System Migration Downtime: 31 March - 6 April

[whitearmy]

I thought i would warn you all about Virgin/NTL broadband service, at the end of March Virgin are switching over their databases over a 6 day period, which may cause problems with the connection, worse will be total loss. Also there might be issues with the email service, loss of email accounts which they won't be able to restore. If all go well, they don't lose everything they will do it again after 2 weeks. Just thought i would warn you guys and gals and hope nothing to important happens to your accounts.

[haydnwalker]

Where is your information coming from? (Link/News Source)

[BenMcr]

There is a billing and provisioning migration between the 31st March and 6th April for ex-sms areas (Glasgow, Northern Ireland, Wales mainly)

This will mean changes to TV and phone services in those areas and changes/activation of broadband services in all ex-ntl areas will not be processed during that period

ALL ACTIVATED SERVICES WILL CONTINUE.

This will be repeated in May (exact date not confirm as of yet) for the rest of ex-ntl, including the removal of seperate broadband billing

[whitearmy]

no link or news source, just things ive heard and what could happen to accounts. If it all goes well i would be surprised but as they are training up a lot more staff for the hits they think they will get after the event, it doesn't put my mind at ease.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Any migration of a database or other computer IT system inevitably has some risk. If it's the billing systems that are migrated, the risk of there being errors in the old data that the new system highlights could be quite high. Having experienced at first hand some of the errors within the current system, whereby despite being told by CS that all was in order, I still got cut off, it makes sense for VM to take precautions.

Having said that, surely if this is the much lauded new billing system roll out, then inevitably there will be a high retraining level of staff going on, since most VM employees would need to be familiar with it.

---------- Post added at 16:56 ---------- Previous post was at 16:54 ----------

I've clarified the thread title, to help others realise what the thread is discussing.

[jcuk]

Will affect customers in Glasgow, Surrey & Hants, Kirklees, Herts & Beds, Wales & west and Northern Ireland. - Of whom will have their accounts frozen over the stated period of time. This includes changes to broadband speeds / digital tv services / phone packages / SUSPENDED SERVICES (i.e. no account transaction will go through during the period of time, if you pay your bill on 31st of march, services will not be restored until 6th of april, assuming your services are suspended)

You can still call up and pay your bill, direct debit will come out as usual. However payments will not come off or show on your account until the 6th of april.

Other customers affected - Other customers affected include all those in ex-ntl franchises, no-one will be able to change broadband speed / package during the migration period. Customers recieving a seperate bill for broadband will not be able to make payments to their broadband account during the period, nor will they be able to change broadband speed.

If your broadband is disconnected during the freeze time period, i would recommend you wait until the 6th/7th before contacting customer care / technical support, as i doubt anything will be able to be done during this time.

heres hoping it all goes smoothly :)

NB: Anyone in ex-telewest areas are not affected whatsoever.

[Akia]

Its only a small number of customers in the first batch at the end of the month as well. i can't remember whether it was 40,000 or 400,000 but def had 40 in it. As with any system migration there will be a clean up after but unlike previous migrations there isn't any overtime avalible for this one so i think VM's thinking its going to all go to plan. As all the billing is all ready in icoms they are just moving the provisioning across to the exTelewest system. I thik the worst that would happen is you'd loose your internet connection for a few days.

[ufitm]

I thought i would warn you all about Virgin/NTL broadband service, at the end of March Virgin are switching over their databases over a 6 day period, which may cause problems with the connection, worse will be total loss. Also there might be issues with the email service, loss of email accounts which they won't be able to restore. If all go well, they don't lose everything they will do it again after 2 weeks. Just thought i would warn you guys and gals and hope nothing to important happens to your accounts.
Does this mean every thing wil go down broadband tv & phone ? or just broadband, Phone is my many worry as mine is conected to a life line service
where i can get urgent medical help from, as i am in sheletered housing i have a warden come .

[MovedGoalPosts]

This is just a migration of the billing and other behind the scenes things that VM use to control services. Assuming the migration works as affected customers shouldn't see interruption in any of their current services. However during this period customers will not be able to change their packages, TV lineups, broadband speeds etc.

[BenMcr]

Only in the areas I posted above can the phone/tv not be changed during the downtime week. Everywhere else, it is just broadband that will effected

Fault repair for lifeline/priority customers will not be effected

[BenMcr]

This has now started!!!

[TraxData]

This is just a migration of the billing and other behind the scenes things that VM use to control services. Assuming the migration works as affected customers shouldn't see interruption in any of their current services. However during this period customers will not be able to change their packages, TV lineups, broadband speeds etc.

I wonder if VM have noted the cockup they've made yet....with lots of people recieving ALL the channels available no matter what package they are on (including PPV), lucky you if ur in one of those area's :)