Virgin Media Discussion Thread

Hi there, is there a link to a Virgin Media Live chat link who deal with retention or a specific number worth calling? The number i've been calling to try to negotiate is the number 0800 952 2277 - opt 4 - opt 4, but on that number i'm clearly dealing with the department who do not offer a worthwhile deal, there offering the price for the Gig 1 of £43 which initially when I said I was going to cancelled I was offered £34 which I didn't take up as I was planning to go to another provided, but they where unable to install their service.
 
sony007 said:
Hi there, is there a link to a Virgin Media Live chat link who deal with retention or a specific number worth calling? The number i've been calling to try to negotiate is the number 0800 952 2277 - opt 4 - opt 4, but on that number i'm clearly dealing with the department who do not offer a worthwhile deal, there offering the price for the Gig 1 of £43 which initially when I said I was going to cancelled I was offered £34 which I didn't take up as I was planning to go to another provided, but they where unable to install their service.
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£34 for Gig 1 is excellent!! I was offered £39 for it when I renewed over the phone, the offer for renewal/upgrade on my online account was £43, so I thought I had a good deal when they offered me £39!

I am 1 week into my 14 day cooling off period as my previous M250 contract was due to end in mid-Feb. They sent me a new Hub 5 and I have been very impressed with it, for an ISP provided router, it's excellent, and the range I am getting on Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 6 supported) is so much better than I had with the Hub 3, which I had been operating in modem/bridge mode and using a Netgear Orbi mesh router due to the hub's poor range, the Netgear only supported gigabit LAN anyway, so I would not have been able to utilise the extra 150-200Mbps available via the 2.5ghz ethernet port on the Hub 5 if I had continued to use it. All the rooms in my house now have a stable signal with the Hub 5. It's nice to see the two extra DOCSIS 3.1 channels on the Hub 5. All my power levels, SNR etc are still comfortably in spec with the new hub.

I have been with VM (and NTL before) for over 20 years and have never had any issues with reliability or performance (I can't even remember the last time it went down without a works notification) and I am so far impressed with the Gig 1 service. I get a consistent 1152mbps down and 105mbps up (I've tested at several times of day) and a ping ranging from 11-16 via Ookla speed test.

I am however still on the fence about moving to CityFibre which has been available on my street for the past couple of years. I will have to decide before the cooling off period lapses. I don't think I need symmetrical uploads, although it would be very nice to have. I think the only files I upload regularly are the sync of my docs to OneDrive and backup of my Google Photos from my phone etc, so 100mbps upload is plenty, I have been managing perfectly well with the 26mbps upload I had on M250 for years. I can understand some needing the symmetrical bandwidth of course. Anyway, I'll sleep on it for another couple of days. I understand that Virgin Media will be phasing over existing HFC to XGS-PON gradually over the coming years too.
 
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ChrisD. said:
Unless I was using their TV package with sports etc, there is absolutely no way I would be using VM broadband if I had CF available.
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Are people's experiences with VM really this bad? I guess I have never had to call their tech support as I've never had any issues. Granted the contract re-negotiation/renewal call every 18 months is a real pain. I believe the best way to get tech support if you need it is actually via the VM forums, unless you are reporting a critical fault.

I am a broadband only user, I got rid of my VM landline 5yrs ago.
 
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The conversation is leaning towards the quality of a product, in some areas that have a very high uptake can make peoples lives a misery. I can say that because I worked in Various Regions and Architectures. Not everything is created equal to say the least. All providers can be bad. But compairing proper Fiber to VM coaxial systems et al is the point being made here I believe.
 
HFC, routing, jitter etc, pretty awful customer service aside, why pay them £39 a month when you can get 900 up 900 down for £40? And have the freedom to move to different ISPs on the CF network, and not have to do the dance with them come renewal time.

If you don't notice any issues they're generally fine, unless you have to talk to them. Which is one of my biggest gripes with VM, they do some shady things and make things overly difficult for people to leave them.
 
OverDrive said:
Are people's experiences with VM really this bad? I guess I have never had to call their tech support as I've never had any issues. Granted the contract re-negotiation/renewal call every 18 months is a real pain. I believe the best way to get tech support if you need it is actually via the VM forums, unless you are reporting a critical fault.

I am a broadband only user, I got rid of my VM landline 5yrs ago.
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Proper fibre is just a much better product with much better latencies.

A symmetric connection for a similar price to what you’re paying and no price increases just makes most CF ISP’s even more appealing.
 
I just called up Virgin, they said I have until 11 Jan to step back to my previous M250 contract which ends on 15 Feb. I think I will loose my £35 'connection fee' though and will have to pay the difference for the days I have used the Gig 1.

I may step back and give CityFibre (IDNet or Lit Fibre with a static IP) a try then, and if I am happy, cancel Virgin. It may mean a month of overlap, but I don't mind, I would rather make the right choice. I work from home so connection reliability is very important.
 
ChrisD. said:
If you don't notice any issues they're generally fine, unless you have to talk to them. Which is one of my biggest gripes with VM, they do some shady things and make things overly difficult for people to leave them.
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As I said previously. I got lucky the other day getting that Brit lass that dealt with my VM disconnection. I said to her about hearing horror stories when leaving and she said well I don't want your last experience with us to be a negative one as the horse has already bolted and hope that one day you won't dismiss us altogether. Real Customer service. I couldn't fault her one bit.

OverDrive said:
I just called up Virgin, they said I have until 11 Jan to step back to my previous M250 contract which ends on 15 Feb. I think I will loose my £35 'connection fee' though and will have to pay the difference for the days I have used the Gig 1.

I may step back and give CityFibre (IDNet or Lit Fibre with a static IP) a try then, and if I am happy, cancel Virgin. It may mean a month of overlap, but I don't mind, I would rather make the right choice. I work from home so connection reliability is very important.
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I'd go CityFibre or whoever and revert to that M250. I have went with a different ISP for full fiber and not 1 single issue since last Friday. 900/900 overkill most of the time for my needs.
 
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These guys at virgin don’t seem to be budging offering £43 only. I think something has also changed internally when dealing with the initial resolution team that you get through to when calling up. Before when I would call Virgin a few times and speak to someone about agreeing a price, I’d be given several different prices for the same product, now literally everyone is saying the best we can do is £43 for Gig 1, besides the very first person I spoke with who said £34 or £36, but as I thought I was able to get Community Fibre when one of their representatives said it was definitely possible, only to find out he wasn’t being completely honest about the situation and the process.

I’ve tried their web chat - even though they claim you’re speaking with an actual person, there is no way that is a person, it’s still a Bot, because if that painful experience in trying to have a two way conversation is another human being - then I simply give up. Phoning them now seems pointless, WhatsApp doesn’t work as I don’t get anything sent through if I go for that option via the web chat.
 
I,m getting 1 gigabit installed on Friday , and it’s using the XGS /PON technology, what are people’s thoughts on this set up please ?
 
Only downside on my end is that you're forced into the 5x which currently does not have modem mode so you cannot install your own router/mesh system.

Whilst the extenders from VM are OK, I don't get great speed in my garden office.

Hopefully they'll release the firmware for it at some point so I can install my own mesh network.
 
Casdawer said:
Only downside on my end is that you're forced into the 5x which currently does not have modem mode so you cannot install your own router/mesh system.

Whilst the extenders from VM are OK, I don't get great speed in my garden office.

Hopefully they'll release the firmware for it at some point so I can install my own mesh network.
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There are ways around it posted in here, albeit I think one involves custom non-VM firmware. There's also nothing to stop you disabling wifi on the 5x and using your own instead.

You could also likely set up a /30 network between it and your own router/firewall and just use basic routing to point egress traffic towards the 5x.

But yeah, no way near as ideal as simply putting it in modem only mode.
 
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