20 MB Woes - Virgin is killing me

[roscosoca]

I am subscribed to Virgins 20 MB service and have been pretty much problem free for 2 years. Last Friday 17th April, I woke up to find hat Virgin had suspended my service as I had not paid my bill. My bad! For private reasons, I do not pay my bills with direct debit but I am cool with that. I pay virgin the admin overhead. In any case, I called them straight away and paid my bill upon which they told me the service will resume in the next 24 hrs. TV (V+)and phone came backk on within hrs. A week later, I am still waiting for my Internet service to resume.

I have called virgin several times, always land with with some friendly, well mannered idiots from India who cannot really help and don't have access to a lot of info, Virgin have sent a technician around and still no access. In terms of ETA, every time i call, I get told it might take anything up to 5 days.

What I hav got from the event log on my modem is that the modem is sending out a DHCP request but not getting an offer back hence no IP address. Surely, It cannot be that difficult to get a DHCP server working

I need to escalate this as I work from home. I am having to go to internet cafes to get online but I run a coupl of serrvers at home and this is just killing my business. How can I escalate this to someone who can help?

The irony is I was contemplating upgarding to their 50 MB service but now I am worried about further disruptions

[AndyCambs]

I am assuming that as you have VM 20MB service (and not NTLTelewest Business package) that you have the domestic service.

T&C do say:

You are responsible for the way the services are used. You must not use the services to do any of the following acts or allow anyone else to use the services to do such acts:

h. Use any services (including, but not limited to, phone services) for commercial or business purposes;

It might be worthwhile changing to the business service if you need a guaranteed level of service?

[chickendippers]

^^
As above the "I'm loosing money" argument doesn't hold any water with a residential service. However it should only take a few hours maximum for internet access to be restored.

Hopefully someone here can take a look at it for you.

[AndyCambs]

Have you posted on the VM newsgroups as well? You tend to get a better response there than just calling?

[watzizname]

Chin up mate, the same thing has happened to me, more than once.

If you've paid the outstanding balance at a post office, it can take forever, i've waited 10+ days before now.
Best to pay at a local shop with a paypoint facility, it should be back on within 6 - 72hrs, but usually its within 24hrs.

[on in an hour!]

Originally Posted by roscosoca

I am subscribed to Virgins 20 MB service and have been pretty much problem free for 2 years. Last Friday 17th April, I woke up to find hat Virgin had suspended my service as I had not paid my bill. My bad! For private reasons, I do not pay my bills with direct debit but I am cool with that. I pay virgin the admin overhead. In any case, I called them straight away and paid my bill upon which they told me the service will resume in the next 24 hrs. TV (V+)and phone came backk on within hrs. A week later, I am still waiting for my Internet service to resume.

I have called virgin several times, always land with with some friendly, well mannered idiots from India who cannot really help and don't have access to a lot of info, Virgin have sent a technician around and still no access. In terms of ETA, every time i call, I get told it might take anything up to 5 days.

What I hav got from the event log on my modem is that the modem is sending out a DHCP request but not getting an offer back hence no IP address. Surely, It cannot be that difficult to get a DHCP server working

I need to escalate this as I work from home. I am having to go to internet cafes to get online but I run a coupl of serrvers at home and this is just killing my business. How can I escalate this to someone who can help?

The irony is I was contemplating upgarding to their 50 MB service but now I am worried about further disruptions

had a 50meg customer today with exactly same problem,changed the modem and left the sub happily browsing

[broadbandking]

Originally Posted by watzizname

Chin up mate, the same thing has happened to me, more than once.

If you've paid the outstanding balance at a post office, it can take forever, i've waited 10+ days before now.
Best to pay at a local shop with a paypoint facility, it should be back on within 6 - 72hrs, but usually its within 24hrs.

He called and paid by phone

[merc2001]

just a word up this happened to me and it was a ntl cockup they put my 20mb connection back on eventually but on the 4mb connection i had to fone them up and get it put back to 20mb double check your speed when it comes on

[Stephen]

Have you tried rebooting the modem?

[roscosoca]

I finally got through to a Virgin Technician (UK Based called Paul) yesterday and he moved me to a different DHCP server and that was it Problem resolved.

Knowing this and even after I had told the Virgin people on the phone several times that my modem was not picking up an IP address, why did it need a week to be resolved? It makes one so angry.

Can I make a claim for compensation?

[BenMcr]

You should be able to get a weeks worth of service back

[AndyCambs]

Originally Posted by roscosoca

I finally got through to a Virgin Technician (UK Based called Paul) yesterday and he moved me to a different DHCP server and that was it Problem resolved.

Knowing this and even after I had told the Virgin people on the phone several times that my modem was not picking up an IP address, why did it need a week to be resolved? It makes one so angry.

Can I make a claim for compensation?

Compensation for loss of service which would be restricted as Ben said to a week's broadband fee. Compensation for loss of business - no, as you should be using the business broadband service which has a service level agreement.

[on in an hour!]

Originally Posted by AndyCambs

Compensation for loss of service which would be restricted as Ben said to a week's broadband fee. Compensation for loss of business - no, as you should be using the business broadband service which has a service level agreement.

oooooohhhh!!!