Virgin Media 😡
Upgraded to new M350 broadband /phone/TV
The home phone, TV & broadband now connects via one hub not like previously where you had two different connections your phone and TV/broadband.
So if you have a fault with the hub or line outside it’s a goner as you have no phone or internet or TV!!! And the worst is if you have no home security you will not be able to connect!
Upgraded to new M350 broadband /phone/TV
The home phone, TV & broadband now connects via one hub not like previously where you had two different connections your phone and TV/broadband.
So if you have a fault with the hub or line outside it’s a goner as you have no phone or internet or TV!!! And the worst is if you have no home security you will not be able to connect!
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sorted byAnd for that, Virgin will provide an emergency backup to vulnerable customers to enable calling the emergency services in the event of a power outage or VoIP failure. (edited)
I suspect that document is outdated. The Purple Zone was the first to trial 21CV. It should be available to anyone with 21CV now: virginmedia.com/hel…one
Again that seems outdated; if you use 21CV (regardless of zone) then it will not be available in the event of a power cut. The Hub must be powered up to supply voice services.
That page would be true if users outside of the Purple Zone were still on copper wire phone lines, but as far as I'm aware all new installations now (regardless of zone) are 21CV, hence, outdated.
With the 21CV rollout, the old "zones" become irrelevant. The zones were based on the switch technology used in that area. Virgin is made up of lots of gobbled up companies, all of whom used differing switch technology. It's all legacy, and will be demised nationwide by 2025. (edited)
Fall alarms and house alarms are starting to come with simcards, times are changing and the argument for keeping old copper cables is lost (edited)
Oh and VM aren’t the only company doing this all others are as well. (edited)
Unfortunately, they didn't invent a mobile phone network to go along with those mobile phones that a) covers everyone, b) is 100% reliable and c) could power the those mobile phones they invented in the event that their batteries ran out..
Whilst a separate powered landline may seem pointless for the majority, for others, such as the elderly and disabled who are reliant on safety/monitoring systems that need to have as close to 100% up time as possible, no matter how remote the location, they are essential. (edited)
Thank you, that's great to hear. I know companies are meant to provide at least 1hr back up by the switchover in 2025 but when I searched in the past I didn't find anything for Virgin so I'm glad they have that.
For anyone else interested it's called: Emergency Backup Line (EBUL)
See pages 35-37:
Phone User Guide.pdf (virginmedia.com)
It should be noted though that this uses the mobile phone network, and is only currently available to those in the Purple Zone, so not all customer. See page 3 of the above link for info on how to check your zone.
[See posts below for why this last sentence doesn't apply] (edited)Interesting, thanks. I found this also which says users in the other zones will still have a powered phone line in the event of a power outage as there is a backup supply in the street cabinets, so it shouldn't be an issue in any case.
Home Phone alarm compatibility | Virgin Media (edited)
Thanks. I wish VM would update their website as that's the page they send you to. I still wonder how it works in areas that do not have reliable mobile phone service, or even none at all?
Excuse the potentially obvious question, but just in case: Is your landline a wireless phone? If so you won't get a signal as the base station needs power. The phone has to be the wired kind to stay powered during a power cut.
nope, its an old fashioned (no plug to mains) phone. it is not wireless /cordless (edited)
As exchanged have batteries (generators at larger ones) the most likely reason is the phone line came down at some point. But yeah, it's pretty unusual for it not to work.
really, even thru virgin... the phone line went at the exact moment the power went as i was on the phone at the time
wouldn't the most likely reason be the local battery virgin media has at the cabinet didn't work? so it never even got to the exchange
(prob a sign of things to come when the old reliable phone lines ae no longer used and important systems rely on IP which does not seem to work in a power cut)... i dont really see this as a good idea! (edited)
Sorry, I must be getting addled in my old age. I forgot we were talking about Virgin. But yes, the local cabinet should have a battery, so it not working could be a possible reason.
Perhaps the introduction of mobile phones passed you by?
LOL.
i am under the impression still that landlines are more reliable than mobile phones.
primarily, they dont require a battery/power, landlines should operate during a powercut.
calls always seem clearer to me on landlines .
signal strength is not dependent on the amount of users for another (edited)
I don’t know whatever would give you that impression
uswitch.com/mob…me/
And here’s a link about people’s recent experiences during storm Arwen.
bbc.co.uk/new…480
what’s worrying is that the government response to the question of mobile coverage is that everyone in the UK has access to G2 so can call the emergency services no matter where they are, so it’s not an issue. Which means, if you are in a not spot, out in the middle of the countryside and the power goes out locally, you have no method of reporting that powercut in order to get it fixed, it’s not an issue, because you can at least call emegency services if your life is at risk. If you are disabled and cant get downstairs because your stair lift has no power, you cant call your family, friends or carers to get them to bring you necessities, but thats not an issue, because you can call the emergency services if your life is at risk. Etc.
And that’s before you get into the fact that at least two major phone companies have said they will be shutting down their G2 networks in 2025, and more are likely to follow their lead.
But anyway, don’t worry about lack of mobile coverage, because the operators will supply batteries, and supply larger batteries to rural communities, so you can use the landline. Except the operators arent supplying batteries as they are in short supply. A situation unlikely to change before the switch over date in 2025, and quite possibly get worse due to higher demand.
And should you be lucky enough to get a battery, the fact that they only last an hour is fine because. “most power cuts are less than an hour long”. Forgetting the fact that longer powercuts are most likely to happen during severe storms. You know, those periods of time when the elderly, sick and disabled will be most likely to be in need of assistance. But hey, at least we can be thankful those pesky severe weather events that cause long outages won’t be happening with more and more frequency any time soon right? ….oh yeah, I forgot.
This whole thing has the stench of “designed by committee” all over it.
and its funny how most people dont think about backup systems (edited)