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Opinions on V21 and Virgin.net?

Hi,

I'm currently looking for a new broadband provider for my mother in law and saw that V21 have a £11.98 deal for 8Mb broadband with 2GB limit (should be enough for her). I've tried the search facility but couldn't find any posts on this company.

Does anyone have any experience of dealing with V21 or should she keep clear and choose Madasafish?

Also, I'm looking to get broadband but will be moving home later on in the year. Some companies charge another activation fee when you move home(Madasafish's T&Cs say that they charge around £50) so I want a company that'll do it for free. I've seen Virgin don't charge and with Egg you can get £50 cashback making it around the same price per month as Madasafish.

Would anyone recommend Virgin.net?

Thanks for the help!

Comments

  • libra10
    libra10 Posts: 19,103 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I've been with V21 and am currently with Virgin.net. Have been with Virgin several years now and they are usually fine. I pay around £17.99 for 2MB unlimited access. This is due to be increased to 8MB free of charge I believe.

    A friend uses V21 and has very few problems.

    Good luck
  • blazebuster
    blazebuster Posts: 28 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I've been with V21 for about 18 months and have had no problems with them.
    However, i am now thinking of leaving as £16.99 per month for a 512 unlimited connection is quite expensive.
    They require payment of £40 for your MAC code, and do not respond to e-mails, forcing you to call them on a premium rate number.
  • SilverScooby
    SilverScooby Posts: 197 Forumite
    I'm with virgin and the service is fine. After saying I wanted to leave they're increasing speed to 2MB for £14.99.

    As virgin is part of NTL it has the same problems as NTL with the transparent proxy servers getting overloaded, but since I've manually specied our proxy this isn't a problem any more.

    Virgin do now have a £50 charge for leaving within 12 months though:
    "Leaving Virgin.net Broadband:
    If you ordered Virgin.net Broadband on or after 7th June 2005 and you wish to leave, you'll need to give us 30 days notice of your cancellation. In addition, while we don't tie you into a 12 month contact (unlike most broadband providers), we do reserve the right to apply a £50 cancellation charge if your service is cancelled within 12 months of activation. Unfortunately, this charge is necessary due to the cost of activating your broadband service. "
  • geraint83
    geraint83 Posts: 211 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Great - thanks to everyone for the advice.

    Since V21 charge for a MAC code that would cancel out any potential savings over Madasafish if you were to leave after a year!

    Although Virgin charge £50 for customers for leaving within 12 months, they don't charge customers who move house and keep Virgin broadband at the new address.

    I suppose customer services with practically all providers can bit hit and miss!!
  • KrazyFool
    KrazyFool Posts: 85 Forumite
    charging £40 to get your MAC, thats blackmail!

    Parents are with them & i keep telling them to move, will do it for them, as they are still paying full whack for only 512. Does this company do free upgrades to 2mb like everyone else did?

    I can see myself getting very hot tempered if they dont give it to me for free considering the overcharge....
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