Virgin Media: Haggle down your costs.

RobertinHerts

As I'm not particulary concerned about the TV, although catchup is handy, I've looked up MSE's guide and found Primus Saver for phone line and broadband. As MSE says Free instalation when buying via Homephonechoices although it does require a new phone number:( However at £16 per month, plus £2.50 each if you want CLI or CW, it appears to provide a decent broadband speed (in my area anyway) and Evening and Weekend calls are included. They even throw in a router (£5 postage?) at no extra charge.

They can also offer 'Any time' calls which includes 0845 / 0870

So now to discuss with Virgin what they can offer... Has anyone else quoted the 'Primus saver' to them?

I've no problem switching to an 18 month contract if it reduces the price.

I note that Virgin are providing Tivo 500GB free + £3 per month, samir_d says they are pushing Tivo though Busybody says it has a high power consumption.

So why are they 'pushing Tivo'? Is it because I would need to go to a higher TV package - I'm on M at present because there's no additional charge.

Ah, ha! There appear to be a number of problems with Tivos. For example, apparently, there's no live connection (just a daily one) so it can't identify when a programme is actually transmitted and tends to lose the last few minutes because of this!! Hmm, think I'll forget Tivo.

Looks like I should stick to the Primus Saver agument with it's free installation...

Leodogger

Am I the only one who thinks Virgin Media area a crap organisation. I rang to try to get a better deal after being with them for 14 yrs, no offer was made and they said I could not be offered what a new customer can get. I then told them to cancel my phone from 14th October as I am moving house and was moving my phone service to another supplier. I went on holiday on 20th Sept. and returned yesterday to find my phone was either cut off or out of order. I spent the best part of an hour at my brother's house on his cable phone trying to sort the problem. They said it had not been disconnected so had to be a fault and promised to ring me on my mobile within 30 minutes. 24 hrs later, no call and still no service. Went on line to discuss with their "chat" service and got a reply that they were the order team and did not hold my account details so could do nothing and terminated the chat so I logged back onto it (same person, or so it said) and told them the account no. and my mobile phone number asking them to get their customer service to ring me. Still no response, even though I have threatened to stop my direct debit !

I can't wait to dump them ! They do not value long term customers by trying to offer deals to keep them and cannot be bothered to deal with faults. What a crap organisation ! If I had Richard Branson's address or phone no. I would let him know exactly what I think of his company.

bullfrog_2

revpeachy wrote: »

Thanks to all posters, especially Bullfrog, your step by step guides to haggling gave me confidence to hold my ground and I managed to get from £35.00 for broadband, phone & tv to £19.00 plus a credit for this month!! Amazed...thanks guys.

Happy to help and glad you got the result you wanted :j

bullfrog_2

sva19 wrote: »

Thanks Bullfrog,

I followed your advice. I had been with VM for 4 years with landline and broadband. Total cost was £26 pm rising to £27pm in aug.

I phone Thurs 7, to say not happy with rising cost and yur costly service when compared to rival can get for £13 elsewhere like primus. I said only broadband was of value to me as have freee mobile mins, and that's not worth £27.

They offered to go down to £23pm. I declined and gave my 30 days notice.

Today Sat 16/7 got call from VM, presumably retention team, they gave sweet talk of been a loyal customer for 4 yrs, I gave them my talk , then she went away to see what she could do. Try to sell me TV, I declined. Then offered £15pm, I declined saying wanted closer to £13. We settled for £14. It will be another 12 month contract. But it a hugh saving from £27 to £14 ...£13 savings !!!

Thanks again, following advice on these forums comes up in trumps.

All the best to other VM customers, haggle your prices down!!!

Another satisfied customer
Very happy to help and congratulations on your new tariff.

RobertinHerts

I did get a positive reaction from VM when I referred to Primus Saver. Current bill is £45 p.m., they offered to drop it to £30 as a Loyalty deal if I gave up the TV. Odd because I originally accepted the basic TV as it was at no extra charge.

Would miss the catch-up the weeks programmes, the only time we use VM TV service, but can't afford £15 p.m. just for that. They said it would be a new 12 month contract which I could up or downgrade later.

VM said the Primus via Homephonechoices installation meant leaving BT after 12 months not having a new copper wire connected. This seems a very reasonable argument, if true but it's not how I read MSE.

Currently looks like my best option will probably be to go for the £30 offer, Primus said £24 for the same services. And consider adding TV back on later.

Discodave

Hello peeps..

Just a quickie for all those Virgin / Sky Geeks out there, here's hoping you can offer some advice.

I had read Bullfrog advice, but still would like to see what others think.



Grandad (82 years old, and stubborn as anything!) is currently on Virgin Bundle of;

10MB BB (more than he needs, but is the lowest Virgin offer)
XL TV (has to buy XL for viewing Alibi and Gold - the only 2 "non-freeview" channels he watches, and these do not come with the M/M+ TV package)
XL Phone (Talk Anytime!)
1x V+ Box

Bills vary from £55 to £75 (I can get a breakdown if anyone would like one!) depending on who he phones (Bid TV, Hallmark etc are racking up calls of £1.05 - £1.50 a time!) He doesn't drink and doesn't smoke, but drives very small mileage to visit Grandma in a home so needs use of the car, although that should have anything do to this this particular issue.)

He wants to reduce to as little as possible, so I suggested getting rid of TV (and just watch FreeView), then look at Orange BB and Home Phone for £24 a month inc Line Rental.

Anyway, he says he needs (wants) to keep Alibi and Gold Channels as, at 82 years old, Grandma in a home, that's is only pleasure especially on evening whereby he can record programmes to watch the following day)

On the other hand, he's always saying how he aint got much money, and needs to cut down on stuff?!!

We are due to give 30 days notice (verbal or otherwise) to Virgin this week for a contract that expires 1st week in November.

I'm basically after some advice on what to do. Trying to tell him he can do without Alibi and Gold is wasting your time, as he's adamant he's keeping it, but this won't lower his bills?

Do SKY have the equivalent/same channels as Virgin, or do you think Virgin would look at helping him. Even though he has XL TV, he will only watch normal channels (ie: FV ones, and them two particular ones which are part of the XL or XXL package - it doesn't come on the lower TV package)

I was looking at SKY (£21pm for 2 Mix Entertainment) with possible FREE install and Free SKY + box, then Orange BB, Home Phone & Line Rental @ £24pm) but then then, that's only saving him £10 a month which is only half of what we're really looking at saving?

HELP please!

tali

Every time i recieve a an amazing free offer for exisiting customer from VM -it is always a paying con- last time it was FREE!!! Mobile phone with some utterly convuluted "comes off your existing bill" and now FREE!! TiVO - yup sign me up -only to find it is smallprint £49.99

RobertinHerts

I'm quite happy to reduce the monthly charge from £45 to £29.45 - they call it £39.45 with a £10 discount - in exchange for dropping the TV and a taking a 12 month contract.

Got a leaflet delivered today saying VM Phone and Broadband for £27.40 when you switch to VM. Pleased that I've got this plus Anytime, CLI and CW for less than new customers:j

I'll be paying a bit more than Primus but won't have the hassle.

The only TV service we used from VM is the catch up of the past week. However the Freesat box can be connected to the internet using Homeplug between rooms (to be purchased) and we'll be able to get the iPlayer with HD!!

VM are sending a van to collect the V Box in a month. I wonder what they'll do with it? Probably not much demand for the old V Boxs now.

Discodave

does anyone know the cheapest SKY package/bundle (TV, BB, Phone, Line Rental) that would include Alibi/Gold?

I cant seem to find the package builder on the sky website.

Discodave

Further to my previous question, I have found the package I want with SKY, but need to complain to VM regarding my account/their customer service (or lack of).

Does anyone have a good VM email address I can use to contact