Only joined Virgin Media for Sky? Blag some extra channels for the loss

km449

Dialled the 0800 number and if I selected option 3, "Talk to us about leaving", I'd get an automated message telling me to call back later when they were less busy!

So next time I went for option 1 "If you're moving house" and got straight through. When i told her I wanted to talk about renegotiating my deal the very nice lady asked me what option I'd pressed. Told her I couldn't remember as I'd been holding for so long (what's a white lie now and again?!) so she apologised and offered to sort it for me.

First of all I got a speel about how the Sky channels lost had previously been provided free so there wasn't anything she could do.

Mentioned that I'd seen a newsletter on a web site, told her this one, and to cut a long story short she immediately changed her tune.

I got a free 2 to 4meg broadband upgrade (at 9.99 per month), all the sky movie channels free, the XL package for 10.00, and the sports package for 13.50 - all for 6 months.

That'll do me! She was so nice I felt horrid at times, she offered me 1 movie channel at first but I kept asking for more, and I ended up with the whole lot free. Must change my name to Martin Lewis - the name moves mountains!!

:T

AlisonCVS

mrmajika wrote:

We only took up Virgin Media (Telewest at the time) in January and so are still tied to a 12 month contract.

I am on 2 for £20. Broadband and TV package size L. I phoned up and queried the Sky thing stating that I wasn't happy. I now have TV Package size XL for 6 months at no extra cost.

:beer:

Hope this helps we are in the same position as you:
Virgin say they are not going to hold anyone to the 12 month contract - I am cancelling on principal we only just switched from Sky to the £30 Telewest/Virgin package a month ago too. I am really peed off.

See http://allyours.virginmedia.com/fairplay/faq.html

They say:

"Can I cancel my contract?
At Virgin Media we're all about being honest and doing the right thing.

So, even if we've done everything we can to persuade our TV customers to stay, and they still want to disconnect their TV service, then we're not going to hold them to their 12 month contract. We'll allow them to cancel at any time up to the end of March although they need to give us 30 days notice. This commitment will not impact our contractual rights to recover any outstanding arrears owing at the time of cancellation. "



I have already sent a letter to cancel. They promised something they are not delivering to draw us in (I can't believe this was an overnight surprise to them). Then try to act as we if we are their pals - saying that they care about their customers, "please side with us against the nasty bullies". Well I am not their friend I am a paying customer and I owe them no loyalty - I will go to the company that offers me what I want.

Dave_Bear

I was paying £48 per month for TV, Broadband and Phone. After waiting about 30 minutes and quite a confrontational phone call, I now have about 100 extra channels and am paying £10 less per month. My broadband speed and phone line remain the same as before. A bit of a result in my opinion.

On a side note one of my friends tried the same thing and drew a blank. They were told to cancel if they wanted and given the telephone number to do so.

DJC50

I take the NTL/Virgin Sky Sports L Package for £35.50 per month. When I complained about the loss of Sky Sports News and threatened to leave unless there was a financial adjustment, they reduced it to £25.25 per month.

MoneySaver_27

Just read all the above and given Virgin a call - I am no negociator to say the least - and with no effort the kind lady gave me six pounds off my monthly bill for three months. Time spent waiting on hold: 8 minutes.

roctw

Just been on phone to Virgin.
Had to wait on hold for 25 mins but don't let that put you off.

I have XL TV, L Broadband and various phone bits. Spoke to a really nice guy who went though my package, upgraded to talk unlimited and added V+ all for £53.50 a month.
My original package was £63.50 a month so really pleased with new bits and saving!!
V+ coming on Monday - dh has been going on about getting this for ages so he is over the moon!
Guy also said that Virgin had signed a deal with to have old Lost seasons and upcoming episodes on Virgin Central plus they are in talks with 24 to add this too!
How I love competition between companies!!
:j

stuartjp_2

i havent phoned yet, i feel abit cheeky especialy when i just got 10 meg broadband for 12.50 free phone 24/7 exept mobile wich i get a discount on
and half price tv for 6 months,
the reason for that is a very long story but basically there customer service isent up to to,
so to phone up and moan about losing sky channels "wich is a massive thing to me" seems cheeky,
what do you all think ???
regards
stuart

Girlyb

My other half has spent the last couple of months grinding Virgin, or NTL/Telewest as they were, down on the price. We have been customers of said company from their birth! Can't even remember what they were called then. Our bills have been in the region of £80/90 each month and my other half has played the loyal customer card very well. We now have the XL TV package for half price for 6 months, our Broadband speed increased to 4mb and the cost halved plus a number of other discounts.

When the Sky saga hit I really did think he was pushing his luck but he has managed to get our bill reduced by a further £5 month for the next 3 months. The wait time was very minimal and the customer services operator he spoke to reckoned it would be sorted eventually.

Got the bill in this week and we are in credit!!

I think it is outrageous. Sky are now milking this opportunity for everything it is worth. Despite the fact that I think the Sky service is far superior to Virgin, Virgin's TV guide is appalling, we are sticking with Virgin, mainly because the other half won't have a satellite dish on the house. Getting the V+ box installed next week, be interesting to see how that works in comparison to Sky!

km449

Dial the 0800 number and select option 1, "Moving house".

When you get through tell them you want to renegotiate your deal.

They'll say they are the relocation people and suggest they put you through somewhere else.

Tell them you've already been waiting for ages!

They will then help you out, they have the authority, and by the sound of the other recent posts, are much less used to dealing with "challenges".

They are so helpful it's amazing!

Hope that helps

(Have had the V Box thing for a while - brilliant piece of kit!)

Over_the_Hill

I presently have been with Virgin (Telewest) for 7+ years. Phoned up (as suggested in Martins's book) and explained I was not happy loosing Sky one and was considering cancelling. The gentlemen left me hanging for 10 min, explained that since I was already receiving a discount for second box (£5.50) that I was not intitled to any further discounts. Not happy when I read that you all seem to be doing really well getting discounts. I presently pay a standard £52 per month for the following services:- Telephone, TV L
(2 x boxes), Broadband 4mb. Any suggestions?