Virgin Media Retention thread

philg_4

After reading about numerous people reducing their NTL bills on this forum, I decided to give it a go. I currently have phone line, broadband and the basic TV package for £46 per month. so i phoned the customer services number and said I was thinking of going back to BT to reduce my costs. They offered me a token small reduction on mt broadband which I said was nowhere near what I had in mind, I wanted to get it down to about £30 per month, so they put me through to a customer relations person, which took ages to get through to (deliberate I wonder??). In no time, this guy had cut all my bills in half, no questions asked, so now the same package should cost me £23 per month. Result. I recommend everyone gives it a go.

Phil

Wig

OK, I finally phoned. 0800 052 9403 (select option 2)(thanks Geoff W)

I was on 1mb & line rental for 17.99 for the last year, then the offer expired and I have had one month @ 28.49 for the same (which is too much)

So I told him what I was paying, and he sounded surprised, and then I asked what he could do for me, he said he could do 9.99 1mb broadband and normal line rental at 10.50 = 20.49 I asked what he could do if it was 10mb broadband and he upped it to 28.49

I said I wasn't happy because there were customers out there on 15.25 for 1mb and linerental, he said he didn't have that offer to authorise any longer.

I also mentioned the 19.49 package that Geoff_W has got, 10mb,line rental, and talk unlimited. He said he simply hasn't got that package to authorise and perhaps Geoff is mistaken.

I re-iterated, I really was unhappy, but, that I would accept his 20.49 pack, for line & 1mb.

When he processed it he said he could give me the fist 3 months line rental at 1/2 price but after 3 months it will revert back to 10.50

So I'll be on 15.24 for 3 months then 20.49 Which is good enough for now, I may have to reconsider in 3 months time, because apart form these costs I'm really annoyed that my calls through 1899 are so expensive and if I was with BT they would be less than half the cost.

Cheers all & good luck

Wig

Nugget wrote:

I called today and all I got was "Ok your broadband will be canceled as of 30 days."

Now what to do?

I suggest you phone 0800 052 9403 (select option 2) and speak to them, say you want to stay but the package costs were too high, and ask them what they can do to sort it out.

You didn't say who you phoned/spoke to and you din't say what package/price you were on - trying to beat.

AuntyJean

I finally plucked up the courage to ring and went straight to cancellations (Telewest, not NTL which is a different telephone number).

I simply said I wanted to cancel as Talk Talk was half the price. The lovely girl I spoke to said they were fully aware of what Talk Talk could offer but there were concerns that in the contract (which is for 18 months) they reserve the right to start charging for broadband at any time and that this could be as much as £30. She said this was bound to happen at some stage or they would go bust. I said I would challenge this if it happened.

She then said that Talk Talk also have access to view your online banking details but Telewest do not. I asked why they would want to do this and she said she had no idea and found it strange they would want to do so.

Finally, after about 15 minutes she put me on hold while she checked out all the packages they have.

The outcome:-

Keeping Supreme package TV - reduced from £17.50 pm to £15.50
Broadband staying at 2mb reduced from £17.99 to £13.00
Line rental staying at £10.50 (instead of increasing to £11 in June)

As we also have answerphone and call reject she added caller display free of charge.

All this fixed for one year.

Yipee. Saving of over £80 per year.

Thank you everyone who gave me the courage to phone.

Beware those of you going to Talk Talk, it could be costing you more in the long run?

Altarf

AuntyJean wrote:

The lovely girl I spoke to

She may be a lovely girl, but she told you a whole lot of lies.

Access to online banking details - lie.
Start charging for broadband and be tied into the contract - lie.

Lady_K

It seems like NTL customers are doing quite a bit better than Telewest ones.

That girl auntyjean spoke to is deliberately lying to try and keep customers by using scare tactics. No company could access bank details apart from the bank itself and the government or court if needed.

Wig

Altarf wrote:

Start charging for broadband and be tied into the contract - lie.

She didn't say that, she said the T&C's mentioned they reserved the right to charge for BB = probably the truth. And probably more truthful than Ntl was with it's customers when it gave "free internet for life" and said on TV That it "really was true, the other parts of the business would pay for it and keep it free" - a few years later they made everyone pay...initially without giving them any cancellation notices, until some people threatened to take them to court, & recovered their money, then Ntl started giving every one a couple of months notice about the new pay for service contract.

Dunno about the bank details, but it's probably an honest mistake.

COS

Broadband Family TV and Phone for less than ayear at £30.00 however today i have free phone calls local and national indefinatley and the Family Pack free for one month.

When I called to advise that Sky and TT have better offers I was advised by NTL that TT don't give you the full story about the restrictions on downloads.

PS Some good avise if you still have the black receiver from NTL call them and get it changed for the new silver box as all my techie problems and issues I had with NTL was down to old hardware etc...........

TOBRUK

I have been with NTL for a few years, this was with 'dial up' until I took up broadband in July last year. However, in early October I received a letter saying I could upgrade from 1mb to 2.2mb for free, which I did online. In the small print I then noticed that it stated that if I took up this upgrade I would be tied in to a 12 month contract as from the date of that upgrade. I am on £24.99 a month package and I pay line rental to BT on top.

Does anyone know if this contract is binding, and does it mean that I may not leave them until october, or if it is possible to get a better deal with them within this time?

Although the package is £24.00 a month and have unlimited phonecalls day and night, they always find ways of charging more - I suppose on certain phonecalls such as to mobile phones or certain numbers, which means that my monthly bill is always around £28.00 a month. While trying to check the phone bill etc I can never work it out! I once queried my bill with them, (after checking the phone bill and I had not used any mobile numbers etc) but they just don't seem to grasp what I am saying and just say that the bills are correct, they just babl on about the package until Iam totally confused and give up.

I would ideally like a cheaper package and possible one with line rental included. I do find their customer service really bad, whenever there is a problem it is a headache sorting it out.

Any advice or comments appreciated.

Wig

TOBRUK wrote:

I would ideally like a cheaper package and possible one with line rental included. I do find their customer service really bad, whenever there is a problem it is a headache sorting it out.

Any advice or comments appreciated.

phone that 0800 number quoted above and select option 2, just ask them if they can do something better for you, if they can't because you're tied in they will tell you so, if you don't mention it they might sort you out.