Virgin Media Continues to Fail

Tonight as of 9:30 I can’t access the Internet via Virgin Media. My cable modem is steadily blinking. On these devices any other blinking or strobing is fine. Only when it’s steady is something wrong. Something is definitely wrong tonight.

There are five numbers listed on the back of the Virgin Media bill that might lead to some resolution. I calmly started dialing, using incidentally, my Virgin Media telephone line.

Customer care, 150, gives a long unbroken beep.
Faults, 151 gives “it has not been possible to connect your call”.
Externally, 0845 454 1111, “we’re having some technical difficulties right now… if you need some help in a hurry, you can visit our website". Can I really?
The service status line, 0800 561 0061, same message as 151.
The expensive broadband support line, 0906 CHICHING, “I’m sorry this number is not in service”

I was absolutely convinced I must have been barred from calling out, but no, my own mobile phone buzzed agreeably when I dialed *that* number.

So, I have no broadband connection, the faults and status lines says the situation is impossible, the external line is having technical difficulties and as it has done so often in the past, asked me to visit a web site that I obviously have no chance of accessing, and even the cash gouging 25p/minute broadband support line that I repeat I will “ONLY EVER NEED TO CALL IF THEY FUCK THINGS UP”, aka tonight, is allegedly out of service.

If I didn’t know better I’d think something terrible had happened at Virgin Media tonight. Part of me hopes so. May I congratulate them though on perhaps the longest streak yet of unbroken connectivity, not so much because I mind losing access on the odd occasion for an hour or two if maintenance necessitates it, more because I haven’t had to attempt to get in touch with them for such a long time, which has always been, remains to be, and I have no doubt will always be a move that leads to the very worst customer service experience around.

Branson seems to have long since abandoned any interest in maintaining an air of positivity around the Virgin brand. Buying shit businesses like NTL and doing nothing whatsoever to improve them is clear evidence of this. Isn't he circling Northern Rock as we speak?

Oh and by the way, it came back about an hour later. If I could be bothered i'd try the phone numbers again to see if they came back, but i'd imagine the only person less interested in that than me right now is you.