50M Virgin broadband is driving me crazy [Archive]

octatonic

25-09-2011, 17:22

My broadband has been getting progressively slower over the last month or so.
I supposedly have a 50meg connection.
This is what I've been getting lately.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/09/8.png

Not happy.
Sometimes I get a decent connection- 20mb or so but it doesn't last long.

Virgin Media have been absolutely useless with helping.
They just suggest resetting the modem, which does nothing.

I am using mostly Mac's which connect to an Airport Extreme router.
which connects to the Superhub.
I tried running the Superhub in modem mode but it was even worse.

I've disabled the Firewall and IP flood detection and put the Airport Extreme's IP Address in the DMZ.
Is there anything else I need to do?

I am at the end of my tether here- I've checked and replaced cables several times.
I used to get a much better performance when I was on 10meg.
Should I just ditch it and go with Zen?

Thanks in advance- I could really use some help here.

thenry

25-09-2011, 17:25

have you called the 50Mb support line 0800 052 0431

octatonic

25-09-2011, 17:31

I have not.
Calling them now.
Thanks.

Oh and I tried connecting using the SH wifi, bypassing the Airport Extreme.
I get this:

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/09/7.png

thenry

25-09-2011, 17:48

looks like a stupid glitch. they should move you resetting your modem (superhub)

---------- Post added at 17:48 ---------- Previous post was at 17:37 ----------

btw whats your power levels like?

octatonic

25-09-2011, 17:55

Ok, looks like they have to send an engineer out.
Resetting the modem didn't do anything.

Likely cause is a problem at the junction box.
They were talking about an excessively high amount of power being sent to the modem.

No idea why this would affect the SH and not the Tivo though.

Thanks for the help.

thenry

25-09-2011, 17:58

what are your power levels?

octatonic

25-09-2011, 18:03

Here you go:

http://www.jamesrichmond.com/misc/power.png

Upstream is 51.5 dBmV.

thenry

25-09-2011, 18:13

an attenuator and a jiggle at the cabinet should sort your problem :D

octatonic

26-09-2011, 10:36

This morning this is my reading:

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/09/6.png

Is it a power issue or just simply that Sunday is a time where loads of people are on the same exchange?
Power readings are the same as yesterday.

Tim Deegan

26-09-2011, 11:13

I don't know anything about all the technical stuff, but a few years ago I had a similar problem. The engineer came out and found that because I was so close to the box in the street, that it was actually cooking my modem. So they installed a resistor which seemed to do the trick.

thenry

26-09-2011, 16:02

its unstable OP.

octatonic

26-09-2011, 16:54

I am so bloody furious right now.

Waited in the entire day for a Virgin tech to turn up.
Was booked for 12-4pm.
I lost a days wages because of it (around £250).

No engineer turned up.
I rang and they said no engineer was booked.

WHAT?????

So now they have another booking for Wednesday- I lose another £250.
Their response was to credit me a whole £30.
Well, thanks a lot guys, but that is a pretty insignificant amount of money.

Sky and Zen Internet are looking pretty bloody good to me right now.

thenry

26-09-2011, 17:26

sky ha! not if you have an issue, its your fault all day long deal with it.

regarding vm.. i can't say i'm shocked, i was told i was getting something through the post and didn't get it, called up and it wasn't even ordered although my call was logged!!

octatonic

26-09-2011, 18:00

Tim Deegan

26-09-2011, 18:23

Careful you two. All the VM employees in the forums will jump on you and demand evidence ;)

Sirius

26-09-2011, 18:27

Yeah pretty much the same situation with me.

Had a record of my call but no callout booked.
I asked the guy twice to clarify the time yesterday.

Not sure what I will do if they fail to turn up on Wednesday.

Check to see if they recorded the call that might help you, Additionally call them back tell them you are recording the call and then when they acknowledge that you are recording the call ask them to confirm an engineer is booked and what time slot they gave you. If you get a good agent you should not have to do any of what i just suggested. I hope you get it fixed :tu:

qasdfdsaq

26-09-2011, 22:14

I lost a days wages because of it (around £250).
So now they have another booking for Wednesday- I lose another £250.
Their response was to credit me a whole £30.
Well, thanks a lot guys, but that is a pretty insignificant amount of money.

If you made £250 a day you wouldn't be moaning about it on an internet forum as, well, that's an insignificant amount of money.

Sephiroth

28-09-2011, 08:51

From a technical perspective, is your upstream stable at 51 dBmv or does it fluctuate - especially towards 55?

You see, it's unusual for there to be high downstream power and high upstream power. One can account for high downstream power - you're close to the cabinet or the amplifier is over-amplifying (or indeed both but I just think it's one of them).

But then I'd expect the upstream power to be lower because there's less attenuation between your CM and the first active node (the large street box with a 240V sticker). But your upstream power is high indicating attenuation somewhere.

We didn't see the full stats nor the event log. So we don't know if there's upstream noise affecting you.

Turning to the Speedtest result you've shown. Blank. Is that right?

With regard to the AE - the Modem Mode in the SH is the only way to run that wretched thing, IMO. Only then can you be sure that no other functions are slugging your connection. If it ran even slower in Modem Mode, that was just an unrelated circumstance, due either to poor upstream (we'll check that when you post full stats & event log) or downstream difficulties due to high power received at the SH.

In summary, I believe you have more than one problem (subject to sight of full stats and an answer to the upstream power question). The upstream power, if stable, is not out of spec. But if the upstream attenuation is high, then I wouldn't like to think what your downstream power would be if it was attenuation in your coax to the street box.

Finally, It may well be the street box amplifier that's playing up. They're making all sorts of changes at the VM end and this generally needs a rebalancing of outputs at the amplifier as lasers are renewed and so on. The visitng engineer will slap 10 dB of forward path attenuation on and it'll be worth seeing what performance difference that makes. But if you have an upstream issue, the engineer is usually unable to fix that and would have to refer matters to Networks.

Hope that helps.

octatonic

28-09-2011, 11:30

The speedtests results seem to have disappeared in the last few days.
They were there beforehand.

I was getting 2-4 meg download, then it would sometimes ramp up to 30-40, then back down.

A Virgin engineer turned up today.
We swapped out the power supply for the SH (apparently the power supply for the old modem was being used previously) and he put a 10db attenuator on it.

It is more stable now but I still have a lot of packet loss.
My cable connection is currently split off my neighbours junction box- he said it looked like a bit of a bodge job done by the guy who installed it.
He's put in an appointment for me to be moved directly to the road connection and this should clear that up he reckons.
They can't do it for a month though.

Here are the current readings:

http://www.jamesrichmond.com/misc/power_atten.png

Upstream power has remained a constant 51.5 dBmV throughout- hasn't fluctuated towards 55 at all.

Thanks for your help.

---------- Post added at 11:30 ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 ----------

Hmmm.... new problem.
Running the Superhub in modem mode cuts my speed from roughly 40-47meg down to 12-30.

Sephiroth

28-09-2011, 11:39

octatonic

28-09-2011, 11:44

Is that speed drop true if you wire a PC directly to the modem output port?

I'm not blessed/blighted with the SH right now, so is there a setting (like Autodetect) on either the AE or the SH that migh be wrongly specified? That really shouldn't happen.

Tapping off a neighbour would produce instability. Normally you'd get a pull straight to the cabinet. Is the cabinet close by?

I haven't tried running a direct connection from the SH in modem mode to my Mac.
It isn't the easiest thing in the world to do as I'd need to move the Mac tower downstairs.
Worth doing, do you think?

My other computer is a Macbook Air which has't got an ethernet connection- wifi only.

The cabinet is at the top of the street.
Apparently they have to run a new cable form the junction box to my house which is why it will take a month to do.

Sephiroth

28-09-2011, 12:09

octatonic

28-09-2011, 13:03

It's just a process of elimination. What is your topology? The first thing to do is eliminate the VM network and your AE as a cause. So you'd need to be wired direct to the Hub in Modem Mode. Then do the speed tests (if speedtest.netwon't display correctly try another one). Try to avoid the tests in peak time so that you can get some consistency.

Then add the AE and ensure it is set up correctly (I'm thinking of the port connection - you should be on 1 Gig between the SH & AE). If you need help there let me know but I won't be able to troubleshoot the AE till this evening (peak time!).

Your speed test should be the same as the directly connected device, for which the ethernet port should also be set to Autodetect.

With Wireless, anything can happen, although the AE will serve you better than the SH.

Incidentally, I'm sure that your high upstream power is due to the fudge with the neighbour's connection - and you may be picking up noise there which would affect your downstream speed.

Topology is as follows:

VM Cable is split going to the TIVO and the Superhub.
Superhub is connected using a Cat 6 cable to an Airport Extreme (living room).
Airport Extreme (living room) as a 30m cat6 cable running to another Airport Extreme (studio) in my recording studio.
I have a backup 30m cat6 cable run in case the first one stops working for any reason.

The AE's are configured with the same wifi network name and password.
I did a lot of research on this and it seemed the best way to run the network.

In the living room I have an Xbox 360, Apple TV plugged into the Airport Extreme (living room).
In my studio I have a Mac Pro plugged into the Airport Extreme (studio).

I'll wire the Mac Pro up directly to the modem and report back with speedtest now.

---------- Post added at 13:03 ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 ----------

Ok, I ran two speedtests from my studio Mac Pro directly connected to the SH in modem mode and then running through the Airport Extreme.
They were close enough it makes no matter- both in the high 40mb's.
Looks like it is a non-issue and just a bad speedtest, which could still be down to the fudge with the neighbour connection or some other factor.

I guess I just need to persevere with what I have now until I get the Virgin guys out next month.

Is there any specific setting for the AE that I should be aware of when the SH is in modem mode?

Sephiroth

28-09-2011, 13:51

octatonic

28-09-2011, 15:47

Good. To answer your addedum first, the living room AE must not be in Bridge Mode to the SH.

The AE in the studio would presumably be in bridge mode with the AE in the living room. So with that unusual (but obviously reasonable) topology, one does need to move outward from the modem and take measurements (as your addendum states you have done - all the way to the studio AE?).

One thing bothers me about the wireless. You say you've got the same wireless network name. Which physical wireless is being picked up by the MAC AIR? and are the frequencies the same in which case there'll be conflict.

Yes the Studio AE is in bridge mode, the living room one is not.
I have the Studio AE set to a different channel for wifi but it is mostly used for wired connections.
I found an webpage that went through all the different configs for running multiple AE's and this was the one most recommended.
The MBA lives in the living room, not the studio.

---------- Post added at 15:47 ---------- Previous post was at 15:31 ----------

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/09/4.png

Taken from the Mac Pro just before.
Speed seems fine now.
Ping/Jitter aren't as impressive:

http://www.pingtest.net/result/47648868.png (http://www.pingtest.net)

Sephiroth

28-09-2011, 17:04

So it looks like you've got all bases covered. If it works OK ever, then your setup is clearly fine.

So we now have to monitor stability, particularly when they pull your own cable and depart you from the lash-up they've mad.

Cheers

octatonic

28-09-2011, 18:01

octatonic

05-10-2011, 21:32

Nope, it isn't sorted at all.
Just had an hours outage and the unhelpful response from Virgin was 'yes we know it is a fault in your street, we hope to have it fixed by the 25th of October, but it might be a month after that.

My downstream stats are:

Downstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power SNR Docsis/EuroDocsis locked
Locked QAM256 200 55616000 Kbits/sec 306750000 Hz 11.2 dBmV 41.5 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 199 55616000 Kbits/sec 298750000 Hz 11.7 dBmV 41.8 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 201 55616000 Kbits/sec 314750000 Hz 11.0 dBmV 41.2 dB Hybrid

This is with a 10db filter in line.
So annoyed... actually more than annoyed but I know there is a swear filter here so I've resisted the urge to vent.
Virgin are an absolute joke.

octatonic

09-10-2011, 11:55

The saga continues.

Got a call yesterday (prerecorded) from Virgin saying 'The issue you reported has been fixed and the call out, if you had one, has been cancelled.

Since then I've had the worst network performance in the whole ordeal.
Getting 1-2meg the whole time- I should be getting 50meg.

Rang virgin, they said to disregard the phone call.
I'm so done with this company.
I have 3 more months with the contract but actually going to contact OFCOM and do what I can to get out of the contract.
This is absolutely the worst broadband I've had in years- Virgin don't know their ass from their elbow when it comes to managing a network properly.

LaineY

09-10-2011, 13:57

I would have thought the Downstream Power Levels are too high for 50MB,

I'm sure they are mean't to be below +7

octatonic

21-10-2011, 16:32

The saga continues II.

The tech came out a few days ago and now it is worse.
AND they broke my landline- didn't connect it back up when they switched me to the new junction box.

So today they said I should downgrade to 20Meg as it will now take them until November 20th to fix the utilisation issue.
Also, if I want to go back to 50meg after this then I will have to agree to a new 12 month contract.

This happened this morning.
I am now clearly on a 20Meg line but I am having exactly the same issues.
I get 20MB about 1/2 the time and the rest I am getting 1-2MB.

F****'s sake.
What do I have to do to get a reliable connection?

I've tried to complain to OFCOM but they can't do anything for me.
I have to go to CISAS for adjudication.

---------- Post added at 15:57 ---------- Previous post was at 15:53 ----------

I would have thought the Downstream Power Levels are too high for 50MB,

I'm sure they are mean't to be below +7

I have an attenuator on and now mostly get around 0 to +1.

---------- Post added at 16:04 ---------- Previous post was at 15:57 ----------

Speaking to Virgin Media tech right now.
He is saying 'going from 50MB down to 20MB will NOT fix the issue for me.

This company just can't seem to get it right.

---------- Post added at 16:27 ---------- Previous post was at 16:04 ----------

This is what I am getting currently.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/10/20.png

---------- Post added at 16:32 ---------- Previous post was at 16:27 ----------

Back on 50MB now.
It is as bad as ever.

Less than 1Mb/s downstream.
Ping is over 100ms.
Upload is 3Mb/s.

Tim Deegan

21-10-2011, 17:21

If I were you I would give Consumer Direct a call, to find out exactly where you stand legally. They have had plenty of time to sort the problem.

octatonic

21-10-2011, 17:36

If I were you I would give Consumer Direct a call, to find out exactly where you stand legally. They have had plenty of time to sort the problem.

I am going to mediation in 8 weeks time with CISAS.
I'm then need to see if I can sue for the last 12 months internet connection charges and the ridiculous amount of time I've spent on the phone sorting this out.

The term '[Mod Edit ]in a brewery' comes to mind right now.

Hugh

21-10-2011, 17:40

Please do not use words which invoke the swear filter - this is against Site T&Cs

octatonic

21-10-2011, 17:42

Please do not use words which invoke the swear filter - this is against Site T&Cs

Sure.

Tim Deegan

21-10-2011, 17:53

I am going to mediation in 8 weeks time with CISAS.
I'm then need to see if I can sue for the last 12 months internet connection charges and the ridiculous amount of time I've spent on the phone sorting this out.

The term '[Mod Edit ]in a brewery' comes to mind right now.

So does that mean you are stuck with them for at least another two months?

It's a real shame that they can't sort it out, as the service is excellent when it works. But you can't carry on like this.

octatonic

21-10-2011, 18:02

So does that mean you are stuck with them for at least another two months?

It's a real shame that they can't sort it out, as the service is excellent when it works. But you can't carry on like this.

Longer.
My contract is up until March.
This is another issue I have actually.
Anytime you change something with Virgin they sign you up to another 12 months contract.

I'd gladly cut my losses and go back to ADSL if they would just release my contract.

Tim Deegan

21-10-2011, 18:07

Longer.
My contract is up until March.
This is another issue I have actually.
Anytime you change something with Virgin they sign you up to another 12 months contract.
I'd gladly cut my losses and go back to ADSL if they would just release my contract.

I'm sure someone has said previously that this isn't strictly legal??

octatonic

21-10-2011, 18:15

I'm sure someone has said previously that this isn't strictly legal??

Legal or not, they still do it.
I actually know the mechanism that allows them to get away with it.
They use a 'discount' code that requires you to sign up to a new contract.
You could make the changes without the new contract but that pushes you up into a different price bracket.
Pretty much everyone that has a bundle has this discount applied.
Removing the discount adds something like £30-40 to the price of the bundle.

I rang OFCOM about this today and they were supremely disinterested in addressing this issue though.
I expressed the idea that it is an unethical practice and I was told 'no-one else is complaining about it so we can't do anything.

I spoke to 2 different customer service reps at Virgin today and they confirmed that if I downgraded to 20Mb and then upgraded again to 50Mb that I would be put on a new contract.

I requested a letter from them to specifically except me from this, which took me 30 mins of arguing to get them to send it.
It should arrive sometime next week- I will scan it when it arrives so everyone can see it.

Tim Deegan

21-10-2011, 19:41

Legal or not, they still do it.
I actually know the mechanism that allows them to get away with it.
They use a 'discount' code that requires you to sign up to a new contract.
You could make the changes without the new contract but that pushes you up into a different price bracket.
Pretty much everyone that has a bundle has this discount applied.
Removing the discount adds something like £30-40 to the price of the bundle.

I rang OFCOM about this today and they were supremely disinterested in addressing this issue though.
I expressed the idea that it is an unethical practice and I was told 'no-one else is complaining about it so we can't do anything.

I spoke to 2 different customer service reps at Virgin today and they confirmed that if I downgraded to 20Mb and then upgraded again to 50Mb that I would be put on a new contract.

I requested a letter from them to specifically except me from this, which took me 30 mins of arguing to get them to send it.
It should arrive sometime next week- I will scan it when it arrives so everyone can see it.

The trouble with ombudsman services is that they are funded by companies within that industry. That isn't so much of a problem with say, the financial sector. But in the telephone business there are only a few main companies. So although OFCOM are supposed to be independent, sometimes ombudsman services in industries without many businesses an be reluctant to make bite the hand that feeds them.

Nopanic

22-10-2011, 11:03

The trouble with ombudsman services is that they are funded by companies within that industry. That isn't so much of a problem with say, the financial sector. But in the telephone business there are only a few main companies. So although OFCOM are supposed to be independent, sometimes ombudsman services in industries without many businesses an be reluctant to make bite the hand that feeds them.

Not addressing the OPs issue directly, but OFCOM are not taken lightly by VM.

Tim Deegan

22-10-2011, 11:19

Not addressing the OPs issue directly, but OFCOM are not taken lightly by VM.

And so they shouldn't.

However there is always the fact that if VM stop financing OFCOM, then they will lose a massive proportion of their income....think about it.

Hugh

22-10-2011, 11:23

Nothing like a bit of innuendo and smear to colour an argument, is there?

Here is how Ofcom are funded -

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/files/2010/06/Tariff_Tables_2001011.pdf

octatonic

22-10-2011, 11:25

Not addressing the OPs issue directly, but OFCOM are not taken lightly by VM.

and OFCOM will only address issues that are raised by a fairly large number of people it seems.

Individuals, like myself, with issues of service are totally ignored by Virgin and by OFCOM.
The problem I am having is that NO-ONE will address my issue directly.
I am passed from pillar to post by one incompetent jobsworth to another.

Every time I get close to the resolution date this date is revised back by Virgin.
My feeling is actually that Virgin have zero interest in investing in better infrastructure.
It is more profitable for them to just take our money and sit back and do the bare minimum- employing more foreign call centre staff to manage the complaints is more affordable than infrastructure investment.

You cannot even leave because every time you make a change to your service they tie you back in to a 12 month contract.
Don't believe me?
Look at this:

http://www.jamesrichmond.com/misc/virgin_edit.jpg

This letter is something I had to fight to get this letter because when they downgraded me yesterday (which did nothing to fix my issue and a manager in the technical assistance dept confirmed this) they acknowledged that moving me back to 50Mb would invoke a new 12 month contract.
I only agreed to let them downgrade me once I knew I had a letter coming because I've been stung by this before- 18 months ago I was signed up for another 12 months when I went from an M to XL TV package.
I didn't require an engineer and there was no good reason they gave me for signing me back up other than 'this is how we do it'.
Just thinking about me makes me want to invoke the swear filter.

This morning I've run about 10 different speed tests.
The fastest connection I can get is 2Mb/s.
Currently it is 1.98Mb/s.
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/10/18.png

I am supposed to have a 50Mb/s connection.
It is a joke.

To anyone else having performance issues, I suggest we join forces and blitz OFCOM all at once.
If enough of us complain all in the same day they will be forced to respond.

I highly recommend that people keep a log of every call made, the period of outage (or poor performance) and then present that information to OFCOM.
Virgin have 8 weeks to rectify the fault (this is also a complete mess- who can have no or little broadband for 2 months in 2011, not me for certain) and then they have to respond.

Hugh

22-10-2011, 20:30

The reason you may not be getting much help from Ofcom may be due to this....

What is Ofcom (http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/what-is-ofcom/)

What we do
Our main legal duties are to ensure:
the UK has a wide range of electronic communications services, including high-speed services such as broadband;
a wide range of high-quality television and radio programmes are provided, appealing to a range of tastes and interests;
television and radio services are provided by a range of different organisations;
people who watch television and listen to the radio are protected from harmful or offensive material;
people are protected from being treated unfairly in television and radio programmes, and from having their privacy invaded; and
the radio spectrum (the airwaves used by everyone from taxi firms and boat owners, to mobile-phone companies and broadcasters) is used in the most effective way.

What we do not do
We are not responsible for regulating:
disputes between you and your telecoms provider; <-------
premium-rate services, including mobile-phone text services and ringtones;
the content of television and radio adverts;
complaints about accuracy in BBC programmes;
the BBC TV licence fee; or
newspapers and magazines.

octatonic

22-10-2011, 21:17

Yes, this is why I am heading towards CISAS.

Weekend access is the worst ever.
This is the fastest it has been all weekend.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/10/17.png

Tim Deegan

22-10-2011, 22:02

Nothing like a bit of innuendo and smear to colour an argument, is there?

Here is how Ofcom are funded -

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/files/2010/06/Tariff_Tables_2001011.pdf

So as I said, they get a huge chunk of their funding from VM.

---------- Post added at 22:02 ---------- Previous post was at 21:58 ----------

The reason you may not be getting much help from Ofcom may be due to this....

What is Ofcom (http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/what-is-ofcom/)

So they are an ombudsman service who don't do the job of an ombudsman then?

So there isn't anyone the OP can go to I presume?

Hugh

22-10-2011, 22:36

So as I said, they get a huge chunk of their funding from VM.
---------- Post added at 22:02 ---------- Previous post was at 21:58 ----------

So they are an ombudsman service who don't do the job of an ombudsman then?

So there isn't anyone the OP can go to I presume?You get a huge chunk of your income from selling beds - does that mean you are biased towards the bed suppliers against your customers? (as that is what you are accusing Ofcom of).

Tim Deegan

22-10-2011, 23:42

You get a huge chunk of your income from selling beds - does that mean you are biased towards the bed suppliers against your customers? (as that is what you are accusing Ofcom of).

That doesn't quite work does it???

I get my income from my customers, and I do put my customers first.

This is kind of creepy that someone has been actually checking me out :shocked:

Ignitionnet

23-10-2011, 09:47

That doesn't quite work does it???

I get my income from my customers, and I do put my customers first.

This is kind of creepy that someone has been actually checking me out :shocked:

It's in your contact info on the site dude, isn't like someone's been doing background checks or anything.

Hugh

23-10-2011, 09:51

"checking you out" - you flatter yourself......;)

It's on your contact details..

Re your comment about how you get your income from your customers, and you put them first - good for you; but you do this by selling them goods you get from your suppliers, surely?

However, you were, imho, attempting to smear Ofcom by your comments - if you have any evidence to back up your innuendo, it would be helpful if you could present it.

Peter_

23-10-2011, 09:52

This is kind of creepy that someone has been actually checking me out :shocked:
Do you by any chance remember putting this in your profile under Tims website.

http://www.bedlum-beds.co.uk/

octatonic

23-10-2011, 12:05

Do you by any chance remember putting this in your profile under Tims website.

http://www.bedlum-beds.co.uk/

About as much chance as Virgin providing me with anything beyond sub-dialup speed throughput.

As happy as I am to be providing a place for so much lighthearted merriment I am still, after a more than a month, in the same place as I was.
My 3g mobile phone is faster and more reliable than Virgin's network at this point.

---------- Post added at 10:30 ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 ----------

Finally got a decent broadband speed.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/10/15.png

I bet by 5pm it will drop back down to under 1Mb.

---------- Post added at 12:05 ---------- Previous post was at 10:30 ----------

On its way down.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/10/16.png

Hugh

23-10-2011, 12:37

Have you escalated this to the CEO's office?

octatonic

23-10-2011, 12:43

Have you escalated this to the CEO's office?

Not sure if you are being serious or not Hugh.
I've tried escalating it through the usual channels.
Now every time I try I get put through to customer relations who cite an 8 week rule about fixing thing.
According to Ofcom they have 8 weeks after I log a formal complaint to do anything about it.

My formal complaint went in on Friday so I could still be here at Christmas before Virgin HAVE to do something.

Even then they can string it out.
So far trying to raise the priority of the problem has met with brickwall type behaviour by the customer relations who have basically said 'we don't have to do anything for you, go away'.
(Actually what they said was 'sorry you are having problems, we will try to do everything we can'. So far this has been 'nothing'.)

Peter_

23-10-2011, 13:23

Not sure if you are being serious or not Hugh.

Actually it is a valid question.

octatonic

23-10-2011, 13:32

Oh ok.
No offence intended.
I don't know about CEO escalation.
Can someone outline the process please?

Peter_

23-10-2011, 13:40

Oh ok.
No offence intended.
I don't know about CEO escalation.
Can someone outline the process please?
Send an email with full details of your issue in a clear and concise layout with no swearing or adverse over the top comments ( I know that can seem difficult ) to neil.berkett@virginmedia.co.uk which is the CEO's office and that email address is freely available in the public domain.

octatonic

23-10-2011, 14:19

Send an email with full details of your issue in a clear and concise layout with no swearing or adverse over the top comments ( I know that can seem difficult ) to neil.berkett@virginmedia.co.uk which is the CEO's office and that email address is freely available in the public domain.

Thank you.

I will do this now.
Is this known to get a response?

Hugh

23-10-2011, 14:20

People have had positive outcomes using this procees, which is why I suggested it (as a last port of call).

octatonic

23-10-2011, 14:46

Ok, thanks.
I'll keep you posted.

Tim Deegan

23-10-2011, 16:55

It's in your contact info on the site dude, isn't like someone's been doing background checks or anything.

Yeah I know that. But I just think it's creepy when people feel the need to check up on people.

---------- Post added at 16:53 ---------- Previous post was at 16:49 ----------

"checking you out" - you flatter yourself......;)

It's on your contact details..

Re your comment about how you get your income from your customers, and you put them first - good for you; but you do this by selling them goods you get from your suppliers, surely?

However, you were, imho, attempting to smear Ofcom by your comments - if you have any evidence to back up your innuendo, it would be helpful if you could present it.

No, it's different. Ofcom get their income from VM amongst others, yet they are expected to be impartial. I don't get any income from my suppliers, so it is completely different.

I don't have anything against Ofcom except the way they weren't interested in taking action against Orange when they were clearly in the wrong (but that's another story).

I'm just talking about ombudsman services in general. For example FIRA who do tend to side with furiture retailers and manufacturers who they are financed by.

---------- Post added at 16:55 ---------- Previous post was at 16:53 ----------

Do you by any chance remember putting this in your profile under Tims website.

http://www.bedlum-beds.co.uk/

As I've said, I know that. But I don't feel the need to check peoples profiles out. Why would I?

octatonic

23-10-2011, 17:58

Nice to see Virgin doesn't disappoint.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/10/14.png

When I say 'nice' I of course mean 'not nice'.
When I say 'doesn't' I of course mean 'does'.

Surely I should be allowed to invoke the swear filter at least once?

Peter_

23-10-2011, 19:04

As I've said, I know that. But I don't feel the need to check peoples profiles out. Why would I?
You added to your profile.

octatonic

23-10-2011, 19:21

Ok I've sent this email to Neil Berkett.
Hopefully I get a response.

Neil,

I am contacting you as a last resort to try to get something done about my broadband connection.

For the last few months I have had terrible broadband performance.
I pay for an 'up to 50Mb' connection.
By my reckoning this should be a faster connection than the 20Mb or 30Mb connections that are cheaper.
I realise that I am unlikely to get the full 50Mb at all times but lately (esp the last month) I have been getting speeds that are very much sub-par and indeed slower than both a 3G iPhone and even dialup.
I get , on average, less than 1Mb/s.

I have struggled to get a sensible response from Virgin Media staff and engineers who have acknowledged that there is a utilisation issue but they have wasted my time by trying pointless attempts to placate me by sending out engineers when they know full well that their attempts would be fruitless.
The general response from Virgin staff has been 'nothing we can do about it for a month or so' albeit couched in polite language.
This simply isn't acceptable.

In the last month I have had two engineers out to my house.
The first was due to come out on the 26th of September but did not turn up.
I waited in the entire day and lost a days pay, that I cannot afford to lose.

No explanation has been given for this other than an 'operator error'.
The next scheduled call out was on 28th.
He turned up that day but just put a 10db attenuator on my modem.
Frankly, I could have done that myself.
Again I missed a days work and pay.
This did nothing to address my speed issue as I knew it would not, and I stated that to the engineer.
His response was 'yes, probably not but I have to do it before I can do anything else'.

Another call out was booked to move my connection of my neighbours junction box and onto my own.
This did not occur until the 19th of October as an engineer was not available.
I was told that this would fix my issue.
It didn't as I knew it would not.

The engineer did however break my landline.
I am still waiting for an engineer to turn up to fix it.
They are supposed to be turning up tomorrow.
I need to wait in, again losing a days pay.

I was also told that there was a utilisation issue that was going to be fixed by the 25th of October.
Speaking to engineers last week they informed me that this date has been pushed back until either the 9th, 7th, 19th or 25th of November, depending on who I spoke to.
I have no faith that this date (whatever it is) will be adhered to and I am currently up a certain creek with out the necessary instrument.

So far I still have extremely slow broadband, I am out 3 days in lost wages that I cannot afford AND I have a broken landline.
This is very much a summary of what has happened- I have neglected to document in this email the number of calls to Virgin in the last month but believe me I have been calling ever few days and been passed from pillar to post.
When I tried to complain on Friday I was told that the technical support people would need to pass me to the customer service people.
Customer service needed to pass me to customer relations and the customer relations person couldn't log my complaint because it was a technical issue and then passed me back to technical support.

I am completely frustrated and annoyed with Virgin's recent incompetence and unwillingness to assist me.
I realise that things do not always go to plan but frankly, I have had too many of these instances in the last month and I must insist on Virgin doing better.

I would very much like a personal response from yourself or someone who can get something done rather than just give me a load of excuses and mistakes.

Regards,

[name, address and account number deleted]

Hugh

23-10-2011, 19:21

Yeah I know that. But I just think it's creepy when people feel the need to check up on people.

---------- Post added at 16:53 ---------- Previous post was at 16:49 ----------

No, it's different. Ofcom get their income from VM amongst others, yet they are expected to be impartial. I don't get any income from my suppliers, so it is completely different.

I don't have anything against Ofcom except the way they weren't interested in taking action against Orange when they were clearly in the wrong (but that's another story).

I'm just talking about ombudsman services in general. For example FIRA who do tend to side with furiture retailers and manufacturers who they are financed by.

---------- Post added at 16:55 ---------- Previous post was at 16:53 ----------

As I've said, I know that. But I don't feel the need to check peoples profiles out. Why would I?Well, there have been 9,532 visits to my profile, and 209 visits to yours, so others appear to have a different opinion - are all those people "creepy"?

btw, why did you put your website on your profile if you didn't expect it to be seen?

octatonic

24-10-2011, 08:47

Just received this:

Thank you for your e-mail

I'm really sorry you're unhappy, Neil is currently unable to deal with your complaint personally; however, I've passed your e-mail onto a member of his team who will be in contact within the next 24 hours.　

Raj Tandon on behalf of Neil Berkett.

Let's see if anything comes of it.

octatonic

24-10-2011, 16:45

Had a phone call from a chap [Mod Edit - Name Removed] just now.
He was polite and placating and no animosity from me but it is all the usual stuff really.

Apologies and 'we're doing everything we can' but the long and short of it is that the date of resolution is likely to be at least until the end of November.
Even then they aren't committing to that time.
If they do it then fine.
If they don't then I have no recourse- they can take as long a they like and I just have to put up with it.
I am banging my head against a brick wall to try to get any more out of them.

I am still under contract so the only thing I can do is pay out that contract and go somewhere else.

I've decided all I can do is put up with it until March when my contract is up and then I will gladly be leaving Virgin for good, regardless of whether they end up fixing the issue.
My reasoning is essentially that the next time there is a fault it will also take up to 2 months to fix.
Frankly, this simply isn't good enough and I don't want to waste a further penny on them than I need to.

Thanks to everyone who helped me so far.
Can anyone suggest a good 20Mb ADSL in London with a good, reliable company?
I need an unlimited plan, decent upload speeds and ideally contract free.