Broadband loss for NN3 for 10 days!

[JonathanR]

Morning all,

First post here. Is there anyone else here in the NN3 postal code area of Northampton? My broadband connection went off on Wednesday 16th April, although it may have been sooner, but that is when I first noticed it, and apart from a time on Thursday 17th April, it has been off ever since.

I have called the 0800 561 0061 Service Status number every day since, and it just says the same old thing, engineers aware etc etc. I have called both the 150 and the tech support "paid for" number a few days ago, but nobody can say when the service will be connected, and won't consider any reduction in this month's subscription until it is back on, by which time they will have taken another month's DD!

Any suggestions as to what I can do and how I should approach getting something out of Virgin due to the loss? I can't begin to describe how much hassle this has caused! I can't even find out what is wrong... something serious, obviously! Anyone heard anything?

Thanks,

Jonathan

---------- Post added at 12:34 ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 ----------

Of course, thinking about it, if anyone is in the NN3 region, not too many will have my luxury of logging on a posting at work!

[the-cable-guy]

im not in your area but if i was you id keep on at them to get an engineer out & get a refund. its alot of hassle but you'l get there in the end if you keep at it. at least that way an engineer will be able to tell you if its your modem or an area fault.

[ceedee]

Recommend you contact Tech Support via VM's dedicated newsgroup, vm.support.broadband.cable, and get them to explain where the problem lies.

VM won't want to agree any compensation for the loss of your service until they know how long the outage will last. If you're really desperate to get this month's bill reduced, you could try speaking to Retentions by calling 150 and choosing the "thinking of leaving" option.

Good luck!

[JonathanR]

Thanks for replying. I reckon you could be right, but I have held off contacting them too many times because of the fact the tech line costs money, although they did say they would refund my first call, and also the recorded message on the service status line specifically points out that NN3 customers will have lost their service.

Throughout the last few days, some other post code areas have been on and off, but always NN3. The first time I called, it was suggested it would be fixed within 4 hours! Clearly he was just speaking out the standard line they have to give, and just didn't want to hear me telling him it had been off for 5 days already (at the time). So frustrating because the end of the month is approaching (internet banking and bills to pay!), and also fantasy sports games for money! Weekends are crucial! I may have to physically go into a bank next week now!

---------- Post added at 13:19 ---------- Previous post was at 13:16 ----------

Originally Posted by ceedee

Recommend you contact Tech Support via VM's dedicated newsgroup, vm.support.broadband.cable, and get them to explain where the problem lies.

VM won't want to agree any compensation for the loss of your service until they know how long the outage will last. If you're really desperate to get this month's bill reduced, you could try speaking to Retentions by calling 150 and choosing the "thinking of leaving" option.

Good luck!

hmmm. I was already on a 6 month reduced bill (from £25 to £17 pm) because I was suffering from painfully slows speeds. That runs out this month!

Excuse my ignorance, but how do I use the newsgroup information you gave me?

Jonathan

[the-cable-guy]

Originally Posted by ceedee

VM won't want to agree any compensation for the loss of your service until they know how long the outage will last. If you're really desperate to get this month's bill reduced, you could try speaking to Retentions by calling 150 and choosing the "thinking of leaving" option.

Good luck!

they wont want to full stop lol but keep on at em.

[ceedee]

Originally Posted by JonathanR

hmmm. I was already on a 6 month reduced bill (from £25 to £17 pm) because I was suffering from painfully slows speeds. That runs out this month!

If you've been suffering with such a grotty connection for *that long* and now you're being offered no clue when (or even, if) they'll be able to get you back online, I suspect Retentions will be very sympathetic. However I'm not sure what they can offer you other than to continue with further compensation discounts.

Have you considered getting a 3G USB modem? (Just about all the mobile companies now offer them for peanuts!) At least you'd be able to access your bank account (but check the connection is via https!) and other essential online activities...

Excuse my ignorance, but how do I use the newsgroup information you gave me?

Oops, sorry! I meant to include a link to: Need help getting onto VM's Tech Support newsgroup? but ignore the advice about the test reports.

Try not to let your frustrations fly at the support staff -- if you don't understand their answers, they'll be happy to explain them.

[the-cable-guy]

Originally Posted by ceedee

If you've been suffering with such a grotty connection for *that long* and now you're being offered no clue when (or even, if) they'll be able to get you back online, I suspect Retentions will be very sympathetic. However I'm not sure what they can offer you other than to continue with further compensation discounts.

in my case it took them over a year to do anything & two years to get a penny out of em.

[JonathanR]

Originally Posted by ceedee

If you've been suffering with such a grotty connection for *that long* and now you're being offered no clue when (or even, if) they'll be able to get you back online, I suspect Retentions will be very sympathetic. However I'm not sure what they can offer you other than to continue with further compensation discounts.

Have you considered getting a 3G USB modem? (Just about all the mobile companies now offer them for peanuts!) At least you'd be able to access your bank account (but check the connection is via https!) and other essential online activities...

I would happily take another 6 months at £17 pm, but I want something extra for these last 10 days (and counting!) Not sure what package I have for the normal £25pm? I have been with ntl/virgin from day one of their £0.00 dial-up days. Only when VM took over did I start to have problems.

I only have a brick PAYG mobile phone as my need is very light. I do have the option of banking at work if I need - but thanks for the suggestion.

Originally Posted by ceedee

Oops, sorry! I meant to include a link to: Need help getting onto VM's Tech Support newsgroup? but ignore the advice about the test reports.

Try not to let your frustrations fly at the support staff -- if you don't understand their answers, they'll be happy to explain them.

Thanks for that link.

Despite the fact that VM use overseas tech support, I do always find them extremely polite and try very hard not to aim my frustrations at them. In fact, I reckon they take training in being so nice that nobody can be anything other than pleasant to them!

Thanks for such great input, especially to somebody so new!

[ceedee]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

in my case it took them over a year to do anything & two years to get a penny out of em.

Poor quality connections are sometimes difficult to rectify and may require considerable engineering and investment solutions but if my connection was down for a fortnight without a plausible plan for fixing the problem, I'd send a recorded delivery letter to the CEO giving VM 10 working days to provide the service or cancel the contract with a full backdated refund.

While we live in "interesting times" (and admittedly VM have a huge pile of problems to deal with right now!), nobody can be expected to pay for a service that the supplier is unable to provide.

[JonathanR]

Well, the power of cable forum! I have just called the 0800 number from work, as I have done about 4 or 5 times a day for the past 10 days and the message about NN3 is no longer there - in fact there are no service issue messages!

Fingers crossed when I get home I can get online, and then get on the phone and see what they can do for me. But I will keep it friendly, ceedee

Puzzled that I couldn't find the fault listed anywhere on the Virgin website under the support tickets and maintenance section.

Once again, thanks all. I just hope this isn't just a one day false dawn as it was last Thursday!

Jonathan

[the-cable-guy]

Originally Posted by ceedee

Poor quality connections are sometimes difficult to rectify and may require considerable engineering and investment solutions but if my connection was down for a fortnight without a plausible plan for fixing the problem, I'd send a recorded delivery letter to the CEO giving VM 10 working days to provide the service or cancel the contract with a full backdated refund.

While we live in "interesting times" (and admittedly VM have a huge pile of problems to deal with right now!), nobody can be expected to pay for a service that the supplier is unable to provide.

its ashame that they dont see it that way. iv had five modems & over 20 call outs in just under three years.

[Paranoimia]

Originally Posted by JonathanR

Is there anyone else here in the NN3 postal code area of Northampton? My broadband connection went off on Wednesday 16th April, although it may have been sooner, but that is when I first noticed it, and apart from a time on Thursday 17th April, it has been off ever since.

I am in the NN3 area, and have had no problems whatsoever during the time-frame you've mentioned!

[JonathanR]

Originally Posted by Paranoimia

I am in the NN3 area, and have had no problems whatsoever during the time-frame you've mentioned!

Interesting, Paranoimia. Although the recorded message did state "some customers in the NN3 area may be suffering loss of service". However, my service was indeed fully restored on the day I last posted here, and I thought I would just update what Virgin Media said when I called them back.

It was a recorded fault during that period (apart from one day when it came back), and they agreed to refund £10 for the 10 days I was without service, and I will continue to pay the reduced £17pm fee instead of the normal £25pm. Happy enough with that, and no problems since then, although the speed is still not what it should be at times, but that is why I am paying £17 rather than £25pm!