Is it time to leave Virgin Media? Renew quote madness!

phillipdarlington

We've been with Virgin for at least 12 years but I think it may be time to head to pastures new...  Our current contract expires in a couple of weeks and it's price will go from £68 to £82. Online we have a renewal quote of £60 if we sign up for two years but it leaps up quite a bit in April 26 and April 27. 
So I used the chat feature to see what the options are as the M250 package is hopeless and we don't use the phone... Spoke to them three times and the quotes ranged from £72 to £76 and today's special offer is £100 but have to answer within the hour.  I have never known them like this before, this time they've complete stumped me. 
Is this usual?
Sorely tempted to go to Sky where the same package and speed is just £46. 

Cheers
Phillip

daveyjp

If there are providers of what you want at a lower price there is no need to be loyal.  

subjecttocontract

I was with them for more than 12 years but ditched Virgin Media over 2 years ago. Best thing I did, and I wouldn't touch them with your bargepole. I was paying £88 a month for tv, broadband & phone line. I'm now with Talk talk, get more of less the same and at £41 a month. I never want to deal with them again.

There was a time when the Virgin brand represented reliable, well thought of, sought after products but not for me, not any more. 

Tony5896

Interesting, I have a similar offer but read it a little differently.. I read as the new contract will start from now (6 months) before the expiration of my existing contract .. then after 2 years or 18 months from the original end date it will go up in price … will need to re read it.

M25

You should have no loyality. To who? Prices are going up because of their indebtedness and bad business and banking choices.

Virgin Media will soon change their name (they pay a fee to use 'Virgin' just like Nationwide with Virgin Money) and all that amassed debt will move to O2 or whatever name they dream up. And then they'll add all that extra debt on to their customers who are too lazy, ignorant or scared to leave.

ButterCheese

Do not stay with them if you have the option of moving.  I started off with M500 (Broadband only) for £30/month, it has since risen to £52/month for M250.  The renewal quotes came in at £72 but we managed to haggle them down.  We cannot threaten to leave because no other company provides ultra fast fibre (or whatever it is called) to our area. 

Added to that, they then sent me an O2 SIM which I specifically said I didn't want.  They had activated it before it was even sent to me.  I didn't even open the packet to take the SIM out, but they still charged me £14 for the first month.  It took me 3 phone calls and they eventually decided to refund my £14 and cancel the DD "as a gesture of goodwill".  They are complete parasites

Detail_Merchant

M25 said:

Virgin Media will soon change their name (they pay a fee to use 'Virgin' just like Nationwide with Virgin Money) 

VM have a 30 year license from Virgin Enterprises Limited to use the "Virgin" name, since 2006, so my guess is that they won't stop using it until nearer 2036...

Timalay

It surprises me Virgin Media aren't trying to be more competitive.  What with Openreach and other networks rolling out FTTP to houses.  Virgin Media has lost its edge on the broadband (and TV) front.