Virgin Media National Broadband (ADSL) router issue?

[johnnywishbone]

So, here is the deal-

after many weeks (4 weeks) of back and forth with VM regarding a simple change of address that included taking our Bband service with us, but not other cable services due to location not providing them...( additional charges that were promised WOULD NOT be taken from the account, Customer service advisors either being moderately helpful - or else seemingly stoned and with no clue on actually providing help -and with no knowledge of which account to deal with, even though the old one was now closed!!)
we have now come across another issue with the router.

( would like to point out that before, on full cable we had very limited issues and would have said the service was very good)

the router will be on for sometimes 2-5 min before the RED internet light pops on and we need to re-boot the sucka..

sometimes it can be fine for hours - sometimes minutes.

another issue that has just been noticed over the last week:
when a landline call come in, the internet will just cut out completely and no browsing is available, for the length of the call!!
(- spiltter is in cables are in the correct slots)

anyhoo just wondering if anyone could shed some light on the subject as i feel that a new provider will be the next course of action very soon!

JWB

[Stabhappy]

Sounds like you've moved from Virgin cable to Virgin national, or ADSL, which would explain the naming of the thread.

The incoming call disconnection issue is simple - you need a microfilter on every phone in the premesis. As for stability, I hope to god you're a patient person, virgin national is garbage and if you're still in the 'trial' period (not sure what that period is) i'd suggest moving to a more competant ISP. Virgin is alright for cable (having no alternative) but their ADSL is poor as best!

[KingDaveRa]

ADSL Max trains for a week IIRC.

Not that it makes any difference, as it'll go cuckoo bananas crazy and connect at whatever silly speed it feels like anyway.

[johnnywishbone]

a change of service provider is on the cards i feel, as the service is terribly inconsistent.

who would be the best alternative to VM for ADSL??

cheers

JWB

[Chris]

If your DSL cuts out whenever you receive a phone call, then that's indicative of a fault on your phone line. You may also have intermittent crackling on your line as another symptom.

Before going through the hassle of switching ISP, you should try getting the phone line fixed, because if that's the problem, it doesn't matter who you get your internet from, the problem will still be there.

As you are renting a phone line from BT, it would be quicker and altogether less painless if you could contact them directly to arrange an engineer visit. This will only be possible if you can complain about a problem on your voice calls though - if you tell them you're having internet problems, they won't want to know, and will tell you to contact your ISP.

As it happens I have exactly this problem and a BT tech is on his way up my driveway right now. I am also a VM ADSL customer. :D

---------- Post added at 10:57 ---------- Previous post was at 09:51 ----------

I have clarified the thread title a little.

[johnnywishbone]

hey Chris,

thanks for the reply
- did you have any luck with your call out?

the VM thing is escalating now again though, as they are now telling us that we are on a NEW 12 month contract with them from feb, since we changed over our service to only ADSL.... we specifically asked the at the time of moving whether this would be the case, and were categorically told NOT AT ALL!!

From my recent experience no one seems to care/know what's going on at the NATIONAL section of VM and this is my major gripe
Anyone had this bother with the NEW contract mystery, and did you get round it?

Also if anyone has higher up contact information within VM and could arrange to fwd this to me via mail, then i would be eternally grateful as going through the process each time to arrive at the latest episode of this mess with them is wearing me and my G/F out, and i feel that communicating with a more senior member of VM would be of benefit....

cheers

JWB

[Chris]

Unfortunately the fault has proven to be intermittent and has vanished completely today. So I have my full service restored, but no answer as to the problem. The engineer speculates that it may be a wet joint on the 50-pair cable between here and the exchange (we're very rural and it's all overground, on poles, all the way back to the village). So I need to wait until we have a run of wet and windy weather and see what happens!

However he did remark that had I called it in to Virgin as a broadband fault rather than to BT as a voice service fault I'd have had a fight on to get them interested and most likely a two-week wait before they would get someone from BT Openreach to investigate, due to VM having to pay BT for callouts. So I think trying to get your voice service 'repaired' is definitely your best option, if you have even a hint of crackling on the line.

[johnnywishbone]

thanks for the advice Chris,
hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

cheers

JWB