Installation Delays!

adarshry · 25-03-2007, 20:27

Hi, I wish to share my personal experience with all forum members. I am on 2 meg broadband with NTL and I am nearing the end of my contract period which happens to be in June. I had freeview for TV, however, due to reception issues or probably due to a faulty freeview box, I decided to get the 2 for 20 package from virgin media. I was also influenced by the fact that I could subscribe for sky for a month to watch the cricket world cup.

I called up Virgin Media during the end of Jan 2007 to get the 2 for 20 package. I was told that there were no installation dates available until the 21st of March and I had to wait until then if I wanted a TV package. Since I had no other option I agreed for the installation date of 21st March 2007 (8.00 AM to 1.00 PM). My girlfriend took a day off that day. After the engineer failed to turn up even after 2.00 PM, I called Virgin to find the status and I was told that they were having problems contacting the installation engineer and they assure me that it would be installed on the same day be evening and they took my number promising to call me back to give me an update. No one bothered calling or coming in for an installation. At 5.00 PM I called Virgin again and I was told that the Regional Manager would definitely call me to let me know what was happening. Finally, at about 6.00 the installation engineer called and apologised for not turning in but assured that he could do it on the following day or on 23rd March. He also told me not to call Virgin, but to call him to confirm the time. At about 7.30, the regional manager called to check if the Engineer had visited us and we told him that he will be coming on Friday for the installation.

Come Friday, I took a day off this time and began my wait for the engineer to turn up. By 11.00 AM I had neither heard from Virgin nor did any one turn up. I tried calling the number the engineer had given me and despite my numerous attempts of leaving a message on his answerphone, he he never returned my calls. Finally at 3.00 pm I managed to get hold of him and he said that he was free to come for installation but he had no set top boxes to install and the regional manager was trying to find one. He also said that he will be definitely installing on Friday. We waited and waited and called and called to no luck. When we finally called Virgin, we were told that they would schedule a new installation date.

Apart from the waste of time, both me and my girlfriend have gone through anxiety and emotional distress for the two days waiting for the engineer to turn up. We have also spent many hours trying to reach Virgin by phone. I am dissappointed but I feel helpless. I do not wish to continue with Virgin on any of their services, but since I live in a flat which has no BT line, I have no other option. I am a private tenant living in managed property. I enquired with BT but their installation charges are really high. Is there any other way of getting just broadband internet or wireless with unlimited downloads? I livw in NW6 in London.

Please advise.

Many thanks.

fixerman · 26-03-2007, 19:02

That is an appaling tale of incompetence. My installation went without a hitch but I know that is no consolation to you. I would ask that you persevere because the service , when correctly installed, is excellent.

Pushkar · 26-03-2007, 19:51

My installation was bad too, but the server is pretty damn good.

Installation [Came 10 Hours late], Fixed the Telephone line wrong [1 Month wait for Fix].

Other than that, nothing but greatness.

NTLVictim · 26-03-2007, 21:09

How can you fix a phone line wrong?????

Pushkar · 26-03-2007, 21:50

Hmm, not too sure, the stuff wasn't connected properly with the Telewest Server thingy.

adarshry · 27-03-2007, 15:42

After reading the posts, i hv decided to hold on to them. But the problem is they are yet to come with the next installation date. I have been chasing them everyday.

philwolstenholme · 07-04-2007, 15:16

I've always been made to wait ages for installation, sounds like you're having problems similar to my ones here.

jcw00 · 07-04-2007, 16:17

My engineer arrived 1 hour early. He said as was round the corner doing his morning work he came early. He also said that he would have called back during the allotted afternoon slot if I wasn't in.

Shame not all engineers are like him.

simo77 · 07-04-2007, 19:03

What an absolute shambles virgin media is. I ordered V+ box and existing box to be moved to a different room over a month ago. After being given today as an installation date, appointment between 1pm and 6pm, i awaited the engineer to show. Yep, you guessed it, he never arrived. Phoned cs who said that they couldn't find out what had gone wrong and couldn't organise a new installation date. They told me to ring on monday and see if I could find out whats gone wrong and to let them know. Fantastic customer services from Virgin media!! Not even a call or an apology for a totally wasted day. I'm on hold now to cs just to tell them that there stb is in my front garden for them to collect at their leisure, if they can be bothered to show up for it. Another unhappy customer Mr Branson, keep up the good work!!!

07-04-2007, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by simo77

What an absolute shambles virgin media is. I ordered V+ box and existing box to be moved to a different room over a month ago. After being given today as an installation date, appointment between 1pm and 6pm, i awaited the engineer to show. Yep, you guessed it, he never arrived. Phoned cs who said that they couldn't find out what had gone wrong and couldn't organise a new installation date. They told me to ring on monday and see if I could find out whats gone wrong and to let them know. Fantastic customer services from Virgin media!! Not even a call or an apology for a totally wasted day. I'm on hold now to cs just to tell them that there stb is in my front garden for them to collect at their leisure, if they can be bothered to show up for it. Another unhappy customer Mr Branson, keep up the good work!!!

you should not have to call on monday to find out what went wrong, the very fact you call to say your installation has not been done should enlighten even the dimmest of light.
They should fork out a years free sub to anyone whose installation is not done on the day promised, that seems fair to me.

simo77 · 08-04-2007, 12:05

Hi guys, just to update you what happened yesterday after my last post. I got through to a different cs advisor and told him what had happened re call monday and try to find out what had gone wrong. He was absolutley disgusted with how i had been treated and told me to hold as he was going to speak to the install manager that covers my area. Next thing the install manager comes on the line and explains to me that the guys are on their way. So, 8.30pm saturday night, three engineers turn up to install my services. They had been out since 7am covering for crews that hadn't shown up, and by the colour of them you could see they had been working all day. They really pulled it out of the bag and had me up and running in less than an hour, new v+ box, sacm and box relocated to my daughters room. The cable to my pc just needs clipping into trunking but i told them to leave it and i would do it myself as it was 9.30pm and they looked shattered. They are an absolute credit to vm, i cant praise them highly enough. To be told by a cs manager to ring back monday, then for another cs to sort it immediatley really suggests that some cant be arsed to help you and seem to try their best to antagonise you.PS If anyone knows how I can officially thank the install crew and the cs advisor please let me know. All in all i'm very impressed with the v+ service and suggest that vm improve their communication with customers. Had I received a call to say the lads were gonna be a few hours late I would have been more than happy to wait. Once again thank you Carl and your colleagues, first class install crew.