MSE News: Virgin Media customers to be hit with 5.9% price rise from February

latecomer · 15 January 2015 at 5:33PM

bulktrans wrote: »

i received the letter in Nov but didn't read it properly although it said an increase of £4.39, I missed the cancellation bit .. at present I pay £37 .. any advice guys how can I get a better deal? Talk weekends, TV - L , Broadband - L .. thnx

If you are out of contract then you simply say you want to leave and this should get you into negotiations with them.

If you in contract then there probably isn't much you can do.

monkeyspanner · 15 January 2015 at 6:33PM

latecomer wrote: »

No. Its an upfront annual payment at a discounted rate and if you choose to leave then you lose any unused months.

Thanks, good job there wasn't much advance rental left.

BTW Retention offer was
-New version Hub (old superhub was diabolical and Virgin Technical would not replace.
-£50 credit to account
-60Meg BB reduced from £25.95 to £17.50/month for 3 months then £14.50/month.
-Advance line rental renewal £144 for 12months (this was before the increase to £164)
Total cost for 12 months £277

Fed up with Virgin so I went back to BT.
-£10/month for 12months on Unlimited Infinity 1 (yes I know its slower than Virgin)
-£159.84 12 months advance line rental (£16.99/month normally)
- £30 Activation
- £5.95 delivery charge for Superhub
- Less £90 cash back on Quidco.
- Plus £100 Sainsburys gift voucher.

Total cost for 12 months. £125.79 if I get the cash back and voucher.

AndyPK · 15 January 2015 at 6:58PM

latecomer wrote: »

If you are out of contract then you simply say you want to leave and this should get you into negotiations with them.

If you in contract then there probably isn't much you can do.

I think you still have to the end of January, assuming that's the date at the bottom of your letter

haz25a · 15 January 2015 at 7:54PM

Sky are offering some really goods deals to Virgin customers at the moment BUT you must explain that you are phoning about the 50% off for existing Virgin Media customers. If they claim to know nothing about it then direct them to the website. I'll post the link later.

Virgin offered me nothing when I cancelled so my Sky installation is going ahead on the 28th this month. Boyfriend got a great deal with Sky too, Virgin outbound retentions called him but said they couldn't match what Sky were giving him. He's got all the Sky Sports channels, maybe that's a factor?

http://www.sky.com/shop/offers/switch-to-sky/

Link to sky website for 50% off for Virgin customers.

Check out Sky BEFORE you phone Virgin to cancel or negotiate. It could save you money.

P.S. I don't work for Sky Lol!

bulktrans · 16 January 2015 at 4:10PM

How r Sky broadband speeds in comparison to Virgin and also is SKY unlimited bb actually unlimited? thnx

bulktrans · 16 January 2015 at 4:12PM

AndyPK wrote: »

I think you still have to the end of January, assuming that's the date at the bottom of your letter

I checked the letter and it said before 31st Dec :-( now not sure what to do ..

Also, if I have to make a call to haggle then should I directly call the customer service team or the option which say thinking to leave Virgin ..

Thanks

latecomer · 16 January 2015 at 4:24PM

The thinking of leaving option is the one to go for. they will tell you whether you can cancel without charge etc

haz25a · 16 January 2015 at 10:46PM

bulktrans wrote: »

How r Sky broadband speeds in comparison to Virgin and also is SKY unlimited bb actually unlimited? thnx

I'm supposed to get 152mb XXL Broadband on Virgin but I don't even get 50mb. Sky broadband will probably be a bit slower but sufficient for my needs. To be honest, when I switched from Sky to Virgin 3 years ago I was disappointed that I barely noticed a difference in speed. It all depends how much speed you really need you need I suppose.

You can do checks for your postcode on the internet with estimated speeds for what you may get with Sky and actual speeds with virgin broadband on ookla broadband speed test.

Geordie_bear · 19 January 2015 at 9:51AM

Ok ladies and gentlemen, I always use the 'cancellation' technique & it's never failed yet. In 2011 I was paying £72 now in 2015 thanks to their own 'price increases' I've negotiated right down to £51. Here's what I got:-

150meg broadband (big kahuna package)
Tivo box downstairs XL TV package
Virgin plus box upstairs
Line rental
Unlimited calls (including 0870 numbers)

all for only £51

Virgin are getting wise though so you need resolve and plenty of it! Whan I originally cancelled they said they would just freeze it for 6 months nah no ta disconnect. My first call from retentions offered me nothing merely confirming my disconnection date (a bluff to try & force my hand & cancel my cancellation!) nope disconnect please. My second call was a lot better however I used the (blatent lie) technique so here goes:-
VM

"Hello sir can I ask why you're leaving Virgin"

ME

"Yeah sick of the price increases"

VM

"So may I ask who you're thinking of going with"

ME

"Yeah looks like sky, checked up online & for a comparible package to VM apart from Broadband speed it worked out £88.43 but I spoke to the online adviser & was told as I was a current VM customer if I went with them I could have 12 months half price on a 12 month contract, meaning after 12 months I could cancel & try to renegotiate"

TOTAL AND UTTER PORKY PIE FROM ME

VM

"Wow errr ok that's a good deal, well we can't beat that but we can offer you the Big Kahuna deal 150meg broadband on top of your current deal & give you it for £51, that deal is valid for 12 months on a 12 month deal"

ME

"Well errm ok then I suppose that's alright I'll take your deal"

So everytime there's a price increase the 'cancellation' method has paid dividends year on year I've got more out of them and paid less! Take my advice & get a deal yourself :T

Blamelouis · 19 January 2015 at 11:55AM

Rang virgin and told them I was leaving as £70 a month was too much got a lovely girl who knocked £30 a month off and gave me a new hub and hd box for the kitchen.
No haggling ,couldn't help enough.
Delighted.:T

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MSE News: Virgin Media customers to be hit with 5.9% price rise from February

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