Grain fibre Vs Virgin fibre

OrbitHeadache

So currently with Virgin, 350mb fibre only paying £31pm.

Contract ending 01/08/2026.

Issue is the offer and counter offer from both.

Initially I was offered same package by Virgin with for £26pm with annual increases.

Grain Fibre offered 500mb at £22pm with no in contract price rises.

So I went with Grain who contacted Virgin to confirm I am switching provider, Virgin retentions called me same day and offered 1gig fibre plus netflix for £22pm.

So I accepted and told Grain that I want to cancel with them, Grain countered with 1 gig fibre for £20pm offer.

Anyone used Grain before? Are they any good?

Is it worth the grain leaving Virgin for a new company?

flaneurs_lobster

Are you going to notice the speed increase from 500mb to 1Gb?

I've just gone from 48 to 500mb, not really noticed a huge difference (albeit I'm not an online gamer or power user).

Monthly update downloads are a bit quicker.

Is that Netflix sub the full-fat UHD would-cost-you £19/mth version or the HD with ads?

OrbitHeadache

It's Netflix with Ads.

1gb I don't need but considering they are offering it at £20 might as well take.

Been with Virgin about 10 years just worried that joining a new provider may be risky

littleboo

Grain use CGNAT unless you pay for a static IP so that may be a consideration depending on what you use the internet for. eg, I cant control my heating remotely with CGNAT

iniltous

The included Netflix may be something you wouldn’t use or voluntarily pay for so maybe is irrelevant to you , but it’s ‘worth’ around £6 (at least thats what it would cost to buy it yourself ), so arguably the price Virgin are offering is £22-£6 so £16 which seems a ludicrously cheap deal for 1Gb with or without Netflix .

TBH , I’d be inclined to work on the principle of ‘ if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’ , so if you are happy enough with Virgin it’s just the price that was an issue , and the renewal offer is now is faster broadband, with an added free extra (Netflix) for less money than you were previously paying , personally I’d stay put , it’s only if there were reason to be unhappy about your Virgin broadband performance that I’d consider the alternative.

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82061970#Comment_82061970

Got to agree. Stay with what works.

Hopefully they might have made cancelling a little less fraught when the time comes.

Virgin Media fined £28m for preventing customers from cancelling contracts

Presumably the Grain deal would involve an FTTP install? From pole, or existing/new duct?

New service, new hardware.

They usually work just fine with no problems at all, except when there is…..

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82062149#Comment_82062149

Just use the OTS service if leaving Virgin, as you can't have their TV without their broadband both get shut down at the same time.

OrbitHeadache

Thankyou all I have decided to go with Grain, 1 gig at £20 pounds sounds like a deal.

Unless of course Virgin retentions call again before 31/07/2026 and offer something silly.

What are the chances?

iniltous

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82062520#Comment_82062520

They already did , but presumably you were not sufficiently impressed, I dare say you are already in the territory of both companies actually not making a profit on your business …..it may better suit a Alt Net to lose money on acquisitions in the hope that come renewal customer inertia kicks in and you stay when they increase price , or maybe the same principle will remain and a customer whatever the cost is better than no customer at all , and you being another ‘live’ connection presumably makes the backers happy even if you actually cost them money rather than contributing to profits, active customers make the company more attractive when they try to sell on (or whatever their medium to long term plan is ) ….you may not care about that and want the cheapest deal possible which is understandable, but I’d be a little concerned about the things they can ‘cheap out’ on that don’t grab headlines like 1Gb for £20 , like backhaul capacity, customer service , compensation during outages etc .

MeadowsVale

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82061916#Comment_82061916

I have CGNAT on FibreNest and I can still control my heating remotely and access my CCTV cams and Ivie smart meter without doing anything different.

Even if you still can't, there are services out there like Tailscale and ZeroTier that will enable you to access your network over CGNAT.