[Spangles]

I realise this will seem a relatively straightforward process, but unfortunately, none of my dealings with Virgin Media ever have been. I joined NTL about 3 years ago, and have only ever had broadband (no phone or cable TV). When I looked at the email account I was given, it was all rather stark and shabby, and I seemed to be receiving rather a lot of spam from other NTL email accounts. I already had a Hotmail account and my old Freeserve email address, so it was no great loss. But now I'm finding that many places want an email address that's provided by your current ISP, so I've no option other than to use the @ntlworld.com email address again in such instances. The problem is that I can't remember what my email address is, or the password I used even if I could remember it. I know what the address should be, but it's not accepting the password (which should be the same password I use whenever I call Virgin) at all.

I moved home last December, and wanted my service transferred to the new address. Unfortunately for me, I moved home right in the middle of the Virgin takeover, and everything from then on was a complete nightmare. It took 3 months before I was finally online at the new address. (I'm happy enough with what I get for my money, and Virgin did compensate me - I pay a reduced rate for as long as I remain at this address. I just wanted to make it clear that I'm not here to moan just for the sake of it).

When I need to call Virgin I have to use either my mobile or a payphone, which ends up costing a fortune because neither recognise supposed 'Lo-Call' numbers. Several times such calls have used up the credit on the phone, or cost as much as £5 or £6 from a payphone (and rarely got me anywhere, either). The problem seems to be different switchboards for former NTL or Telewest customers. When I call, I'm asked to enter my phone number (no use to me, as I don't have a landline), or the dialing code for my area. I live in Wirral, so the dialing code is 0151. This sends everything into chaos, and my account apparently 'doesn't exist'. It turns out that Merseyside was predominately a Telewest area (even though everyone I know who has/had cable was with NTL), so I'm always connected to the wrong switchboard. The only way around it was to deliberately give an incorrect dialing code (I was advised to use Widnes or Wigan I think, by an operator who finally realised where the problem was).

Even when I finally do get through to someone through this protracted method, I'm invariably informed that my account doesn't exist. The only customer number I have is 9 digits, and apparently this is the wrong number, even though it's the one I'm told to use in every NTL document I have. I've asked for the 'proper' number to use in future, but apparently they can't tell me that over the phone.

As you can probably imagine, the thought of having to try to sort this out over the phone fills me with dread. So can anyone give me a number that's likely to be answered (unlike umpteen calls I've made to 0906 212 1111 at various times today), not transferred through numerous switchboards, and without having to repeatedly give the same details only to be told repeatedly that my account doesn't exist, please?

Apologies for such a lengthy post, but without the detail I think I would've come across as someone who's too lazy to look up the customer support number.