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View Full Version : Moving Home Install Misery!


Darone
21-05-2009, 21:55
Hi Folks.

I just would like to share my experience of TRYING to get my broadband installed at my new address.

the new place is in a cabled area but is at the end of a shared driveway of about 20 metres and has not been serviced before.
When i booked the install, i made them aware of this but was told this would not be a problem.
the install was booked for yesterday (20th May) in a P.M slot.

I was told to expect a phone call to let me know what time they would be arriving. Needless to say, this didn't happen.
Having waited a fair amount of time, i decided to call to check everything was ok.
I was told by Virgin rep' that the install was cancelled due to my not having returned paperwork and that i had been told this in phone conversation 3 days prior.
This was rubbish, as no such call was made to myself.
When i told them this, the lady said she would check. She then informed me that it was not due to paperwork but in fact was related to permission required to lay cable over 3 neighbours gardens.
I asked her to explain how this was possible and was told the installations manager made the decision.
Now, my issue with this is that there is a conduit running from the pavement straight to my house and i had checked it by running cable through.
i told her this but she had zero interest and that was the end of the matter.
I've been with Virgin for approx' 10 years and was shocked at her total lack of interest in my idea.

One bizarre side note, while i was on hold, she called me on the phone i was using and left a voice-mail informing of the need for permission from neighbors. I can only assume this was to cover her backside for not calling me in the previous 2 weeks. Very strange.

Anyway, i was told i had no choice but to cancel and was passed on to the correct department.

A lovely lady called Dorothy took up my cause and contacted the installations manager and patched him through to me.
I explained about the conduit, and he agreed to come and see me the next day (21st May) at 2.30.
I felt i was getting somewhere at last.

How wrong i was.
At 7 PM that night, he arrived at my door telling me he couldn't make the appointment the next day so thought he would pop round.
No problem i thought, and we toddled off to show him the obvious cable route. He dismissed my suggestion out of hand and said the only LOGICAL route was through a garden, over 2 seperate driveway and obviously, permission would be needed.

I knew nobody would allow the work he suggested so i had no choice but to give up on the install.

This whole "site survey" was done and discussed in less than 5 minutes and he was gone. He had his kids in the car and was clearly on his way out for the night.

And thats really it.
10 years as a customer and shown zero consideration. I could run the cable myself but was told thats not allowed. I think it's clear that the job was an awkward one and was thrown out as quick as possible.

There is a lot more to this with regards to the way i was treated but i've rambled on too long.

I'm putting in a complaint in the vain hope that perhaps they may send somebody more senior to look at the job. The lad who came was completely
negative towards any of my suggestions.

I don't hold out much hope though. As it stands, my contract is cancelled and no chance of a resolution to this.

Sorry for going on so long, but i had to get this off my chest.

Thanks for reading and any suggestion would be appreciated.

D.

virgin_tech
21-05-2009, 22:27
well, this dosnt suprise me. if you have read any of my posts you will know, even though i work for Ntl (virgin) i regard the company as cowboys. you are talking to the contractors (bigger cowboys) and if the job takes longer than 2 hours and harder than just laying ur cable on top of drives and grass they will not want to know...

you could persist if you know who to talk to... but trust me, what they do to get you serviced will cause you countless peoblems in the future..

sorry to say ..give it up, look elsewhere.... but mainly, Ntl stinks..

Darone
22-05-2009, 14:34
Thanks for the reply.

Just one question, if i were to run the cable myself to the nearest virgin box, would they be prepared to connect for me?
I have identified another way that would cause minimum disruption and i'm prepared to do it myself.
I'm a sky installer with over 10 years experience, so i'm comfortable doing this work.

Is there anyone/department you would recommend who would discuss this with me?

Thanks for your time.

D.

virgin_tech
22-05-2009, 20:23
the main problem is you would need to source the siameese cable that is used, rg6 if the cab is closer than 130 mtrs or rg11 over that distance, you would then need to crimp on the correct rf conectors and put it onto the correct tap bank, (the telco is more difficult though, but you could leave that lose) its not difficult and i believe you could if you had the right equip....

if you manage to get all the virgin materials do the job and phone the up and say wow! there was a cable thier all along, they would connect you....