Virgin Media: Haggle down your costs.

domgrima

Just had to say a massive thanks for this thread. Phoned NTL ( 0800 052 9403 Option 2) yesterday and "made that call". Previous package was Talk unlimited plus 1MB BB = £25-35 +£17.99 pm.

Told them I was looking to switch to Talk Talk and was asked if it was just because of the price. When I said yes, was asked if I would consider a better offer. After a minute or so of silence I was offered:

a) 1Meg BB plus talk unlimited 24 for £14.49
OR
b) 10Meg BB plus talk unlimited 24 for £19.49!!

Went for b) (trying not to cheer out loud! and confirmed this was all inclusive and good for 12 months! I am still smiling 2 days later.... That's about £30 pm saved PLUS 10x faster BB!

newnhak

I rang NTL yesterday and the CS operator offered me a cheaper call plan - can't remember the details but it wasn't good as it mostly saved me on int and mobile calls - neither of which I ring on my land line. I also use call18866(?) so the call plan doesnt save me much.

She wouldn't increase my broadband as she said next month we will increase automatically from 2mb to 4mb. She also told me that the 8mb from TalkTalk was theoretical and you were unlikely to reach anything like that.

Basically they weren't giving me anything. I said no thanks and she said ok she would go ahead with disconnection then :eek: I told her she couldn't disconnect straightaway as I was at work and couldnt sort all the switch out.

What should I do? I wondered if they were being difficult as I have rung before and got discounted line rental (this has now expired). From what people are getting on here I thought I would be offered better.

Karen

MumofThree

Hi newnhak,

You don't say what package you are on but I would have thought you'd have been offered something better. I assume that you did ring the diconnections number (0800 052 9403 Option 2) rather than normal customer services. You MUST ring the disconnections number to get the best deals as they have more authority than normal CS.

If so it might be worth waiting a few days and calling again

good luck

Lady_K

Is that number going to stay the same after 8th May when the freecalls are supposed to be changing to 0845 and 0870 numbers?

newnhak

I am on

3-2-1 line rental £10-50 (am I right in thinking this is soon to increase to £11?)
2mb broadband £24.99.

I did ring the disconnections number but they obviously weren't playing ball when I rang - too many MSE'rs had rung already that day methinks!

To be honest I think I will ring again as I thought the offer was poor. I think I may look at what others are offering (Bulldog etc) as the CS was very negative about TalkTalk. I have heard that TalkTalk can't keep up with demand and so I wondered if that was why NTL were happy to let me go rather than offer me something better. I have been a customer for 8 years so I thought it was pretty shoddy really.

Karen

Mamma_Money_Saver

As Martin's Money Tips E-mails suggested, as an existing Customer of Telewest, I contacted then to see what would offer for Broadband to compete with current Talk Talk offer.

Customer Services told me to contact Customer Relations on 0800 073 0591.

Did this today, they said that as they are now part of NTL and Virgin they do not want to lose existing customers to Talk Talk. Therefore she said they are prepared to effectively match Talk Talk for a 3 month period. Thereafter they would reconsider their postion based on the market offer at that time.

I have therefore now got Talk Unlimited for £9.99 (instead of the usual £15.99) per month. With this Broadband comes free!!

Excellent result. Thanks for the tip. Only hope offer continues!!!

MumofThree

Hi Karen

Sounds like you got someone on a bad day!

I was on 1Meg BB & 3-2-1 line rental and I mangaged to get 2 mg BB, line rental & talk unlimted 24 all for £20 a month indefinitely.

I was using call 1899 but calls were still costing 1p/min so the talk unlimted 24 is definitely worth having at this price. Obviously will still use override provider (phonecheap) for calls to mobiles

Have another go next week. good luck

Zoe
p.s you're right about the basic line rental going up to £11

also in reply to someone elses query, when you are on talk unlimted 24 you don't pay anything for calls to 01 and 02 landlines, not even a connection fee.

Phil_hume

I rang them and said I wanted to move my computer to another room. It would cost me £25 callout to re-route the cable. I said that I was thinking of asking Talk Talk and thought they would install for free. I have yet to move the computer as the room isn't ready, but they changed my telephone package to free evening and weekend calls local and long distance. My mobile call numbers are going to be cheaper. I have a £5 discount still due to finish in September antway. All this has reduced my broadband 1 meg and phone calls to £24 a month. Even when the £5 runs out I will still be about £10 a month beter off! As Beatie used to say IT PAYS TO TALK.

Bun

Thank you everybody (and Martin) for your advice.


Currently we pay:
£10.50 line rental
£34.99 for 10mb BB (wanted more than 2, but the only other option is 10)
£15 approx for calls (min) on the 5p per call pms and weekends (but am using it more during the day than anticipated).

After calling (0800 052 9403 option 2) I explained that I had been a NTL customer for over 5 years, and that although I was happy with them, it was approximately three times the cost to stay and not take the Talk Talk offer. They immediately said they could beat this offer and put me through to customer retentions. They have indeed beaten it and from next month I have indefinately:

2mb BB increasing to 4bm on 1st June - £12.50
Line rental - £5.25
Free UK calls 24/7

ie my bill has gone from just over £60 to £17.75 per month!

And they did it so cheerfully and with so little effort on my part!

A very happy Bun

Destiny33

Help please, just off the phone to NTL. Best deal they could offer was follows:

Broadband £9.99 for 3 months (said would be no probs then to continue?)
Talk unlimited free for 6 months
Standing Charge £14

I am hopeless at haggling and any advice would be gratefully appreciated

Many thanks
D
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