Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Hope I'm not stepping on the forum's toes here but I thought people would like to know there is now a Virgin Customer forum

http://community.virginmedia.com/

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

bout bloody time I say

---------- Post added at 16:12 ---------- Previous post was at 16:11 ----------

is it staying only BB

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Nice. Be interesting to see how that pans out :)

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Here looks much nicer :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

That's a pretty big sea change in attitudes within VM from the old days of NTL. It's something long overdue, given that most organistations work hard to encourage customer self support, and feedback. I wonder how they will respond when the inevitable critical posts about services are made?

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

A positive step forward, they have always been quite responsive on the newsgroups but it's not easy to post on newsgroups and threads get burried quite easily. As Rob says, lets see how this goes when the going gets tough.....just need some posts on there now :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

The lay out is crap I will stick to CF thanks!!

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Didn;t they try a forum before ??

:D:D:D ;););) :p::p::p:

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

You know i think they did. Stabbed in and back also ring a bell

Wonder if there staff will be asked to post there instead of other more established customer oriented forums. Bloody well hope not.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Cant get passed the "Please read the Forum Guidelines first" i have!!

I stick to CF!

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I've joined but it just doesn't feel right yet as it's still so new and unpopulated. I too will wait to see how VM handle the adverse posts I am sure it will attract.

I hope it's successful but nothing will will ever match up to CF. :)

add... anyone joining may find that their authentication email goes straight into their spam folder. :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I will not be using it.

Has nothing on where you can post anything for Virgin Media TV on it.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Oops, I have webmail filter set to 1.00 and delete so I probably won't even see it.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

The thing which would really worry me is that unlike here they'll be able to link a moan with an account simply through the IP address.. Sometimes a good thing but also a bad thing..

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I will not be joining it. I don't like the fact they will then see my IP address. So there will be no chance of anonymity should i want to post adversely at some time because virgin might have messed up my service or account.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Sirius...is this tin foil hat I bought from you enabling you to read my mind!!!!!

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Very much so. I will not mention what you did yesterday ;) :LOL:

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I must admit my tin foil hat had me joining with a "slightly" different name to that I use here. If I need to post there as a customer I did not want to give VM a lead straight into my posts here.

Having said that it wouldn't take much for some one from here to suss out my name over there. :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Jo, you do relaise that your full name is publicly displayed on your profile over there :(

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Those fields are optional so only people can see Ben for me, which is my username

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

...and I'm just jo. :) well I am now, Cheers Kymmy. :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Sorry but it is Tin foil hat time for me

So a definite no no for me if they are collecting all that info from me.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Now you have me worried.

As they already know my IP address and supply all my VM services what else could they find out about me that that they don't have access to already?

If they ever ask me to supply any information not linked to my accounts with them then it will be my choice whether I give it to them surely.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

OMG How stupid is it that it displays your IP address!!!


Phew I can only see mine, checked for yours jo but it didn't show.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Doesn't that information show up in all website logs anyway?

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I just dont like giving information to people for no reason. I dont like the fact that should i say something on there they dont like they COULD if they chose to find out who i am.

I dont think you have reason to worry but i do.

---------- Post added at 18:07 ---------- Previous post was at 18:07 ----------

I have my reasons ;)

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I can't even find my own. :D Can you tell me where to look please?

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

On the main page bottom left it shows who is online, click view all.
It then gives a list of members, you're just above me :D

Click on your name or mine to show stats.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Cheers, found it. :tu:

I understand your initial assumption as it looks as though your IP address is there for all to see. Bit of a silly way to display the profiles with no indication whether what is shown is for public view or whether other members would get an edited version.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

That's good. Just registered on the site. Clicked on the confirmation e-mail to confirm my e-mail address, and now I get a message saying I'm banned from the site! :confused:

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Arthur's gonna have a field day complaining direcly to VM through the medium of forums

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

.....and people complain that I'm too quick with the big red button :D :D

Not a good start that :erm:

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

:LOL:

That might just tempt me to sign up. It would be so funny to watch

---------- Post added at 19:19 ---------- Previous post was at 19:18 ----------

You never know you might not be on the pre approved list :LOL:

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

that is my understanding forum owners have access to most of that information

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Not. Bloomin. Likely.

No way am I posting freely in a forum owned by Virgin ... they're not associating my opinions on their service with my customer account, thank you very much. Especially not when there's simply no need to go to an 'official' forum. They have left it far too late - several years late, in fact. In the meantime a number of very useful and wholly independent forums have filled the gap. Naturally I am already an active member of the best one. :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

No, that quote to some may suggest that VM can log the site you visited prior to going to their forum, that isn't correct - and probably needs to be clarified - in that it only logs a referral to the VM discussion forums, such as that of a search engine.

In terms of the other info, then yes, its pretty much standard.

---------- Post added at 19:38 ---------- Previous post was at 19:37 ----------

LOL, that's if they can understand what he's talking about. :D

That said he has improved over the months with his punctuation.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Arthur could be our secret weapon. A bit like a one man fifth column. I bet he would enjoy asking some awkward questions and giving them some home truths. :)

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

That's maybe, however its what they can do with that information to certain types of posters that worries me.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

That's what I meant. I'm pretty sure that if I go from news.bbc.co.uk to here then whoever has access to the weblogs of this forum could see all of the same info e.g. my IP address, Domain that is attached to, what pages I visit here etc etc

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

You could always do your own quote-/quote and it would help if the posts were numbered so you could at least refer to the post number that you were replying to.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Whether they're particularly bothered to look, except at the aggregated data in order to get an idea of general trends, is of course another matter. ;)

The only thing that bothers me about Virgin running a forum such as the one they have set up is that it will be very, very easy for any of their forum moderators to check the originating IP of any individual post. We can do that here, of course, but then we at Cable Forum don't then have the ability to cross-reference that data with a list of customers' real names and addresses.

I wouldn't have a problem with them knowing who I am if I was having a problem with my service. It might actually help them fix the issue. But I most certainly do mind them knowing who I am if I'm in the mood for a general moan or rant. The point could be moot if they intend for the forum to be simply for raising and dealing with issues. If that's the case they're not likely to allow posts or threads designed for general chatter or moaning. But if they do that, they may well discover they've wasted their time calling it a 'community'. A web-based community needs something to draw it together and keep it together. A sort of basement where everyone can hang out in between serious requests for help ... :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Ok i will be blunt this forum is not my employer and would i hope not be giving away my identity to my employer or using said information if i posted something that they did not agree with.

However if the employee posts on a forum owned and moderated by his or her employer and said something that they did not like, what is to stop them using the information they have from the forum to find out who that person is and reprimand him or her. ?????

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

The terms of use for the whole Virgin site:
http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html...ms_of_use.html

In it, this:
Watch out with what you post...

---------- Post added at 21:46 ---------- Previous post was at 21:42 ----------

And of course, this wall of text relating to Broadband and phone use, courtesy of: http://www.virgin.net/terms/national_bb_terms.shtml



---------- Post added at 21:46 ---------- Previous post was at 21:46 ----------

As i said, be careful what you post/do on in their backyard ;)

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Nothing, so be careful :D

Actually, you know what you could do, get a cheap mobile dongle, say a non T-Mobile one and use that connection when posting to th forum. :D :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I will leave this thread now to those that will be using it. I don't intend to register or use there forum so it is not going to be a issue for me. I have said what i needed to say :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Sorry Sirius, I just get the feeling you won't be able to resist posting there. :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I'm loving the fact that someone has registered the username 'CableForum' :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I have registered on there.

I was posting under the V-Stuff(ed) thread until a certain "W" icon caught my eye. Apparently, you can "Paste from Word" into that forum. Wey hey! Technological Innovation FTW! :wtf:

I didn't realise Master Gates had invented teh pasting too :rolleyes:

Sometimes, I really do feel like giving up. I now don't see the point of posting on there since, if I need to "paste", I (incorrectly but I'll do it anyway) assume I need to paste via that steaming pile of, er, "Word" thingummy :td:. Do not have. Do not want.

Dave

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Which one of you monkeys did that then? ;)

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

NTL were right when they said the community was coming soon...it's just been a very long coming soon lol!

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Of course that is a possibility - as it is with every other ISP based forum out there.

Doesn't stop people having a go - just look at Be's forum for proof. I don't hear of people suddenly losing their connection.

Though IIRC PlusNet (before BT) did have such an incident, so it isn't always the ones you think are the worst that are the worst

Of course that is understandable - but then anyone who works for a company and then slags them off on their own forum does need their head looking at ;)

However I would also point out that up until this month posting anything on web forums and social networking sites was technically against the conditions of employment without pre-vetting from the Press Office.

Now it isn't and we are actually allowed to say who we are, where we work and what we do if we want to - as long as we also make clear than our views are our own. I would assume they would expect a certain level of decorum if you do though!

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Then your going to be upset. I will NOT be on there unless i can hide my IP.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

http://www.hide-my-ip.com/ :P

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

The big question is, would Virgin take notice of what the customer said or thought, l doubt it, wouldn't it be an idea for Virgin to just take a look at this forum. I will stick with CF,

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

a breath of fresh air ben.:tu:

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Or you can try http://www.bypassfirewallnow.com/ :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Someone has even post an ad for Cable forum on Virgin new forum web site.

http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/...-also/td-p/157

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

lol I'll give it til the morning :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Nice one bw41101. Si thee indeed. :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I am scratching my head wondering who that could be with that sign off.:D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Oi! Stop blowin' holes in their forum! :p:

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Well that's understandable

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I notice Mark Wilkin, who seems to be one of their admins, has just joined us. I wonder if he's going to post in here. :)

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

His profile says he is PMing someone:D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Lol - the forum, will be interesting - just to see if VM actually do anything with it or just let customers rant and leave them..

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

As someone has pointed out elsewhere, the forum is actually hosted by a company named Lithium Technologies Inc in the States. Not sure if that has any DPA implications.

(NSLOOKUP indicates that community.virginmedia.com is an alias for virgin.lithium.com).

---------- Post added at 07:49 ---------- Previous post was at 07:37 ----------

That would be me. Apparently I got banned for having the audacity to click this link

"Virgin Media's Help & Support Forum sent this email to xxxxxxx@ntlworld.com. Would you prefer not to receive emails from us? It's okay, we won't be offended. Just click here."

in the confirmation e-mail. Hopefully this is just a glitch in the forum software - they wouldn't really ban someone for not wanting marketing e-mails - would they?

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I've just signed up. My main reason is to play a part in this car-crash piece of PR. If their forum gets monitored like the newsgroup does then it could be useful, otherwise I predict that something highly amusing will kick off and it'll descend into spam and bun-fighting, shortly before it's closed.

CF for the win!

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Why is there any sort of competition? that forum as it stands is just broadband support. If they get help to the customer quickly then its a good thing . There does not need to be a battle . Cable forum has no elegance from me I post where I want help out where I want

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

No more so than regisitering with any other forum site. All they ask for at regsitration is name and e-mail

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

OK - I'd rather assumed from other posts here that they would have the ability to link IP addresses to actual customers.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I would imagine that they would have the ability to take your IP address from your forum post and link it to their customer database, there can't be many other sites that can do that.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Where is Frank? Where is Frank?

He ought to know about this. Not sure if it'll make him laugh or cry!

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

That was my point - do Lithium Technology (a US company who host the forum, presumably on behalf of VM, on a US server) have access to the Virgin Media customer database, and, if so, does this have any DPA implications?

Edit: Possibly not - at least they are signed up to Safe Harbor

http://clicktoverify.truste.com/pvr....com&sealid=102

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

They simply wouldn't need to as any MOD or ADMIN should be able to see IP addresses, I presume that VM will want some of their own staff in such positions..

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

This new forum is for VM customers and you access it by going to the main VM site. Customers will use it when they are having problems with their services or equipment.

We have had many instances on CF where our members have either been given the wrong information, been fobbed off or just dealt with in ways that were not productive in solving their problem when they have been dealing with VM through official channels. In many of these cases VM staff here have given advise which resulted in the customer one way or another getting sorted.....what happens when that occurs over there. If there are no paid VM staff over there with the authority to get things sorted then the VM staff who give help for free in their own time will have their hands tied as I assume it will be more than there jobs worth to openly criticise the quality of advise or work being given out on the phone lines or by the engineers.

Sorry for the rambling post but some things about the current set up of the new forum make me uncomfortable.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Well, i signed up and so far it's dead - granted it's new..

However, I have my own "issue" going on: http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/...ponse/td-p/163

I simply got a "call the helpdesk"

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Wow. Quel suprise - the 'official' VM forum is less use than CF.

In other news, the sky is blue, grass is green and bears really *do* poop in the woods.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Well I've just joined if only for lurking purposes. Mainly to watch the whole thing turn into a virgin public relations nightmare. I can just picture BB and some of the other guys from here turning the site staff into quivering wrecks inside a week. Presumably they are going to have a dedicated team for it, along the same lines as the twitter page. To be honest I have only had a fleeting glance round up to now but i guess time will tell. Who knows, it may turn out to be a very useful forum. But, I doubt as useful as this one.

It should be good for the sheer entertainment value if nothing else lol.

Phil

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Woop I've only posted twice and i'm a "Top Kudoed Author" lol

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Forum is pretty basic and layout pretty unpleasant. Quality of the content on there questionable. Will watch, not going to post ;)

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I've joined but it just doesn't feel right yet as it's still so new and unpopulated, plus the layout stinks, I will keep a eye on it, but Cable Forum wins hands down, keep up the good work Cable Forum teem!

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

;);););)

Course its dead ... we are all in here :juggle:

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Having posted on a thread over there I've just been virtually patted on the head by another member, I don't think it was one of you lot but :bsmack: if it was :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Whoops! :angel:

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Is it right that anyone who posts three times and gives a compliment to virgin gets a free V+ and Free 50mg? :D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Well I don't know about the V+ but ..........:D <jo wakes up from a nice daydream>

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

So, they've finally got around to doing what they killed off nthellword.com for.

Only nearly 7 years late.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I'm surprised they have allowed the CF thread to continue. :)

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I don't see why not? It's not like it's causing any harm?

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

joined but there aint likely to be much I can offer over there

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Theres the odd bit

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Well we have kind of pushed the fact that in comparison to the new VM Forum, Cable Forum .....

• has been around longer
• has lots of knowledge on tap
• has lots of techies willing to help
• is awesome
• can cover Billing, installation and tech queries.

:D

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

There is loads of thigns on the forum I don't understand. I Think they could of done alot better..

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

You mist out that the New VM Forum Software stinks, it puts bad code in posts, for example it puts in Smilies where you don't want them!

Plus you can not use [nobbc] text [/nobbc] to stop the code been manguld.

Plus you can not switch off Smilies in the post!

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

Nice idea, something I proposed many years ago while working for them, before they even bought nthw, but was shouted down over.

Execution is poor, don't know what the software is but it's rubbish, most of the answers seem to amount to "ring the helpdesk", bit of a waste of time really. Lip service.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

The forum is pants to be honest.. poor attempt from VM..

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I'm not bailing out yet but it's only sheer will power that is keeping me there. I suppose I am spoilt by the fact that most of the forums I visit either use vBulletin or something very similar in feel and they have so many more aids to help make reading and posting a more user friendly experience.

I just can't see how it's going to work without VM staff being able to take a more proactive role in problem solving. Customers are going to be given good advise on VMs own forum then when they try to phone VM to have the advice acted upon will have to take pot luck on the quality of help they receive. The backlash of customers being told one thing on that forum only to be given the run around by certain CS/faults teams will soon have those trying to help walking away.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

how much different to here do you think that is?

It does say on there in the guidelines to be wary some support can be just wrong.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

I get your point Zing, the difference here being the size of the forum. Over there with so few members able to give good advise there is, at the moment, no real opportunity to discuss or consider different approaches as we do here.

We also have a fair amount of confidence in the advise put forward by members who have proved over time to be worth their weight in gold. Over there VM customers are signing up for a solution to their problems and not having any idea of the quality of the advise they are being given especially when it appears to contradict the official line they have been given over the phone or on a home visit.

The more I think about it the more problem I have in understanding exactly how any real help regarding VM services and equipment is going to be given, and how, without any form of "basement" area a decent size active core membership can be maintained when most members will probably just stay long enough to solve their own problem then move off.

Re: Virgin launch Customer Forum
 

How can any forum mature if its not given the chance to grow?

I see members from here over there complaining about how the website looks. That is really not helpful. That forum will grow.
If you think logically customers will look to VM first before looking elsewhere for help. As I have said there is not a lot of support I can offer over there at the moment but as it grows if sections become available where I can help I will.

I certainly hope it stays customer service based only and does not go off topic with sections such as Current Affairs and Lifestyle. I am not saying that they should not be here as this is a community now but this place is still a technical support forum and I am fundamentally a technical supprt member