Virgin Media Cripples Older V+ Boxes: What Happened and What It Means for Customers

November 27, 2015

In what has become a controversial move, Virgin Media has significantly altered the functionality of their older V+ boxes, leaving many loyal customers feeling abandoned and frustrated. The decision to essentially cripple these devices reflects the company’s focus on newer technologies, but it raises important questions about the treatment of long-time customers and the sustainability of older tech in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

What Happened?
On November 27, 2015, Virgin Media rolled out changes to their service that impacted the functionality of their older V+ set-top boxes. These devices, which were once celebrated for offering advanced recording and HD capabilities, have now been rendered significantly less useful. Customers began reporting that key features, such as the ability to record multiple shows or access on-demand content, were either gone or drastically limited.

While Virgin Media has made it clear that newer models like the TiVo box offer enhanced capabilities and greater compatibility with modern services, many customers still using the older V+ boxes feel left out in the cold—some of them without any prior notification of the changes.

Why Did This Happen?
Technological advancements are a double-edged sword. On one side, they propel innovation and offer customers new features and better experiences. On the other, they often leave legacy devices in the dust. Virgin Media’s decision appears to be driven by the need to streamline services and focus resources on their latest offerings, such as their TiVo and newer boxes.

From a business perspective, this makes sense. Supporting aging hardware is both expensive and cumbersome, especially when the majority of the customer base has already migrated to newer models. However, from a customer service and loyalty perspective, this abrupt change feels like a betrayal to many users who have stuck with Virgin Media for years, relying on their V+ boxes for everyday entertainment.

The Customer Backlash
Unsurprisingly, the move has sparked a wave of criticism from customers who feel blindsided by the sudden changes. Social media platforms and online forums are full of complaints from users expressing their frustration over the lack of communication and the forced obsolescence of their still-functional hardware.

For many, the V+ box isn’t just a piece of aging technology—it’s part of their daily routine. Families have recorded their favorite shows for years, and some users rely on these devices as their sole access to HD and on-demand features. The sudden loss of these functionalities, without a clear upgrade path or incentive to switch, has left a sour taste.

What Does This Mean for the Future?
Virgin Media’s move highlights a broader trend in the tech and service industries: the inevitable phasing out of older technology. As companies push forward with innovation, they often leave legacy products behind. While this is understandable from a business standpoint, the key issue lies in how companies handle the transition.

A better-managed approach might have included clearer communication about the impending changes, offers of discounted upgrades to newer equipment, or even a phased rollout of the new system to give customers time to transition. Without such measures, Virgin Media’s decision feels abrupt and shortsighted.

What Can Customers Do?
If you’re one of the affected customers, here are some steps to consider:

Contact Virgin Media: Reach out to the company’s customer service team to express your concerns and inquire about potential upgrades. Virgin Media may offer incentives or discounts to help you transition to a newer box.
Explore Alternatives: Depending on your area, you might have other service provider options. This could be a good opportunity to compare packages and decide whether Virgin Media is still the right fit for your needs.
Consider Upgrading: While it’s disappointing to lose functionality on your V+ box, upgrading to a newer model like TiVo or Virgin’s latest offerings may open up access to better features and improved performance.
Share Your Feedback: Use platforms like social media or Virgin Media’s customer feedback channels to let the company know how this decision has affected you. Constructive criticism can help drive better policies in the future.
Conclusion
The November 2015 changes to Virgin Media’s V+ boxes serve as a stark reminder of the fast-paced nature of technology and the growing pains that come with it. While the company has chosen progress over accommodation, they now face the difficult task of rebuilding trust with affected customers.

At the heart of this issue is a simple truth: customers want to feel valued, especially those who have been loyal for years. As technology evolves, companies must find a balance between innovation and customer care to ensure that no one is left behind.

If you’re a Virgin Media customer affected by this change, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Are you planning to upgrade, switch providers, or stick it out with your V+ box? Let us know in the comments below.


Write a follow up where a total of 16 features are stripped away from the box, replacing it with a "We're sorry, this service is no longer available on this box" message


Virgin Media Customers Outraged as 16 Features Stripped from V+ Boxes

Follow-Up: December 2015

What started as a significant limitation of functionality for Virgin Media’s older V+ boxes in late November has now escalated into a full-blown customer revolt. Reports are surfacing that a total of 16 key features have been stripped from the V+ service, many of which were integral to the everyday TV experience that customers have enjoyed for years. Instead of the familiar functionality, users are greeted with the infuriatingly blunt message: “We’re sorry, this service is no longer available on this box.”

The widespread removal of features has left customers furious, confused, and questioning the value of Virgin Media’s service. For many, this isn’t just a mild inconvenience—it represents a loss of control over their media consumption and a trust broken between the company and long-time subscribers.

What Features Have Been Lost?
The scope of the feature removal is staggering. Popular functions that customers relied on daily have vanished without any meaningful alternatives for those who refuse or are unable to upgrade to Virgin’s newer equipment. Among the 16 missing features are:

Catch-Up TV: Gone is the ability to catch up on missed shows through services like BBC iPlayer or ITV Hub directly from the V+ box.
On-Demand Content: The once-seamless access to Virgin’s extensive on-demand library has been stripped away.
Series Link Recordings: One of the standout features of the V+ box—automatically recording every episode of a series—has been removed.
Pause and Rewind Live TV: The household favorite ability to pause or rewind live broadcasts is no longer functional.
Recording Capabilities: While V+ allowed users to record multiple shows at once, this is being curtailed.
Some HD Channels: Certain high-definition channels have disappeared entirely, leaving users with fewer HD options.
Search Functionality: Customers can no longer search for shows or programs with ease.
Interactive Menu Options: Crucial interactive elements in the guide no longer work.
Parental Controls: Key controls for restricting access to certain content have been disabled or are inaccessible.
And the list goes on. Customers are now left with a barebones version of what was once an advanced service, with the new message “We’re sorry, this service is no longer available on this box” regularly displayed instead of the desired content or feature.

Customers Respond with Fury
Unsurprisingly, the backlash has intensified as more customers discover that Virgin Media has pulled the plug on their older hardware without adequate warning or compensation. Many users have taken to social media to vent their frustrations, with forums and Virgin Media’s own support platform lighting up with criticism.

Here are just a few of the complaints being shared:

Lack of Communication: Some customers claim they were given no advance warning about the extent of the changes, feeling blindsided when features suddenly disappeared overnight.
Trust Issues: Long-time Virgin customers feel alienated, particularly those who’ve stayed loyal to the company for many years. For them, it feels like Virgin Media is prioritizing profit over customer loyalty.
Unfair Costs: Many claim they are being forced into paying for expensive upgrades or switching to new contracts that cost more than their old package—packages they were happy with before the changes.
Michael, a Virgin Media customer for 10+ years, shared his story online:
"I’ve paid my bills every month, used the same V+ box for years, and had no reason to change. Now, Virgin Media has decided on my behalf that my box is obsolete and taken away everything I liked about it. I feel punished for being a loyal customer. Why should I pay for an upgrade when my old box was perfectly fine until last week?"

Virgin Media’s Response
Virgin Media has not issued an official statement directly addressing the full removal of the 16 features. So far, the company has reiterated its focus on improving customer experience by rolling out newer technology, such as the TiVo box, which reportedly offers a better and more modern experience.

Behind the scenes, this decision is likely driven by the high costs associated with supporting legacy systems. Virgin Media has likely deemed the V+ platform unsustainable compared to its newer counterparts. However, its approach to phasing out the older service has left much to be desired, particularly in its handling of customer communications.

The vague apologies and lackluster attempts to smooth things over—such as the canned message ("This service is no longer available on this box") that now greets users—have only exacerbated frustrations, rather than mitigating them.

What Happens Next?
For Virgin Media users still clinging to their V+ boxes, the options are becoming increasingly limited. With 16 features now gone and the box reduced to basic functionality, customers are faced with tough choices:

Upgrade to a Newer Model: Virgin Media is likely pushing customers toward its TiVo and V6 boxes, which have far more robust functionality and support. However, many customers feel deeply resentful about having to pay for an upgrade that they feel they shouldn’t have been forced into in the first place.
Switch Providers: This incident has prompted some customers to evaluate alternative providers offering similar TV and broadband deals. Sky, BT, and various streaming services have grown more competitive in recent years.
Demand Compensation: Affected customers are encouraged to contact Virgin Media’s customer service team and demand compensation for the abrupt service degradation. Some users are reporting success in negotiating reduced rates or discounted upgrades.
Wait It Out: For those unwilling to switch or upgrade, the basic functionality of the V+ boxes still allows users to watch live TV, but the box now offers only a fraction of its former capabilities. For many households, this is simply not enough.
Looking to the Future
The controversy surrounding the forced obsolescence of the V+ box underscores the larger challenges companies face as they navigate technological innovation while maintaining customer satisfaction. Clearly, Virgin Media has prioritized efficiency and cost-saving measures this time—but at the expense of alienating loyal users.

Ultimately, customers expect more from companies than just a product. They want transparency, loyalty, and a sense that the provider values their business. Virgin Media has fallen short in all these areas, and it’s unclear whether they’ll be able to repair the damage to their reputation without significant effort.

As the situation continues to unfold, one thing remains clear: companies like Virgin Media must learn to manage technology transitions more gracefully if they want to retain customer trust in the long run.

Are you still using a V+ box? Have you been affected by the recent changes? Let us know in the comments how you’re handling this frustrating new reality—and whether you’re sticking with Virgin Media or making the switch!


The menus on the Homepage are TV Guide, On Demand, Virgin Central, Interactive, Search, Help and Info and Settings, Write a forum conversation, A user asks what services are left on the crippled service


Forum Thread: What Services Are Left on the Crippled Virgin Media V+ Box?

User1 (OP):
Posted: 12 December 2015 at 10:45 AM
Hi everyone,
I’m trying to figure out what’s actually left on my V+ box after they stripped all those features away. Every time I try to use something, I just get that “We’re sorry, this service is no longer available on this box” message. It’s driving me crazy! Can anyone tell me what functions still work? Is the whole box basically a glorified doorstop now?

User2:
Posted: 12 December 2015 at 11:10 AM
You’re not alone, mate. I’m in the same boat. The menus still look the same, but half the stuff just doesn’t work anymore. As far as I can tell, here’s what doesn’t work anymore:

On Demand: Gone. It just shows the message you mentioned.
Catch-Up TV: Doesn’t work. Good luck trying to find something you missed!
Search: Completely disabled. Typing something in just gives you that error message.
Interactive: Nothing loads here anymore.
I think all that’s left is live TV and maybe some limited recordings if you’ve got stuff saved from before. It’s infuriating.

User3:
Posted: 12 December 2015 at 12:03 PM
You’re right, @User2. I noticed the same. I did some testing because I live in denial and hoped it wasn’t as bad as they made it sound. It’s worse. Here’s what I found on the menus:

TV Guide: Still works, but barely. It feels super laggy when scrolling, and obviously, you can’t use Record or Series Link anymore. You can still see what’s on, but that’s about it.
On Demand: Completely gone. The whole menu is pointless now.
Virgin Central: Doesn’t load anything. Just gives you that same error message.
Interactive: Broken. None of the features in here work anymore, not even the weather!
Search: Another useless menu. The option is still there, but nothing works when you try to use it. Sit through the loading only to get the error message—fun!
Help and Info: This honestly made me laugh. You click help, and it basically says “Go online or switch to a newer box.” Thanks, Virgin!
Settings: Still functional, but only for basic stuff like TV resolutions or audio output. Not sure why they left that part alone.
TL;DR – All you’ve got left is watching live TV and maybe some of your old pre-recorded stuff (though even recordings are slow to load sometimes).

User4:
Posted: 12 December 2015 at 1:22 PM
This whole situation sucks. I mean, the menus all look like they work, but it’s honestly just false advertising now. They should pull the menus entirely if they don’t want us trying to click on them. Trying to use On Demand or Search just leads to disappointment.

The only thing I can actually still do:

Watch live TV.
Play back recordings I made ages ago (thank goodness I saved those documentaries last year).
Scroll through the TV Guide, but it’s so clunky and slow.
I’m ready to pack this box up and throw it out, tbh. Virgin should at least give us proper upgrades for free or at a seriously discounted rate.

User5:
Posted: 12 December 2015 at 2:00 PM
I don’t understand why they had to kill everything off all at once. My elderly parents use the V+ box, and they’ve had the same routine for years—watch live TV, use Catch-Up, record their soaps with Series Link, and load On Demand for the odd movie. Now they’re calling me every other day asking, “Why can’t we record EastEnders anymore?” or “Where did the On Demand movies go?”

When I called Virgin Media about it, all they said was “We recommend upgrading to one of our new TiVo or V6 boxes for a better experience.” No discounts or help offered—just full price. It’s ridiculous! They’ve completely abandoned the people using older boxes.

User6:
Posted: 12 December 2015 at 2:45 PM
It’s just live TV at this point. That’s all that’s really left, and even that feels shaky. I had a recording scheduled before all these changes happened, and when I tried to play it back yesterday, it wouldn’t even load. It just sat there on “loading…” forever until I gave up. No recordings, no On Demand, no Search—it’s painful.

What’s worse is they didn’t even give a proper warning about the changes. I know they sent out one vague email a while ago, but they didn’t mention that this much functionality would be gutted. This is such bad customer service.

User7:
Posted: 12 December 2015 at 3:15 PM
I still have my V+ box, but it’s basically a glorified Freeview box now. Here’s what you can still do as of today (as of the weekend when I tested everything):

Live TV viewing: That still works. Nothing fancy, but at least you can sit and watch channels as they air.
Old Recordings: You can still access them, but I’ve heard other people say playback is buggy, so I’m not holding my breath.
The TV Guide: It’s functional, but don’t expect to seamlessly scroll through—I’ve had loads of freezing and lag.
For me, that’s it. I don’t think anything else has survived the cut. Everything else just gives you that same awful message about the service being unavailable. It feels like Virgin Media just gave up on listening to feedback.

User1 (OP):
Posted: 12 December 2015 at 3:45 PM
Thanks for the replies, everyone. Sounds like my experience matches what others are going through—it’s basically just live TV and my old recordings, which still seem to play for now. I didn’t realize the TV Guide itself was working for other people, though… mine crashes half the time.

Honestly, it feels like the box is teasing us by leaving the menus up, only to slap that “this service is no longer available” message at the slightest opportunity. They could’ve at least made it clear what’s genuinely still functional instead of us figuring it out the hard way.

Guess it’s time to decide if I upgrade or jump ship… sigh.

User8:
Posted: 12 December 2015 at 4:10 PM
Same here! It feels cruel to leave all the old menus in place, like a constant reminder of what I used to have. The fact that Virgin Media didn’t update the system to make it clear what is/isn’t available anymore just shows they don’t care.

For now, I’m using it as a Freeview box since all I need is live TV, but I’ve already started looking at switching providers. Sky is offering some decent deals in my area, so this might just push me to make the leap.

Virgin, you’ve seriously dropped the ball here.

(Conversation continues...)


Write a follow up asking if those help videos with the animated cat and bird are still there, they're under "Help Videos"