Problems in Neath South Wales

[Docsis2]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Excess formatting removed.

No, ensuring that broadband services work faultlessly isn't profitable which is why the services are not advertised with an SLA. Reasonable steps are taken to ensure they work as close to flawlessly as reasonably possible within the business model to provide them.

To try and give you a faultless service would involve having sufficient staff to monitor the status of every cable modem on the network and then have engineers respond to each and every single user fault, having resilient cable feeds into every home, resilient coaxial and fibre optic lines with battery and generator backed up active components throughout connecting to two different resilient headends with an optical switch to a secondary feed should the primary fail.

Do you really think your subscription comes even close to covering that?

You may wish to try Watchdog instead of the One Show regarding the billing issues, or mail the CEO's office. Before you do just make sure that you are reading the bill appropriately as VM's bills aren't the clearest.

You are in intelligent person and probably aware of "HP Openview" network management software or similar. It can automate the monitoring of devices on a network and email/page alerts to support when faults exist.

I am sure that the VM network is as resilient as it can be taking into account the financial constraints. But there is no excuse for shoddy coding of the .cm files. No excuse for poor customer support. No excuse for being overcharged.

I started this in an attempt to improve thing, for the benefit of VM as well as the customer only to get negativity, and then to suggest that I can't understand the VM bill is an insult.

VM accounts have reduced my monthly payment for the XL service from £37.00 to £30.00 after I contacted them earlier today. Had I not contacted them I would still be paying £37.00 which is close to the XXL service cost.
No apology for overcharging me. No refund for the period of overcharging.
No idea how long I have been overcharged for because VM won't tell me when they changed the contract pricing.

[Ignitionnet]

They weren't overcharging you. Distasteful as it is they are under no obligation to drop your price.

The .cm files are not shoddily coded - they are just the DOCSIS configuration files, a series of parameters that detail to the modems the conditions under which they operate and access the network.

If you're referring to modem firmware files those are written by the manufacturers, not Virgin, and there's nothing to indicate that is the cause of your fault.

If you are referring to CMTS firmware / software those are also written by the manufacturers.

[Docsis2]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

They weren't overcharging you. Distasteful as it is they are under no obligation to drop your price.

The .cm files are not shoddily coded - they are just the DOCSIS configuration files, a series of parameters that detail to the modems the conditions under which they operate and access the network.

If you're referring to modem firmware files those are written by the manufacturers, not Virgin, and there's nothing to indicate that is the cause of your fault.

If you are referring to CMTS firmware / software those are also written by the manufacturers.

Thanks for reply,

I note that you are quite adept at deflecting the blame onto the modem and CMTS manufactures who can not defend themselves here.

I am also very concerned that your defence of VM Customer Support seems to be missing, or are you admitting that its poor?

Distasteful you say! Being invoiced £84.00 per annum above the current price is more than distasteful it dishonest, I suspect you have MP's or bankers working in the accounts depart.

Maybe my £84.00 and that of many thousands of others in the same boat is going to pay the BONUSES.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Docsis2

Thanks for reply,

I note that you are quite adept at deflecting the blame onto the modem and CMTS manufactures who can not defend themselves here.

Excuse me? I am telling the truth. I am giving blame for your issues nowhere merely stating the obvious, that manufacturers are responsible for the software on their products not end users. I am unsure where you worked in IT but did your company rewrite the firmware on everything you used? If my factual statements are contrary to your view of the world I can only apologise.

If you actually read what I wrote rather than huffing and puffing you'll note I specifically said there is nothing to indicate that modem firmware is to blame for your issues.

Originally Posted by Me

If you're referring to modem firmware files those are written by the manufacturers, not Virgin, and there's nothing to indicate that is the cause of your fault.

I am also very concerned that your defence of VM Customer Support seems to be missing, or are you admitting that its poor?

What 'defence'? Again I was impassive and factual with no judgement made. If I somehow offend you by not agreeing with you I can, again, only apologise.

Distasteful you say! Being invoiced £84.00 per annum above the current price is more than distasteful it dishonest, I suspect you have MP's or bankers working in the accounts depart.

Maybe my £84.00 and that of many thousands of others in the same boat is going to pay the BONUSES.

FYI Virgin staff haven't had much joy as far as bonuses and pay rises go recently despite the company now being profitable. I have no idea where your 84GBP per year went, maybe into Richard Branson's personal retirement fund who knows either way Virgin Media would have been profitable and able to pay bonuses this year with or without it. Most bonuses received by staff are relatively modest anyway.

May I suggest that you sue Virgin Media for your money back if you feel you have a case. Either way please grind your axe with them rather than accusing me of being some big Virgin fan because I don't use the adjectives you want me to or jump on your band wagon that Virgin are to blame for things they have no direct control over. Just for clarity:

1) No company is, nor have they ever been, required to reduce pricing on contracts if the current price changes. It is not illegal for them to not do so.
2) Virgin Media are not responsible for writing modem firmware.
3) Virgin Media are not responsible for writing CMTS firmware.
4) Virgin Media, in common with every other customer of the modem and CMTS vendors, and indeed every vendor customer in the world from routers to firewalls to IP telephones, submit bug reports and harass the vendor for fixes.

If you find Virgin so dishonest and generally hopeless may I suggest a trip to http://www.samknows.com to check for alternatives that are available to you.