Virgin Mobile greeted with mixed feelings

I've been forced to go with a mobile wireless connection for connectivity at home simply because:

1) Telkom is dragging their feet in getting a line installed;
2) iBurst and Sentech don't cover my area.

Many people sit in the same situation where they simply do not have any other choice than to use mobile wireless and its unfortunate that they tend to have to pay through their noses for this.
 
Virgin Mobile South Africa - [Wed, Jul 12] Thank you Virgin Mobile Customers for all your patience, we are experiencing a couple of teething problems at the moment. Your patience is much appreciated.

I tend to think VM are being sloppy. They base their advertising on several HUGE points - one being Great Customer Service.

Virgin Promise:

"We'll answer your calls promptly and, when we have lots of calls to answer, we won't keep you on hold [like Vodacom:D ]till America nominates a new President. We won't put you through to the supervisor's supervisor who's on long lunch [like Vodacom:D ]. After having undergone extensive training, VM staff members have the authority to deal with virtually any request on the spot[unlike Vodaphone or MtN:D ]. But everyone boasts ... so rather put us to the test"

- I've added the comments -

Are they really delivering?? A quick glance at hellopeter.com suggests otherwise.:eek:
As below:

Virgin Reality:

On Tuesday i recieved my phone, with R50.00 pre loaded airtime, The R100 from my V100 account and I put a thresh hold of another R100 on the account. Now my so called R250 airtime is up! How because when i check my balance it says R100.

So I call the call center on Wednesday, the answer I get is we are experiencing difficulties with the airtime. But I will phone you back shortly!

Again on Thursday I call and I get the same answer: I will phone you back!

So on Friday I phone again and the guy says to me his supervisor " Denzel" or "Zelda" is not available but he will call me back before 15h00 today! And guess what no phone call!

Now I mean realy if this is what service is then please collect your phone and sim card. I dont need this type of treatment in my life!!!!!!!
 
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Yeah

Skeptik said:
Are they really delivering?? A quick glance at hellopeter.com suggests otherwise.:eek:
Click to expand...

Actually, as Bwana (I think) pointed out - they are doing better ratio wise than the other operators... But that's still not good enough IMO.
 
Billing problems ? mmmm, I was wondering how I could scrape R120 in a week and a half, how the hell do I know if they didn't overcharge me or deduct my airtime? I don't even use my phone for gprs or mms, because the Nokia 5100 VM settings are totally bUSTEd!!! I send sms's and make the odd phone call and now I realise that they call me a liar too? I phoned 5 times and didn't get a callback and they're saying it's bull? Screw you Virgin (Or rather people pleaser), get your act together.
 
thorin1 said:
Actually, as Bwana (I think) pointed out - they are doing better ratio wise than the other operators... But that's still not good enough IMO.
Click to expand...
That may be the case, however the other operators didn't make all these promises that VM are not honouring. In fact one rep told me the higher starter pack charge was BECAUSE Virgin had better service and no hidden charges! If a company uses a higher level of service as a distinguishing feature in order to sell their product, they had better deliver.
 
True

Skeptik said:
That may be the case, however the other operators didn't make all these promises that VM are not honouring. In fact one rep told me the higher starter pack charge was BECAUSE Virgin had better service and no hidden charges! If a company uses a higher level of service as a distinguishing feature in order to sell their product, they had better deliver.
Click to expand...


Thats how I feel too... they came out guns blazing.... and then couldn't deliver... true.
 
Skeptik said:
Virgin Mobile South Africa - [Wed, Jul 12] Thank you Virgin Mobile Customers for all your patience, we are experiencing a couple of teething problems at the moment. Your patience is much appreciated.

I tend to think VM are being sloppy. They base their advertising on several HUGE points - one being Great Customer Service.

Virgin Promise:

"We'll answer your calls promptly and, when we have lots of calls to answer, we won't keep you on hold [like Vodacom:D ]till America nominates a new President. We won't put you through to the supervisor's supervisor who's on long lunch [like Vodacom:D ]. After having undergone extensive training, VM staff members have the authority to deal with virtually any request on the spot[unlike Vodaphone or MtN:D ]. But everyone boasts ... so rather put us to the test"


- I've added the comments -

Are they really delivering?? A quick glance at hellopeter.com suggests otherwise.:eek:
As below:

Virgin Reality:

On Tuesday i recieved my phone, with R50.00 pre loaded airtime, The R100 from my V100 account and I put a thresh hold of another R100 on the account. Now my so called R250 airtime is up! How because when i check my balance it says R100.

So I call the call center on Wednesday, the answer I get is we are experiencing difficulties with the airtime. But I will phone you back shortly!

Again on Thursday I call and I get the same answer: I will phone you back!

So on Friday I phone again and the guy says to me his supervisor " Denzel" or "Zelda" is not available but he will call me back before 15h00 today! And guess what no phone call!

Now I mean realy if this is what service is then please collect your phone and sim card. I dont need this type of treatment in my life!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

i had the same experience with VM numerous times.

after having endless problems with virgin mobile - the last straw was the depletion of my airtime without my having used it.

it was a small amt of R7 - which all of a sudden became 0 after using about 1 or 2mb of data.

after numerous phone calls and no responses - which is not surprising as this has happened to me many times in the past few weeks (i.e. no responses)- i am now afraid to Vcharge ... what if my R50.00 vcharge suddenly vdisappears and VM runs away with my money promising to return my call but never fulfilling !?
 
Damn, kinda worrying reading all this....one had high hopes for VM

Is this release one?
I will wait for a new, more stable release.

The first one is always buggy :rolleyes:
 
silly question... vm using celc network?
 
Yes, VM uses the Cell_C network. So, the question then is, will all the Cell-C problems transpose onto VM, for example: their MMS service often just fails for days at a time. Also often when I try connect to GPRS, it just says, "Network unavailable." In fact it says it so often, I no longer try.
 
Is it worth it?

Telkomhater said:
Yes, VM uses the Cell_C network. So, the question then is, will all the Cell-C problems transpose onto VM...
Click to expand...


Exactly the question I need answered.

Im looking at getting the Virgin Mobile V000 package, and a Sony Ericsson GC85 (EDGE data card), which is R1300.


Sorry admin... I've removed what I posed here, and started a new thread here:
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=49329

Thanks
JohnnyG
 
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