Free Virgin HD TV Upgrade?

dry_ice

Hi,

For a couple of years I've had Virgin's basic TV/B'Band/Phone package (£27pm), and now notice they're giving out HD as standard to new customers.
I acquired an HD box off a friend (who emigrated) and asked Virgin to send me a new smartcard so I could get HD. They ranted about how I shouldn't have taken my friend's box, blah blah blah.

I said: Well, regardless, I have it now. Can I have the card?
They claimed that that box is specific to one household and I need a new box, at a cost of £49+20.

Sounds like BS to me. :mad:

Anybody out there negotiated with them to get a new HD box for free? I don't wanna pay to get what new customers are getting for free...

Cheers,
D.I.

spike7451

dry_ice wrote: »

Hi,

For a couple of years I've had Virgin's basic TV/B'Band/Phone package (£27pm), and now notice they're giving out HD as standard to new customers.
I acquired an HD box off a friend (who emigrated) and asked Virgin to send me a new smartcard so I could get HD. They ranted about how I shouldn't have taken my friend's box, blah blah blah.

I said: Well, regardless, I have it now. Can I have the card?
They claimed that that box is specific to one household and I need a new box, at a cost of £49+20.

Sounds like BS to me. :mad:

Anybody out there negotiated with them to get a new HD box for free? I don't wanna pay to get what new customers are getting for free...

Cheers,
D.I.

No it's not BS,The box remains the property of VM & must be returned on termination of the contract.
When his services were turned off the box is locked out as it is registered to your friends address.VM can interrogate the box remotely & find out which node it is connected to.
What your friend has done is effectivly given you stolen property & he will,in turn,be sent a bill for up to £250 for the unreturned box.As he's emigrated & therefore cant be traced,the bill will no doubt he passed onto collections & then end up on his credit file.

Sorry tho,I'm not on VM (uncabled area) so can't answer your question about negotiating.

http://shop.virginmedia.com/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-cable-services.html#equipment

E Using our equipment
Where we hire equipment to you it will be our property at all times and we may need to alter or replace it from time to time. For us to do this, we will need reasonable access to your home.
You are responsible for making sure that our equipment is safe and used properly at all times. To do this, you agree to do the following:
a. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and any other instructions we have given you;
b. Keep the equipment under your control (for example, you may not sell it, lend it or hire it out to anyone else, put it up as security for a loan or mortgage, or allow it to be seized under any legal process against you). You must not move our equipment from your home without our permission;+
c. Insure any of our equipment against any loss, theft or damage for the full replacement value;
d. Not remove, tamper with or cross out any words or labels on our equipment;
e. Take proper care at all times to prevent the loss or theft of our equipment.
You agree to tell us immediately about any loss or damage to any part of our equipment. You should do this by phoning, emailing or writing to our Customer Care team. You agree that you are responsible for any loss of or damage to the equipment, regardless of how it happens. We will charge you for any loss of or damage to the equipment.
If we or you end these agreements, or you decide to disconnect from some of our services, you must return our equipment to us (or let us collect it from you if we choose to do this). You must return equipment or make it available for collection in a reasonable condition, allowing for fair wear and tear. If you fail to return or make available the equipment for collection for any reason, we are entitled to charge you for the replacement cost of the equipment. If we hold any money we may use that money towards the cost of the equipment. If we have supplied you with any additional equipment, we'd encourage you to dispose of it responsibly if you're no longer using it so please contact us for further information about disposing of your additional equipment.
Any equipment which you own and which you connect to the system (for example, phones, fax machines, PCs) must meet with all relevant laws and regulations. We reserve the right to disconnect any equipment that does not meet these laws and regulations. You may use your own equipment together with our equipment, but we do not guarantee that our equipment will work with your equipment.
We will not be liable in any way for any loss or damage which is caused to your own equipment arising as a result of its use with our equipment. We will not be liable for any loss of or damage to any additional equipment. We have the right to charge you for any replacement additional equipment.

Spike (ex ntl.vm engineer)

dry_ice

Thanks.

Sorry I wasn't suggesting that it's BS that VM own the box, I meant is it BS that they can't send me a new card because that one's registered to a particular address?
Perhaps so.
Ah well I'll have to try the old 'Threaten to go to Sky' routine...

Kurtis_Blue

Everything on Virgins website states £49 HD activation new or existing customers.
Clearly you need to arrange the return of the old box, maybe you can do both in one phone call.

jb66

dry_ice wrote: »

Hi,

For a couple of years I've had Virgin's basic TV/B'Band/Phone package (£27pm), and now notice they're giving out HD as standard to new customers.
I acquired an HD box off a friend (who emigrated) and asked Virgin to send me a new smartcard so I could get HD. They ranted about how I shouldn't have taken my friend's box, blah blah blah.

I said: Well, regardless, I have it now. Can I have the card?
They claimed that that box is specific to one household and I need a new box, at a cost of £49+20.

Sounds like BS to me. :mad:

Anybody out there negotiated with them to get a new HD box for free? I don't wanna pay to get what new customers are getting for free...

Cheers,
D.I.

New customers get a VHD box with the HD disabled!

jayme1

that activation fee is to get the card and activate the service, which then comes with a free, your own, brand new V HD box, so you aquireing this box is completely pointless as you would have got one free if you had have just rung up VM in the first place.

note you will only get HD if you have TV XL, otherwise you pay ~£10 extra

MattHawkins

I think HD is £5 a month extra. I'm thinking of downgrading from TV XL to TV M and simply paying the £5 a month. I don't watch most of the XL channels so I'm wasting £10-£15 a month at the moment!

Lincoln_Imp

Just to add so people are aware ..
If you currently have the old style box and want to upgrade to V+ HD and you have the signal sent to other rooms via the RF output you wont be able to with the V+ box if you have it set on HD output

The RF output on these boxes is disabled when HD is set ,there is ways round it as the VCR Scart output is still live or if you still have a VCR recorder you can wire that up and use the RF from that