Goodbye Virgin

MouldyOldDough

My wife has had an £8.50 per month contract with Virgin for 10 years + on a SIM only 1Gb contract (I know !)

Due to the 17.3% rise - we want to change suppliers

She is happy with the actual network but NOT the price

The network - is it Vodafone or O2 ?

If its O2 - why is it so much better than my own Tesco connection ?

She doesn't require 5G

What are the options ?

ie) Which suppliers use the same network and will the connectivity be identical - or do different suppliers get different speeds on the same network ?

Never changed suppliers before using the txt method - what is the actual process ?

ie) Do we sign up with a new supplier first ?

ProDave

Why do you want to stay with the same supplier?

I changed supplier recently.

My issue was coverage at home.  At first I was fixated by the fact that only O2 gave any coverage at home (out in the country down in a valley)  so we needed to stick to the O2 network.  Only that also had stopped working at home even after they said the fault had been fixed.

After a lot of deliberation I changed to 1P mobile on the EE network.  Chosen because they support wifi calling (something O2 say they do but had never managed to get working on my phone)

So now I have reliable wifi calling for calls and texts at home, it matters not one jot if I actually get a mobile signal at home, so it therefore matters not which network I am with, as when out and about in populated places, you should get coverage from all of them.

I also found out during my deliberations that not all wifi calling is the same.  the older networks O2 and Vodafone implement SMS via wifi calling in a different way that does not work with all SMS messages, so cannot be relied upon.  The newer networks like EE seem to implement it properly.

SaverRate

Set up a new contract or PAYG sim first 
Once you have the Sim get a PAC code from Virgin and give it to the new supplier they will tell you the date of the transfer. The Virgin sim signal goes dead and your number will move to the new sim.

Use this page to find a suitable new provider (or the Uswitch equivalent) https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only-filters/

Virgin was EE, then Vodafone and is becoming o2. Most likely you will be using the Vodafone signal. 

I have just moved family members over to Lebara who use the Vodafone Network and havent had any issues switching. 

savergrant

Existing virgin customers are receiving a vodafone signal, new customers may be connected to o2.

From virgin website;

When's it happening?

In February 2023, we'll start contacting the first group of Virgin Mobile customers who'll be the first to move over to O2 mobile plans, and the switch will happen in March 2023. We'll continue to move customers over to O2 mobile plans throughout the year, and by the end of 2023 all existing and newly joined Virgin Mobile customers will have been moved to O2 plans.

So lebara would seem to be a good choice for your signal, or possibly asda? Compare plans, how does the current allowance work out?

eDicky

MouldyOldDough said

Never changed suppliers before using the txt method - what is the actual process ?

ie) Do we sign up with a new supplier first ?

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/switching/switching-mobile-phone-provider

I recommend that you decide which provider and plan you want to switch to, but delay signing up before giving O2/Virgin a chance to offer a discounted deal to match it, after you have obtained your PAC from them.

savergrant

When you join another provider they will issue you with a number. You then authorised the transfer of your existing number to them, which closes your account with your old provider.

MouldyOldDough

SaverRate said:

Set up a new contract or PAYG sim first 
Once you have the Sim get a PAC code from Virgin and give it to the new supplier they will tell you the date of the transfer. The Virgin sim signal goes dead and your number will move to the new sim.

Use this page to find a suitable new provider (or the Uswitch equivalent) https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only-filters/

Virgin was EE, then Vodafone and is becoming o2. Most likely you will be using the Vodafone signal. 

I have just moved family members over to Lebara who use the Vodafone Network and havent had any issues switching. 

Do we need to cancel the DD with virgin?
Or is that done automatically?? 

SaverRate

Dont cancel the DD with Virgin. You will get a final bill, you will then either be billed up to the disconnection date or recieve a credit if you pay in advance. 

Only once you have paid your final bill can you cancel the DD. Sometimes Virgin will automatically cancel the DD anyway so I wouldnt worry too much about that. 

MouldyOldDough

What about "tryng the new SIM" first before transferring ?

If I order a SIM from Lebara - it obviously won't work - until we pay -  but is there any way of seeing whether it connects at a good speed before transferring ?

flaneurs_lobster

MouldyOldDough said:

What about "tryng the new SIM" first before transferring ?

If I order a SIM from Lebara - it obviously won't work - until we pay -  but is there any way of seeing whether it connects at a good speed before transferring ?

There's a current MSE deal for a Lebara rolling 1-month contract SIM, 99p/mth. 

MouldyOldDough

flaneurs_lobster said:

MouldyOldDough said:

What about "tryng the new SIM" first before transferring ?

If I order a SIM from Lebara - it obviously won't work - until we pay -  but is there any way of seeing whether it connects at a good speed before transferring ?

There's a current MSE deal for a Lebara rolling 1-month contract SIM, 99p/mth. 

99p for 6 months - for 3Gb on a rolling contract - can't be bad - done it - thanks

next step ?

Wait for new SIM to arrive and txt "PAC" to 65075 (from old SIM) which will provide a code which we then give to Lebara (how ?)