All 5 entries tagged Virgin Media Complaints

Various Complaints Numbers for Virgin Media, VM, Omnibus Post.

Writing about web page http://ddaerials.com

I first blogged about Various Virgin Media Complaints Numbers back in March 2008. Since then this has been consistently attracted the highest number of visitors to this Blog building again to 275 in the last 30 days.

There have been 3 fresh comments added to this post already in December 2009 indicating that more visitors should be expected. You can see the comments by following the trackback.

My VM nightmare is now over thanks to Digital Direct Aerials that I covered in Virgin Media blackout over but just as my problems were solved I find that the analogue switchoff saga rolls on down the M5 continues all across Niki’s Digital Direct coverage area!

This is the first time that I felt the need of an omnibus blog post! But it may help to take visitors to the hottest topic and comments.

Robert McGonigle : 11 Dec 2009 17:49 |  Tags: Analogue Cable Switchoff Virgin Media Virgin Media Complaints Vm Complaints |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Analogue Cable Switch–off rolls on down M5

Writing about web page http://ddaerials.com/tv-aerials/4g-freeview-interference

My Analytics revealed that visitors searching for “Virgin Media Complaints” had grown again over the last fortnight with over 100 searchers using this and related queries.

So I searched the web to see what could be causing this?
I found that November was a big shut-off month down the M5:

=== October ===
1st. Virgin Media will today Switch Off Analogue Cable in the following areas:
Basildon, Birmingham/Small Heath. Grimsby, Hemel Hempstead, Norwich,
South London/Croydon, Sussex (Brighton), Thames Valley (Reading), Warwick.

=== November ===
2nd. Virgin Media will today Switch Off Analogue Cable in the following areas:
Belfast & Derry, Haringey, Camden, Enfield, Hackney & Islington,
Stafford, Lichfield & Tamworth, Teesside (Stockton, Darlington & Middlesbrough), Uddingston,
Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Telford, Kidderminster, Redditch, Wessex (Poole & Bournemouth).

Lets face it, with price hikes and the steady removal of channels, anyone still left on the Analogue cable service must have real reception problems, an aversion to Sky or other problems. So I think that my mate Niki Chan’s Digital Direct Aerials team will be busy with the other Freeview & Freesat aerial & dish installers in Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Dudley, Stourbridge, Redditch etc.

Robert McGonigle : 06 Oct 2009 17:53 |  Tags: Analogue Cable Switchoff Virgin Media Complaints Vm Complaints |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Virgin Media blackout ended by Nik of Digital Direct Aerials

Writing about web page http://ddaerials.com/digital-aerial-fitting/

Spring 2008 saw a lot of entries on this blog about how Virgin Media’s early shut-off of their analogue cable service left my house without access to broadcast TV. See the links below.

We were left without coverage due to having trees or hills to the west, south & east of the house. The local aerial installers would not even bring up their ladders. The Sky guys came around and at least tried to punch through the trees. So for 15 months we have been dependant on our thankfully good ADSL internet and the iPlayer etc.

I was looking around the website of a new client, Nik Chan, see link above, to see that he specialised in difficult digital TV reception sites and installations. So I asked him to come over and do a survey. He saw that things would be difficult but came back with the best aerial and a long pole. Results were still marginal but Niki declared that he would mount a bracket to give the best chance.

Twenty minutes later he declared passes for all 6 freeview multiplexes! The reception on our bargain flat screen exceeded my expectations. I know that we are on the edge. Things will improve as the leaves fall and be worse in the spring but long term the Central region digital switchover power boost in 2011 will be a great help.

So Digital Direct Aerials provide a happy ending to the saga told in these entries:

First I struggled to find out who to complain to in
Various Complaints Numbers for Virgin Media.
Then I got through to the CEO’s team to be given Virgin Media’s excuses :
Coventry Analogue Cable Switch–off next week – 3 years ahead of Digital UK Plan!
Before getting it straight from Ofcom in
OFCOM says Coventry Analogue Cable switch–off is VM commercial call.

Robert McGonigle : 23 Sep 2009 21:18 |  Tags: Analogue Cable Switchoff Digital Switchover Digital TV Reception Freeview Fixed Virgin Media Complaints |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

OFCOM says Coventry Analogue Cable switch–off is VM commercial call.

Follow-up to Coventry Analogue Cable Switch–off next week – 3 years ahead of Digital UK Plan! from Rob McGonigle on Internet Search & SMEs

Ofcom replied to my email explaining that the early switch-off of our analogue cable service, yesterday, was a Virgin Media commercial decision and told me to find a better aerial / satellite dish fitter.

A Sky salesman has been in the road and found 5 more neighbours that are in the same boat. He was selling a ‘better dish’ that can pick up the signal through the trees. I am not convinced as the signal depends not only on brute signal levels but also error rates caused by the leaves and movement. Some of the neighbours are in better positions so we will see how they get on. The Sky man did observe the prevalence of mini-dishes caused by the poor Freeview reception and declared.

Whitley has become a Sky village.

My experience with Virgin Media’s customer service has not improved even after they cut the house off. The direct debit was not adjusted so VM have charged me for days with zero service. I stripped out their ancient cable boxes last night as they run very hot. Whatever I use in the future will use less power than these heaters.

Robert McGonigle : 02 May 2008 14:58 |  Tags: Coventry Analogue Cable Ofcom Sky Satellite TV Virgin Media Complaints |  Comments (3) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Coventry Analogue Cable Switch–off next week – 3 years ahead of Digital UK Plan!

Writing about web page http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when

The escalation of my complaint to Virgin Media’s Chief Executive’s office actually produced a reply.
Patricia Wolstenholme called, apologised because there was nothing VM could do then added the surprise.

Virgin Media did not decide when to turn off their analogue cable service in Coventry. This was due to the head end feed service being switched off by BT as a part of the national plan.

Patricia was vague about who was behind this decision.

I can’t receive Freeview or satellite TV due to local topology and close large trees. My home will have a better chance of receiving the Freeview service when the Central region analogue transmitters close down in 2011. This is because the Terrestrial Digital transmitters can then use higher power levels as these will no longer interfere with analogue transmissions.

This interference problem is clearly why the switch-over to digital TV has been planned in such a carefully choreographed manner.

So why has the feed to Virgin Media’s analogue cable customers in Coventry been cut off three years before this regions planned switch-over date?
This could still be a VM commercial decision but I am following my enquiries to Gregory Bensberg, the Ofcom Director responsible for the Digital Switchover, gregory.bensberg@ofcom.org.uk with no response so far.

I have learned that you can get high level, timely answers to complaints from Virgin Media but you have to approach the Cheif Executive’s Office. The Cheif Executive is Neil Berkett, his email address produced the response, neil.berkett@virginmedia.co.uk and that his office’s number is currently 08456505050. It is a shame that I finally find this out in my last week as a customer.

Robert McGonigle : 25 Apr 2008 10:16 |  Tags: Anologue Cable Digital Switchover Digital TV Digital Uk Ofcom Sigital Switch Over Virgin Media Virgin Media Complaints Vm |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem