Virgin raised BB charge to £20

Wig

I am on the phoneline and M BB for 16.50/15.50 /month The difference in price is supposed to be a £1 discount when you register for online billing.

I noticed they have increased my basic broadband charge from £18 month to £20 month (before the discounts), therefore after the discounts now I am paying 17.50/18.50 (depending on the ebill discount of £1).

I am on a 12 month contract at £15.50. (since October 08). I don't remember any notice about increasing the broadband charge, and even if I had I would assumed it didn't apply to me because I thought I was on a fixed price for 12 months.

Can anyone help? Have I got grounds for telling them to put my BB back to £18 (before discounts) ?

If they refuse I would want to use this as an opportunity to cancel my contract early, and just leave Virgin all together, but the only thing I can think they could do to stop me doing that is argue that they have informed me in advance of the increase in BB charge. Which I can't prove either way.

Did anyone else get a notice recently about BB charges rising? What format did it take?

Pennysmakepounds

i was on the exact same cotract. nd once it fiishes thats when ou price should go up. if you signed up for a 15.50 a month you should NOT be being changed any more then that.

greyster

tell them you are looking to reduce your bill and heard broadband small was available but not advertised.

Broadband Small is the old Broadband Medium (2Mb).

Its £11 a month, £10 after e-Billing. Quite a few people have jumped on it now.

staffie1

Wig wrote: »

I am on the phoneline and M BB for 16.50/15.50 /month The difference in price is supposed to be a £1 discount when you register for online billing.

I noticed they have increased my basic broadband charge from £18 month to £20 month (before the discounts), therefore after the discounts now I am paying 17.50/18.50 (depending on the ebill discount of £1).

I am on a 12 month contract at £15.50. (since October 08). I don't remember any notice about increasing the broadband charge, and even if I had I would assumed it didn't apply to me because I thought I was on a fixed price for 12 months.

Can anyone help? Have I got grounds for telling them to put my BB back to £18 (before discounts) ?

If they refuse I would want to use this as an opportunity to cancel my contract early, and just leave Virgin all together, but the only thing I can think they could do to stop me doing that is argue that they have informed me in advance of the increase in BB charge. Which I can't prove either way.

Did anyone else get a notice recently about BB charges rising? What format did it take?

They can change their charges whenever they like:

F1 "We and/or Virgin Media Entertainment can change the charges as set out in paragraph H3, but if we do so, this may entitle you to end these agreements."

H3 "Virgin Media Ltd and/or Virgin Media Entertainment and/ or Virgin Media Payments may change their respective charges at any time. Any such changes will be published in the monthly charges made by us and/or Virgin Media Entertainment and/or Virgin Media Payments on the Virgin Media Ltd website (or the Virgin Media Entertainment website with regard to premium television services) and we, Virgin Media Entertainment and Virgin Media Payments will do our best to give you notice of the change at least one month before the change takes effect. Any changes to usage charges and tariffs will be published on the Virgin Media Ltd website or the Virgin Media Entertainment website (as applicable) and will be reflected on your next bill."

Wig

Hi,

I am still getting 2Mb (not been upgraded-just done a speed test) and charged £20 before discounts, bringing my (newly increased) ebill to £17.50 after discounts for phone and M BB.

I can accept that they can increase the prices with due notice, but if they do, that allows me to cancel my contract with no period of notice.

I just need people to tell me what their own bills have been saying recently and if they also have asked for a cancellation of contract. Or for their bills to be put back to the old contract prices.

Regarding the BB Small for £10 that would still be an increase of £5.50 per month from my current package, right ?

Current deal - Phone line & BBM £15.50/mth
New Deal Phone & BB Small £11 + £10 = £21 mth ???? right?

staffie1

Well I personally am not with Virgin at the moment, but thinking of switching to them from BT. I actually think the price your charged is quite reasonable when I consider that on BT, I'm paying £11 phone line rental plus £21.99 BB (and only getting up to 1Mb) = total £33! Total Ripoff.

But still I think you have a valid point in your situation, but in terms of the quality of the product your getting, it's still a good price imo.

Paulos77

Im the same, I was paying £30 a month but I have noticed it has gone up by £2 a month. I remember getting a letter about a month ago saying it would go up though. I also get online billing so dont pay the £1.50 charge or whatever it is for them to post out the bill.


Yesterday I did get a flyer/letter through my door saying my internet line can now be upgraded from 2mb to 10mb. You have to log on to your account and apply for the free upgrade. I done it last night and it said it will take a few days to upgrade. I have been upgraded today!. Just done a test this morning and im on 10mb now. I didnt expect them to be that quick in doing it.

The letter could easily be mistaken as a flyer so check all virgin media things through your door if your still waiting to be upgraded to faster internet.

Wig

staffie1 wrote: »

but in terms of the quality of the product your getting, it's still a good price imo.

Not when they have overcrowded their local roadside (telephone) junction boxes for years which has regularly led me to have disconnections for the last 6 years and in the last year, when things got too much, they have disconnected my line about 10 times in 12 months. Then they expect you to take a day off work and only compensate you a measly £3 and only then if you remember to call them back AFTER the line has been fixed, they won't compensate you when you report the fault, even though you have reported the same fault 10 times in the last year and it has always been their fault....they won't even promise to automatically compensate you when it turns out to be their fault. Broadband has remained unaffected.

And now they have increased their phone charges effective June 1st 09, to make international calls via 3rd party carriers 0844/0871 etc. And lets not forget the ripoff 9p minimum connection fee applied to all calls. It's time to tell them where they can stick it.

Paulos77

Wig wrote: »

The difference in price is supposed to be a £1 discount when you register for online billing.

I think they may have dropped that and started charging people who dont want online paperless bills.

Wig

Paulos77 wrote: »

I think they may have dropped that and started charging people who dont want online paperless bills.

In which case my bill will increase by £3 a month

staffie1

Paulos77 wrote: »

Im the same, I was paying £30 a month but I have noticed it has gone up by £2 a month. I remember getting a letter about a month ago saying it would go up though. I also get online billing so dont pay the £1.50 charge or whatever it is for them to post out the bill.

So what services are you taking altogether for your £32 / mth ?