Virgin

[kevinlightfoot]

Has anyone else had problems with Virgin Media?We have their system installed and we are not happy,the WiFi doesn’t reach upstairs ,there is a problem where we cannot alter the picture format so that we can choose Zoom to get rid of the large black strips at the top and bottom of our screen.We have tried getting a virgin technician to come out but we just get a foreigner telling us everything is okay.There is a 14 day cooling off period and we are in two minds whether or not to cancel.Has anyone had the same sort of trouble?

 

[NikNak]

We were with Virgin for years and years and ye...... you get it. Yeah the wifi signal was a bit carp, bought a booster for upstairs, but we got used to it. I'm no techy but i'd say the black 'banding' on your zoom meets is more to do with your tv/ipad but stand to be corrected.

The only reason we ditched them in the end was cost. It just went up and up and up and up each year Started off at a great rate, cant remember exactly, somewhere around the mid £20's i think. And bear in mind we only had 'basic' tv no fancy channels, bb and landline which we never used. By the time it reached £70 per month we said enough is enough. Were sorry to see the amazing bb speed of 105ish Mb/s go. But the promised 62 M/bs from Vodafone is regularly around 75 M/bs and upload twice as fast as Virgin at 19 M/bs. How much.? £23 a month fixed for 2 years. But then it'll go up... by... £2..!!

The switching was the hardest part.... Virgin did not make it easy.

Good luck

 

[Dionysios]

I agree with NikNak that the black strips on Zoom probably has to do with your TV/Tablet.

Virgin SuperHub router is infamous for its poor (and unstable as well) WiFi performance. I don’t know if the latest version of their router has sorted out any of these issues.

I had a very poor signal everywhere in the house apart from the living room were the router is placed. I tried WiFi extender but then I had to deal with the constant dropping of the WiFi signal and the need of frequent reset of the router.

The solution was to buy a new WiFi router and connect it to the Virgin SuperHub that now works only as a modem (you can’t get rid of it completely). Now the signal is strong everywhere in the house without the need of a WiFi extender, in the very rare occasion that it drops it will reconnect within a couple of seconds and I can finally enjoy the 100Mbps actual speed.

 

[NikNak]

I had a very poor signal everywhere in the house apart from the living room were the router is placed. I tried WiFi extender but then I had to deal with the constant dropping of the WiFi signal and the need of frequent reset of the router.

oh yeah forgot about the constant dropping out..... we'd be forever asking 'Alexa' to reconnect the radio etc and couldn't understand why.... "bloody rubbish technology..." we'd say. When we then switched away from Virgin the dropouts disappeared..!

 

[BHwoodworking]

yep. it's C_R_A_P.

 

[Linus]

IMHO

They will promise the earth and it will end up costing you just that. The word bargepole comes to mind. I could detail the issues I had but I don't think I have long enough left to live and I have to watch my blood pressure. Fine when they work but the slightest issue...................just try getting hold of them! The problem with Virgin is you are tied to their network. All other providers use the BT/Openreach network and they are now overtaking Virgin with their fibre offerings in most areas.

 

[devonwoody]

I expect a battle with virgin starting today again, my discounts are threatened (been with them and discounts for over20 years. I do not need the 100mbs speed but what is reception like going via BT telephone lines these days?
can I get good reception speed on you tube?
oh and Iplayer?

 

[Owd Jockey]

We have been yo-yo-ing between Sky and Virgin for the last 20 years. I don't hold either in any high regard, just looking at how much it costs and who can out do the other with deals. Currently with Virgin, as part of a Black Friday Deal. Issues in our bungalow with Wi-Fi re: coverage as far as our kitchen. Decided to splash out on a TP Link AC2600 range extender which did the trick, expensive at c£70. Coincidentally Virgin emailed me last week to report that they had upgraded all of their Router wi-fi capabilities, personally I did not see any difference.
There are a few free apps you can download to your smartphone for network analysing, I personally use WIFI Analyzer which gives a good indication of the signal strength (Db reading) around the house.

 

[kevinlightfoot]

Managed to get in touch with them this morning,as soon as I mentioned cancellation an English man came to the phone and organised an engineer to come out on Thursday to try and resolve the issues.I wish I’d never got involved with them,I’ve cancelled the direct debit now and they won’t get a penny until they deliver what they promised.

 

[niemeyjt]

-media, -mobile and -money

My experience is if there is "Virgin" in the name you will get shafted.

Tip to everyone - if your ISP gives you an e-mail address, don't use it. Use an independent one instead as it will make changing your ISP much easier.

 

[Hutzul]

I had 6 months of dispute with VM. Back in 2010 (ish) my mum (74yo) moved to them. She was paying £30, plus calls, just for her landline. Her landline was cable fed.
I had 6months of aggro with VM trying to get a landline only contract. Their excuse was 'the contract includes broadband....' . She didn't need broadband or even understand what it is.
I have friends who also have nowt good to say about VM. There's lots of choice out there : Good Luck !

 

[thetyreman]

what is reception like going via BT telephone lines these days?
can I get good reception speed on you tube?
oh and Iplayer?

BT are terrible from my experience, far worse than virgin in terms of actual performance, I had constant issues with speed and dropouts.

 

[selectortone]

BT are terrible from my experience, far worse than virgin in terms of actual performance, I had constant issues with speed and dropouts.

I'd rather be boiled in oil than have any dealings with BT ever again.

 

[gregmcateer]

Can't speak for or against the others, but suspect they're pretty awful, but the one thing, (literally, the one thing), me and the missus argue about is Virgin-effing-Media. I detest their sales techniques, their customer service, even their pathetic attempts at humour on the terms and conditions - e.g. "Sorry, now for the boring bit" (actual quote!). For some strange reason I'm yet to fathom, SWMBO resists changing cos some middle aged Doris on Insta said others were bad. As I said, they may well be bad, but I KNOW Virgin are, so can them, I say.
Rant over.
Oooh, nearly over. We do actually argue over why I should or shouldn't go skiing, but that's too long a story for a forum post - makes sharpening threads look like a Janet and John story

 

[Padster]

So I've been with Virgin, since they acquired NTL, and was with them because they'd acquired the previous local company. Now what I can said is it has always been fibre and so the speeds and signal I get has been great, but as some else has said their Hub/Router is pants! and always has been!
So you have to turn their router into effectively a dumb modem and attach your own router this gives you better performance and way more flexibility and capability, it costs you a little more and to be honest you do need to understand a little, but if you can you end up with a great network from the best/fastest signal.

Padster

 

[Owd Jockey]

A few years back while ditching Sky and going back to Virgin, their 'technician' made a right pigs-ear of the wiring feed into our house. I could have tacked it back myself, but because I was paying for the install I made them come back under the threat of cancellation. They came back pretty sharpish. Talking about Virgin routers, if I remember rightly, you have to return their routers when you cancel, which always makes me suspicious when I take a new contract out with them to check if i'm getting a new one or a 'refurbed'

 

[thetyreman]

if you want to splash out, yes they are expensive but Zen Internet are the best of the best.

 

[Glitch]

So I've been with Virgin, since they acquired NTL, and was with them because they'd acquired the previous local company. Now what I can said is it has always been fibre and so the speeds and signal I get has been great, but as some else has said their Hub/Router is pants! and always has been!
So you have to turn their router into effectively a dumb modem and attach your own router this gives you better performance and way more flexibility and capability, it costs you a little more and to be honest you do need to understand a little, but if you can you end up with a great network from the best/fastest signal.

Padster

Same here. I still have an NTLWorld email address.

I run my Virgin router in Modem mode and have my own ASUS router for Wifi and Ethernet connections. I have had an extender kit when No. 1 son was gaming in his bedroom. He's now in his own flat with Hyperoptic Gigabit fibre connection - although the stupid builders but the router in a cupboard with no Cat 5/6 into the living room so he has to run on Wifi !!

As with any technology there has been the occasional VM problems but they get fixed.

I've reduced the TV package and Broadband speed because the nest has emptied. The price does always creep back up

I call every year or two and threaten to leave because it's too expensive.

I never wanted a Sky dish on the house though and we've recently become a conservation area so I think it might need planning permission now.

All in all I'm happy with VM. No intention of leaving at the moment.

Need to get the Wifi extended to the new shed/shop/shack at the end of the garden.


Broadband quality not too bad.

 

[Bm101]

Phone them up and ask for the V.4 router.

 

[LeeElms]

...
I call every year or two and threaten to leave because it's too expensive.
...

How much reduction do you get by threatening to leave?