Am I really not in a cable area?

[Magic01273]

Seen lots of similar threads but thought I would ask my own question here.

I have just moved into a Flat and have checked with Virgin about cable service (can't have a SKY dish)

Their website suggests my postcode and house details cannot be serviced - however it also suggests that properties either side of me (on the same side of the road as I am) can be. Now, one of these properties is next door to me and I can see the cable wires (literally 3 meters from my door). There is another property two doors up from me on the other side that also have cable connected!

Looking at the VM/NTL cable boxes up and down my road - the cables appear to be accessed via a network of small holes running along at intervals the pavement - with a separate hole situated outside each property (the cable appears to be pulled out of the pavement, threaded through these holes and out to a box outside each house). Now I have one of these access holes outside my property...

I find it very hard to believe that my property cannot be serviced based on this evidence. I apparently live on a street where VM have cable, I have a cable meters from my door running into next doors property, I seem to have one of these little access holes outside my property... I'm really confused as to why I wouldn't be able to get it.

Interestingly - when I look at the post code search for my street - any time an address is listed with a Flat number (ie. Flat 3, 7 Any Street) - it shows as not serviceable. However any time a property shows with just a house number - no flat (i.e 7 Any street) its seems to say its serviceable.... Is it possible at some point the cable company has simply determined that Flats are not serviceable on my street - only whole properties that are not divided up into Flats (maybe due to wayleaves/access issues with cables)?

My flat is ground floor - with my window about 3 meters from the pavement where the cable would apparently be accessed.

Virgin are not being much help and seem to just say "no". And don't really seem willing to get anyone to come and check the situation out.

Incidentally - my Partner is moving in with me next month, and she currently has Virgin Cable at her current address. So far only I have spoken to Virgin (as I am living at this new address already) so I would be considered a new customer. Would it be worth my Partner calling Virgin up as an existing customer (advising them that she is planning to move to my address) to ask Virgin to look at this more seriously? Are they more likely to get an engineer to actually come out a visit the property to check this out, in person, based on a request from an existing customer?

What do people think?

[Peter_]

Best to get your partner to enquire as an existing customer.

[haydnwalker]

If you call them, they can get a surveying team to look into this - and they would contact you if you CAN get cable. Though I believe they don't contact you again if you cannot receive a service. I wouldn't have thought a 3m cable run would be a problem - it depends on whether they would have to dig up the street though - as if this is the case then I doub't they would do this.

[Magic01273]

I don't think they'd need to dig up the pavement. The property has a basement flat which has a small 'yard' area that sits below pavement level. The other properties on the street with Cable seem to have gone sideways through the wall of the basement flat yard to pull the cable through into a box (so effectively they go at it sideways to access the cable in the pavement, rather than down through the pavement)

Logistically - it all looks very doable and straightfroward to me... just seems such a problem to get someone to come around and physically look at it :0/

---------- Post added at 14:14 ---------- Previous post was at 13:54 ----------

Best to get your partner to enquire as an existing customer.

Great - thanks, we'll try that then!

[jungleguy]

You really need your partner to ring up, and do it asap, it can take a while to get the address on the data base, and then another wait for the install.
Existing customers now get preferential treatment, so movers department will be alot more helpful, they'll fill out a spotters form, you can also do it here
http://allyours.virginmedia.com/forms/unserviceableLeads.html

[Peter_]

I don't think they'd need to dig up the pavement. The property has a basement flat which has a small 'yard' area that sits below pavement level. The other properties on the street with Cable seem to have gone sideways through the wall of the basement flat yard to pull the cable through into a box (so effectively they go at it sideways to access the cable in the pavement, rather than down through the pavement)

Logistically - it all looks very doable and straightfroward to me... just seems such a problem to get someone to come around and physically look at it :0/

---------- Post added at 14:14 ---------- Previous post was at 13:54 ----------



Great - thanks, we'll try that then!
Remember to keep us updated.

[Magic01273]

well she rung VM last night and was told that they would get a spotter around sometime in the next couple of weeks... not so great (tho not sure what I was expecting)...

.... BUT THEN, someone actually phoned her back today and asked her a load of questions related to the new place, how far was it from the pavement, what floor was the flat on, was it at the front of the building or the back etc etc - and she was told someone would be out in the next couple of days to check it out! Strikes me that someone in the spotters team looked at the referral details and seriously thinks there is a chance it could be servicable...

Anyway, I'm very intrigued about this subsequent call back, which sounds loads more promising. Get the impression that they are taking it a lot more seriously than they were with me.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

[Peter_]

Lets hope the quick callback is a good sign, keep us posted.

[jungleguy]

you are no longer dealing with telesales, that's why they are taking you more seriously.

[King Of Fools]

Anyway, I'm very intrigued about this subsequent call back, which sounds loads more promising. Get the impression that they are taking it a lot more seriously than they were with me.
Could it be related to this?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/13/vigin_media_expansion/

[jungleguy]

Could it be related to this?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/13/vigin_media_expansion/

I doubt it, that article is more based on digging up pavement to put ducting in. Or finding area's where there is ducting but no cabinets or no kit in the cabinet to serve a group of addresses, sounds very promising though. Currently a properties boundary edge need's to be within 10ft of the ducting to get services. Anything over that and it gets complicated. This specific case sounds like he's well within 10ft.

[Motorman]

call again and get them to fill in an intranet form called "Unservicable properties form for spotter action".
These come through to the spotter team as priority requests. The spotters have to deal with these promptly or these queries fall out of sla quite quickly
I believe other requests for spotter action (service checks and other non serve stuff) get prioritised although are still worked efficiently

U should get a ref no from the spotter lead form

[Peter_]

call again and get them to fill in an intranet form called "Unservicable properties form for spotter action".
These come through to the spotter team as priority requests. The spotters have to deal with these promptly or these queries fall out of sla quite quickly
I believe other requests for spotter action (service checks and other non serve stuff) get prioritised although are still worked efficiently

U should get a ref no from the spotter lead form
In post #7 he says someone is coming out already but that is a good point.

[jungleguy]

call again and get them to fill in an intranet form called "Unservicable properties form for spotter action".
These come through to the spotter team as priority requests. The spotters have to deal with these promptly or these queries fall out of sla quite quickly
I believe other requests for spotter action (service checks and other non serve stuff) get prioritised although are still worked efficiently

U should get a ref no from the spotter lead form

SLA is 5 days for a spotter to close down an inquiry which is unrealistic. It's also 5 days not 5 working days. Ho hum

[Magic01273]

Great news - someone checked out the property today called my Partner, and we can get VM cable services! Hooray!

The contract and paperwork is all done and the installation date is May 29th (might call to see if I can get a cancellation any earlier)

Whilst this is fantastic - its a little weird how staff seemed so reluctant to help me (as a "new" customer) yet pull out all the stops for an existing customer. I agree that your existing customers should be treated well, of course, but I had to almost beg for the sales staff to even agree to fill out a referal get spotters to come round to check it out.

Had I researched nothing about VMs processes its possible I would not have even known to have asked for a referal to the "spotters" team at all, and would be left with no cable (taking their word for it that it couldn't be done...)

I guess I'm lucky that within 48 hours of my Partner calling, something gets done.

I suppose I can't complain - at the end of the day I can get the Cable TV I wanted.

Shows that its worth persisting if you genuinely think you should be able to get service though, I guess.

Thanks for all your help, people. Much appreciated :)

[jungleguy]

Great news - someone checked out the property today called my Partner, and we can get VM cable services! Hooray!

The contract and paperwork is all done and the installation date is May 29th (might call to see if I can get a cancellation any earlier)

Whilst this is fantastic - its a little weird how staff seemed so reluctant to help me (as a "new" customer) yet pull out all the stops for an existing customer. I agree that your existing customers should be treated well, of course, but I had to almost beg for the sales staff to even agree to fill out a referal get spotters to come round to check it out.

Had I researched nothing about VMs processes its possible I would not have even known to have asked for a referal to the "spotters" team at all, and would be left with no cable (taking their word for it that it couldn't be done...)

I guess I'm lucky that within 48 hours of my Partner calling, something gets done.

I suppose I can't complain - at the end of the day I can get the Cable TV I wanted.

Shows that its worth persisting if you genuinely think you should be able to get service though, I guess.

Thanks for all your help, people. Much appreciated :)

the issues you raise here are with the way telesales dealt with you. I'll happily slate telesales, because under you're circumstances they are generally useless, and completely unhelpful. If they can't book your order on and get a commissionable sale they want you off the phone asap so as to speak to the next salable person.

Telesales are sharks interested in..... me myself and I!!

[Peter_]

Great news - someone checked out the property today called my Partner, and we can get VM cable services! Hooray!

The contract and paperwork is all done and the installation date is May 29th (might call to see if I can get a cancellation any earlier)

Whilst this is fantastic - its a little weird how staff seemed so reluctant to help me (as a "new" customer) yet pull out all the stops for an existing customer. I agree that your existing customers should be treated well, of course, but I had to almost beg for the sales staff to even agree to fill out a referal get spotters to come round to check it out.

Had I researched nothing about VMs processes its possible I would not have even known to have asked for a referal to the "spotters" team at all, and would be left with no cable (taking their word for it that it couldn't be done...)

I guess I'm lucky that within 48 hours of my Partner calling, something gets done.

I suppose I can't complain - at the end of the day I can get the Cable TV I wanted.

Shows that its worth persisting if you genuinely think you should be able to get service though, I guess.

Thanks for all your help, people. Much appreciated :)
Not bad you posted on the 11th and got you install booked on the 14th.

An important thing to remember is does your partner have a Virgin email address and does she want to keep it, if so she will have to call Customer Services and request they also put in place a Move and Transfer or the account will stop working and you will then need to call Tech Support to get it done after the move.

[jungleguy]

I reckon this had been done as a move and transfer, in which case they'll keep their email address, and the old account will be closed down. If no upfront payment was made at point of sale, then it was definitely a M&T. Maybe Magic01273 could confirm.

[Peter_]

I reckon this had been done as a move and transfer, in which case they'll keep their email address, and the old account will be closed down. If no upfront payment was made at point of sale, then it was definitely a M&T. Maybe Magic01273 could confirm.
I would not hold my breath as quite often they forget to do the Move and Transfer then we get the call:D

[Magic01273]

Hmmm.. I don't think it was done as a M+T exactly. My GF lives with a flat mate at the moment, so the existing VM contract/subscription is actually being transfered into her flatmates name so she can carry on.

This new installation was £49, so whilst they have handled this as a move - its a new contract effectively.

Don't think she uses her Virgin email address so doesn't matter whether the same one is kept or not.

---------- Post added at 10:18 ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 ----------

Not bad you posted on the 11th and got you install booked on the 14th.


No - I'm very impressed now

Just very underwhelmed with my initial contact. The telesales safe do a disservice to Virgin Media to be frank. I'm unsure how their commision package is structured however it should be expanded to include a commision for "successful spotter leads" (if it does not already include this) as then they would perhaps be more willing to spend time discussing your particular case and passing details via their Intranet forms to the spotters (something they strangely seemed reluctant to do at first).

At least 2 people I spoke to stated the database was almost always accurate [ahem] and one of those people even told me that their database must be right "as the data for cabling in my area was updated several years ago and in all those years, noone else in my street/postcode area have been able to have cable services newly installed..."

OF COURSE THEY HAVEN'T - YOU GUYS KEEP TELLING THEM THEY CAN'T HAVE IT, WHEN IN FACT THEY PROBABLY CAN!!

The subsequent contacts from Virgin with my GF shows that at the heart there is a willingness to provide a decent service. Its just a shame that as a new customer you have to beg to do business with them (bizzare), and get through a slightly rotten layer of the VM "onion" before you get to the good stuff.

[mac10]

Welcome to VirginMedia Magic..:tu:

Just a thought, bear this recent experience with Virgin CS in mind with future dealings with them.

Always, allways, allways double check anything your told by them. never take their word as gospel, check with this forum if your unsure of anything about virgin. Double check any changes you make to your package in future.

Get the calculator out and be prepared to double check bills..

Watch them closely. If you follow those guidelines your (almost) gaurunteed a happy client/provider relationship with Virgin.

Happy cableing Magic.:)

[jungleguy]

telesales do get commission for passing on leads. Work that one out.

[virgin_tech]

it dont matter who the person calling virgin is, they should treat all customers with the same respect, i have learned, N.T.L who own the company (i no longer call them virgin as this is a shame for richard bransons name).. are quite in fact, dodgy cowboys... and should sort out lots of customer issues to get my respect back

[Peter_]

N.T.L who own the company (i no longer call them virgin as this is a shame for richard bransons name)k
He gets paid for the use of his brand name so I doubt he would ever lose any sleep about what you think;)

[virgin_tech]

He gets paid for the use of his brand name so I doubt he would ever lose any sleep about what you think;)

i agree, he problerly dosn't care either, but as a tech and a honest person that likes to see a job done properly, i care.... but alas - ntl and the bosses dont, .. shame really..

oh this is not all jobs lol, just the 50pct i have to fix hehe!

[Peter_]

i agree, he problerly dosn't care either, but as a tech and a honest person that likes to see a job done properly, i care.!
That why I post here as well.;)