Why isn't Virgin Media working anymore?

Virgin Media is a broadband provider that has been experiencing a lot of technical issues, primarily related to its outdated broadband network. Customers have been frustrated with frequent outages and slow speeds, which have been causing a lot of inconveniences.

Poor Customer Service

Their customer service is another major area of concern. The customer service representatives are poorly trained and based in Asia, which makes it difficult and complex for customers to cancel the service. Moreover, they require a 30-day notice even if the contract is about to expire. This makes it almost impossible for customers to leave the service without incurring additional charges.

To make matters worse, Virgin Media recently doubled its prices, making it one of the most expensive broadband providers in the UK. This move has not gone down well with customers, many of whom are feeling ripped off.

The company’s reputation has taken a hit as well, with a 1.2/5 rating on Trustpilot and over 1,000 1-star reviews. This is not surprising, given the numerous complaints about their customer service, which is widely considered to be the worst in the industry. 

Engineers who come to customers’ homes are often clueless and have no idea what they’re doing, which leads to further frustration.

Contract Ending Issues

Customers have also complained about the lengthy process of ending the contract. One customer reported spending two hours on the phone talking to the Asian support team, which was a waste of time. Other customers have reported spending up to four days calling the call centre based in South Africa, only to be constantly cut off and fobbed off.

The case of a medical practice account being closed without her knowledge and being cut off is another instance that shows the unprofessional nature of Virgin media. This is not the only time when Virgin Media’s callous attitude towards its customers has come under scrutiny.

As research in 2018, Ofcom investigated Virgin Media under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for the fairness and transparency of its procedures and contract terms that apply to customers moving home, Virgin Media was fined £7m for these contraventions, and yet again its malpractice was proven.

Virgin Media and O2 might cause further disruptions

The recent merger between Virgin Media and O2 has not been met with enthusiasm by customers. This merger has led to the replacement of Virgin Media’s network with O2’s network for all mobile traffic.

Virgin Media and O2 has announced that it will start moving customers from Virgin Mobile to O2 plans from March. But the question is, why? It is not clear how this change will benefit customers, and many are concerned about the potential drawbacks.

The Liberty Global cablenet merged with Telefonica’s O2 in June 2021, ending the association with Vodafone that had been providing services on Virgin Mobile under an MVNO agreement. It seems like Virgin media is just moving on from one network to another without having any proper plan in mind.

The first group of Virgin Media customers will be notified of the change next month, But it should be noted that these are not good news, as customer will be unaware of potential issues which might arise. They are being promised unlimited texts and voice calls, and either double the data or unlimited data for the same amount each month. But when you look at the bigger picture, no customers will see the cost of their plan rise as a result of the move, but will face hidden charges and drawbacks which will surface in the long run.

This merger is clearly a business move for Virgin Media and O2, but leaves the customers with uncertainty and confusion.

Overall, it’s clear that Virgin Media has a lot of work to do in order to improve its customer service and technical issues. Many customers are asking the CEO Lutz Schüler, who has been at the helm of the company, to be investigated by the watchdog for malpractice.