Just joined Virgin Media
 

Hey guys & gals. I've just joined Virgin Media (and Cable Forum for that matter) and managed to get a great deal. I managed to get the VIP 100 TiVo for £199.95 upfront cost and £110.55 a month. The gentleman I spoke to managed to knock a lot of the upfront charges off and swap the second V+ box for a V+ HD. Basically everything minus a mobile as I already have a contract with Virgin Mobile.

Anyway, I haven't had Virgin in a couple of years as the house I'm currently living in doesn't have cable. I'm moving to a new property on June 1st and it feels great to finally be able to get Virgin again.

I have just one or two questions regarding the 100meg service. Does it have any limits on it - such as throttling on the upload and/or download? How well does the Superhub handle the 100meg connection? I've read mixed reviews on the Superhub but not so much on the 100meg service with it. The last broadband equipment I had from Virgin was an old blue NTL cable modem back when they didn't technically "allow" routers on the network.

Thank you for taking the time to read my thread :)

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

This should answer your question relating to throttling: http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/tra...anagement.html

With regards to the superhub, I have the 50meg service and have no problems. I see no reason why the 100meg service will be any different.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

The vast majority have no issue at all with the Superhub, remember that this is primarily a support forum and most posts will be complaints about the equipment supplied.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

The 100Mb service is still a major focus point for VM, (more so than the others) because its the top rated service. You'll have very little problems with getting a quick and high level of support for it. (hopefully)

Masque will know better than me, but I believe there is still a UK based support team just for 100Mb and I know 2nd line deal direct with 100Mb customers too ..

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

For what my advice is worth, keep at the back of your mind the possibility of your using the Superhub in Bridge mode (as a modem only) and then distribute your functions via your own router.

This consideration applies if you want the router functions to be feature rich because the SH provides a minimum of functionality.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Still just 2nd line only support for 100Mb.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

People that do have issues are looking support, the complaints come when they receive no support..And comments like yours is of no help as you are just fuelling the same stuff that has went on instead of supporting users who do have problems and those that dont..

Same old story

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

The issue's that tend to be reported here are beyond the support that Masque and other staffers can offer. When they are posted the first time they are acknowledge and then people keep posting the same negative comments suggesting that the device is a waste of space. These comments do nothing but put a bad name to Virgin media and have no other response from people who's hubs work, than to say that.

A customer shouldn't be put off joining VM because there are groups of people with a low option on a device and although repeatedly saying "its fine for me" doesn't help, its giving the other side of the argument in response to the "its rubbish" .

We don't need to turn this thread into another Superhub discussion, the OP asked specifically about the Superhub and 100Mb and I haven't seen many complaint on here regarding the service or support for 100Mb users.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Agree, People shouldnt be put off from joining virgin, their BB is by far a superior Service than any other provider currently.

Remember the aim is to make the service and even better one not just for a select few.. We cant make any improvements if we dont take onboard both positive and negative feedback.

Most people cant help with issues because it goes beyond the remit of problems wit a pc or a reboot of the modem. It's firmware or ubR issues but what I think most people that do have issues is reassurance that we are looking at them and taking them seriously..

Not directed at yourself but some virgin staff give us negative responses which reflects badly on virgin media even if you have in your signature "its your thoughts"


Anyhow come on Barca

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Superior for download speed yes. Not sure on much else. Their CS is hit and miss, CPE is :) and latency/jitter/general network quality is questionable. A quick glance at the TBB ping monitor thread shows how patchy the network itself is.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

I agreed completely .. The majority of people complaining about the hub are the experienced users, people who know their way around a PC and the Internet. These are the people who spread the word to everyone else, they in my opinion at least should be one of the main focus points for any ISP.

Although they consist of a small number of moaning buggers :) they tend to be loyal once they are happy with a service, they also take out the bigger services and can be used for testing and feedback.

Everyone knows someone like this and when it comes to Job Bloggs looking to go online, what these people say is gospel ..

I work on most of the large projects, including the Superhub and I can tell you with my hand on my heart that feedback from forums and users is taken on board. Even if no on posts a reply to threads on a forum, they are being read by VM.

End the day, VM wants its customers to be happy... regardless of all the negative comments on here about them, as without happy customers, they wont make any money,

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

I only have 50MB on my Superhub , but since install in December have had no problems downloading,uploading or gaming (C O D on Xbox ) and only one call out for power settings. so for this Joe Bloggs the Superhub is Super. So with the better support for the 100MB you should be fine.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

It's not better support, just more focused .. I would expect everyone to get the top support, but 100Mb customer to get that little bit more, as with all new products.

I'm on the Superhub now, on 50Mb

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2011/05/44.png

Bit worse than normal actually .. but still good

http://www.pingtest.net/result/41137359.png

System Up Time 15 days 16h:37m:31s

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Just couldn`t think of the right word, I was not infering that they would get a better service than anyone else as this is not VM policy.:)

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

A bit of a truthful post which just shows some of VM's failings (IMHO).

The small number of "moaning buggers" have and are being used for testing new firmware but their feedback has been ignored and firmware pushed out only for VM to find that the problems reported on surfaced for a majority of users.

Even if VM "take on board" feedback on forums why don't they at least make an "official" post to say they've seen it and will look into it? It would show that VM care about their customers rather than ignoring them (or seeming to).

Loyalty- spot on! As you don't know a quick potted history of me.

Joined Bolton cable, went through all the transitions through Nynex,C&W NTL etc., al lot of years. Recommended NTL to anyone who asked.

4 years ago went to BE due to changes implemented by NTL without advance notice.

Putting it on the website does not work for me-if you want to sell me a product or upgrade you'll either ring me or email me- why not the same with a change in service conditions?

2 years ago moved to South Wales couldn't have BE so came back to VM on 20Mb as 50Mb wasn't then stable, moved to 50Mb when it was and during that time again recommended VM to all that asked.

Now with Infinity. One of the reasons (not the only one) is their flagship product comes with a seperate modem, I don't have to wait for a firmware upgrade to be able to use my own router. I can do it from the off!

I get a higher upload than on VM's equivalent service and that is what matters to me, I don't have to make any changes to the network I run and still have full routing functionality rather than the rather basic VM offer ATM.

As has been said previously in this thread, the mine works for me reply from some staff does nothing more than exacerpate the problem that those who do have problems face.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't want to start a war though :(.

If someone with the Superhub on 100meg could show me what they get wirelessly over N that would be fantastic. Thanks.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

No war started so don't worry.:D:D:D

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

I gave my honest opinion if you dislike it then do not quote me or comment on what I post, remember this is a public forum.:dozey:

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

You haven't mate,


You put your point across well, I have nothing to come back to you with.

I can't personally take on your faults or complaints, nor can I tell you why VM don't post officially here, I don't know.

I'm not going to try and defend VM, I will only point out facts mixed in with my opinion.

Maybe someone from much higher up the management chain than me will read this and post ? ..

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

I expect the answer is quite simple this forum is neither owned or run by Virginmedia hence the is no official presence on here, if people want an official presence then the place to go is the Virginmedia Community Forum.

Any recognised staff member on here can only offer support within the official criteria as set by Virginmedia with regards posting in the public domain.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

True, but as with the likes of Dan, it would be good to have some moves and shakers posting on here.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

We also have weesteev.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

:erm: who's he ?

Just checked "Virgin Media New Build Coordinator"

He's not higher than me lol ..

edit:

We want directors and CEO's posting :)

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Yawn.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Ah, so the these views are my own rubbish you all have in your sigs really is BS. Thanks for finally admitting it :D

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Well no, Virgin Media as our employer has restrictions on what we are allowed to talk about, when it comes to the company and/or products.

Mas is just pointing this out ..

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

And I'm just pointing out, therefore, you cannot post your own views. So to put in your sig that any views posted are your own is BS.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

You're wrong though .. we can post our own views.

We can't post company sensitive information .. which isn't our opinion, its fact.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

when customers call for the ceo's head over at plusnet we use to allways get are own way in the end,

ask the boss http://community.plus.net/forum/inde...c,75545.0.html
last post was awhile ago now but am sure if troubled waters hit again he would speak out when called for http://community.plus.net/forum/inde...1;sa=showPosts

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

I don't think any VM customers are that annoyed ?

From what I can see on the whole we're doing a very good job ..

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

and there are a lot of people contacting the VM CEO office

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

so what about the vm fault threshold level for high utilization then? am effected by poor latency on 30mb spiking to 60ms all day, eve when 4pm hits spikes upto 140ms some nights and 100ms most other nights. yet there is others on vm community with much worse latency than me being told the utilization is high but no where near vms set limit wtf

can VM confirm that there sales and bandwidth forecasting has nothing to do with customers that care about latency?

sorry but i have been with PN and now VM and your CS is not a scratch on what PN provide there customers

sorry op for my none 100meg superhub post

edit yeah contacting him by email due to there useless forum setup being of little help at all

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

its a known fact that VM dont really care about latency, and as a business, why should they? as long as they keep ofcom happy with providing headline speeds it doesnt matter about latency

if VM cared about ping and jitter, and kept both very low, which they are capable of with a bit of money input, then VM would be the best ISP in the UK

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

They should care about it, as they have begun to advertise themselves as great for gaming. As it is, the claims they make aren't accurate and I wouldn't be surprised to see one of their competitors complain to the ASA about them.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

agree i still dont think there cs is tho, but if they got the latency,loss sorted in areas that are poor then they would be able to compete with infinty in the gamers war, look at both companys ad's, infinty includes gaming but vm just go with every ones happy around a tv, may be it was freeview playing on all thoes tv's in the ad an thats why there so happy :angel:

p.s i have capture of vm gaming ad on gooveshark.com and i will be using that to get out of contract if things get worse as my latency is on the edge every night almost, adsl interleved connection gave me a better stable gaming line

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

:gpoint::LOL:

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Best post I have seen from a VM staffer for a while so will green rep you for this. Even tho you involved on the superhub ;) which makes me think urrgh at least you have now come out in the open and said everyone's opinion is important which means a lot.

I have tried to be fair in every comment I make, sometimes I come across as anti VM but if anyone has read all my posts they see I backup VM over BT consistently as I think VM is the better broadband supplier and I do every now and then give positive feedback, most recently on the bridge mode in testing.

---------- Post added at 17:48 ---------- Previous post was at 17:41 ----------

The ASA would overule it unless they see such a claim on an external advert, the ASA say anything goes on a company's own website. Bizzare rule but thats how it is.

Ofcom dont have the same exceptions but they wont care much about gaming claims as has been pointed out, they have taken some slight itnerest in misleading traffic shaping information lately tho but I think its still only slight.

So if you see a VM tv advert going on about how great gaming is on VM or a magazine advert then go ahead I will join in with the complaint. But if the only thing we got is the claim on virginmedia.com the ASA wont care :(

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

What makes you say that?

My involvement was purely around making the device work on the VM network. I didn't have any say into its design, nor do I to it's continued development.

Appreciated the green rep, I freely acknowledge the hub's have faults, personally and professionally I have not experienced any problems with them myself, but I'm not a networking tech, my knowledge of that area is well above average but a lot less than the likes of yourself.

I am loyal to VM, I think VM are an excellent company and the service I get from them are spot on, they also pay my bills for me and I put a lot of hard work into the Broadband side of things .. but I'm not going to come on here and lie, I gain nothing from that and I lose respect.

Sometimes my posts appear to be fan boy like and I do get defensive when people attack VM without good reason or fixate on the smallest points.

At the end of the day I come on here to try and offer support and discuess things with like minded people, which to be fair 99% of people on here are.

I enjoy that there are people like yourself, who will fight the corner of the customer with so much passion and I think you'd make a valued addition to VM.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Lots of people have go down that road to get a VMNG300 modem

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Lots ?

Keep in mind the massive customer base, the CEO's office are a small team.

They also don't just take on anyone who contacts them, you have to follow the normal process first, if you get no where then they jump in.

You'd probably find the guys have a few cases a week each, they spend a lot of time on each case, but they don't have the resources to take loads of complaints.

As far as I know they haven't expanded .. unless you know something I don't ..

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

i dont know nothing :erm:

what i meant by lots was 15 or 20 people on this forum, plus however many else is quite a lot considering they shouldnt really be giving any out. If the superhub wasn't rushed, or wasn't built by netgear then there would probably be no problems, and no modems given out. I know 15 or 20 isnt a lot considering the hundreds of thousands of VM customers all together, but it is a lot compared to the 0 is should have been

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Thats a double negative ...

Every time VM launches a new piece of equipment people demand it, or demand not to have it.. its human nature and for the sake of keeping customers, its worth being able to bend the process .. in certain circumstances ..

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

yes but if I demanded it from tech support then i might as well do star jumps until one appears

im sure the CEO office isnt a dedicated equipment distribution team

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

This was in a gaming mag, so yeah :shocked:

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

in that case they may be interested I guess. But it wouldnt surprise me if it doesnt get upheld, like with the unlimited stuff the ASA overuled the isp's can be allowed to advertise something they barely provide.

eg. not every game is dependent on jitter, I can play uno on xbox live probably with 500ms jitter without ill effect, so VM could in theory give a list of non jitter dependent games to the ASA and thats it job done overuled. I agree with you on your point but I am now used to reality with these regulators they are as soft as feathers.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Its actually quite an ironic advert. It starts off with "It's a familiar tale; you're trying to hook up with your friends on-line and it takes hours. Connections drop, someone's crappy router lags everyone else, another person has a bizarrely high ping because they're sharing their connection with their family, and no-one can get through to the support line to complain about anything."

Sounds like virgin to me! And yes, they do claim to have the "UK's best gaming broadband" which magically sorts out lag. MW2 is mentioned and they have screenshots of TF2, Black Ops, WoW and Eve.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Maybe my thread should be closed? I only had a question or two and it's started to turn into a debate on lag and the Superhub.

Re: Just joined Virgin Media
 

Heh, welcome to Cableforum, thread derailing happens occasionally here. ;)