Switching from Virgin Media - 30 days notice

KarynM

We are looking to switch from Virgin Media to Now Broadband. I have tried charming/haggling with Virgin but they haven’t been interested. I don’t understand the 30 days notice we need to give VM though. The latest Now installation date I can get is only in 24 days time. When I explained to VM cancellations department they said that meant I would be 5 days without broadband or phone (given their notice period). However, I read that it was okay for the two to run concurrently and that it was best to wait until Now was set up before I cancelled VM. Obviously I would want the two services to overlap as little as possible. The Now installation date may even change… I am very confused. Please could someone explain the best process to switch, given the 30 days notice? I would be so grateful.

Neil_Jones

Now doesn't run on the Virgin network, it runs on the Openreach network.  You can have both if you really wanted to.

The 30 day notice thing is because you pay internet in advance (30 days), hence the notice.

If you're not transferring the phone number its relatively moot anyway.  If you are, well you have to deal with the whole initiating to cancel Virgin thing - on the openreach line phone side the provider does all that.

littleboo

NOW broadband will be using the Openreach infrastructure which is completely independent from Virgins. Therefore, you can have both services simultaneously. The cancellation date for VM is really up to you. If broadband is critical, get NOW installed and ensure its working before giving VM 30 days notice. Or, time it so that VM is cancelled a few days after the expected NOW installation. Obviously the first option gives your more dual running costs.

iniltous

If Now can only take an order (at most) for install 24 days away , and you need to serve 30 days notice with VM, cancel your current Now order and get back in touch with them in 6 days time , but TBH for the sake of a few days why bother, by trying to get Now installed on the exact day VM ceases risks being without anything  for a while ( if the Now install was held up for example )
30 days is a pretty standard notice period, and as already stated , many moving to , or from VM , to an OR based provider would want a period of both running side by side to ensure no period without any service…
If your  phone number is important then the day VM stops has to be the same day Now  starts anyway, if the phone number is unimportant, then the dates can be different.

KarynM

Thanks so much everyone for confirming that the two can run alongside each other. That definitely seems to be the safest solution to ensure we aren’t without a service. The VM customer service guy told me that wasn’t possible, but I didn’t think he was right. It sounds like whether we keep our existing number is the only real issue for a same day swap over. 

DarrenLee02

If I may join it, it's related to the topic. I too am out of contract with Virgin in a month, and seriously looking at Now broadband. I'm reading about keeping exisiting landline number, is this easy to do, or will Virgin drag their feet I wonder.

Sunday_Morning

Darren 

I'm not sure if its the same terms  ( I have a broadband/TV/phone) package with them, but if you have to provide 30 days notice    I would cancel now and not wait for your month to finish up.

Your thirty days notice will take in the last bit of your contract so it won't cost you and will prevent them from charging yo fortunes on a rolling month contract.

It's by no means easy to give the charlatans 30 days notice!  (my experience here... https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6327558/cancelling-virgin-media-providing-30-days-notice-after-the-minimum-term-of-contract-has-ended#latest)

As I understand Virgin, while they will advertise deals for new customers, they make you engage on chat with them to try and find out what new deals are available to you, a process which makes you tear your hair out!

But it's only when you are serving your 30 days notice that they get around to offering you their best deals to remain as a customer.