Should I leave Virgin Media? CONFUSED!!!

d.lewarne

Has anybody read the Virgin advert in the paper today, which basically says providing, there is a cable connection to your property sign up to there fibre optic broadband and pay no line rental. Any comments?

kwikbreaks

LilyLarkin wrote: »

Kwikbreaks do you recommend I keep the phone deal that VM have given me right now?

Use whatever works out cheapest for your needs. In my case I wanted anytime calls + callerid + BB and for me standalone BB + Vonage was cheapest. Because VM run their business like a car boot stall and strike individual deals they may offer you something that gives you what you want that doesn't match my choice at all. Of course you may not want what I do either.

My advice is simple - be aware of the VOIP alternatives to VM telephony and strike the best deal you can with retentions. You should aim to pay the same as new customers post their initial offer months as an absolute maximum and ideally less. Make sure you have all the new customer prices and work things out while on the phone - don't let them rush you. Remember VM out of package call costs are expensive. So are their call packages but the discounted line cost (which they show as discounted BB) when you take BB + phone may alter the balance.

There are other possibly cheaper VOIP alternatives to Vonage but they are probably the most convenient with simple pay monthly rather than pre-pay calltime plus you get their telephone adaptor which works well and can port your current number to them too.

If you do strike a deal it will almost certainly involve a new minimum contract term which is why they will deal. Ask how long that will be and how long any loyalty discount will last. Be aware that (say) £5 loyalty discount doesn' necessarily amount to £5 off new customer price because they BS their deals up - look at the bottom line only every time.

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Forgot to mention - if you do take the Vonage route make sure you sign up through TopCashBack £25.25 or Quidco £25 for UK package atm.

kwikbreaks

d.lewarne wrote: »

Has anybody read the Virgin advert in the paper today, which basically says providing, there is a cable connection to your property sign up to there fibre optic broadband and pay no line rental. Any comments?

I haven't seen the advert but there is no necessity for a phone at all with cable BB so they may well just be pointing that out. Typically BB + phone costs £2-3pm more than standalone BB. I think bottom end TV comes free but I'm not sure what sort of STB you'd get with it. Their call packages and charges are much higher than the competition.