Virgin Media: Haggle down your costs.

emv

I'm paying £47.95 for 2 lines + 2MB broadband with VM at present. I'm considering swopping to BT lines and then getting a better deal on broadband. I'm hoping this is possible. But what will happen to my current VM e-mail address, etc?

Any advice gratefully received!

Emmavix

Heinz

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=9596949#post9596949

emv

Well I've just called Virgin Media who didn't even try to entice me to stay but processed my disconnection for 30 days time!! Am I likely to receive any calls asking me to stay or this it now?

Rob_Wills

W A R N I N G -TALK TALK COSTS DO NOT INCLUDE A ONE OFF CHARGE OF £29.99*

The cheapest home phone & broadband deal’s got cheaper. TalkTalk’s deal normally costs £16.39/mth; this includes line rental (on its own £10.50 via BT) plus broadband and free eve. & w’kend calls. Yet until 31 March, you can get it even cheaper, via comparison site Uswitch's deal* as it gives two months free line rental, saving £21, making it just £15/mth over the 18 mth contract. (*see above, additional cost £1.67 / month)

I was told by Toucan (current line rental £8.99 / month) that if I switch my home phone to Virgin (home phone & broadband £15.50 / month) and I sometime switch back to telephone line from cable that I can only go to BT. True or False

What should I do?

jon.leeds

Have had problems with VM for ages and wanted to get away from them but dont have landline anymore, so was pleased when they matched the Talk Talk offer straight off at £15.50 pm for 12 months at least, and will get new modem in post by end of week (hurrah can get rid of the useless black box!)
I had ditched the TV from VM at xmas (but thats a whole other storey!!), and gone over to freeview with Humax PVR (very good).
Jon

Blissy_Rhi

Hi Rob

Yes that's right. I work for a telecoms company and BT are very clever with what they do.

When you switch from a cable provider back to a BT line (providing you already have an existing BT line in the property) you must stay with BT for a minimum of 12 months. They also charge a connection fee (around £65+)If you want to get out of the contract they will charge you up to £70 for a cessation fee.

However, if you go back to BT and require a line installation, it's between £65 and £125 to get the line installed, plus connection fee and then 12/18 month contract. They will also charge you a cess fee (of up to £70)

I would double-check the prices though to be sure as these one have been quoted to me by some customers and costs vary from person to person.

Heinz

Rob_Wills wrote: »

I was told by Toucan (current line rental £8.99 / month) that if I switch my home phone to Virgin (home phone & broadband £15.50 / month) and I sometime switch back to telephone line from cable that I can only go to BT. True or False

False.

Any of the line providers now in the market can, like BT does, employ Openreach to install/reconnect a line. Most won't do so though because (1) they'd rather pay £2.35 to take over a working BT line than £103.40 to get it done themselves and (2) they don't have to do so whereas BT does.

See HERE.

redstripe

Around this time last year (March 2007) when ntl/virgin lost several Sky t.v. channels I called them to cancel, after a lot of messing around I cancelled my t.v. and got phone and broadband (2meg upgraded to 4meg) for £20 a month. Over the next few months they made quite a few errors with my bills - extra items added, discounts missing 1 minute phone calls charged at £5 (they claimed these were
computer errors!).

Anyway, recently my broadband has been very slow - they say it's because I'm waiting for a cable upgrade which was initially promised for the 1st of March, but now TBC. On my latest bill, March 2008, I have lost my £8 discount (as apparantly it only lasts for a year - they didn't tell me this at the time - and they say they wont, not can't but wont reinstate it.
However they will give me a new £4.50 discount but I would have to sign a new 12 month contract. I told them I'm not going to tie myself in to them for another 12 months, the lady became quite rude at this point and said if I moved I would have to sign up with another company for 12 months anyway. I had to hang up at this point, lest I lose my rag.

So be careful with ntl/virgin as they will try to claw back any savings you may get from them by making 'computer errors' with your bills and lying to you.

It's a shame because I suppose I will end up paying more for my phone and broadband when I switch.

redstripe

I have the 300 texts and 300 minutes with virgin mobile on two mobile phones at £10 each for virgin media customers and I'm cancelling my virgin media broadband and phone.
I phoned up virgin mobile to give 30 days notice because when I signed up for 300 minutes and 300 texts they told me if I cancelled my virgin media contract then I would be put on one of their standard pay as you go mobile tarriffs. When I spoke to virgin mobile they asked why I wanted to cancel and I told them I was leaving virgin media and they told me I could stay on the 300 minutes and 300 texts for £10 a month even though I would no longer be a virgin media customer. Which was nice.

I only use my home phone for 0845 and international calls through an access number provided by the call checker on this site.
So I'm going to BT for phone (£10.50 pm) and O2 for broadband at 8meg unlimited for £12.50 month.
Saving myself £5 a month and will no longer be a virgin media customer(deep joy).

Anne_Arthur

Hi, I just called Virgin media, as suggested by Martin in the article and got the broadband, rental, free 01 and 02 landline calls anytime, and a cheaper international and mobile tarriff for £19.95!! So thank you Martin, I have just reduced my monthly bill from £44 to £20 in one phone call! - No hassling or negotiating required either - they just quoted the offer. (My husband says he'll take me out to dinner to celebrate)