Virgin Media Retention thread

Dizzie_3

I am shocked and disgusted by how much they want to charge customers for phoning the "helpline".
"Our broadband helpline number is changing. From 1st July, our broadband helpline number is changing and from then on it'll cost 25p per minute to call from a Virgin landline, plus 10p to connect. Mobiles and other networks may vary"

How can they justify charging customers, who pay for a service, premium rates to complain when there's a problem? It's complete madness.

Optimist

Dizzie wrote: »

I am shocked and disgusted by how much they want to charge customers for phoning the "helpline".
"Our broadband helpline number is changing. From 1st July, our broadband helpline number is changing and from then on it'll cost 25p per minute to call from a Virgin landline, plus 10p to connect. Mobiles and other networks may vary"

How can they justify charging customers, who pay for a service, premium rates to complain when there's a problem? It's complete madness.

So complain, if enough customers complain they will think again !

W1zz

Full details of changes here

At least you won't be billed just listening to the music whilst waiting in a queue. The clock should only start ticking once an operator answers. They should also call you back if they think the call will take longer than 20 mins to resolve. (£5 :eek:)

Pity - They can't be made to refund you call costs if they can't resolve your issues over the phone. I've spoke to several overseas support staff in the past month, who in all honesty, haven't got a clue. I've had one operator hang up on me after they got to the end of their check list and ran out of suggestions. :mad:

Lady_K

I rang customer services yesterday to complain after my broadband has gone down 3 times in the last few weeks (4 times now including this morning). Before this its only gone down once in all the years I've been with them since they started why does it start now?

Before this I rang the bb helpline, no voice message at beginning of call to say there was a prob in my area. Got through to india again after about 10 min wait, then for over 30 mins he got me doing basic stuff that I knew already, I then said are you sure there is no problem in my area, he then said one moment madam I'll just check that... this was after 30 mins. He said yes there was an area problem try it again later GREAT wasted all that time for nothing why wasnt there any voice notice at the beginning when I rang up.

After 15 mins I rang back to ask what the problem was and how long it would be for, still no voice message at beginning of broadband faults phoneline. I was told it would be back on about at 9 30 last night so that meant it would be off just about the whole day and night. I said I wanted to make an official complaint seeing as I had all these probs seemingly since virgin media took over.

Thats when I spoke to customer services, a lady who was trying to be ok but you could tell she didnt have that much patience. She said it was a merging problem which she said there wasnt any point explaining to me as I wouldnt understand, she wasnt sure how long it would be off for. Does anyone know what merging means?

I told her about the bb going down all these times since vm and she said theres been no change its not because its virgin media. I told her about no area fault message at the beginning of the bb faults line and she didnt say anything. I told her that I had spent 10 mins waiting plus at least 30 mins going through basic stuff with a man who didnt even check my area status in the first place and if I had to pay for that I'd be even more angry. I'm concerned this is going to be a continuing problem.

I asked her if this problem was going to keep on coming back again as I'm concerned about the new call costs on july 1st. To that she said no thats not the case its only non virgin media customers that have to pay if you call 151 you wont have to pay. I said I didnt think that was likely as its clear on the bb faults line before you get put through but she still insisted we wont be charged. Do they even train thier staff? Why would a non virgin bb customer be calling them for support?

This morning the reason my bb went down again apparently was because my modem had dropped off or been taken off the system I asked why and he said that doesnt matter you can enjoy your bb now madam

Lady_K

ponscarme1104 wrote: »

http://www.interpol.fr/missions/liens/link.php?m=1&l=1&u=463&k=1xWkXK4AqfwKyfSCd61XpZh8Te6Ws0

DON'T CLICK THE LINK ITS SPAM!!!

Dizzie_3

I will complain to VM about the premium rate "helpline" but I need to do it by letter, I can't see a way to conatct them by email and I'm not wasting time phoning them. I wonder if BBCs watchdog would be intrested especialy given all the other problems people are having?

Lady_K wrote: »

DON'T CLICK THE LINK ITS SPAM!!!

Thanks for that, I would of clicked it. Have you reported the message?

littleange

Our internet has been down twice since they upgraded it to 20mb, once lasted 48 hours, was over the weekend so I'm assuming they didn't bother to fix it until monday morning

Lady_K

Yes I reported it

fourmi

I was on Starter TV, for 5.50 (assume that's what is now known as "Free", and BBand (L) for 25.00 total 30.50

After seeing this thread I had a look at the sky site to see that the (non premium) cost was 31 quid for basic phone, and largest BBand and TV.

So i rang the 08000 529403 number, sat on hold for the 20 mins, detailed that i had been looking to upgrade the bband, checked against the sky site, and saw that i was missing out. That I really didn't want the hassle of swopping to sky, but that the way it was it didn't make any sense not to.

There were about three levels of response:

1/ trying to figure out what wasn't important, and reduce my costs. I pointed out that sky still offered the better deal that it wasn't so much about getting a service for cheaper, more get more service for the same cost

2/ off me a deal that would need approval but might go through, this was telephone(basic) and BB+TV both XL for 47, or tel+ BBXL+TVL for 43 or tel+BBL+TVXL for 37

at this point i was about to go for the 37 quid but i got cut off.

got back in the queue got a new guy, started off at level 2, and just confirmed the above, so that i had all the information and said i was going to take the weekend to think about it, asked again whether the prices about would change without the phone, but by adding the phone it means that they are better able to offer discounts it seems.

As with level 2, he took length to point out that sky offered something quite different (esp wrt bband re: reliability/speeds etc). I just said that the bband was important, but if i was buying a house and getting a free car, i'd take the house with a porsche instead of the one with a ford, it's still about the house, but the extras count etcetectec

long bought on hold and then he came back with TVL+BBXL for 27 quid for 12 months

I'm happy

The guys were fine, and my attitude was one of conversationally getting the facts with the view of making a decision later.

Thanks to all previous posters for helping me pick up the phone!

cheers
ant

Gilbretto

after chatting away to a nice guy in retentions i got this.

BroadBand : 4Mbit
Phone : Evening & Weekends + Caller display
TV : XL + SkySports

For £51.70

Then rang up a few days later after i read about the new traffic shaping & the fact that they had accidently moved me down to 2Mbit.

Another great guy on the end of the phone offered me further redutions.

£10.75 off my bill for 6 months. Bringing it down to £40.95 for 6 months, then

£51.70 for 6 months.

The true price for this deal is £76.95 meaning that i am saving £678 a year.