E-Mailed Virgin Media about getting fibre in our area

[KDyckes]

Hi, Guys.

I just couldn't hold it in any longer; i've sent an e-mail today to virgin media,
about our area which is unable to get speeds greater than 500 - 1024 kbits.

I've asked Virgin Media about expanding there services to us, as there is a potentional customer base of over 650 houses without broadband because BT say they refuse to provide it, as the exchange is to far away. (Some people managed to get Orange to provide it, hence very slow...)

As a matter of fact there is another village between us, and the nearest fibre optic area ( < 1.5 miles ), which is also without any decent / no broadband; therefore even more customers which will want to get Virgin Media as they'll be on of the only few providers that can serve us. (and with greater speeds, well i'm hoping around 40mb - 50mb but anythings better than what we've got...)

I'm now pending a response from them, i just hope this all becomes reality; our entire village would be brought out of the stone age and into the light.

Also being a very technical guy who always has to use other peoples broadband to download game demos and files for work, this would make my life heaven and lot's of others too.

Virgin Media,

If you're reading this, please check your e-mails. I'm once again waiting for another open reach engineer to fix what cannot be fixed.

Woop Woop, off round another mates house now to steal his internet... Why do some people have to go-out... Oh well.

[bonzoe]

Good luck but don't hold your breathe!

I have VM cable but the new build estate behind me doesn't, so your chances of VM extending the cable network at the moment are not very high, but I could well be wrong!

[LSainsbury]

The stopped investing in new infrastructure long ago.

[Raistlin]

Not 'News' so moved to 'Internet Services'.

[BenMcr]

Virgin have put a post on their forum explaining what to do regarding new coverage

http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Fibre-optic-broadband-cable/Want-Cable-been-told-it-s-not-available-We-might-be-able-to-help/td-p/20585

[Ignitionnet]

I really, seriously wouldn't hold your breath. Depending on how spread out your village is 650 homes may well be nothing compared with the cost of building the network in the first place and they may be faced with no chance of making their money back. Stranger things have happened though.

[Develio13]

It's now been just over 2 weeks, since our internet has been down; with more than 17 phone calls to BT, who have struggled to do anything; we've been left in the stone age without internet.

This is call number 15 on 25th Jan 2010:

Usual thing's first about our phone number and stuff, i might as well record it as a message. Even got them on Quick Dial.

BT: "Hi, what is you're problem?"

ME: "We've been unable to get our internet for 2 weeks now, and it's effecting my work from home as well as my family who require it to pay bills and complete college work on time"

BT: "Let me run a line test i'll just put you on hold"

ME: "Fine, (Like it's going to be working)"

BT: "Are yes, there is a fault on the line; Eh, may be your Homehub is faulty, we'll send you another one."

ME: "Wait a minute, you saying that out of 7 homehubs and a netgear it might be the homehub not working? The homehub is not the problem."

BT: "Yeh, but you don't understand sir; we need to send an internal engineer to resolve your problem."

Them being a bit sarcastic, "Not understanding, wait a minute i do a lot of network programming in C#" and have also written Line Monitoring software for friends which is very accurate.
"I've rewired my friends network cables, the lot i know how to test where a fault is internally"

ME: "Do what you've got to do then, (Sigh of disappointment)"

BT: "Hope you have a nice day, (i was getting really stressed, how dare they say that, i'm clearly not going to have a nice day)"

ME: "Alright, Bye."

so 48 hours later, i called again; No Engineer has arrived.

phone call 16 on the 27th Jan 2010

BT: "Hi, what seems to be your problem?"

ME: (Said same answer as before, (More grumpy))

ME: "But the engineer you where sending has never arrived."

BT: "We'll bring up your records, Ar Yes; a issue occured when contacting the engineer in the UK. I'll send another request for you."

ME: "I'm sorry but this is unacceptable, why didn't you atleast make a phone call to let me know, i've just taken two day's of work waiting for you to turn up."

BT: "Well Umm, I dunno sir umm. We'll have an engineer to you in another 24 hours time between 1pm - 6pm."

ME: "Right, ok if he doesn't turn up or fails to fix it; i'll be complaining to ofcom and telling my friends what a terrible service you provide."

BT: "Ok, sir; Bye"

Think i scared them abit, the word "Ofcom and friends"

So today?

phone call 17, 28th Jan 2010:

BT: (Same old starting to it)

ME: (Well you know my issue)

ME: "you're engineer arrived today, and said what i said; the issue was somewhere in the phone, and we'll need to wait another 24 - 48 hours for a line engineer to check the line for aluminum."

ME: "I would like to know when this is going to be resolved if ever?"

BT: "Umm, given where you live; we aren't able to provide you with a service that will function very well."

ME: "We'll it does seem a bit pathetic that when you first came out to us you claimed we could get around 9 - 10 meg on are line, when are actual sync rate is 135k; i might just get dial-up."

BT: "But dial-up is not as fast as broadband?"

ME: "It's more reliable and about the same speed your providing?"

BT: Eh, well thats you choice. I'll have to leave you due to working commitment and have other customers waiting. (HOW RUDE!!!)

ME: "Yeh, what ever! (SLAMMED PHONE DOWN IN PURE DISGUST)

I've had as much as i can take, why don't they shove in an upgrade or summin put down fibre, you know; a service that we can receive in Semington a place without internet yet only a 5 minute drive from 50mbit Virgin Media. I cannot cope, i need a response from the email is sent virgin, i need something; i'm at risk of losing my job as I'm not able to meet targets (Being unable to work from home)

Just constant excuses, I'm still at MacDonalds using the Wi-Fi so that i can send this; it makes me feel like I'm a saddo :(. Don't you think it's wrong to sit in a Fast food shop using there Wi-Fi for like 2 hours; the staff give you funny looks, as to what a freak show, buy his own internet.)

Anyways going now before i get kicked out, lol.

I'll look at any responses, when my mate finishes work tomorrow. (Well he lives the 10 minutes down the road where fibre-optic salvation awaits)

Byez

[AbyssUnderground]

Thought of getting 3g internet temporarily? T-Mobile do a P&G modem for £30 then it's £2/day or £15 month depending on how much you need it. They have a 3GB fair usage, and when broken they don't charge more, but block everything except browsing between 4pm-midnight daily. I'm using the same service right now after I've gone almost double the amount over the fair usage. Still manages 1Mbps when downloading.

[Develio13]

Thought of getting 3g internet temporarily? T-Mobile do a P&G modem for £30 then it's £2/day or £15 month depending on how much you need it. They have a 3GB fair usage, and when broken they don't charge more, but block everything except browsing between 4pm-midnight daily. I'm using the same service right now after I've gone almost double the amount over the fair usage. Still manages 1Mbps when downloading.

Thank you, Abyss

I never even thought about it as 3G doesn't cover my area but i might be able to get gprs, hopefully i can get somework done with that...

I'll take a look into it... :D

[AbyssUnderground]

GPRS is lousy and is pretty much 56k dial-up. It takes an age to load any pages, but if that's what will do you then so be it :)

GPRS is available anywhere there is a mobile signal, but 3G isn't necessarily available. It's pot luck I guess.