Can it get any worse? - Virgin Media TV and Phone

LoneThistle · 05-11-2009, 20:57

So, today we got basic TV, BB and Phone installed.

If I'm honest, the install was superb! It was installed by two pleasant guys, who were actually human. You could have a proper conversation with them, we talked about the weather and (typically) football. Unlike installers I've experienced in the past who were rather robotic.

Somewhat irrelevant but I have a feeling that my concerns addressed to the CEOs office had been noted with the installers. Because he spent a while confirming the exact same points I raised as concerns.

I was given a Pace box, a rather chunky grey (VM branded) STB. I was asked by the installer if this was OK. Not knowing any better, I said it would be fine.

With the Broadband I was told there were problems with the re/destriction on the 'wall-guard', but were resolved and broadband had been working at a solid 10Mb since.

However, how terrible is the TV? I have had to reboot four times already this evening! Plus, an 1092 error on VOD! I'm told by CS that it'll be resolved once it's 'settled' with no timeframe. If I'm honest, I felt like in was being hurried to get off the phone!

What can I do?

Camel · 05-11-2009, 21:07

TV is fine, its the rubbish PACE STB, A Samsung one would be better

LoneThistle · 05-11-2009, 21:40

How do I get one of these new boxes? Customer Services reckon it'll settle down soon enough!

johnathome · 05-11-2009, 21:42

Blimey!
Didn't know they were still giving out the pace boxes.

You've got someones return, probably because they had to keep rebooting it!

LoneThistle · 05-11-2009, 21:59

I guess this explains the installer facial expressions! He did look rather confused and bewildered when I happily accepted without asking questions!

Ryrazzer · 06-11-2009, 07:43

Pace boxes are just not up to the job anymore. God only knows why VM still use them.
We got a group newsletter ages ago saying they were doing away with Pace and everytime these boxes pass through the main warehouse depot, they were getting destroyed.
Sure enough, a few weeks later, a pallet of 200 turn up!

LoneThistle · 06-11-2009, 08:27

I guess I'll have to get someone to come out. I wonder if VM will be able to mail us the box...

Can I ask, what's the best STB to ask for?

Also, is this 'Error 1092', purely because the box can't keep up?

LoneThistle · 06-11-2009, 21:46

So, as usual, I fired off an email to the CEOs office. I got a call earlier today, which I missed. Unlike others who would have given up, he rang every 30 minutes until he managed to speak to me.

He checked details of my box and with agreeance of the comments on this thread, was surprised I had been given a VM branded Pace and promptly booked me in for a replacement. Unlike the CS advisor I spoke to yesterday who said the next slot was on Thursday, he booked me in for first thing Monday.

Plus, he's given me a direct line number for his desk to call him on if I'm not happy with the technician or the box. But that he'll call on the day himself anyway to see if I'm satisfied..

I'm well happy! If this is the service that those with the basics get, I wonder what VIP customers get?

War On · 06-11-2009, 23:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneThistle

So, as usual, I fired off an email to the CEOs office. I got a call earlier today, which I missed. Unlike others who would have given up, he rang every 30 minutes until he managed to speak to me.

He checked details of my box and with agreeance of the comments on this thread, was surprised I had been given a VM branded Pace and promptly booked me in for a replacement. Unlike the CS advisor I spoke to yesterday who said the next slot was on Thursday, he booked me in for first thing Monday.

Plus, he's given me a direct line number for his desk to call him on if I'm not happy with the technician or the box. But that he'll call on the day himself anyway to see if I'm satisfied..

I'm well happy! If this is the service that those with the basics get, I wonder what VIP customers get?

If only you could amend the thread name to...

Could it get any better?

Ryrazzer · 07-11-2009, 12:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneThistle

He checked details of my box and with agreeance of the comments on this thread, was surprised I had been given a VM branded Pace and promptly booked me in for a replacement.

Just goes to show the people at the top havnt got a clue what's happening in their own company.
Virgin are the ones who send the Pace boxes to the contract parnters to install.
Engineers can only install the boxes they are given.

tm009f0737@blue · 08-11-2009, 01:34

If a virgin engineer had produced a pace box to me an asked if 'it's alright',i would have looked at him as if he produced a bomb from a box,rather than pace,went through 4 in living room and 4 in bedroom before we were given 2 (samsung 2001,i think it was) box's (before S.A. V+, and S.A. v-box,ex-ntl area,now ex-telewest.)

Only ever had problems with pace box's,the engineer's were hardly out the house before you had to reboot,what a nightmare,an engineer once told me,they got so hot it melted the copper square in the smart card to the point the copper would start to evaporate and cover the filament's inside the box so it slowly 'killed itself',after a 6 month's to a year or so,only to replaced by same 'new box'.

Every reboot 'life' just got shorter and shorter,at that time they were doing 'web t.v. for £5 then £7.50 ,had to reboot half dozen time's a night,they were the day's,find it very hard to accept they are STILL given out those sh#te box's 4-11 years later.

PACE BOXES are the reason U.K. is ten years behind other countries cable wise as far as take up was concerned and the reason both NTL and TELEWEST were billion's in debt,those boxes should be in criminal museum's.

Very unacceptable,to say the least,(post VIRGIN) head office must take the blame for this,you don't progress a company by cutting corner's like this,have they learned nothing over the year's.

LoneThistle · 10-11-2009, 00:04

As an update, we've now had a Samsung (silver/white VM) box installed.

I must say, it's incredibly fast and has little or no lag at all. Our old box had a degree of lag when changing channels but all is sorted.

Plus, VoD is actually on demand - no more 'Please waiting... Loading'

Not forgetting the call from the CEOs office as promised to confirm everything had ben installed and we're satisfied.

wombler · 10-11-2009, 06:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneThistle

As an update, we've now had a Samsung (silver/white VM) box installed.

I must say, it's incredibly fast and has little or no lag at all. Our old box had a degree of lag when changing channels but all is sorted.

Plus, VoD is actually on demand - no more 'Please waiting... Loading'

Not forgetting the call from the CEOs office as promised to confirm everything had ben installed and we're satisfied.

One happy customer ! - I have always found that if you rant and rave, you get slow results with Virgin (or any company) - compose yourself, take your time, and (in my case), they actually bend over backwards to help

LoneThistle · 10-11-2009, 19:53

If I'm honest, if I had to deal with the call centre I would not have been able to remain calm.

But yes, remaining calm always help. In my email I stated the problem and what I wanted done about it and that's what I got.

05-11-2009, 20:57	#1
LoneThistle Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Services: Virgin Media - TV:XL, BB:XL, Phone:M Posts: 86	Can it get any worse? So, today we got basic TV, BB and Phone installed. If I'm honest, the install was superb! It was installed by two pleasant guys, who were actually human. You could have a proper conversation with them, we talked about the weather and (typically) football. Unlike installers I've experienced in the past who were rather robotic. Somewhat irrelevant but I have a feeling that my concerns addressed to the CEOs office had been noted with the installers. Because he spent a while confirming the exact same points I raised as concerns. I was given a Pace box, a rather chunky grey (VM branded) STB. I was asked by the installer if this was OK. Not knowing any better, I said it would be fine. With the Broadband I was told there were problems with the re/destriction on the 'wall-guard', but were resolved and broadband had been working at a solid 10Mb since. However, how terrible is the TV? I have had to reboot four times already this evening! Plus, an 1092 error on VOD! I'm told by CS that it'll be resolved once it's 'settled' with no timeframe. If I'm honest, I felt like in was being hurried to get off the phone! What can I do?

05-11-2009, 21:07	#2
Camel Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Happy with all my services Posts: 152	TV is fine, its the rubbish PACE STB, A Samsung one would be better

05-11-2009, 21:40	#3
LoneThistle Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Services: Virgin Media - TV:XL, BB:XL, Phone:M Posts: 86	How do I get one of these new boxes? Customer Services reckon it'll settle down soon enough!

05-11-2009, 21:42	#4
johnathome Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 100	Blimey! Didn't know they were still giving out the pace boxes. You've got someones return, probably because they had to keep rebooting it!

05-11-2009, 21:59	#5
LoneThistle Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Services: Virgin Media - TV:XL, BB:XL, Phone:M Posts: 86	I guess this explains the installer facial expressions! He did look rather confused and bewildered when I happily accepted without asking questions!

06-11-2009, 07:43	#6
Ryrazzer Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Services: Sky HD, VM 20MB , Talk Unlimited Posts: 1,445	Pace boxes are just not up to the job anymore. God only knows why VM still use them. We got a group newsletter ages ago saying they were doing away with Pace and everytime these boxes pass through the main warehouse depot, they were getting destroyed. Sure enough, a few weeks later, a pallet of 200 turn up!

06-11-2009, 08:27	#7
LoneThistle Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Services: Virgin Media - TV:XL, BB:XL, Phone:M Posts: 86	I guess I'll have to get someone to come out. I wonder if VM will be able to mail us the box... Can I ask, what's the best STB to ask for? Also, is this 'Error 1092', purely because the box can't keep up?

06-11-2009, 21:46	#8
LoneThistle Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Services: Virgin Media - TV:XL, BB:XL, Phone:M Posts: 86	So, as usual, I fired off an email to the CEOs office. I got a call earlier today, which I missed. Unlike others who would have given up, he rang every 30 minutes until he managed to speak to me. He checked details of my box and with agreeance of the comments on this thread, was surprised I had been given a VM branded Pace and promptly booked me in for a replacement. Unlike the CS advisor I spoke to yesterday who said the next slot was on Thursday, he booked me in for first thing Monday. Plus, he's given me a direct line number for his desk to call him on if I'm not happy with the technician or the box. But that he'll call on the day himself anyway to see if I'm satisfied.. I'm well happy! If this is the service that those with the basics get, I wonder what VIP customers get?

08-11-2009, 01:34	#11
tm009f0737@blue Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: up north Services: virgin 3 xl's,v+ ,v box & 20mb Posts: 755	If a virgin engineer had produced a pace box to me an asked if 'it's alright',i would have looked at him as if he produced a bomb from a box,rather than pace,went through 4 in living room and 4 in bedroom before we were given 2 (samsung 2001,i think it was) box's (before S.A. V+, and S.A. v-box,ex-ntl area,now ex-telewest.) Only ever had problems with pace box's,the engineer's were hardly out the house before you had to reboot,what a nightmare,an engineer once told me,they got so hot it melted the copper square in the smart card to the point the copper would start to evaporate and cover the filament's inside the box so it slowly 'killed itself',after a 6 month's to a year or so,only to replaced by same 'new box'. Every reboot 'life' just got shorter and shorter,at that time they were doing 'web t.v. for £5 then £7.50 ,had to reboot half dozen time's a night,they were the day's,find it very hard to accept they are STILL given out those sh#te box's 4-11 years later. PACE BOXES are the reason U.K. is ten years behind other countries cable wise as far as take up was concerned and the reason both NTL and TELEWEST were billion's in debt,those boxes should be in criminal museum's. Very unacceptable,to say the least,(post VIRGIN) head office must take the blame for this,you don't progress a company by cutting corner's like this,have they learned nothing over the year's.

10-11-2009, 00:04	#12
LoneThistle Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Services: Virgin Media - TV:XL, BB:XL, Phone:M Posts: 86	As an update, we've now had a Samsung (silver/white VM) box installed. I must say, it's incredibly fast and has little or no lag at all. Our old box had a degree of lag when changing channels but all is sorted. Plus, VoD is actually on demand - no more 'Please waiting... Loading' Not forgetting the call from the CEOs office as promised to confirm everything had ben installed and we're satisfied.

10-11-2009, 19:53	#14
LoneThistle Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Services: Virgin Media - TV:XL, BB:XL, Phone:M Posts: 86	If I'm honest, if I had to deal with the call centre I would not have been able to remain calm. But yes, remaining calm always help. In my email I stated the problem and what I wanted done about it and that's what I got.