Cable cartel?

pjvenner

Hi, This is my first post so please be gentle with me!

I've never had a fixed phone line because I'm not home often enough to merit the line rental, but accessing the internet using my old cellphone was painfully slow, so [several years ago] I was delighted when NTL posted a flyer offering a sparkling deal on broadband without the need for a BT line.

Over the years though, their prices have risen... and risen.. I believe, way out of line with inflation, and definitely disproportionately to the competition who require a BT line.

When they upped their non direct debit fee & introduced late payment fees of £10 I decided I'd had enough & tried to switch (I'm borderline breadline so sometimes my payments are late, but I need web access so it's never more than a month late - DD isn't an option because if I'm ONE day late, the bank cancels it, and charges me for the privilege). It seems the only other UK cable provider was Telewest, but you were limited to a choice of one provider depending on where you live, and Telewest's website would redirect me to NTL when I entered my postcode - strange for 2 companies that you'd expect to be rivals. As we all know, NTL & Telewest are now collectively known as Virginmedia which kinda confirms my suspicions that they were operating a cartel, and now a monopoly.

Anyway, sorry for being long winded.. the point of this post is that I thought there were laws against companies operating monopolies, and some body called the monopolies & mergers commision to police this. I also believe the EU outlaws anti-competitive practices (just ask bill gates)

Does anybody know if those in power are trying/able to do anything about it, or am I stuck with virginmedia unless I sign up with BT?

I'm aware I can call them and ask for a better deal, and as mentioned in other posts, they usually comply if you politely threaten to switch, however, I'd like to be able to switch easily & cheaply if they were to call my bluff.

All replies are appreciated, advice or just opinions. Thanks.

PS: On a lighter note, IF they aren't in breach of anti-competition laws, maybe we can get em under trade descriptions? I know for a fact they're not a virgin - they're screwing me as we speak! :eek:

BritBrat

I am no expert on Cable by a long way, but I think you are right there is now only one well I think there only was one like you said depending on where you live.

Is your BT exchange unbundled?

If so you may have a few more options if it's just net access you need.

Put your Post code in here : http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php and see what options you have on the local exchange.

It's a starting point.

Who ever you use and if you don't pay the bill they are going to screw you, but some may be more tolerent than others over the time scale, I guess you will have to ask them before doing any move.

Also ADSL normally have an activation fee for new people to broadband so you may need to think about that too, and you normally have to pay for a phone line but not to sure on that if it's unbundeled.

DonnyDave

I totally agree with the OP here!

The industry has been privatised with the idea that competition drives prices down and gives consumers more choice. What rubbish!

Telcos like Onetel and Tele2 have been swallowed up by the mighty Carphone Warehouse and are now TalkTalk.

Cable is the alternative to BT, where it exists. The original cable companies only cabled streets where it would be worth it, which illustrates how pointless it is to try and have more than one network infrastructure running down our streets.

Round here it used to be Yorkshire Cable and I believe it was different companies around the country. Eventually it was either Telewest or NTL, then they combined and now they are Virgin Media.

Only BT has to allow access to all numbers including prefix services like 1899.

The residential UK telecoms market... what a joke!

normanmark

Have you tried contact Virgin to see if they could move your dates for a direct debit? I'm sure they would flexible enough! If you explain that its not an issue that you wont pay your bill, i think its an issue that you would just like to pay on a certain date per month then they might be more accomodating!

Again give rententions a call & see if you can get a better deal! Best of luck!

peter999

pjvenner wrote: »

...and Telewest's website would redirect me to NTL when I entered my postcode - strange for 2 companies that you'd expect to be rivals.

Don't understand.

Well it would do if the 2 companies have merged.
They don't want you looking at Telewest website, when it's now part of NTL.

peter999

pjvenner

That was before they merged - or at least before they officially merged.

pjvenner

I find BT's installation/connection fees prohibitive. Whilst the cable provider[STRIKE]s[/STRIKE] will usually offer this for free, or vastly discounted, according to my enquiries with BT, they'll do no such thing, even though I said I'd sign up right away if they did.

It's like they want ME to pay them for giving them my custom!

normanmark

pjvenner wrote: »

I find BT's installation/connection fees prohibitive. Whilst the cable provider[STRIKE]s[/STRIKE] will usually offer this for free, or vastly discounted, according to my enquiries with BT, they'll do no such thing, even though I said I'd sign up right away if they did.

It's like they want ME to pay them for giving them my custom!

Most cable providers will waive this fee because they want to gain custom from the majority market holder (ie. BT). BT charge basically because it costs for the engineering work to be carried out. This thread gives more insight for the charges etc

DonnyDave

pjvenner wrote: »

It's like they want ME to pay them for giving them my custom!

Well that is the principle of business! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Have you considered that Virgin Media's charges are higher than BT's in respect of the connection charge of 6p of which BT's 3p seems to be bargain at the side. Of course, we have competition to thank for the introduction of this. Similarly, whole minute charging increases the net pence per minute of a call above the actual pence per minute quoted. I understand that VM now charges calls by whole minute, although I can't find any confirmation on the VM website.

Remember you pay higher charges than with BT to 0845 and 0870 numbers which are 5p/min and 10p/min during the weekday daytime. Call charges on Virgin Media are rounded up to the whole penny, whereas BT rounds them to the nearest half penny or tenth of a penny for NTS (08, 09 etc).