Virgin Broadband without a landline - possible?

JSB43

Is it possible to get VM Broadband without having a landline (£15.99 extra).

We dont use landlines anymore due to free unlimited calls and data on our mobile at £14.99 sim only which makes landlines obsolete as our LL number is now ported to a mobile.

If this is not possible, whats the cheapest domestic BB service available now that doesnt mandate a landline charge on top? (or landline included).

I don't think tethering our mobile data can handle stuff like Netflix and streaming TV yet.

corbyboy

£25 per month with a 12 month contract. You also get £5 off for the first 3 months. They make it pretty poor value for money to get BB only.

http://store.virginmedia.com/broadband/compare-broadband/index.html#bbonly

Tigsteroonie

When I was looking at VM's calculators, the bundles were working out the same price whether I took the landline or not. If I don't find any better offers, I think I'd take the landline and just not plug in a phone except when I want to phone their fault line!

spacey2012

The UK is fascinated with selling you this telephone service you do not want or need before they will sell broadband.
One of the EU companies must pick up on this, the market is totally wide open.

Nilrem

spacey2012 wrote: »

The UK is fascinated with selling you this telephone service you do not want or need before they will sell broadband.
One of the EU companies must pick up on this, the market is totally wide open.

The main reason the UK is fascinated with it is really quite simple...
For DSL services the internet is provided over that unwanted landline, thus there will be a fee for maintaining it regardless of if you use it for voice or not, and with cable, the landline is installed at the same time as the cabling used as standard is a figure 8 with the cable TV/internet line on one side and a phone line on the other

And basically they hope you'll use the line for calls as that helps offset the costs of providing any level of service*
I suspect the cost of maintaining a landline for dsl is probably higher than the cost of maintaining it for purely voice, as there are various differences in how damage to the line affects voice and data.

About the only services that don't actually use or come with a phone cable as standard might be direct fibre to the property (where there is only a fibre line run), and I'm guessing the end equipment for that will have a telephone jack and associated gubbins as standard to allow for people that do want a landline...(it's easier and cheaper to install one type of hardware that doesn't require a new line to be run, or a tech to make another visit if a second standard service is later required).



*Actual internet provision these days is quite a low profit service, largely because people seem intent on going for the cheapest possible deal (then wondering why the CS might be terrible, why there might be limits or poor performance, and why when something goes wrong it can be so hard to get it fixed properly).

AndyHams_New

JSB43 wrote: »

Is it possible to get VM Broadband without having a landline (£15.99 extra).

We dont use landlines anymore due to free unlimited calls and data on our mobile at £14.99 sim only which makes landlines obsolete as our LL number is now ported to a mobile.

If this is not possible, whats the cheapest domestic BB service available now that doesnt mandate a landline charge on top? (or landline included).

I don't think tethering our mobile data can handle stuff like Netflix and streaming TV yet.

Going back a while ago but im a old Vm customer when I used to live in a really naff type damp apartment most student folk have too during study time anyway I got vm 50mg services and no telephone charges all running from installed line as broadband only line for 11quid a month reason also was that I used to winge!!!!!complain and be totally British about the service

I live now in a non cabled non bt infinity area waiting on bt optic to be installed an with sky broband unlimited for 7.50 a month which is ok but worse then vm support.

Also mobile data is too costly unless you have say 3 network all you can eat data which is the best tariff for mobile data but some areas really rubbish recption apps like tv catch up and bbc iplayer work fine on data as well as youtube but you do get. Reminded that its linited on usage with apps like tv catchup an never tried netflixs tbh

jay1976

Hi,
yes if you in a cable area you can have BB only. have you tried phoning them and say your not happy with the cost. i pay under £20 for my broadband after i complained and said i was thinking of leaving
Hope this helps

lemontart

I do not have a landline and just have virgin bb - check with them direct to see if an option in your area

donfanatico

you can , but it will be more expensive or about the same as taking a bundle that has a LL included

Nick_C

You can reduce the line rental cost by paying it annually in advance. (Use a cash back credit card!)

JSB43

We did that on a previous contract but the 12 months advance line rental is a red herring.

The contract for TV and BB is an 18 months and after 12 months pre-paid LL finishes VM tries getting to you advance another 12 months line rental knowing the contract only has 6 months remaining leaving you 6 months line rental being written off.