Reference: 01146998
Roshni Narayanan Information Rights Advisor Information.requests@ofcom.org.uk
1 April 2021
Freedom of Information: Right to know request Thank you for your request for information in relation to complaints about contacting Virgin Media.
We received this request on 8 March 2021 and have considered it under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”).
You asked:
1) How many complaints have you received from members of the general public about the lack of being able to contact Virgin Media by any other means than by telphone...... 2) What action has been taken by OFCOM to address these issues and compel Virgin Media to provide an EASY way for customers to contact them..... FYI ...I do not believe that a telephone number that connects to Egypt, India, Pakistan, China can be argued to be easy means of contact
Our response Response to 1)
Ofcom publishes data relating to complaints about the largest telecommunications (“telecoms”) providers on a quarterly basis. This includes but is not limited to complaints about Virgin Media. Please refer to the Telecoms and pay-TV complaints data section of our website. This covers complaints data from 2017 to 2020. For complaints data relating to previous years, please refer to the National Archives website.
Response to 2)
We have emphasised the desirability for consumers to have more than one channel to contact telecoms providers in our Vulnerability Guide. Please refer to paragraph 3.15 on page 11, which is also set out in italicised text below:
(3.15) As some people might not use the internet, we expect providers to offer information about relevant help, support and services in different formats or through other communication channels. These could include providing paper copies by post on request or printing them in store or given through other contact methods such as over online chat facilities or verbally over the telephone, with agents trained to use plain, jargon-free language.
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I hope this information is helpful. If you have any further queries, then please send them to [email protected] quoting the reference number above in any future communications.
Yours sincerely,
Roshni Narayanan
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If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request for information and/or consider that your request was refused without a reason valid under the law you may ask for an internal review. If you ask us for an internal review of our decision, it will be subject to an independent review within Ofcom.
The following outcomes are possible: • the original decision is upheld; or • the original decision is reversed or modified.
Timing If you wish to exercise your right to an internal review you should contact us within two months of the date of this letter. There is no statutory deadline for responding to internal reviews and it will depend upon the complexity of the case. However, we aim to conclude all such reviews within 20 working days, and up to 40 working days in exceptional cases. We will keep you informed of the progress of any such review. If you wish to request an internal review, you should contact [email protected].
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
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