Virgin Media - cheats.

[pugilist]

Good evening everyone!

 

I have Virgin broadband around one month. During my first week with them speed drops started to happen. I have "up to 10mb" package, but my download speed was sometimes less then 1mb , much less (200 - 300 kbps!!!)and for quite a long period of time.

I wrote lots of complaints, but most of them were ignored. Lately I wrote another coplaint listing reference numbers of the previous complaints, and they answered me at last.

Please read my recent correspondence with them and andvice me what is the best way to behave in such a situation:

 

This is what they asnswered to my last complaint:

 

From: Virgin Media Web Team

To: xxxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com

Sent: Tue, 3 August, 2010 15:38:19

Subject: Re: Virgin Media Helpsite Webform - Complaint Form (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

Our Ref: xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Hi Pugilist

 

 

Thanks for your Email regarding the constant drop out of your broadband

connection. I apologise for any inconvenience this matter may have

caused.

 

I have looked into this matter for you, it appears you have been traffic

managed on a constant basis over the last few months. I have included

the link with regards to our broadband traffic management policy below:

 

Virgin Media Broadband:Traffic management - & Traffic management

 

At the moment you have the 10 mb service, and your daily threshold is

1500MB, if you exceed this, your speed will be throttled back 75%, this

would explain why your broadband is suffering from dropout. There is

also a tool which is mentioned near the bottom of the link provided,

called a DU Meter*. This would advise you when and if you have reached

your limit.

 

I would also like to suggest if you are constantly streaming from your

PC, then I would suggest upgrading to XL broadband as this would give

you more freedom and a higher threshold.

 

Kind regards

 

Steve Kelly

Customer Complaints

Virgin Media

 

This is what I've just sent to them:

 

Hi Steve,

 

thank you for reply. I am really surprised to hear about "traffic management". Before signing the contract no one told me about that. I was going to have "up to 10mb" package with unlimited downloads.

I regard this as cheating me out of my money. I am not going to continue to be subject to the "traffic management", because if anyone let me know about "t.m." I would never ever sign such a contract. Please sort out this matter as soon as possible and let me know what you have done.

 

Thank you,

 

Regards

[locutus]

Follow their complaints procedure... use their own bureaucracy against them

Check out this :- http://allyours.virginmedia.com/pdf/code_of_practice.pdf

 

Resolution of Complaints: What to do if you are not satisfied with our service

If you are unhappy with our service please contact us and let us know. It is through your feedback that we are able to review and improve the overall service we provide.

If you have a complaint our formal internal complaints procedure is outlined below. We are fully committed to addressing all complaints, fully and fairly, and in a reasonable time frame. We do try and resolve complaints by telephone. Should you wish to receive a response in writing then please ask.

What to do if you are dissatisfied:

If you are unhappy we need to know about it as quickly as possible. To avoid delay please contact us by:

Contacting Customer Care call 0845 454 1111 or 150 from a Virgin Media line and our Customer Care representatives will be able to assist you.

Writing to Customer Concern. The address is shown below and on your bill. Your letter will be acknowledged within 48 hours of receipt.

Email using the on-line form found on our web-site. Messages received are responded to by a dedicated team. To avoid any delay, please do not send correspondence to individual representatives’ email addresses. Your email will be acknowledged and dealt with promptly.

Compensation – Refund Policy

Virgin Media is keen to ensure our customers receive a fair deal. We provide compensation on an individual customer case basis, where customers have been disadvantaged by Virgin Media actions, providing that customers have been using the services in accordance with our published terms and conditions.

If you remain dissatisfied If a complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction you can ask to escalate the issue to a manager. As it may be necessary for the manager to call you back, please provide daytime and evening contact numbers.

Or you can write to:

Complaints

Virgin Media

PO Box 333

Matrix Court

Swansea

SA7 9ZJ

Independent Adjudication

If we have not reached an agreed settlement within eight weeks of receiving your complaint or we agree before the eight weeks is up in writing, that the dispute should be settled by independent adjudication, you have the option of referring your complaint for independent consideration to CISAS (the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme) of which Virgin Media is a member. CISAS will take evidence from both you and Virgin Media, and will make an independent decision based purely on the merits of the case.

Please note that the CISAS scheme only applies to telecoms services (telephony and internet access) and not to TV services. Contact details for CISAS are as follows:

CISAS

24 Angel Gate

City Road

London

EC1V 2PT

Tel: 0845 1308 170

E-mail info@cisas.org.uk

Web www.cisas.org.uk

Further help and advice can be obtained from your local Citizens Advice Bureau but please note this is not part of the formal complaint process.

 

Hope that helps

[MaxxPower]

It does state in their Terms and Conditions however that there is Traffic Management in place, it's not hard to track this info down on their website. The mention of Unlimited does have a little mark which points you to a section on Traffic Management, listing the various packages and when the traffic management will apply.

 

The only package Virgin Media offer that isn't (currently) traffic managed is their 50MB package.

[ZappBrannigan]

Yeah sorry I've got to agree with MaxxPower. It's in your T&Cs and Virgin do mention fair use/ traffic management when you sign up (at least they did when I was with them a few years ago) and have lots of info on it elsewhere.

 

There are also numerous independent (i.e. non-Virgin) sites/articles that compare fair use. Like this one: Broadband Fair Use Policies Exposed and Explained

 

I hate to say it but legally - if not morally! - VM are in the right on this one.

[locutus]

Complaining as far as CISAS does cost them money! Maybe if you requested they drop any minimum term and allow you to change provider, or send you a DEADLOCK letter so you can escalate the complaint to CISAS, and if they agree you can move on if that is what you wish. Alternativly, if you are downoading 1.5 gig per day, consider getting the fastest package. All the complaints with VM fibre optic broadband, very few are speed related unless the "trafic management" is involved!

[pugilist]

Thank you everyone!

 

locutus, I think I follow their own complaint procedure, even though I don't believe much in success. But at least I'll do my best.

[pugilist]

It does state in their Terms and Conditions however that there is Traffic Management in place, it's not hard to track this info down on their website. The mention of Unlimited does have a little mark which points you to a section on Traffic Management, listing the various packages and when the traffic management will apply.

 

The only package Virgin Media offer that isn't (currently) traffic managed is their 50MB package.

 

Well, actually it was my friend who signed the contract for me. I was not present at that moment.

He asked that Virgin shop's stuff if Unlimited was completely unlimited or there were some resevations. And the Virgin sales man assured him saying smth like "it is absolutely unlimited" and didn't mention anything about traffic management.

[pugilist]

Yeah sorry I've got to agree with MaxxPower. It's in your T&Cs and Virgin do mention fair use/ traffic management when you sign up (at least they did when I was with them a few years ago) and have lots of info on it elsewhere.

 

There are also numerous independent (i.e. non-Virgin) sites/articles that compare fair use. Like this one: Broadband Fair Use Policies Exposed and Explained

 

I hate to say it but legally - if not morally! - VM are in the right on this one.

I agree with you.

But I am 100 percent sure now that they cheat their customers out of their money intentionally.

I'll do my best to expose them.

[Bookworm]

Actually, for some of us who have been with VM for years and years (when it was still Telewest!), the T&Cs did NOT have any kind of FUP or throttling, and they introduced these very sneakily and very quietly. For a lot of us, we only realised this when we started getting throttled and complained and were then told of the T&Cs in which we had been opted. Very one-sided and very underhanded, but unfortunately not a lot one can do apart from change providers.

 

Even more unfortunately, and wrongly IMO, the regulators have held that "unlimited" refers to the access (is 24/7) and not to the speed. I am of the understanding that changes may be in the air where they won't be allowed to advertise "up to" speeds if the reality id nowhere near, but I'll believe that when I see it.

[pugilist]

Today I've got another surprise from Virgin:

I received my first bill from them. Everything is fine apart from Manned installation charge of £35.00... That person said the installation will be free!!!

Plus he said that it will be not 2 months free broadband but three months broadband for me, but there's no mention about three months free, only 2 months free...

I've got the name and the phone number of the man who lied to my friend(he has a witness, his gf). I want to bring him to account.