Virgin Media

    Aka: scum of the earth.

    Back in October I signed up with Virgin Media (previously called NTL) to provide me with internet, TV and phone. When I signed up, I requested that my existing BT phone number be transferred and gave them the BT account number to enable them to do this.

    Some weeks went by and I’d not heard anything about an installation date, so I made my first call to ‘customer services’.

    Turns out I’d dropped off the system regarding installation so a date was given. Now I’d given explicit instructions as to where I wanted the phone/TV/internet points placing so I was just a little miffed when I found they’d put them all in one place then run cables along my skirting board ALL OVER THE FECKING ROOM!

    Anyway, I took a deep breath and relaxed, then picked up the phone to make a call. Imagine my surprise when, midcall, the other phone (I have a wired one and a cordless unit) rang – turns out my BT number was still live (as a BT line), and Virgin Media had given me another number.

    This led to my second call to ‘customer services’ where they apologised and promised to have the phone line sorted out by the 19th (this was the 14th). I made it clear I wasn’t going to pay for the line rental at all until they’d sorted it out as I originally requested.

    The 19th came and went and lo and behold my BT line was still live and I had a different number on the Virgin line. Sick of ringing the ‘customer services’ number, I decided to email them direct from their website – this went ignored. I emailed them again from my Virgin email address also asking them for my webspace details as it wasn’t letting me login – this also went ignored. I bit the bullet and phoned the muppets at ‘customer services’ again, telling them that if they couldn’t provide the services I’d requested in full to just tell me, and I’d cancel everything and just go away. The person on the other end made soothing noises, then, not allowing me any time to protest, said “I’ll just put you on hold and discuss this with…” so I sat there for about 2 minutes listening to some terrible hold music, then they just disconnected me…

    I was fuming at this point and put everything down in an email to them, stating that I really wasn’t happy with the way ‘d been treated thus far and didn’t want to be with them anymore.

    And so that was how it was left – I expected a letter from them saying when they’d pick up their equipment etc.

    The next thing I receive form them is a bill, which I smile at and bin. Next there comes a letter asking me to sign the contract and return it to them – this I also smile at and bin.

    Monday this week, my internet has been disconnected, and the TV isn’t giving me all the channels. Great I think, they’ll be picking stuff up soon. Then I get ANOTHER bill for almost £70.

    So I rang them, again. I didn’t let them get a word in, just told them I was going to charge them for storing their equipment and wasn’t going to pay a penny for their (alleged) service (more like dis-service).

    That’s how it’s been left – I signed back up with BT and am waiting for my connection date (hopefully before Christmas).

    And that’s how my week’s been :).

    Harriett’s all moved out now – finished all that on Monday, my house is full of her stuff (but neatly stored so it still looks like a house and not a box maze), my Christmas tree is (finally) decorated (and looking pretty damn good – I’ll post a pic), presents all wrapped and under it, cupboards are full of food, just have to buy more beer and I’m all set.

    I’m really looking forward to Christmas this year 🙂

    EDIT: Here’s my tree:

    Christmas tree

    Related Post

    0 thoughts on “Virgin Media

    1. Very nice tree! It was nice this year just getting MY stuff out and putting the tree together, it’s been like 4 years since I’ve seen it.
      I know the feeling with the almighty customer service…why is it so hard to get a simple thing right. I had the same thing happen with Sprint…they suck and I won’t deal with them again!
      Only 3 days till this crazy thing called Christmas is finally here! 🙂

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.