View Full Version : Poor connection speeds - cancelling my contract?
I have had an on going problem with very poor connection speeds on Virgin broadband over the last two months. I have been in constant touch with the 25p premium line trying to get this sorted. At one stage they wanted me to contact BT to get them to sort the problem out. As you guessed it BT wouldnt touch the connection speed issue and said that it's up to my ISP to sort out these issues.
To my supprise I found out that of this week I am on the capped list. Considering my speed issues I was very supprised to hear this. According to the Virgin wesite i should be getting connection speeds of no less than 512kbps but after carrying out some tests on the http://speedtester.bt.com/ wesite I have found that I have connection speeds of 100kbps with this evenings tests showing an actual throughput of 40kbps, which reinforces my connection issues.
As you can imagine I am now a very unhappy bear and want to cancel my contract with Virgin. I have 6 months to run on my contract. Does anyone have any suggestions of the best way to go about this. Should I just cancel my direct debit and then deal with the letters that follow or is there a better way to deal with this. All suggestions will be gratefully received
Sorry to hear about the speed problems but I wouldn't just cancel the direct debit. A contract is just what it says on the tin and you're probably liable to pay even if you don't want to. Write to VM, explain your problem and ask them what they can do to help you. Don't use the premium rate line but do give them a chance to sort things out.
A difficult one as it maybe indeed be a poor BT line, when I had adsl I kept getting problems & it turned out to be a poor connection in the road, this was after months of problems & BT saying it was down to my ISP.
I guess you don't have the option of cable?
If you use the special BT speedtester which actually bypasses your ISP & connects directly to BT & it shows poor speeds then it cannot be Virgins fault as the test does not involve them at all
Thanks for the advice guys. No, unfortunatly I don't have the option of cable. When I tried to contact BT about the possiblity of a poor landline connection in the local area they said that it is still Virgin that should contact BT wholesale and move the issue ahead that way. They wouldn't even entertain any intervention from me personally.
As I mentioned I have been in constant touch with the tech guys since the problem first raise it's head just after Christmas and I am now at the end of my tether hence the desperate cry for advice on the forum.
As an aisde does anyone know of any Head office number available so that I can talk directly to managment rather than the persons on the normal customer service numbers?
tucker61
20-02-2008, 21:35
have you tried retentions?
laney_is
20-02-2008, 23:21
Thanks for the advice guys. No, unfortunatly I don't have the option of cable. When I tried to contact BT about the possiblity of a poor landline connection in the local area they said that it is still Virgin that should contact BT wholesale and move the issue ahead that way. They wouldn't even entertain any intervention from me personally.
As I mentioned I have been in constant touch with the tech guys since the problem first raise it's head just after Christmas and I am now at the end of my tether hence the desperate cry for advice on the forum.
As an aisde does anyone know of any Head office number available so that I can talk directly to managment rather than the persons on the normal customer service numbers?
Hello! I am in the same boat (I think). I have just spent the entire evening on the line with the tech support manager at the call center.
Phone them, get a history of your capped weeks. If they tell you they can't do it, insist as they were able to do it for me. If they have been capping you and you have been calling them about slow connection speeds, (they can check the history on your file and you can match the calls to your capped weeks). Tell them of your intention to leave and that you want a note put on the file that the tech problems you have been experiencing are down to their fault. Imo that in and of itself should warrant a waiving of the disconnection fee.
It sounds like your line, like mine doesn't like the cap and because of the admitted congestion problems (by VM) they can't give you the capped speed either. When we were capped (unbeknown to us) our internet was unusable because of the cap and the congestion problems. Browsing a simple web page was/is pure agony. He said the congestion problems should be sorted in two months as the problem as been kicked up to the head of the company and they are spending money upgrading (sorry can't recall exactly what) in order to resolve the issues.
I am guessing that you have been capped for a number of weeks over the last few months, I could be wrong, but this sounds so much like the hell I have been experiencing.
My internet is unusable at peek times (the only time I am on) until Sunday, so I feel for you :(
To get a quick, rough idea of the ADSL speeds that should be obtainable in your area, try SamKnows' Mapping (http://www.samknows.com/broadband/mapping/mapping.php).
Type in your postcode, click on your road and enter a house number -- it'll give your approximate distance from the exchange and estimates for ADSL/ADSL2+ connections with links to the main SamKnows website.
have you tried retentions?
Sorry Tucker I am completly noobish with this phrase. What is "retentions"
This is exactly the problem with any ADSL service - if there is any problem in BT's department, they will stonewall it and blame your ISP even if it is their fault.
Remember a customers statutory right - goods unfit for the purpose sold - if Virgin told you your line was capable when it isnt, then they have mis sold you the service and the contract is void.
tucker61
23-02-2008, 17:32
Sorry Tucker I am completly noobish with this phrase. What is "retentions"
Customer retentions are the people who try and convince you to stay. Offering the earth
Thanks Tucker, how do I get in contact with these dream-givers?
tucker61
23-02-2008, 18:57
Thanks Tucker, how do I get in contact with these dream-givers?
dial 150, then I think it is option 4
Thanks Tucker, how do I get in contact with these dream-givers?
Why is it that you always get someone who suggests that the answer to your technical issue is to get it cheaper?
Retentions will not help you to solve your technical issue.
If you are willing to take the same quality of service for less then you don't have a technical issue.
It is almost certain that the quality of line from BT to you is rubbish - why should VM reduce the price to you? You won't be any happier with the service.
You must ask Virgin Media what their responsibilities are, on your behalf, if the issue is the quality of the curcuit provided to you by BT.
Thanks for the reply Eric. I agree with you however, BT will not deal with me at all, no matter what reason I gave them. They stated that I pay VM for the service and it is VM who should contact them to resolve any problems. I dont make the rules... I'm just passing on what I had been told.
I am not, in anyway asking for anything for free. All I am asking for is the service I am paying for. I dont think that is unreasonable.
This is exactly the problem with any ADSL service - if there is any problem in BT's department, they will stonewall it and blame your ISP even if it is their fault.
Remember a customers statutory right - goods unfit for the purpose sold - if Virgin told you your line was capable when it isnt, then they have mis sold you the service and the contract is void.
So my contract with Virgin is void because they have miss sold me and a lot of other people with their upto policy, look through the posts of people who never get near the advertised speeds on cable broadband.
So my contract with Virgin is void because they have miss sold me and a lot of other people with their upto policy, look through the posts of people who never get near the advertised speeds on cable broadband.
Cable is different to ADSL
Remember that a UK ruling states that anything less than 512Kbps can not be advertised as broadband. NTL know this well enough - they were booked for selling a 128Kbps service as broadband way back when.
If he is not getting sync speeds of at least 512Kbps, then that is not broadband and is regarded as a failure by most ADSL providers.
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