Virgin Media Retention thread

MacBudman

dazzaofdagenham wrote: »

Don't think I can cancel the TV as I'm contract until September with the TiVo box...

So I cancelled the phone and tv and reduced the tv down to a min package

Maybe they will call back..

Darren

Have you enquired how much they will take to cancel the contract for the TiVo box ?

You are paying £40 as it stands for the privilege of watching channels that are mostly covered by Free-view !

If the settlement is worth paying now and you are willing and prepared to change providers, only then will retentions take you seriously.

Finalising your disconnection from their service completely gives you back the power to negotiate a deal that suits you.

P.S. You might have to put up with the F1 in SD though

Good luck

monsta2005

Hi can somebody help me please...looked througha afair bit of the thread, but havent found a single post similiar to this. Have had broadband and phone with Virgin Media for years. I think I last got a discount about 2 years ago (subject to agreeing to 18 months).

At moment Im paying £34.50 (line rental, M Broadband, plus XL Phone package). But the only problem I have is the Broadband is too slow. So I want to upgrade that to XL.

I am likely to phone them up tommorrow to try and get a better deal. What sort of deal should I be looking to get? Will they throw in free installation and a new modem for this? Is it the same trick as Sky to get a discount...e.g. threatenting to leave and hoping they offer me something straight away? or is it a waiting game? (family will be furious if we get cut off!)

My Tv package is with Sky and under contract so switching TV would not be an option.

Thank you for any advice

MacBudman

monsta2005 wrote: »

Hi can somebody help me please...looked througha afair bit of the thread, but havent found a single post similiar to this. Have had broadband and phone with Virgin Media for years. I think I last got a discount about 2 years ago (subject to agreeing to 18 months).

At moment Im paying £34.50 (line rental, M Broadband, plus XL Phone package). But the only problem I have is the Broadband is too slow. So I want to upgrade that to XL.

I am likely to phone them up tommorrow to try and get a better deal. What sort of deal should I be looking to get? Will they throw in free installation and a new modem for this? Is it the same trick as Sky to get a discount...e.g. threatenting to leave and hoping they offer me something straight away? or is it a waiting game? (family will be furious if we get cut off!)

My Tv package is with Sky and under contract so switching TV would not be an option.

Thank you for any advice

Before you contact VM, just make sure that the problem is not with you PC :exclamati
There is a good artickle that (CLOSED) posted in the Techie Stuff Forum (how to speed up a slow pc in less than 60 minutes).

Your last dealings with VM, as you say was about two years ago, so I am presuming that you have the older broadband equipment that sucked for me also ! (Now upgraded through retentions, at no cost or extended contract )

You have to be prepaired to leave VM before you phone them, as you might have to do just that !

If I were you, I would talk with your family first, before you contact VM and also look at other deals/offers from different service providers.., including the one you are already with for your TV package (Sky) to compare prices.
Only then will you be able to negotiate for updated broadband equipment (free of charge) and for them to offer a better deal than you are currently paying them.

Good luck

MacBudman (Now a happy VM customer:))

monsta2005

MacBudman wrote: »

Before you contact VM, just make sure that the problem is not with you PC :exclamati
There is a good artickle that (CLOSED) posted in the Techie Stuff Forum (how to speed up a slow pc in less than 60 minutes).

Your last dealings with VM, as you say was about two years ago, so I am presuming that you have the older broadband equipment that sucked for me also ! (Now upgraded through retentions, at no cost or extended contract )

You have to be prepaired to leave VM before you phone them, as you might have to do just that !

If I were you, I would talk with your family first, before you contact VM and also look at other deals/offers from different service providers.., including the one you are already with for your TV package (Sky) to compare prices.
Only then will you be able to negotiate for updated broadband equipment (free of charge) and for them to offer a better deal than you are currently paying them.

Good luck

MacBudman (Now a happy VM customer:))

Thank you for your response. As such I dont have a great problem with Virgin Media. The broadband speed is OK....though recently they keep enforcing their traffic management policies when I exceed downloads (which made me realise under my current download fair use, is small under M Broadband).The other thing is I have just got a Smart TV, and can see this causing further problems as soon as I get the dongle.
Also new customers are getting XL Broadband and XL Phone at £10/month cheaper than me with the £150 cashback on offer at moment (and remember my broadband is smaller). Hoping I could atleast a smallish discount.

Sky alternatively have a fantasic offer on at moment (even for exisitng customers) for broadband and talk (free fr 6 months, subject to a new contract) and I can see me 'blagging' free phoneline installation from them (£39). Would be preapred to leave.....

Ps. did virgin give you a new hub for free?

MacBudman

Hi monsta2005,

Yes, I got the new super hub for free with no further contract clause as well as the V+box for a reduced fee of £29.00 instead of £49 but with a 12 months contract. This offer was through retentions and I was prepared to leave before I contacted them.
My issue was with old equipment though, and had to go through retention and then the disconnection department before this offer. (which could have went the other way !)

VM do tend to forget about their existing customers at times but this is probably true with other service providers out there !

If you are not in a contract then as you will know, you are in the driving seat here, and can negotiate a better deal from both your service providers. Let them battle for your custom through informing them of any deals you have seen.

Have you also considered getting all your services from the one provider as you will probably get a better overall deal.

Regards
MacBudman

Journey_Of_The_Soul

Hi All,

I thought it's about time I joined MSE! Surfed in now and again, but never registered!

I have a Virgin Media account:

XL TV with V+ HD Monthly fee
L Broadband
XL Phone

£61.20 a month.

Seeing at this thread has over 100 pages, and if this has been asked before please excuse me, but what type of package or deal should I be aiming for?

The equivalent Sky package is approx £55 inc the HD Pack. Advantages of Virgin: Doubling of internet speed soon. Also all the equipment is here. Advantage of Sky: More channels, esp HD ones, no speed restrictions during peek hours. However, new dish will need to be installed and new wiring will new to be laid (Virgin wiring hidden under laminate floor)

My questions:

1) If you were in my shoes, what would be the package or price you would aim for keeping all the services as they are? Or could I get a price reduction and upgrading of TV service, say TiVo instead of V+ etc

I've been with Virgin since 1998 (from the Telewest days) but am thinking my loyalty is burning a hole in my pocket :eek:

Also not on contract - so I guess I can use that to my advantage!

monsta2005

MacBudman wrote: »

Hi monsta2005,

Yes, I got the new super hub for free with no further contract clause as well as the V+box for a reduced fee of £29.00 instead of £49 but with a 12 months contract. This offer was through retentions and I was prepared to leave before I contacted them.
My issue was with old equipment though, and had to go through retention and then the disconnection department before this offer. (which could have went the other way !)

VM do tend to forget about their existing customers at times but this is probably true with other service providers out there !

If you are not in a contract then as you will know, you are in the driving seat here, and can negotiate a better deal from both your service providers. Let them battle for your custom through informing them of any deals you have seen.

Have you also considered getting all your services from the one provider as you will probably get a better overall deal.

Regards
MacBudman

Yes you 100% right of course with regards to having all services with Sky. But then my IT expert uncle informed me it would be unwise to switch to sky for broadband and phone despite the £15 month price saving...merely because their broadband is very slow. If I can get the price difference to £5-10, its ideal.

If I can them to maintain the price Im paying at moment, for XL broadband plus throw in the Hub for free....I'd agree to a new contract. But just phone them and the best she will do is give it the hub for £15 (reduced from £30) and keep the price same for three months (standard upgrade offer to everyone online). Its only a £5 month discount Im asking for and she wouldnt agree to it!!!

monsta2005

DEAL DONE. Second Phone call to Virgin Media proved more fruitful-after having a think over, this time I was genuinely. Skys current offer seems too good, despite the slower broadband speeds. He offered to keep me at same package at around £24ish (XL Phone, M broadband)-saving of £10/month. When I insisted on the XL Broadband, he offered it around £38 (still some discount), but hoped he coud do better. Got it for £33.40 (I think) plus the HUB. Its certainly a couple of quid cheaper than what im paying now and for a huge upgrade on my broadband. Im sure somebody will get/has got a comfortably better deal, but happy considering this needed sorted for a while....and had delayed phoning them for so long.

12 month contract.

Beat the transfer deadline too :-)

Thanks for the help.

MacBudman

Well done monsta2005, your small saving is better in your pocket than theirs, hehe.
The upgrade to XL with free super hub for less than what you were paying is an excellent result considering that some of your services are with another provider. You can now look forward to your XL broadband speed doubling within the next few months :-)

MacBudman

MoreBeer

Hi, well after a few months of trying to get a better deal with V.M we have called SKY and are moving to them. At best V.M offered us bigger packages but also added the extra cost to the packages too... plus with all the hassle we've had with the actual service and 1 of their members of staff i think we'll be well rid of them!