Virgin Media - Tivo Installation - Beware!!

[henryscat]

In the past couple of weeks both my brother and parents have had Virgin Media round to upgrade to Tivo boxes (if you phone up and ask to get the same deal as new customers and a free installation then they will do so!).

As part of the installation they replace the cable modem for the interweb as well with a new modem/routery contraption. On both occasions the installer didn't bother replacing the mains adaptor and used the old one. The old adaptors are 10V / 1.2A, but the new modem is 12V rated at 1.5A so exceeds the rating of the old adaptor which is also the wrong voltage - the installer should use a new one!

My brother only noticed when he felt the adaptor and it was too hot to touch - not good. He phoned up and complained, and an engineer was dispatched to deliver the proper adaptor. So, if you're having a Tivo installation (or have had one) it is worth checking they don't leave you an old adaptor.

 

[shoes]

lol 'engineer'

Such a misused word these days, mainly by people who should know better (large companies).

Engineering is hard. Installing tivo boxes is not.

 

[tek-monkey]

Ours tried to do the same, I took it off him before he left.

 

[Vault_girl]

Thanks for this. We're getting an upgrade to Tivo etc etc this week. I shall inform Vault Boy to oversee the work!

On a side note - does anyone know if since we've had the old virgin box for almost 3 years we can keep it after the Tivo arrives? I don't know whether it would be of use other than to flog on ebay but I don't want them running off with it if it is technically ours.

 

[tek-monkey]

I kept ours.

 

[Vault_girl]

It looks like our V+ box may have been taken by the engineers. Does anyone know if there is a way to get it back? And they have used the same power cable again even though vault boy specifically asked them to change it over and they told him they had. but they left the packaging and there isnt another power cable.
does anyone know the number to call to make a complaint?

 

[shoes]

I shall inform Vault Boy to oversee the work!

It looks like our V+ box may have been taken by the engineers. Does anyone know if there is a way to get it back? And they have used the same power cable again even though vault boy specifically asked them to change it over and they told him they had. but they left the packaging and there isnt another power cable.
does anyone know the number to call to make a complaint?

Vault Boy

 

[Vault_girl]

Vault Boy

pretty much... :-D

 

[Jonah]

Thanks for this. We're getting an upgrade to Tivo etc etc this week. I shall inform Vault Boy to oversee the work!

On a side note - does anyone know if since we've had the old virgin box for almost 3 years we can keep it after the Tivo arrives? I don't know whether it would be of use other than to flog on ebay but I don't want them running off with it if it is technically ours.

You don't own any Virgin equipment. They rent it to you as part of the package and also give free technical support and fault fixing.

 

[Bob]

Vault Boy

Shoes I hope you're not refering to Vault Girls other half as a penis!

 

[shoes]

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

 

[shoes]

No, not at all

 

[Bob]

You have far too much time on your hands

 

[shoes]

yeah, you're right. And what I had to google to get the top part of that image...... what is seen cannot be unseen

 

[Vault_girl]

Just got back and phoned virgin media to rant at them. unfortunately my time is short this evening so couldnt tackle the tv box which was taken (will still see if we can get it back - it had episode of Alcatraz on it I still hadn't seen. it'll be interesting to see how angry I can get at them over it and see what they do about it)
I told them they had left the wrong power supply and I was very annoyed because one of their engineers lied to our face when we specifically asked them to ensure the correct PSU was used and they told us they had done and then they haven't (it's still got our "modem" label stuck on it!!) the indian call centre guy went away for 10 minutes and came back and said he cant send me just a new power supply so they are sending a new superhub with power supply and we can keep the other one as a spare in case it breaks.

so... we'll see if it arrives... but vault boy said they folded up the box the superhub came in and he looked thru the remains after they left and there was no power supply in it. so it sounds like the engineers are just stealing power supplies... ... ...

and of course I've never had a phone line so don't have any landline phones I can use to test the phone line works... or use to call customer services for free so it's costing me to call them to complain about their engineers being [insert expletive here].

tivo box looks snazzy though! It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be.

 

[Vault_girl]

You don't own any Virgin equipment. They rent it to you as part of the package and also give free technical support and fault fixing.

I guessed as much but when you have to pay an amount up front for the box when you order the service I wondered if you are paying for the box itself... if that makes sense - if a box breaks and you need a new one they usually charge for the new one which sounds to me like you're buying the item. I think (but it was 3 years ago so I'd have to check bills) that we had to pay £100 for the HD box when we took out the package we were on.

 

[tek-monkey]

My engineer said to keep the old equipment in case virgin want it back.

 

[henryscat]

the indian call centre guy went away for 10 minutes and came back and said he cant send me just a new power supply so they are sending a new superhub with power supply and we can keep the other one as a spare in case it breaks.

so... we'll see if it arrives... but vault boy said they folded up the box the superhub came in and he looked thru the remains after they left and there was no power supply in it. so it sounds like the engineers are just stealing power supplies... ... ...

You did well to not have to send the hub back. With my parents, they sent a new one with correct power supply and demanded the other one was sent back (at Virgin's expense, but had to be taken to some collection point which required a trip to a Jet garage to drop it off). In my brother's case they managed to send an engineer out in a van to deliver just a new power supply.

 

[Vault_girl]

You did well to not have to send the hub back. With my parents, they sent a new one with correct power supply and demanded the other one was sent back (at Virgin's expense, but had to be taken to some collection point which required a trip to a Jet garage to drop it off). In my brother's case they managed to send an engineer out in a van to deliver just a new power supply.

I think it's because I told them how angry I was that we were aware of the situation with power supplies and one of their engineers had outright lied to vault boy when he had tried to make sure they didn't do the wrong thing. Though if he had said that we would have to send it back at our inconvenience I would have told him to stuff it and asked to begin cancelling the contract.

 

[wildwood]

Just has Tivo and a superhub installed last week - and have had nothing but problems with t'internet. We're already on our second superhub.