Virgin Media outage: Broadband provider failure for thousands - customers complain about internet service

Virgin Media went down across the UK today, leaving thousands complaining to the broadband provider about their service. The company has issued apologies to many on Twitter, as well as trying to help troubleshoot their issues.

The broadband provider received around 2,000 complaints since 11.40 am - at its peak 1,328 reports were logged on DownDetector with more than 700 more coming through since. According to the website status online platform, 78% of the complaints received by Virgin Media today have been related to landline internet with a further 14% complaining of a total blackout to their services.

Angry customers have begun taking to Twitter to complain about the ongoing issues with their internet. One user said: “@virginmedia broadband down again that’s twice in the last 24 hours and can’t get onto the service checker to see if there’s a fault !! Shocking service for what I pay a month !!”

Another Twitter user also said: “@virginmedia another day, another total outage and your check-services not letting me report it because I keep getting your "please try again later" page. Just cause you refuse to hear that there is a problem, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Fix your service, or scrap leave penalty.”

On DownDetector, one customer in Cambridge said: “my internet and TV has been down for 45 minutes.”

Another in the Dublin 14 postcode area said: @virginmedia internet down for this last 20mins or so. Dublin 14. By what time is this expected to be back up and running? This is becoming a regular occurrence. Not acceptable.”

The outage comes just weeks after the same customers were left without their internet twice in one day. Thousands of Virgin Media customers were affected by a widespread outage which saw many trying to leave the service.

Despite people complaining from across the country and customers still reporting difficulties accessing the internet via social media this afternoon, a Virgin Media spokesperson said the outages were regionalised and only down for a brief time. They said: “Our services are operating normally. There was a very brief issue this morning lasting for just a matter of minutes which may have impacted broadband for a small number of customers in and around Birmingham and Manchester which we quickly resolved. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Virgin Media has also apologised to customers via its official Twitter account whilst suggesting ways for users to troubleshoot their internet. The broadband provider has been pointing customers to their Check my Virgin Media Service Status webpage as well as a page called  Why is my Virgin Media WiFi not working.

The broadband provider has also been asking users to call their automated service status line on 0800 561 0061 if they are unable to use the webpages to check their service.