Virgin Install that never happened

[obitwo]

The story begins several weeks ago when I ask virgin if I could have 20MB cable broadband.
They checked out my postcode and said they would need to send someone to check it out. So a guy came ound and said yep no problem. Unfortunately I had check my monitored alarm would still work so I could not start the paperwork.
A week later I ask them to return and we filled out the paper work. This second guy also said there would be no problem.
I also had to pay £35 installation fee (which I had no problem with).
That weekend ,a few days before the install two virgin guys turned up and ran a cable from the green box at the end of the road to a manhole cover in the road.
Tuesday came (install date) I got a text saying the istall had been cancelled.
I got the letter telling me this on Wednesday.
This was resheduled fro Thursday.
It was cancelled again.
i finally get another letter...
They can't give me cable!!
"This is because , in order for us to run the cable into your house, we'll need to install it in the ground beneath your street first. And because of the way your street has been built , this ins't possible".

The mahole cover is 1ft out in the road and approx 10ft away from my house.
2 houses up even has cable (although not used).
Why have I have 2 people telling me its all good and even the cable run to within a few ft of my house to be told sorry you can't have it.
I spoke the the area manager (i have his moble number).
"I'll look in to it for you and I'll refund your install fee".
No call back and no refund a week later.
whats annoying is that my house is 30ft back from the road which is mostly grass and driveway. This was not a problem (said the area manager).
But it appears that they cant get the cable from the road to the path am mere 6/7ft.
Thanks a bunch virgin!!

[weesteev]

Hi Obitwo, sorry for the trouble your having. If you want to PM me your address and postcode I can look into this for you and get a better answer?

[MovedGoalPosts]

I can confirm that we have verified weesteev as a Virgin Media employee and thus he may be able to look into the matter.

Is your property a recent build, perhaps after the street's ducting was laid? It is frustrating but is does seem that Virgin Media is reluctant to incur the cost of digging up even small parts of pavements to add extra little lengths of ducts needed where new homes have been built. Sometimes though they are not allowed to dig up places as they don't onw the road or pavement, maybe it is a private road not controlled by a council? Other times, especially with flats they don't have the rights to cross shared grounds to those flats that the individual owner of a flat doesn't have sole control over. Lots of potential reasons for an inability to install but one would hope that the sales staff could identifiy most of those at the outset and put the brakes on until the facts could be verified.

[jungleguy]

out of interest which town in the UK are you looking to get services?

[obitwo]

Thanks weesteev I will.

Rob,
My house has been around for at least 25 years.
The only thing that I can think of is the vact that the cable manhole is in the road and not on the path as many forum members have reported.
After speaking to friends they rekon the digging up even the smallest piece of road requires loads of permits and licences etc...

I think the original cable was laid by one of the previous cable companies (Telewest i think). I 've just had a bit more of a look up my road.
It looks like the trunking in front of my house runs out into the road the comes back in to the pavement . There are then a few more people up the road who have cable.

I live in Halesowen, but unfortunatley my BT phoneline is connected to Blackheath exchange which is approx 2miles away giving me a top speed of 3.5mb broadband.

To rub it in my mate who lives in Coventry has been approached about a trial of 200mb.
DOH!!!

[weesteev]

Hi obitwo

There are a few properties on this street that dont have access to cable, possibly because of the house positioning. The properties appear to arc away from the road with long driveways feeding each house. Its possible that when the network was put in place the residents didnt want the duct put in their garden (or have their driveways dug up!). If your house has the duct in place already then great, but there may be other reasons you can currently get service like capacity issues in the cabinet that feeds your house.

What I would suggest now is drop an email to cablemystreet@virginmedia.co.uk with your address and contact details and this can be addressed directly with you. Personally I think we should be able to sort this out but its not within my franchise areas so cant give a definite answer. Drop us an email and hopefully we can help you out!

Best Regards

[obitwo]

Hi weesteev

Yep
My house is one of them.
But from both people who came and surveyed the area this was not a problem.
Its mostly grass and I even have permisson from the owner to have the cable laid.
I was told as long as they did not have to dig across more than 10ft of driveway then there's not a problem.

Thanks for the advice. I'll send an email and see what happens..

[weesteev]

Nice one, well keep us posted on how things go. I wont see the project when its sent through to us but it would be good to know how you get on!

Best of luck

[obitwo]

Just to let you know..
I got a phone call (which I missed. go the answer phone) from virgin.

And it was just :
Thanks for the email
You're property is unserviceable
And we've refunded you install cost (£35).

So I'm still no further on in finding out why Virgin won't install.
Remember the cable runs up the street and there are people ( including next door but one) who have cable running to there house.
So come on Virgin tell me it straight!!!
You either can't be bothered!
OR More likely
It too expensive...
Either way I don't expect to get another mailshot from you telling me that "Cable is in your area".

[weesteev]

Its very likely down to cost due to the small number of homes and large amount of civils work required.

Did you email the cablemystreet address?

[jungleguy]

Its very likely down to cost due to the small number of homes and large amount of civils work required.

Did you email the cablemystreet address?

the manhole cover is 10Feet away according to Obitwo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[obitwo]

I did email cablemystreet and I'm assuming that was their response.
weesteev, do you think my query is still ongoing?

I did check where the cable is.
The manhole cover (which is in the road) is approx 6inches from the pavement.
Then its 10 foot along the path to the grass.
Then its down to my house (approx 30ft ,mostly grass)
The 30ft never seemed to be the problem.
Its just the 6inches from the road to the pavment and the 10ft up the pavement.

If it is down to cost it would be nice to be told that.
I can take it... honest....

[weesteev]

the manhole cover is 10Feet away according to Obitwo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But that manhole cover may be for a fibre duct and might not provide active service, it could just be a splice box. I couldn't tell you the exact reason to be honest. I would never assume that you can get service because your only a few metres from a junction box, there could be anything (or nothing) in it.

Obitwo, if the New Build Officer has been in touch to confirm it snot serviceable then I would presume that the project is closed, if you emailed cablemystreet initially then why not email again and ask for a reason. You wont get specifics but they will tell you if it was down to cost (which 99% of the time it is).

Let us know how you get on!