The outage has caused significant inconvenience for users relying on Virgin Media’s services, particularly in regions like Newton Heath, Pendleton, and Middleton. Many affected customers have turned to social media and customer support channels, voicing their anger at the prolonged disruption and lack of immediate communication from the company. Virgin Media has yet to provide an official statement or timeline for resolution.
Widespread Outage Affects Thousands Across the UK
The problems began on Thursday night, as thousands of Virgin Media customers in various UK locations, particularly in Greater Manchester, began to report service interruptions. According to Down Detector, a platform tracking outages, hundreds of reports were logged, revealing that the issue was widespread across multiple regions. Areas like Newton Heath, Pendleton, and Little Hulton saw the most complaints, with many users still without internet access by the morning of December 12.
According to Manchester Evening News, Social media posts have flooded platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), where customers expressed their frustration. One user posted: “9 hours so far without internet. Absolutely shocking. Goodbye Virgin Media!!!!” Others echoed similar sentiments, citing long periods without connection. One Facebook user shared her experience, saying: “Mine’s been down since half 9 last night. Still not back on when I’ve got up this morning.”
For many, the outage means more than just a loss of internet access; it disrupts work, education, and daily routines. As more people rely on broadband services for remote working or learning, the impact of such disruptions becomes more pronounced, especially when they last for extended periods.
Has Virgin Media Internet gone down in the OL4 area?
by u/roylee77 in manchester
Virgin Media’s Response and Customer Concerns
Despite the widespread nature of the issue, Virgin Media has not made an official public statement addressing the outage. Customers have been left in the dark about the cause of the disruption, as well as the steps the company is taking to resolve it. Some have reported being given vague assurances by customer service, with estimates for resolution ranging from late Thursday night to as late as 4.12pm on Friday, December 12.
In the absence of clear information, many Virgin Media customers are expressing dissatisfaction with the company’s communication during the incident. Another affected user, remarked on Facebook: “Mine’s been off from 7pm last night. Still not working.” With no concrete updates, it appears that many are losing patience, and some are contemplating switching providers.
While Virgin Media’s customer service teams continue to handle complaints and troubleshooting requests, the long duration of the outage has raised serious concerns about the company’s infrastructure and reliability.
Compensation Concerns for Affected Virgin Media Customers
As Virgin Media customers continue to face disruptions, one of the most pressing issues is the lack of adequate compensation for the service outages. Many users, particularly those affected by long-term or widespread disruptions, have expressed frustration with the company’s response to compensation claims. While Virgin Media has compensation policies in place for service interruptions, some customers report receiving far less than what they were promised.
For example, one user shared their experience of being without broadband for 20 days, during which they were told they would receive compensation at £9.98 per day. However, upon the resolution of the issue, they were offered only a £15 total payout, far below what they were owed.
No compensation for broadband outage.
by u/NPC_13_ in VirginMedia
The current dissatisfaction has led many to consider filing complaints with the Communications Ombudsman, a service that helps resolve disputes between telecom companies and consumers. As customers become increasingly aware of their rights to fair compensation, Virgin Media may face more pressure to improve its compensation process and ensure that customers receive what they are due, especially for prolonged service failures.
With broadband becoming an essential part of daily life for both work and personal use, customers are likely to be less tolerant of service disruptions in the future. Virgin Media and other providers may need to revisit their compensation policies and communication strategies to prevent further damage to their reputations and maintain customer trust.
