Need to save on my TV, Broadband, Home Phone and Mobile package

JJ_Egan

Phone paid for not a contract .
Sim Giffgaff top up as needed .
Use calls data and text but very low usage mostly .

almillar

Samknows checked and BT ADSL result is abysmal at 2Mbps maximum.

What about all the other options? ADSL2? Fibre? If you try for BT Infinity (BT's website) does it say you can have it?

Bigphil1474

Rollon, your best starting point is with VM. See what they'll charge just for phoneline and BB. Be careful in case you are within a contract period (if you've changed bundles in the last 12 months you may be). Once you know what VM will charge, then shop around. I'm with PlusNet, but all the providers I get in my area, use the same phone line so there isn't going to be much difference in performance for me really, just price.
You are getting your wired and wireless routers confused. Most routers that receive internet via a phone line have to be plugged into the phone line - after that it's up to you. You can have wi-fi if you want or not if you don't. My router has 4 connections for my devices - but I only run 2 on a wired connection, the other half a dozen are wireless. Most phone line internet services are fine for general use. I stream live TV through mine and have no issues, but it does depend on your area, which sounds like you have a poor internet speed.
If your current TV package is too expensive, the other alternative is to speak to VM and see if they can do a deal - tell them it's costing you too much, and is there any way they can help bring the price down, or you'll have to cancel. If you are willing to sign up for another year, the answer will probably be yes, but may be no - but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

rollon65

Hello almillar,
Pleased to have your input - many thanks.
I presently have a Virgin fibre optic connection, but assumed a different supplier would not be able to use that.
I tried the BT Infinity availability checker, but hitting the "Check now" button produced no response whatsoever!
Virgin would appear to have the monopoly in our area anyway.

rollon65

Hello Bigphil1474,
Thank you for coming in on this thread.
I'm inclined to think what you say is indeed the best route for me for starters. Of course it all depends on how much they feel inclined to jack up the cost of the additional services that they provide, other than TV.
I confess that I know very little about routers, but my wife is a cancer survivor and I have read a great deal about the potential affects of wi-fi signals in respect of that and have come to the conclusion that "the jury is still out" on the matter, so we are playing safe for the time being.
I have spoken to Virgin subsequent to their last three increases for my services. Each time they have come up with something, but the last suggestion was to pay my line rental in advance for 12 months, which I did for the one year, but have not done it this year, with the possibility of changing providers leaving me with a conflict in respect of getting any of it returned if I left Virgin early.
What I would like is to have Freesat TV, but everything else in my Virgin package retained, subject to the residual cost being acceptable.
The cost of my gas, electricity and water supply are less than my Virgin bundle, and they are more essential, so I guess Virgin has to be the place where I start looking for savings.

[Deleted User]

I have VM broadband and phone line and a freetime humax. Our monthly bill is just under £30 plus we get discounted sim only mobile deals so works out reasonable value overall. I get the odd month here and there on NowTV, the last 2 months have been £2 a month for the entertainment pass.

Cycrow

What TV service do you currently have with Virgin ?

if you plan to stick with their phone and broadband, then you can essentially get the M service for free. This is basically Freeview, and its not generally advertised. The lowest service they usually offer is M+, which is freeview + a few other channels

rollon65

Hello Deleted_User,
That sounds interesting. Is your £30 inclusive of the line rental charge?

rollon65

Hello Cycrow,
That's interesting too! Thanks for the information.
I have not heard of that before.
I did look at Freeview, but there are only 19 channels available to me direct, which might upset my better half - which was why I thought that a couple of hundred quid, spent one time only on Freesat might do the trick.
I'm not sure how to check the number of channels on Virgin's Freeview service. If they offered the entire Freeview channel catalogue, then it might be an option that would appease my wife. Do you know anything about that?
I have the M+ package for my Virgin TV service and would have no issues over retaining landline telephone, broadband and mobile services.

[Deleted User]

rollon65 wrote: »

Hello Deleted_User,
That sounds interesting. Is your £30 inclusive of the line rental charge?

Yes, I was on a deal at £25 a month for BB and phoneline but it went up by just over £4 a month a few months ago. The price is due to go up again in June I think as my deal ends. I will be phoning to cancel as I will not pay more than £30 a month. That said the Broadband is excellent and I would not like to go back to broadband through a telephone line! Our internet use is quite heavy at over 865 GB a month downloaded.

I highly recommend getting a Humax freesat recorder, there are loads of channels and the picture quality is excellent.