Change to Package problem

Craig W · 27-04-2008, 18:22

I have just rang to try and get Sky Sports added to my TV package.
(purely for next Sunday - final Championship game of the season)
I have been told that they can't add Sky Sports until May 6th

they asked that I bear with them while they make changes to the billing system.
I find it incredible that they unable to do any changes to my channel line up for over a week. Normally these things are done in a matter of minutes, shirley?

Now I shall be at the game on Sunday - but I was going to V+ it and watch again (and keep) when I got home.
Is there nothing I (or VM) can do?

the-cable-guy · 27-04-2008, 19:52

duno but with Sky they can do it the same day usually within hours. took em two hours when me mate did it, however they did it one minute after the game that he wanted to watch had ended lol

utt · 27-04-2008, 19:54

They are currently migrating data into a combined billing and customer management system. They are unable to make changes as this data is migrated which will take until 6th May.

the-cable-guy · 27-04-2008, 22:59

what a joke if you ask me. btw VM not you :o)

BenMcr · 27-04-2008, 23:26

Don't see why? All companies do this from time to time.

Virgin have had a recorded message on their lines for a least a month to tell people that this is going to be happening

Was also posted on the service status page here http://status-cable.virginmedia.com/...?ticket=696009 on the 24th of April

If I remember right Sky had all their systems offline for a week back in 2006 when they changed over their computer management system.

the-cable-guy · 27-04-2008, 23:27

cuz why should a whole system go down cuz of an upgrade.

BenMcr · 27-04-2008, 23:35

Because it is a major one.

Bill Areas 01-18 and 24-28 are not affected. It is only areas 20-22 and 30/31.

Once this is completed it will mean that the whole of Virgin Media cable is on the same system and it is also unlikely that this level of distruption will happen again

the-cable-guy · 27-04-2008, 23:36

still in todays day & age they should have back up systems in palce for upgrades.

BenMcr · 27-04-2008, 23:39

They do, which is why the services will stay working. It is only changes that cannot be made.

Trying to combine two databases when they are running is a nightmare, and prone to error.

the-cable-guy · 27-04-2008, 23:40

thats what im on about changes.

BenMcr · 27-04-2008, 23:43

And once this is completed, any further upgrades needed on the system will be able to be done on the fly.

It is only the migration of data that requires the freeze this week

the-cable-guy · 27-04-2008, 23:43

hopefully it'l be worth the wait then hay.

BenMcr · 27-04-2008, 23:45

Yes it will

It will mean that the ex-ntl side of the business will be able to have the same bill accuracy as the ex-telewest currently does

the-cable-guy · 27-04-2008, 23:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

bill accuracy as the ex-telewest currently does

im worried already Ex-Telewest is even worse then Ex-NTL was & NTL was a joke, however now that its VM its even worse.

BenMcr · 28-04-2008, 00:03

Are you talking about the the people or the bills though?

If no changes are made to a ex-tw bill, then from what I've seen they hardly go wrong. Even when it does it is usually down to human error rather than system error

Ex-ntl on the other hand used to be both, and sometimes all system errors

Anyone who lives in places like Manchester, Leeds etc and had cable modem broadband from ntl will tell you that