Cutting cost for virgin media broadband, one parent retired

nickyjay21

Hi all, hoping someone can point me in the right direction... 
My dad has just retired at Easter and as such still organising his employers pension and state pension. He's not yet applied for pension credit but will be looking into doing so after we've read up on here to try for it. My mum doesn't receive anything but pip and she's unable to work, not reached retirement age herself. 

They've just put cancellation notice in with virgin media, who were unable to offer anything lower than £45 a month, despite them being loyal customers for many years. Ideally they are wanting as cheap as possible but reliable speeds and connection for the watch player, Netflix, etc. I know they offer a social tariff, which we have details for, but as my dad hasn't yet started his pension credit application, they don't meet the criteria yet, but are due to disconnect at the start of June.

Ive looked at the broadband checker, but only found low speeds for £20 a month. Does anyone know of a provider that offers decent speeds for £20 mark? Or a pay as you go connection maybe to put them on til the pension credit application is in?
TIA

Brie

Can't help with the broad band but if dad is getting a work pension and possibly the full SP he'll be earning to much to get pension credit.  

If a social tariff is available check if mum can get it due to her PIP.  

Flugelhorn

I've been happy with NOW and Plusnet - both charge about £25

p00hsticks

Brie said:

Can't help with the broad band but if dad is getting a work pension and possibly the full SP he'll be earning to much to get pension credit.  

Regardless of earnings, they wouldn't be eligible as they'd need to apply as a couple and OP says that mum is still under state pension age. As a 'mixed age' couple I think Universal Credit is the benefit to consider. 

littleboo

Define "low speeds" and "decent speeds" Watching Netflix and iPlayer is not hugely demanding 

oldernonethewiser

Netflix recommend 15Mbps as a minimum for UHD, only 3Mbps for HD, and iPlayer streams don't require anything that fast.

You should be able to get something that copes with those speeds cheaply.

Ayr_Rage

@nickyjay21 do they have a telephone service with Virgin?

When the cancellation happens any number they have is likely to be lost as even if you order a new service now there will not be time for the number to be ported and with the current service ending they could well be without broadband for a couple of weeks depending on new order lead times.

Any new service will have to be either over the old copper Openreach lines, which are hopefully still in place, or a completely new full fibre installation and all that entails.

Exactly what "slow speed" product is being offered and by which providers?

You won't find anything cheaper than on the comparison sites as there is usually an incentive to attract new customers,

The only PAYG option would be a 4G/5G mobile router and that may be more expensive and less reliable than Virgin depending on the coverage in the area.

JSmithy45AD

I think that's the trap people fall into with higher and higher speeds, they think they can't possibly cope with the slower speeds that used to be perfectly fine.

We've jumped from circa 47Mbps(FTTC) to 150Mbps(FTTP) to 280Mbps(VM) in the space of just 12 months thanks to FTTP rollout and then mid-contract price rise cancellations. We wouldn't notice the difference in reality going back to FTTC although we're actually paying less for VM than we did then.

Flugelhorn

I agree - never have gone for FTTP and am on about 50 (which is fine for all that I want to do) - suspect the difference is when people do a lot of streaming (which I don't) 

PZ19

Virgin may well call them back in next few days with far cheaper price, 

Marvel1

nickyjay21 said:

Ive looked at the broadband checker, but only found low speeds for £20 a month. 

What's the speed? 36Mbps I am on and stream all the time, no issues.