Virgin mucks up the Media

We’ve been trundling along with Virgin for a while now. We’ve got the basic broadband, TV and free evening calls package. And then, just like that, they offer us a free upgrade to the latest equipment. We get a free TiVo box and upgraded modem that lets them expand their wireless network. But it’s muggins here that installs it. It arrived in one impressive switchover kit that would take just an hour to set up. It took me the whole evening. I called them up to activate the account which was very quick and easy. Because I was using the same phone that we were subscribed to; I didn’t need any account numbers. Then the grand unplugging began. The first snag was when I couldn’t find the cable spanner that lets me disconnect the old modem. It was hidden deep within the TiVo box and not the modem as the guide suggested. Once the modem was set up, I had to reconfigure all our wireless devices to the new signal. Then it was onto the TV. This took a little longer as it crashed the first time around and it had to start again. But once it was up and running, there was very little difference other than a new menu. But the most frustrating part was searching for the remote code to use on the TV, which was pointless anyway as it doesn’t turn the TV off. But rather than list the codes with the manufacturer models; it just gave brand names and a list of suggested codes to try. So apart from that it all works except the modem fails occasionally and the help page doesn't load. That's when we pull the plug. Lucky for them, it comes back on again.