Virgin Media -rip off call prices 0845 & international

peter999

I checked some call prices on Virgin Media.

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/phone/callingcosts.html

Saw they now charge the same rate for 0845 numbers as 0870 numbers !!

Both are now charged at 9.79p connection plus 9.79p/min.

0845 were always sold as a "local rate" type call in the past.
0845 used to be charged at 4p(day)/1.5p9(evg)/1p(wkd) per min in 2004.

Then checked an international call price, saw price was now 43p/min, used to be 20p/min in 2004 with NTL !!

Now I know about override services, I normally use OneTel override to call abroad & Virgin Media have their Talk International feature where you pay £1.50/month extra to get much cheaper international calls, but still didn't expect this.

I never used to check 0845 numbers & worry about cost.

What a rip-off !!

peter999

KimYeovil

You want a free market. You don't want a universal service. Don't moan when your penny-pinching self-interest on occasion turns out not to be in your interest after all. What else did you expect?

peter999

KimYeovil wrote: »

You want a free market. You don't want a universal service. Don't moan when your penny-pinching self-interest on occasion turns out not to be in your interest after all. What else did you expect?

It's not penny pinching, this has changed behind the scenes, people don't know.

0845 numbers are used all over the place.

The basics have changed, 0845 originally introduced as a local call rate number, now treated same as 0870 introduced as national call rate number.

International call rate has doubled in price, which is a joke, if not extortionate & criminal.

peter999

mrtom21

peter999 wrote: »

It's not penny pinching, this has changed behind the scenes, people don't know.

0845 numbers are used all over the place.

The basics have changed, 0845 originally introduced as a local call rate number, now treated same as 0870 introduced as national call rate number.

International call rate has doubled in price, which is a joke, if not extortionate & criminal.

peter999

This hasn't changed behind the scenes... everyone knows prices go up from time to time and companies send you notification of this... It's called ignoring the post :P

Heinz

Watch out for VM's charges for 0844 numbers (used by many of the override providers which show up in the MSE CallCheckers) too. They charge 6 times as much for some (3p/minute to dial numbers for which BT charges ½p/minute for example).

peter999

mrtom21 wrote: »

This hasn't changed behind the scenes... everyone knows prices go up from time to time and companies send you notification of this... It's called ignoring the post :P

Not correct, I haven't received anything about this.

I'd notice something like this.

peter999

ACDeag

I am always surprised by people who say the benefit of Virgin is that line rental is cheaper than BT (25p cheaper), this is easily wiped out by one call charge from Virgin, in fact a 2 second call to 0845 will cost nearly 20p, when it may well be included in your BT call plan. Would not touch VM's phone service with a barge pole.

0845/0870 comparison

Daytime
0845 0870
BT 1.96p/min 5.25p/min (could be inclusive)
VM 9.79p/min 9.79p/min (Not inclusive)

Evenings
0845 0870
BT 0.49p/min 1.45p/min (could be inclusive)
VM 9.79p/min 9.79p/min (Not inclusive)

peter999

Did anyone get a letter about the Virgin Media price increases effective 1-Oct ??