a message to say my area (TS8) had a problem but it would be fixed by 9am. The TV finally came back on at 10pm and Broadband was back around 11pm!

The next day when I got up my internet was off again and didn't come back on until tea time despite the server status saying everything was fixed. Since then my internet has been off for hours on end and then comes back on for 10 or 15 minutes here and there.

Even when the internet has been on I've had trouble downloading files from the newsgroups using Grabit. My download will start off at around 450kb/s then over 30 seconds or so it will fade away to nothing then come back at a slower speed 5-10 minutes later before fading away again before finally giving an "unexpected error while downloading" code as the download times out. It took me 2 days to download a 400Mb movie file that normally takes 10-15 minutes!!

What gets me is that Virgin will no doubt expect to charge me for a service which is almost unusable. Not only that but I've been paying for a premium unlimited newsgroup service that I can't use.

Can anybody tell me if my experience is typical of Virgin customers in the Teesside area? Is this anything to do with a cocked up attempt at traffic-shaping or what? I've been with NTL for years before Virgin took over and I never had a problem. Is Virgin just branding and no substance?

What sort of recompense can I get, or do I just have to phone India to be fed a load of old cobblers? If so what number do I call?

Bill

[helmutcheese]

Try apalling for the past 8months with promises to fixes by the summer but no way it going to happen with oversub to my UBR, then shaping and overall DNS issues with webpages and the mail always seems to have issues for past 2 years since MS made them upgrade their software.

[Chris W]

Bill, if you have an ntl phone line - 151 and then chose the broadband option.

There is no way that VM will compensate you for lack of service if they do not know about it, so you need to report this. If the local fault is resolved, unless you call them they are likely to be blissfully unaware that you are still having problems.

[Rik]

Please report it!!

Dont just wait for it to fix itself, im afraid some people dont help themselves.

[bioboy]

I had no idea I could simply press 151 on my phone and get through to NTL.:shocked:

I suppose I just thought it would be fixed because that's what Virgin were saying. Silly me!;)

[pjcoop]

I've been disconnected for 24 hours here.
How do I tell what area I'm in??? I live in Buckhurst Hill Essex but that doesn't seem to mean much.
I have had the connection go down (flashing light on the STB) for a few hours before.. but not a whole day. Getting pretty fed up with it now.
I also didn't know that dialling 151 from the phone got me to 'NTL' (VM) support'!
Sky is looking good at the moment... if this carries on for much longer.

[bioboy]

Well I phoned 151 last night and was amazed to get through straight away. Having read about people waiting ages to get through with ntl that's what I was expecting.

The bloke on the other end was polite and helpful. He tested my connection from his end and confirmed my connection kept dropping out. He's booked me an engineer for Friday morning (I could have had one today, but it was convenient for me). Let's see what happens, but so far I'm impressed.:)

Bill

[Gordon_30]

I haven't had any service for 14 days

but since i have a bt phone and not a virgin one i have no intention of been charged for something they will try and blame me for

it's time ntl/virgin got their act together and as for their next bill when they send it to me they can learn the art of whistling for their money

[welwynrose]

I haven't had any service for 14 days

but since i have a bt phone and not a virgin one i have no intention of been charged for something they will try and blame me for

it's time ntl/virgin got their act together and as for their next bill when they send it to me they can learn the art of whistling for their money

how can you expect them to know you have a problem if you don't tell them :confused:

[Gordon_30]

as i pointed out i don't have a virgin phone

if somebody has the numbers that i can ring from a bt phone i will consider ringing them but even then i wouldn't expect much joy

just phone ntl/virgin with the expectation of not getting anywhere and you won't be disapointed

[Druchii]

as i pointed out i don't have a virgin phone

if somebody has the numbers that i can ring from a bt phone i will consider ringing them but even then i wouldn't expect much joy

just phone ntl/virgin with the expectation of not getting anywhere and you won't be disapointed
Put the numbers through here and see if you can find a cheaper one...

http://www.saynoto0870.com/search.php

[pjcoop]

Just an update...
I called 151 yesterday evening - no waiting at all.... engineer booked for 4pm - 7pm today. He turned up at 5pm.
The problem was caused by foxes... yes... foxes.... they had chewed the cable!!. Apparently they use something in the plastic which is oil based and foxes like to chew it!!
They patched the cable and we are back up and running.
Couldn't ask for better service really.
I know not everyone gets service like that from NTL/VM but I have no complaints whatsoever.

Paul

[bioboy]

Like Paul I'm here to give credit where credit is due. The engineer turned up at 8.10 am and swapped my old 120 modem for a new up-to-date one and Bingo! Everything is working hunky dory again.:)

Apparently he reckons he's had to swap loads of modems of my type since the upgrade to the network, so it must be costing Virgin a fortune!

Bill

[Gordon_30]

Foxes that's a new one
at least their imagination is up to scratch
pity about the rest of it