Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Hi,

This morning I renewed my contract.

The customer retention man sold me 200Mbps, but this was doubled to 400Mbps as a promotion because I took out a SIM Card as part of the Oomph package.

To be specific, I have the "Mix Bundle with Oomph", with M200 Fibre (which gets doubled as per promotion), Talk Weekends, TV, and a 2GB Oomph SIM.

The problem is, my speeds don't seem to have doubled to 400Mbps. See this speedtest:
https://www.cableforum.uk/images/local/2020/05/9.png

My ping appears high, the download speed is not 400Mbps and the upload is also slower than expected.

Here's what my Router's Status page says...

Operation Configuration:
Primary Downstream Service Flow
SFID 154890
Max Traffic Rate 230000061 bps (looks like it's only 220Mbps provisioned, not 400Mbps)
Max Traffic Burst 42600 bytes
Min Traffic Rate 0 bps
Primary Upstream Service Flow
SFID 154889
Max Traffic Rate 22000061 bps
Max Traffic Burst 42600 bytes
Min Traffic Rate 0 bps
Max Concatenated Burst 42600 bytes
Scheduling Type Best Effort

Downstream:
https://www.cableforum.uk/images/local/2020/05/10.png

It appears to have only locked onto 8 downstream channels. The RS Errors were reset ~5 hours ago. How many channels should I expect to be connected to?

Upstream:
https://www.cableforum.uk/images/local/2020/05/11.png

Has anyone else got the Oomph package with a SIM to get the promotional speed boost? Did this come through immediately or after a few days?

Has the customer retention man lied to me about 400Mbps? I can see on this ISPreview page on the last paragraph that 200Mbps customers get boosted to 350Mbps, not 400.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

There is no 400Mbps package as such, but the 350Mbps is basically configured at (almost) 400.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

The 'Big' packages that include Mix TV usually only come with M100:

https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/bundles

- so as an Oomph bundle that increase you get takes it to M200:

https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/bundles?oomph=on

For which you need a Hub 3

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Even though the 350Mbit package is provisioned above 400, it shouldn't be sold as 400mbit, it's 350 with overhead to ensure you actually hit 350 - OFCOM would have something to say if Virgin started selling 400Mbit without further overhead.

That said, given oscarandjo is actually on M200, my suspicion is that there's been a miscommunication here and that he's been sold M100 that's doubled to M200. Either that or the agent flat out lied - either about 200mbit being doubled, or about 350Mbit being 400.

I would get straight onto CS again and clarify if you've been sold what you think you have, then abandon ship immediately if you have not. If they put up a fight, demand to raise an internal complaint against the agent.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

and remember the phone calls are recorded so if they really did say that hopefully you'll be in a strong position for a free upgrade

Depending what you want dude you'll also need a new router. You have got a shub 2 atm and if you are happy to stay on 200mbits depending on what VM say then you'll be fine sticking with the shub 2. If however you are determined to have 350mbits, now that you have been teased with it, you'll also need a new shub. The Shub 2 can only bond to 8 downstream channels as illustrated in your screenshot. Whilst you could technically pull 400mbits from those 8 channels it is highly unlikely you would be able to do so reliably and consistently. When you do your next speed increase you'll need a shub 3. Shub 3's can bond to 24 downstream channels which means there is a lot more bandwidth available to you to use and achieve max speed. There will already be 24 channels or more available to you in your area however your shub 2 can only see 8 at any one time. Below are two screenshots so you can see what the downstream channel configuration would look like plus the config file if you decide you want to move up to 350mbits. You can see it is provisioned at 402mbits down and 38.5 up in order to achieve the advertised speed of 350/36. If you was in the shub's gui you could scroll down and all 24 downstream channels would be listed.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Your on 200, you've not been sold what you think you have

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Very interesting. I'm going to call up tomorrow to clarify. I will speak to another person from customer retentions and point out these inconsistencies, then ask them to listen to the call recording and see if I can get the 400Mbps I was promised.

Thank you for the responses.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

CS agents are unable to listen to other agent's recordings while you're on the phone, but if you put a complaint in they might be able to do something and get back to you.

You won't be able to get the 400Mbps package as it doesn't exist (as far as anyone knows), there's 350Mbit, 500 and 1Gig (certain areas only at the moment) and the 500Mbit is a bit of a special one that's only available on some silly bundles.

However as others have stated, the 350Mbit package is effectively 400Mbit+, but don't let an agent try to sell you it as such, there's regulatory reasons for why it's sold as 350 but provisioned higher.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Thanks for the details. Feeling quite annoyed that they've been so transparently misleading.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

You can try asking for 400mbits to demonstrate a level of ignorance in saying you just want what you was told but don't expect to get it realistically. I consistently get 378mbits out of my 350mbit connection because it is provisioned at 402 but it is provisioned at 402 to ensure I get 350 or above. Just because you are provisioned at 402mbits doesn't mean it is a 400mbit tier. If it was it would have to be provisioned at 450+. See what happens though, it is highly doubtful the first agent you speak to will be able to satisfactorily resolve your issue and you may end up having to put in a complaint. Imho a very good outcome for you would be to pay the same price you are now but be bumped up a tier/package to 350mbits. They would do this by moving you up to the next tier and charging you for it and then applying a discount to your account to bring the cost down.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Just got off the phone with another customer retentions guy. He told me that it was probably an honest mistake and the package was supposed to be a doubling of 100Mbps to 200Mbps, not 200Mbps to 400Mbps.

He said there's no way to move me to the 400Mbps package as the highest I can get in my area was 350Mbps, but was also unable to increase my speeds to 350Mbps because it would result in the price going up.

I asked if I could raise it to someone higher, but he said he's not been able to refer calls to a manager for "months".

I also asked if the call could be listened to, and he said the call monitoring was handled by a third party and the company will only listen to 1 call every month per call centre employee, and my call was unlikely to be selected?!?

He's sending me out a SH3 as I only had the SH2ac.

His last suggestion was calling customer retentions again at the beginning of next month as each employee gets 10 discounts per month that renew at the beginning of the month. Then they might be able to give me 350Mbps at the price I'm paying.

Honestly, I'm angry because the only reason I'm paying £47/month instead of a cheaper price I was quoted before was because of the ludicrous speed of 400Mbps, which justified the increase in price. I've been ripped off.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

I think most of that is absolute rubbish and he is trying to put you off for a couple of weeks to get you out of the cancellation window. I don't know whether that is 7 days or 14 days etc. There might be a random quality control process where a specified number of calls are routinely screened but you are not telling me if VM get a complaint (and think of the legal ramifications) they'll say "sorry, we listened to a phone call from that dude last week so we can't do anymore". Retentions' job is to retain customers and each agent will speak to hundreds if not thousands of customers every month. Are you telling me that once he or she gives away 10 discounts on day one that they can't do anything else for the rest of the month? I don't think so. I hate bs like this.

Depending on how much you want this issue resolved and how high you are prepared to go you can email the CEO's office. I have had to do it before. Despite the excuses you get from lower down telling you everything is impossible, the CEO's office can make mountains move.

tom.mockridge@virginmedia.co.uk

Send a very nice and polite email to that address explaining what has happened, be very specific about dates of calls and exactly what you were told. Then tell them how disappointed you are and what you see to be a satisfactory resolution. Tom Mockridge obviously won't get back to you directly. You'll receive an email confirming receipt of yours and then somebody will contact you by phone soon so discuss the issue and they will be english so you should make headway.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

I agree, the call handler won, he managed to get you off the phone without giving you a discount or a upgrade

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Thanks for the suggestion. By the way, every person I've spoken to has been British ;)

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Tom left VM in June 2019. The new CEO is Lutz Schüler

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

my bad, emaill this guy instead

lutz.schueler@virginmedia.co.uk

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/bills-an...ten-complaint/

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

He's definitely fobbed you off. Phone back up and tell them you want to raise a complaint. This is not escalating to his manager, this is raising a complaint within their official internal complaints system.

These complaints must be reviewed as OFCOM look at them and the complaints team have various powers retentions do not.

Once you get that far, Virgin will want to close this complaint asap - don't let them until you get a satisfactory result, which in real terms is either some money back off your bill or a change to a package that makes more sense or both.

As said, 400Mbps doesn't exist so that's not possible but they certainly could put you on 350Mbit and give you some money back to make up the difference.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

So I raised the complaint on the phone (29/05/2020). I was told I'd get a callback within 2 days. I didn't.

Then I got a letter on 10/06/2020 saying "we've been trying to get in touch" and supposedly weren't able to. They said to text a code to a number to arrange another callback. I did so, and again have heard nothing back.

This company is suck a p***take, I can't even raise a complaint.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Oh this is going to send some alarms internally. As you can see with the letter and the text, they go out of their way of trying to evidence that they're contacting you.

Ring up, make sure it's noted on your account and the complaint that you have NOT been contacted.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

I've written a letter explaining the whole situation (including how I've been ignored).

I've always found that letters are much more effective than phone calls for getting stuff done, hopefully that works :)

Thanks for the advice.

Good news is that I now have a SuperHub 3 and have all the downstream channels I should.
It's funny, last time I had this router years ago I had to fight and fight to get them to give me the SuperHub 2AC back. It seems they've sorted most of the reliability issues now though.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

I had that years ago pre-shub with my modem (ambit 300) and I had to go through the CEOs office for a replacement.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Incredibly Virgin Media have even ignored our letter. It's seemingly impossible to get anyone to even respond to our complaint.

Who should I raise this with next? The ombudsman? Ofcom?

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Did you send it recorded delivery? Before you start accusing them of ignoring mail you need to be able prove they received it. I know plenty of peeps who have posted letters during the lockdown and none of them have arrived. I would say 80% of them vanished into fresh air. Royal Mail are shite.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Interesting. No we just posted second class.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Hopefully you typed it out and saved it and didn't handwrite it. Amend is slightly to reflect the current date and indicate that you had previously sent a letter on xx date to which you have had no reply. Take advantage of the opportunity to make sure you have explained the problem. Try not to be too whiny about it and be clear and concise. Tell them what you was told on the phone and all the bs you have had since such as being told phone calls are not recorded when you rang back to challenge them on it. They can't invent a new tier for you but they should be able to offer you a 12 month discount on your current plan. Anything you post tomorrow isn't going to move until Monday so I would take the weekend to refine it and then pop to the post office Monday morning. You just need to go to the counter and tell them you want it posting 1st Class Recorded Delivery. It will cost something around £1.20.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

After sending a second letter I've finally gotten a response. It just says they acknowledge my letter and will call at some point in the future... I wonder how long this whole thing is going to take...

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

to be fair they look into the issue before they ring you so when they talk to you they aren't ringing to get more information, they are ringing to let you know what they are going to do to fix it. Hopefully you'll get a phone call this week during business hours. I imagine they'll tell you they have listened to the phone call, apologised for the confusions and will offer you a hefty discount for the remainder of your contract.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

The letter I received from Virgin said that I would get a call back within 7 days. It's now been 7 days with no call...

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Not good dude. This could have been an easy complaint for them to sort out and get off the system but they are choosing to make it worse. Coronavirus isn't an excuse, if there is increased demand or reduced staffing levels to the extent that they know they can't respond to complaints or queries in the normal time window then the letter should have reflected that and said 14 days (for example). Depending how strongly you feel about it you can take it further. To be fair though you aren't going to get anywhere just yet as although they said they would get back to you within 7 days, the rules say they have got 28 days.

https://www.virginmedia.com/content/...April-2020.pdf

If I were you I would get a piece of paper and start making a note of dates of when the first phone call was, when you rang back to query it, when you sent the letter they acknowledged receipt of etc etc so you have got a clear timeline of events.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Looks like your next step is to get an ADA involved.

Fire off another letter asking them for a Deadlock letter, you can file the dispute with the ADA then. That should light the fire under their arse that they should have lit a while ago.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep you up to date :)

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Try hitting up the VM forums as there is active VM staff there, bare in mind with the current situations a lot of VM departments are either working from home or are light on staff due to the 2m restrictions so things could take longer, not making excuses as you should have been contacted.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

I tried this when I was having speed problems and the email was delivered but didn't get read:rolleyes:

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Not necessarily - Corporate email systems give the recipients the option to allow a read receipt to be sent, it’s not automatically generated.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Read receipts aren't an email standard, most email systems don't deal with them.

Same with email "recalls". It's stuff tacked onto exchange and less and less people with exchange use them.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Just got another response back to my letter asking for a Deadlock letter. It was a copy-paste message saying they have been unable to reach me. (I have no missed calls on my landline or mobile...)

They want me to just phone up the normal 0345 customer support number to talk to normal customer services...

Then if they do not hear from me again within 28 days they will shut the complaint.

This is absolutely infuriating, that was my fifth attempt to raise or get a response to my complaints. They didn't even send the letter of deadlock...

Is it possible to go to CISAS without a letter of deadlock?

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Yes you can

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/how-it-works/process

From section 5

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

CISAS have just written back to say my complaint has been accepted and Virgin Media have 10 working days to settle the complaint / make a written defence / submit an objection to CEDR on grounds of eligibility for adjudication.

I'm looking forward to having this finally resolved. I wish there were equivalent providers in my area as I'd leave this company in a heartbeat after this.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

I'm glad this is getting somewhere.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

I'm happy to say that on the very last day of CISAS's deadline Virgin Media responded meeting my requests.

They have refunded the overcharges for the SIM Card, landline calls, and my postage expenses sending the multiple letters of complaint.

They have reduced my contract price by £13/month for the remaining 8 months of the contract, to £34/month.

They apologised and said "I feel this could have been dealt with in a timelier manner". Hmm, indeed...

In other news, some of my friends signed up to Virgin Media for a 12 month contract through an employee referral and have been put on an 18 month contract instead! They've not been able to get anyone from VM to pick up the phone. I don't envy their next 4 months :-)

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

I suppose Virgin Media sticking to their word for 2 months is too much to ask for.

https://www.cableforum.uk/images/local/2020/11/6.png

Virgin has already ripped up the concessions they made in the CISAS complaint. They've raised the price from £34/month to £44/month, and cut my speeds from 200Mbps to 100Mbps.

Incredible... I'm still in contract for god's sake, they can't just increase the price and lower my speeds, surely?

This company is run by crooks.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

It looks like whatever had been done to your account to honour the phone conversation has been flagged by the system as something like an accounting issue or package mismatch. It is annoying but I would give them the benefit of doubt atm. Rather than ringing up and getting nowhere with India I would go straight to writing a formal letter to get the matter resolved. There will be extensive notes on your account already so I would only briefly explain that you were offered something on the phone which turned out not to be the case and after no contact from them you had to go through CISAS. The problem was resolved however a month later you have received this letter which is unacceptable bla bla bla, you want the problem permanently rectified for the remainder of your contract or you will go back to CISAS and make a formal complaint to OFCOM and they need to rectify this by xxxx December 2020 . Give them 28 days notice allowing for a few days in the mail and send it recorded delivery so you know they have got it. Don't write it by hand and type it up on your computer so that you have got a copy and keep the postage receipt as proof of postage which will also have your tracking number on it. If you don't hear anything back from them then you can take it further and in your letter to CISAS when they ask for what you see as a suitable resolution (which they'll send to VM) you need say substantial financial contribution for the appalling customer service. You understand that honest and genuine mistakes do happen, which may have legitimately been the case in both the first and second time round, however their inability to resolve the matter and lack of communication is outrageous and you feel you should be compensated for this in addition to receiving the package you were offer on the phone. Tbh it would be nice if you just received your package at no cost for the first year, and I know they can and do do it.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Did you mean that?

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Well spotted. I blame coronavirus :p

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

Wow. So I just received a letter from "Moorcroft Debt Recovery Limited". Virgin Media are now chasing me for unpaid debts for the mobile SIM that they told me to cancel in the CISAS ruling in my favour!

This company seems to surprise me again and again.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

If you have got the CISAS ruling in writing send it to the debt collectors and they'll sort it out with VM.

Re: Only 8 Downstream channels, and getting 200Mbps, not the promised 400Mbps.
 

It's now been 9 months since the call to Virgin Media to renew my contract that kicked this all off. If only I had known basic account management is incompatible with Virgin Media.