Virgin Speed Doubling, con?

bazaarboy · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:00

So in January I was emailed by Virgin, who I've had 50mbit cabled broadband with since last summer, saying they're going to double my speed in March or April - hooray! I thought!

I hadn't heard since so I went to:

http://doublespeed.virginmedia.com/

to check for updates - and entered my postcode
the result was that they don't think I have fibreoptic broadband!

"Looks like the postcode you entered is not in a Virgin Media fibre optic broadband area"

this is wrong, since I currently use Virgin Media fibre optic broadband...

so I call them up, and they confirm that 100mbit is indeed available but they can't "just switch me on to that", to honour their promise...
I can however purchase an upgrade, to 100mbit :confused:

Do you think they're taking the proverbial urine?

they approached me with a free upgrade, the service is now available, but wont honour their promise!

Pawnless Endgame · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:02

Nah, they're rolling out the doubled speed over the next 18 months. Could be as late as Summer 2013 for some people. I think I'm personally due this October.

Headwires · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:02

I think they are. They said they'd double ALL 50 meg broadband connections to 100meg. I'd try ringing again because thats out of order!

bazaarboy · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:05

I can appreciate that there are technical delays, but if the service is available now, and they are happy to sell it, why not just honour their promise of a free speed upgrade?!

kibblerok · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:09

bazaarboy said:
I can appreciate that there are technical delays, but if the service is available now, and I they are happy to sell it, why not just honour their promise of a free speed upgrade?!

You will be upgraded when your area is ready.

The 100mb service is there to buy, it always has been, but 100mb are getting upgraded to 120mb so you'd be put onto that tier when your area gets upgraded if you want to pay now.

Otherwise just wait, it'll get done eventually.

Woden · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:10

March or April ... mate .... It is only the 3rd of April :|

Glaucus · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:11

Op fail, you're the only one taking the urine.

They'll double it when they're ready. 100mb service has been out there for years. Everyone's getting a doubling, even lower tieres. Equipment needs updating/optemising for the massive increase in load.

It's also going to be upgraded to 120mb at some point, not just 100mb.

ethan · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:11

kibblerok said:
You will be upgraded when your area is ready.

The 100mb service is there to buy, it always has been, but 100mb are getting upgraded to 120mb so you'd be put onto that tier when your area gets upgraded if you want to pay now.

Otherwise just wait, it'll get done eventually.

It's not always there to buy. It's not available as of yet in all areas.

bazaarboy · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:12

kibblerok said:
You will be upgraded when your area is ready.

The 100mb service is there to buy, it always has been, but 100mb are getting upgraded to 120mb so you'd be put onto that tier when your area gets upgraded if you want to pay now.

Otherwise just wait, it'll get done eventually.

that's a fair point, but when I subscribed the 100mbit wasn't available
so now it is, it seemed that they were holding back on their promise
but I take your point

SlyReaper · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:14

bazaarboy said:
that's a fair point, but when I subscribed the 100mbit wasn't available
so now it is, it seemed that they were holding back on their promise
but I take your point

They probably have to wait until the 120Mb/s service is up and running in your area so the existing 100Mb customers can be moved onto that first. Otherwise, those 100Mb customers would be giving them an earache along the lines of "if gary from number 6 has been upgraded already, why haven't we?"

Glaucus · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:16

bazaarboy said:
that's a fair point, but when I subscribed the 100mbit wasn't available
so now it is, it seemed that they were holding back on their promise
but I take your point

How on earth are they holding back on their promise. What the he'll is going through your head?

weringo · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:23

So they've said they're going to upgrade some time during March and April and you're complaining you haven't been upgraded yet on..... the 3rd of April.

bazaarboy · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:25

Glaucus said:
How on earth are they holding back on their promise. What the he'll is going through your head?

what the "he'll"??

I'm canvassing opinions on a service upgrade offered to me...
I had the best package until now, they offered a free upgrade...
a better service is now available, but they're not making good on a promise...

the problem is, over the phone they can't say when / if I can have the upgrade, and their website says I don't even have fibre optic broadband...

so yeah, not sure what's happening lol

EdGey · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:27

Seems a load of bull**** that they're doubling the speed of already fast internet when there are areas that still cant get 2MB no matter what you pay.

I'm talking 300kb/s absolute max, I'm talking regular cut off's and speed drops.

/bitter person living in an unimportant area of the UK.

Glaucus · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:28

They are making good on a promise. The service has been available before for an extra cost.
You have nothing to moan about and virgin isn't conning you or braking their promise.

Really where's that fuu image. Again what the hell are you thinking. I just don't get it.

Werewolf · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:33

The website probably isn't recognising your postcode as a mistake.

As for the schedules, they've always from memory had a disclaimer that upgrade schedules are subject to change* - IIRC last time they did our area, the predicted date for the upgrade changed to further away, then back to earlier than originally noted.

If your postcode isn't being recognised, try a neighbouring one (IE if your post code ends in B try A and C), IIRC their system isn't always great at recognising some postcodes, especially if they've changed since the network was originally laid down/last updated (which is why sometimes they have to send someone out to physically check for new installs).

*The sort of work involved takes a lot of time and money to do, and can be delayed if there is an unexpected problem (IE they need the parts elsewhere for emergency repairs, or the work in an area is more complex than expected), or bought forward if it turns out that things go easier than expected (IE less work than was thought is needed).

bazaarboy · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:33

Glaucus said:
They are making good on a promise. The service has been available before for an extra cost.
You have nothing to moan about and virgin isn't conning you or braking their promise.

Really where's that fuu image. Again what the hell are you thinking. I just don't get it.

sorry but you missed the point here. the speed doubling is dependent upon a general network upgrade, that's why those on 100 get 120 plus a discount

the faster service wasn't available to me prior to their recent campaign - ergo, when the new max became 100 I took it to mean that the network has been upgraded and there's no clear reason why I can't go up, even though I can pay for it...

bazaarboy · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:34

Werewolf said:
The website probably isn't recognising your postcode as a mistake.

As for the schedules, they've always from memory had a disclaimer that upgrade schedules are subject to change* - IIRC last time they did our area, the predicted date for the upgrade changed to further away, then back to earlier than originally noted.

If your postcode isn't being recognised, try a neighbouring one (IE if your post code ends in B try A and C), IIRC their system isn't always great at recognising some postcodes, especially if they've changed since the network was originally laid down/last updated (which is why sometimes they have to send someone out to physically check for new installs).

*The sort of work involved takes a lot of time and money to do, and can be delayed if there is an unexpected problem (IE they need the parts elsewhere for emergency repairs, or the work in an area is more complex than expected), or bought forward if it turns out that things go easier than expected (IE less work than was thought is needed).

point taken, I shall be patient!...

Glaucus · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:36

I haven't missed any point.

Why would you take it like that? They gave you an estimated date. 100mb has been available in my area for ages, yet my upgrade isn't estimate untill next year. Am I being conned? Of course not.
Listen to what they have said. Not make something up and throw your toys out the pram.

Both 50mb and 100mb services are eventually going upto 120mb and 100mb customers get a discount so we all pay the same.

Werewolf · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:37

EdGey said:
Seems a load of bull**** that they're doubling the speed of already fast internet when there are areas that still cant get 2MB no matter what you pay.

I'm talking 300kb/s absolute max, I'm talking regular cut off's and speed drops.

/bitter person living in an unimportant area of the UK.

It's much much easier, and cheaper for the likes of VM to upgrade the speed in an area that already has modern connections (especially cable), and basically just needs the hardware in the street box, or one building changed in many cases if they already know the higher speed works in that area (although modems may also need replacing).

To improve speeds in areas where the connection is just old BT wiring, and a long way from the exchange is hideously expensive, especially if it's only for a few customers.
There is no incentive for the ISP's to lay down new, improved cabling at the moment, especially when the prices people expect to pay are often stupidly small (I've heard people complain that BB costs more than a tenner, or why do they need to pay line rental when they only use BB).