Virgin give blind customers the runaround.
 

Last October, Ofcom said that they expected all major TV platforms to have a Talking EPG, but Virgin doesn't have one, not even on their latest 360 box.

Colin Lamont says that he called Virgin to ask why this was the case as they have been promising one for the past couple of years. He goes on to say that, whenever he calls to ask about this, they keep saying that a voice activated remote control is provided, but this is not what he, Ofcom and other sight impaired people are talking about.

When he tries to complain, they tell him to call them again on 150 and he repeatedly gets through to people in their call centre that don't have a clue what he is talking about and whom only answer off a script!

When he demands to be put through to someone to register a complaint, they just give platitudes, say that they will look into it and then never contact him again.

After repeatedly going round in circles like this, Mr Lamont contacted the BBC to try to get some answers. This programme (from about halfway) spoke to David Bouchier, the Chief TV/Entertainment officer of Virgin 02:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0011sg9

Mr Bouchier apologised, said that 'an agent had got confused', and then proceeded to waffle on about other accessibility facilities.

Finally, he spoke about the salient question and said that there had been a slight delay in providing a solution (it's been available in the USA since 2016) and said that they were currently testing out a solution and that it should be available in the first Quarter of 2022.

When it was pointed out that it was already available on the other UK platforms, his excuse was that creating a solution that involved text to speech was one of the hardest things to do and that their STB was used internationally and changed to the needs of the UK market.

Ofcom are not happy that Virgin had committed to implementing the Talking EPG, but failed to give a time frame. An immediate update on their progress has been requested as a result of the way that Mr Lamont and other sight impaired people had been treated by Virgin.

This whole sorry state of affairs bears all the hallmarks of how Virgin treat their customers. From my experience (and that of numerous others) it goes like this:

Frontline staff tactics & my direct experience of:

- Put them through to someone who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about; who can often barely speak any English and reads off a pre prepared script.

- If this doesn't make the customer go away, pass them about from one person to another with long hold times.

- If this hasn't made them go away, give some hollow apologies, say the matter will be looked into and promise a callback that is never going to happen. Keep repeating this procedure until the customer gets the message.

Senior management tactics and my interpretation:

- Provide hollow apologies.

- Play down the complaint to make it look like an innocent mistake and an isolated incident.

- Waffle on about something that does not address the issue under discussion to attempt to make it look like they are responding to the actual question.

- If the interviewer persists, attempt to play down the problem again and push how difficult the situation is for the company to resolve (despite other platforms managing to do the same thing within a reasonable time). Under no circumstances never give a definitive timeframe.

The way that this has been handled appears to reflect the general behaviour of this company towards their customers, but it seems much, much worse when people who cannot see are still subject to it and aren't given a break.

If any other sight impaired people have been treated like this, please do contact Ofcom in order that they are made aware of how this behaviour has affected them:

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/contact-us

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

So…

Not a "warning", then…

Do you have a link to back up your statement As I can’t find anything on the OFCOM site.

In fact, the only thing I can find is the thread you started on Digital Spy 7 days ago, which you seem to have cut/pasted above…

https://forums.digitalspy.com/discus...-the-runaround

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

Gosh . . . another post from Richard knocking VM :rolleyes:

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

@Hugh, have a listen to the radio programme linked to.

Acccording to what David Bouchier said, the talking EPG should be added by the end of March.

---------- Post added at 11:29 ---------- Previous post was at 11:22 ----------

You don't appear to be aware of the fact that this site was created by and for disgruntled customers of cable. I am not 'knocking VM' as a company of that name no longer supplies our television service.

Do you have anything that could contribute towards the discussion, for example, do you think that Virgin O2 have treated blind people well or badly?

What are your thoughts about this?

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

oh I have thoughts, but to write them here would get me a ban. :p:

While we're at it, any chance of you sharing that phone number of the CEO office, only it could be a handy thing to have for many on here (and elsewhere) that are experiencing the 'problems' that VM customers seem to have . .



. . maybe it's just something only the disabled are allowed to have though, which seems a tad 'unequal' in the ever rising push for equality ;)

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

That’s not what I asked you - you said If OFCOM issued a warning to VM, it will be documented- otherwise, you’ve just made something something up…

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

The story is from BBC so I trust it as much as if it was in the Daily Mail.

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

the BBC news right wing bias is very true ozsat. But i think this is a politically neutral story?

i'd be interested to see documented evidence of this "warning" mind

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

Why do you think that you'd be banned for sharing your thoughts about the treatment of blind people by Virgin O2 :confused:

I've looked through this thread and cannot find any reference to a telephone number for the CEO office.

Re: Virgin give blind customers the runaround.
 

:rofl: :drunk: :rofl:

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

How is who supplies you relevant ?
It doesnt prevent you attacking/knocking them.

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

I would trust the mail over the BBC any day.

---------- Post added at 15:43 ---------- Previous post was at 15:38 ----------

The way i see it is that the BBC will make it fit there agender it does not matter if it started out as neutral.

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

My bills still show Virgin Media as do emails... FYI

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

Really, most people would say the BBC has a distinct Left wing bias. You only have to look at the different treatment of Labour politicians to their Conservative opponents to see this.

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

Maybe you have a right wing bias?

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

You are entitled to your opinion.

It is a well known fact that the BBC fully supported Remain and the Conservatives 'Brexit' - ever since their has been conflict between the two.

The BBC should be independent of any political bias - the fact it is viewed by most of the country to be either right or left biased just proves that it is failing in it's main purpose - TO PROVIDE AN UNBIASED REPORTING OF THE FACTS

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

Well known fact by who? GB News? Daily Fail/Express? There are equally as many saying it has a bias the other way....

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

If you bothered to read my post that you quoted, you would see that I already stated that.

Re: Virgin give blind customers the runaround.
 

Looks like VM were only ever going to implement it on the Horizon 360 platform and only via a tablet or smartphone.
From May 2019 OFCOM report.
At that time VM was the only provider to get the nearest to a full tick in each column of accessibility features, although the talking EPG is available via tablet or smartphone.

Managed to get it working using VMs TV Control App on a Samsung Galaxy Tab A. Had to keep remembering to double-tap instead of single-tap to actually "press a button" and not activate text to speech for that item.
So it has been there for VM for a little while.

In theory, EPG Text to Speech is available using in-built TTS for any online EPG source, although you wouldn't be able to set recordings with them.

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

If both camps can take it to mean its left or right wing I see that as meaning its probably in the middle of that scale. So it's achieving its main purpose.

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

I really struggle to see a left wing bias on the Beeb, many people say they give Tory politicians an easier ride (when they show up that is) so they seem to annoy left and right equally. They admittedly have more left wing comedians on, maybe there aren't many right wing comedians. :erm:

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

It is obvious you are a left wing supporter, otherwise you would not be saying that.

They certainly don't give Tory politicians an easy ride!

Re: Virgin O2 give blind customers the runaround.
 

You clearly have an abundance of bias yourself, there probably aren't that many people who don't.

Re: Virgin give blind customers the runaround.
 

I'm impressed by how many right wingers and left wingers complain of bias against them by the BBC.Shows they have the balance just right.;)

Re: Virgin give blind customers the runaround.
 

Or are just extreme in all directions for effect. :)

Re: Virgin give blind customers the runaround.
 

:confused:Explain!

Re: Virgin give blind customers the runaround.
 

Rather than just report the full facts from both sides - make the story sensational - doesn't matter if you lean left or right - just give it a biased angel to get people to watch and have objections.

Doesn't need to be balanced - as that will be boring.

I also think it is time to take BBC News off of BBC1/2. Everybody with BBC1/2 get BBC News anyway.

Re: Virgin give blind customers the runaround.
 

Re: Virgin give blind customers the runaround.
 

<removed> See above.