MSE News: Virgin Media customers face 6.7% price hike

Ferris

kwikbreaks wrote: »

My advice to everybody is simple - always phone in and negotiate whenever there is an increase.

Does that advice apply regardless of contract situation? A mid contract increase is reasonable grounds for renegotiation?

burntbreadman

I had a 30mb broadband only deal.... just canceled with them. Initially I tried to get a better deal where they said they can make it effectively a 50p increase, From £20.50 to £21 per month.
But as it's only just been 2 months since I manage to get it to £20.50 (from £24.50) I decided to shop around.

Bt I can get a 18 month contract with on average (7-17 mb)
For effectively £21 a month (If I pay 12 months line rental in advance followed by the next 6 months at the Jan price increase.Also counting the £50 Sainsbury gift card as cash off overall cost.)

But I get free weekend calls, BT sport and unlimited Bt open zone hot spots .

When I mentioned all this they said they can give me credit to effectively cover all the price increase! Why didn't they tell me from the start! Instead of making me do all the homework!

So I cancelled any way for wasting my time. I don't know whether to take the BT deal now or wait for the new Ofcom ruling to come into play first.....I'm sure I live without internet for a month .......

Now I need to see how BT fair in terms of service etc. Anyone know if they are any good or reccomend them?

kwikbreaks

Ferris wrote: »

A mid contract increase is reasonable grounds for renegotiation?

A mid contact increase gives you grounds to cancel without penalty so yes you can try a call.

I found that the options seem to have changed now and there is no obvious "thinking of leaving" but I made it plain I was and got transferred to what I'm assuming was retentions. I didn't press for a discount I just asked when I could cancel without penalty til. I got an incorrect reply to that (it's 30 days from notification) and no discount offer. I've ordered fibre and will be calling in to cancel once that's installed as I've been let down by Openreach no-shows in the past.

concretepigsy

I had my letter of £5.50 price rise today. Rang up Virgin and asked if they would credit my account the £5.50 for 12 months and I would stay, they offered £5 and refused point blank the extra 50p. Put my notice in, and my monthly bill was £83.

Went on Quidco got virtually the same package with Sky, half price movies for 6 months for £51 for 6 months then £71 for the remainder of the 12 month contract. Got £150 cash back and a £50 boots voucher.

Bye Virgin

burntbreadman

The weird thing about vm is that they could easily avoid the price increases.... Either that or they are hypocritic's.
Majority of it's customers most likely opt out of paper bills, thus saving on money and helping the our environment.
Yet when I was actually with virgin along with others on the same street, I received at least one come and join virgin letter a month. Along with another hand delivered one via the local paper delivery every single week. I know our neighbors does too.

I know they probably don't have control over the letter posted with the local, but surely they must know they don't need to post a join virgin letter to my address when I was with them at the time

ceejayblue

I get those junk mail letters and leaflets too. Today I had an A4 sized envelope come addressed directly to me with a letter and a booklet offering me a deal on the Iphone 5 S for £26 a month. Now I have a Huawei android phone for £10.49 a month, 300 mins, unlimited texts and 500mb data a month (if I need it) so why would I change? Its gone straight in the bin.

burntbreadman

Anyone know how many times virgins retention team call before giving up?
I missed a call earlier today from them (according to Google)
If I just get that £17 odd for calls and broadband I may be convinced to join up again

trevor2522

VM have a policy of shafting regular clients who don't challenge them, with retention offers which save quite a bit and up the speed from 20 to 30Mbps. I was facing £33.28 for broadband and phone from 1-2-2014. Now I'm on £19.49 for 6 months, rising to £24.99 for 12 months. So saved £8-13pm and gained a speed increase of 50%. They will send out a new router, which is free, for the higher speed. Don't forget to hard-wire it, and untick the wifi, so you're not exposed to unnecessary radiation.

kwikbreaks

trevor2522 wrote: »

and untick the wifi, so you're not exposed to unnecessary radiation.

or as you will be flooded with wifi and mobile phone signals wherever you go anyway just use it if you find it convenient.

Laz265

Just called VM. They offered to cancel the price increase (£4.75 pm) in return for a new 12 month contract. I agreed since I have already paid line rental until December 2014.