20 > 50 less money? [Archive]

Amadeus

05-10-2009, 23:15

Evening all, quick question that prob been asked many times. My 20meg failed last night, all modem lights ok couldn't work out what was wrong. Rang customer service and got a chap who could give no diagnosis and said no worries we shall send you a new modem in the next 3-5 working days and refund you 5 quid for loss of access. So 4 hours later I checked to see if it was working on the old modem and it was! The cynic in me was thinking that 'virgin' had halted my system to get me to call customer support and so get 'permission' to send me a new modem to fix my 'fault'...

anyway, discussed with missus and she questioned how much we were paying, when I told her 50 quid for phone and 20BB she was a little shocked. But I noticed that 50Meg is now 28, so If I ring up customer service - could I save myself money by upgrading...? lol

by sending the new modem, this isn't in anyway a move that ties me in again for another year with VM, as Im also looking at elsewhere

cheers

Am

digitalspace

06-10-2009, 02:19

£50 for phone and 20mb bb? wtf?

dazzy316

06-10-2009, 02:30

I pay £50 for 20mb bb + phone + that free tv they do (basic freeview channels).

I asked the other day if there was a better package I could get for roughly the same price & they said.. all the cheaper offers are just for new customers.

They said I could pay £58 (instead of the £50) Im currently paying & they could upgrade me from 20mb to 50mb & my phone/free tv would stay the same.

digitalspace

06-10-2009, 13:52

Man that's crazy. I pay £31 for 20mb bb, phone and free TV. Call up and get through to retentions, I found that India wouldn't help me out but retentions got me reduced from £40-something. I've been a customer for over 10 years btw. Happy times :)

Main services (Provided by Virgin Media Ltd or Virgin Media Payments Ltd) £31.00

Description Date/period Amount
Telephone Line Rental 30 September - 29 October £11.00
Phone, Bband XL & TV Discount 30 September - 29 October £-17.00
Talk Weekends 30 September - 29 October £0.00
Fully Itemised Billing 30 September - 29 October £0.00
TV Size: M 30 September - 29 October £0.00
Broadband Size: X L 30 September - 29 October £37.00

dazzy316

06-10-2009, 17:33

Man that's crazy. I pay £31 for 20mb bb, phone and free TV. Call up and get through to retentions, I found that India wouldn't help me out but retentions got me reduced from £40-something. I've been a customer for over 10 years btw. Happy times :)

I get exactly the same as you but pay £49 a month (service charges).

I phoned them today & they say they can't offer any discount or better deals unless I take a tv package.. and then they simply would knock a little off whatever tv package I choose as i've been a customer for 5+years.

I think its really unfair that virgin don't treat all existing customers the same when they get exacxtly the same package.

watzizname

06-10-2009, 18:52

I get exactly the same as you but pay £49 a month (service charges).

I phoned them today & they say they can't offer any discount or better deals unless I take a tv package.. and then they simply would knock a little off whatever tv package I choose as i've been a customer for 5+years.

I think its really unfair that virgin don't treat all existing customers the same when they get exacxtly the same package.

That's because you probably haven't threatened to leave yet?

Phone them up, go through to disconnections, and negotiate for a better deal.
If you get nowhere with the first person, phone back five minutes later, and try again.

Far as i'm aware, standalone 20Mb is only £30 a month now, which should mean you'll get it even cheaper with other services.

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/websales/product.do?id=3246

Sephiroth

06-10-2009, 18:59

I think it's fraud, if not in law then in spirit.

It certainly puts VM into ill repute because they can weasel their way out of it by saying you have a contract.

However there is an Unfair Terms of Trade law that someone might look into. The unfair practice by VM is to have headline prices on their web site (not the first three months offer) and they don't automatically apply it to all loyal customers.

Bustardos, I say.

dazzy316

06-10-2009, 19:27

That's because you probably haven't threatened to leave yet?

Phone them up, go through to disconnections, and negotiate for a better deal.
If you get nowhere with the first person, phone back five minutes later, and try again.

Far as i'm aware, standalone 20Mb is only £30 a month now, which should mean you'll get it even cheaper with other services.

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/websales/product.do?id=3246

I did think about threatning to leave, but id be really in a fix if they just said.. ok & disconnected me. VM is the only stable connection I can get here (as BT won't upgrade the local exchange till another 2 years).

I phoned 3 times yesterday as I really do feel im being treated unfairly, even neighbours get the same package as me but for alot less.

I thought id give it one more try tonight & I got through to a scottish sounding guy, he was very pleasent but again said what every other person I've spoke to said.. if I wasn't happy I could just get 20mb & a phone line for £37 + £11= £48 or the best he could do was 50mb bb + phone line = £45

I really don't understand how neighbours & friends can get better/more services for cheaper, i've been with them 4+ years.. never missed a payment & they say im not entitled to any loyalty bonus.

Its confusing to say the least, I would love to say im canceling it unless they treat me better.. but the truth is Id be in such a fix if they actually did as I need a stable line for work.

watzizname

06-10-2009, 20:17

I did think about threatning to leave, but id be really in a fix if they just said.. ok & disconnected me. VM is the only stable connection I can get here (as BT won't upgrade the local exchange till another 2 years).

I phoned 3 times yesterday as I really do feel im being treated unfairly, even neighbours get the same package as me but for alot less.

I thought id give it one more try tonight & I got through to a scottish sounding guy, he was very pleasent but again said what every other person I've spoke to said.. if I wasn't happy I could just get 20mb & a phone line for £37 + £11= £48 or the best he could do was 50mb bb + phone line = £45

I really don't understand how neighbours & friends can get better/more services for cheaper, i've been with them 4+ years.. never missed a payment & they say im not entitled to any loyalty bonus.

Its confusing to say the least, I would love to say im canceling it unless they treat me better.. but the truth is Id be in such a fix if they actually did as I need a stable line for work.
I understand what you're saying, but you're trying to negotiate with the wrong people, you need to speak to someone in disconnections, as they can make deals.

Try to remember that you're not phoning them to disconnect, you're phoning because you're thinking of disconnecting, that way you don't have to commit to anything on the spot.
If you don't get what you're looking for, you can say you'll think about it, hang up, and and try again later.

Second, 20mb & a phone line for £37 + £11= £48?? I've no idea why you're paying that much.
The old standalone 20Mb broadband price was £37, 20Mb Broadband & phone was i believe £31.

The prices have recently been changed, and you should be paying £30 for standalone 20Mb, which should mean it'll be less than that, with a phone.
Don't ask me why, but a Broadband & phone package is cheaper than having the broadband on it's own..

dazzy316

06-10-2009, 20:55

Thanks mate for the info, ill try again tommorow. I phoned that 150 & billing enquires (number 1) all the times i've tried.
I might try the complaints number if they don't treat me better.

digitalspace

06-10-2009, 21:51

Dude, go through to retentions. I had the same issue, where India refused to give me discounts as apparently I was on the best possible deal etc etc. So I called retentions and threatened to leave as I couldn't understand why I was paying more than the bundle deal on their website, the retentions guy agreed and sorted me out :)

They won't simply cut you off, they'll always ask your reason for leaving and will try to persuade you to stay.

caph

07-10-2009, 18:03

I pay £50 for 20mb bb + phone + that free tv they do (basic freeview channels)

Wow Daz, I pay £56 for 20Mb XL BB, XL Phone and XL TV with a V+ box. That's the bog standard triple XL package that has been running for over a year now. You really need to speak to retentions pronto.

Graham M

07-10-2009, 18:18

For £40ish we've got XL TV, L BB and L Telephone seems a good deal to me :)

Pepperdog

08-10-2009, 10:59

Good grief, another one. I didn't realise how ubiquitous the issue of VM ripping people off actually was. It's appalling.

by sending the new modem, this isn't in anyway a move that ties me in again for another year with VM, as Im also looking at elsewhere

I'd be interested to see how they'd get that to stand up in court. They have to replace a device (which they own) to replace a faulty device (which they own) in order that the service you're paying for (which failed due to their faulty device) continues; "and therefore this ties the subscriber into another 12 month contract by default, so they can't leave us for a better offer, your honour"... yeah, righto.

When I tried to resolve the fact that VM were ripping me off the individual I got to talk to in retentions was an absolute pig (which is a first in my experience) and couldn't (or perhaps more correctly,wouldn't) help me. They tried lying about the fact that I was in a contract when they flat refused to help me and I told them to cancel; they changed tack fairly quickly when pressed though. I'd look into that and make sure in your case though.

I think the person who suggested repeatedly calling in until you get someone who'll help you out has the right idea.

pip08456

08-10-2009, 11:49

Going on past experiences with VM, not for myself but on behalf of friends, retentions will get in touch with you if you give disconnections 30 notice of termination of contract.

Your contract being over 12 months old has turned into a monthly recurring one therefore you won't be disconnected immediately.

Retentions will ring you and be prepared to deal. Put the ball in their court,let them contact you as it will be someone who wishes to keep you as a customer and has the power to come to an amicable arrangement.

I pay £31 pm for 20Mb BB and telephone with free weekend calls. I have only been a customer since April this year and they have already offered me free tv package as a loyal customer so I cannot understand why they are saying you are not after 4 yrs.

RobboEdin

08-10-2009, 17:27

Rosarch

10-10-2009, 09:34

I called cancellations as I felt I was paying too much - I now get Basic TV, basic phone and XXL Broadband for £38. I also got quite a big back payment which paid off my next bill.

Electric Warrior

10-10-2009, 10:24

I wonder if Anne Robinson's mob on Watchdog might be interested in all this, although that program has turned into a bit of a farce since she started presenting it. ;) (Robinson wink)

Sephiroth

10-10-2009, 10:26

I wonder if Anne Robinson's mob on Watchdog might be interested in all this, although that program has turned into a bit of a farce since she started presenting it. ;) (Robinson wink)

I resemble that remark!