Virgin Media free upgrade

Ratboy

I got an email ages ago, saying that everyone will get a free upgrade, in my case 10Mb-20Mb, great! But when I put my postcode into their website to find out when it was ages away!

So, eventually February 28th 2013, it was due. But didn't happen.

So 1st March I rang them up, as I hadn't received my bill either, they keep telling me I'm set for ebilling, which I'm not, and their home page says the same.

So I enquired about the upgrade, and the lady took my postcode to check (surely they should already have this information, due to ringing from their phone, confirming that, and entering a password?);

"Oh yeah, you should have been upgraded, but you don't have a Superhub,"

me: "Yes I do,"

them; which I cannot compute; "OK, well I will upgrade you now, but the 30Mb deal is the same as the 20Mb update, so I will give you 30Mb instead,"

me: "Sorry? You are upgrading people for FREE to 20Mb, but because I rang, you give me 30Mb as a FREE UPGRADE, it's definately a FREE upgrade??"

them: "Yup"

And now I receive 'upto' 30Mb, average just over 20Mbits, and upload just over 1Mbit, which is better than upto 20Mbits, and far better than the 10Mbits origionally, not to shake a stick at!

But I thought you needed a different Superhub to receive 30Mb-100Mb?

My Parents are currently receiving/paying for 2Mb broadband, and recently received a Superhub in anticipation of the upgrade, and apparently that isn't a speed that is supported by VM, (M (which I am on), L, and XL) so who knows what speed they will get? :j

So, if your due to receive, or currently don't get the speed you deserve, give them a bell!

Jakeandme

Don't want to put a downer on this but keep an eye on your next bill, I know from past experiences with Virgin they will tell you anything on the phone to keep you happy.

Ratboy

Yeah, I fully understand that, I know their games!

But technically they refused to honour what they said, as it was a free 10-20Mb upgrade anyways.

Just seems strange that they say the 20Mb and 30Mb are the same deals???

chrisw

You'll be fine. I agree it's all very confusing but there's a lot of information on the Virgin Media forums about it. The minimum package they do now is 30Mb. Those who upgraded from the 10Mb and don't have the superhub got 20Mb, but those who have got the Superhub also got 20Mb until they actually phoned and spoke to someone at Virgin and then got moved to the 30Mb free of charge. They seem to be keeping quiet about it until you actually ask.

The Superhub will do the 100Mb plus.

kwikbreaks

This free upgrade was announced maybe a year ago so it's certainly genuine and not something made up by customer support.

Some areas, including my own, have not been upgraded yet but I've been running on a doubled speed package for ages by the simple expedient of calling in and asking why new customers were getting the doubled speed packages immediately yet current customers had to wait.

VM is driven more by BS than technology and they'll do anything to gain customers or retain existing ones even when their network can't always support what they are selling.

The "free upgrade" was VM's answer to the speed doubling offered by BT Infinity. They couldn't actually support it at the time, of course, but they announced it anyway and are still playing catch up.