Virgin Media: Haggle down your costs.

babblerx

Just called Telewest (currently have Supreme TV package, 321 phone deal and 10mb broadband). Navigated through voicemail to Disconnections. Didn't actually say I wanted to disconnect, just said I was thinking about it. Guy said he would have to put me through to Customer Services. Got put straight through to their Liverpool call centre.

Told the guy I was thinking of leaving as I could get a similar combined package elsewhere. He guessed I was talking about TalkTalk and Sky, listing the negatives of both (ADSL not being true 8mb, contention rates and download caps etc) all of which I already knew. Have to say at this point I am reasonably happy with my Telewest package and have never really had a problem with their customer services and I did tell the guy this. The call was very amiable and to cut a long story short I ended up with a £9/month reduction in my bill for a year and a £35 credit and free weekend calls without having to change TV or broadband package. Not a bad result I'd say! :beer:

skintus_mcgintus

17.99 pcm (1 meg) slashed to 9.99 pcm (4 meg from june 1) indefinitely = 96 quid saving per year

but if i ring back can i get an even better deal, does anyone know?

if you stick with 1 meg instead of the upgrade, they offered me 8 quid pcm

suky321

Called telewest this morning, got 6 months line rental free.
Make sure you know information about the talktalk offer, as telewest make it a challenge to get your discount.

iellison

I have just rang NTL freedom & discussed the Talk Talk Plan.

Currently I have Basic line rental with BT for £10.50, 512 broadband & Talk 24 unlimited for £24.99.

When we discussed I was switching I was then offered that my broadband would be upgraded to 1mb and talk 24 unlimted for £19.99. Only a 12month contact which they could repeat in 12 months time.

Ntl agreed to give me the saving £60 upfront on my next Bill.

My final bonus is after looking on the TALKTALK web site and entered my postcode & phone details that their service was not available in my area anyway.

So thanks to martin I got a better deal which was not eeven available.

Thanks

montmorillon

kboy28 wrote:

I had the telewest 2 MB £17.99 broadband and Line rental at £11 and essential TV at 11.50 = £40.49 per month. I was positive in that I wanted to leave as it was too expensive and mentioned Talk Talk as well as freeview. The Customer Relations dept tried to put me off Talk Talk suggesting their tech support cost money and they could not offer 8MB. They tried to reduce my bill by reducing my broadband down to 512k and tv to their basic package.
I gave them a bit of silence and said that I wouldn't stay for a reduced service still at a high price. The offer then went to £30 for 6 months and £34thereafter, finally they agreed £30 for 12 months no tie ins. I think better than their new customer deals. I use 18866. So now I have the same service I have had for £10.49 per month less.

Thanks for the help

I just rang Telewest also and when they answered i told them i would like to give 30 days notice to cancil my telephone broadband package as i was moving to Talk Talk and like you i was told how Talk Talk was not tried and tested and prices could increase any time, to which i replied Oh just like Telewest having just recieved a letter to say my line rental would increase by 50p from next month ! to which the lady at Telewest told me that increase was just in line with BT! to which i told her that i did not see the fact that the competition increased their price a valid reason to increase my bill.
She then offered to match Talk Talks offer minus the international add on for 3 months while they look at the competition to decide what their next move is going to be to keep hold of exhisting customers.
So i am now getting Broadband line rental and 24 hour calls all for £20.99 not bad as i was paying on average £45.00 a Month before and you bet that i will ring to give another 30 days notice in 2 months time unless they agree to match Talk Talk indefinately " Wow i just saved £24.00 a month in one Phone call :j :j

cabled

I currently have 2MB broadband and Talk Unlimited 24 with NTL for which I pay £24.99 and £26.00 per month respectively. I've just called NTL and they've reduced my phonebill indefinitely to £17.50 per month (saving £8.50) and my broadband to £16.99 for 6 months. They'll also increase the speed to 4MB as soon as it's available.

So for a two minute free call I've saved £99 over the next 6 months. I wish I could make that sort of money at work!!!

Nivverin

Boy was this hard work.

Just been on the line to Telewest and quoted the usual about TT, This nice chappie haggled for 25 mins about all the pit falls etc. I said I was very happy with the service I have been getting as I have been with them for six years. Any how after, as I said, lots of haggling he put me on hold for a while and then came back with an offer of £35 pounds to stay with them with my existing setup.
Which is

Telephone + Evening and Weekends £16.50
Essential TV Package £11.50
Broadband Complete 4MB £25.00
Total £53.00

Got same package for £35.00

SAVING £18.00 Per month £216.00 Per year

Nice one. Thanks Martin and everyone for their tips and experiences of how to go about it.:beer: :beer:

sjg_3

Typing this in whilst NTL reduce my my monthly costs.

AT PRESENT

Phone line £10.50
Talk Un 24 £14.50
BB 2MB £24.99
going up to 4MG soon
TOTAL £49.99

New Price £22.99

Saving £27.00

Thats for 12 months.

No real haggle just ask and be nice.
Great result I think.

jimf_2

Been with NTL for a few years, read all the posts decided to give customer services a call.

I have the following services with NTL
Basic analogue Digital £5 pm
Telephone rental 14.00 pm
1 Meg Broad band 17.99 pm
around £37 per month

Told NTL that talk talk were offering free broadband etc... i was offered
same deal only upgrade broadband to 10 Meg for £32.00 per month

Told him that I did not require such a large broad band and wanted my monthly costs down.

A deal was struck

Basic analogue Digital
Telephone rental
2 Meg Broad band (Upgraded 1st June to 4 meg)


£21.00 Per month for twelve months

Easy phone call no hassle what so ever, thanks to everyone for their posts, gave me the incentive to try.

Alex_E.

Ok this wasn't quite as easy as on previous occassions. The first Telewest guy mumbled quietly, I couldn't really hear, and he was bordering on rude. Phoned back to cancellations and got through to a woman who was more accommodating. After 35mins, briefly on hold, and discrediting the Talk Talk business model and some discussion about an OFCOM dispute with them, then some mention of future offers she gave in!

Result=£31.50 credit each month representing a 46%saving.

Before: Supreme TV/Talk unlimited/4 Meg Broadband = £68 per month.

Now I will pay £36.50.

The cashback is made up of a permanent £9 reduction to BB and phone; then £22.50 as some sort of good will to match Talk Talk which will last 3 months.

Couldn't get longer than 3 months as they're bringing out some new packages. I was still in contract for the TV which would mean a price hike should I cancel the other services so I'm happy to wait and renegotiate in 3 months and assess Talk Talk and and new rival deals.