Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

After waiting years for my area to be upgraded and to be able to get broadband I've been told I can't get broadband unless I ditch my current phone package!

I'm beside myself with anger, as I was told my current package isn't offered anymore and therefore isn't compatible with the new bundles. In order to get broadband added to my account I need to have a new bundle on my account. I argued that broadband wasn't dependent on my phone line and the advisor said if he could he would love to sell me broadband but if I wanted to keep my current call plan I wouldn't be able to have broadband too. Why are Virgin Media punishing me for being a long and loyal customer.

It is worth writing in to customer services?

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

They aren't punishing you.

You have a very old and outdated product that is no longer offered.

Broadband and phone packages are cheaper than the two services individually.

What is your current call plan anyway? If its that old surely the newer ones would be better value?

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

I'm on Talk Anywhere call plan, and was promised that as log as I stayed with VM
I could keep this call plan. I've waited 15 years for our area to
become digital.
I'm happy with my call plan, can't I just add broadband?

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

if u take out broadband the phone package they would offer u would be very similar to what u already have.

I dont see what the problem is?

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Exactly, they have a current bundle which is very similar.

XL Phone offers unlimited UK calls.

http://store.virginmedia.com/discove...alk-plans.html

XXL offers that in addition to free 0845 and UK mobile calls among other things.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Talk Anywhere worked more like a mobile plan - you were given a set number of minutes to use and what was covered was fairly large including international destinations. So Talk Unlimited Extra is the closest package, but it all depends what calls are made as to whether it would be suitable.

Unfortunately there is no way around the fact that none of the current offers allow it to be kept.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

I'm not after a current offer, I only wanted to add fibre optic broadband. I'm happy with my talk anywhere package and have no intention of changing to another package.
With fibre optic broadband I dont even need a phone line so why cant I get superfast Fibre optic broadband without changing my phone tariff.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Virgin Media sell services as a bundle when you have more than one service. It's up to them how they do it, now you're aware of the situation it's now your choice as to what to do.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

It's to do with the pricing and ways the services are bundled.

You have a really old phone package that is no longer offered so when adding BB to your account the phone package can't stay the same.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Surely a company like VM can find a way around this, I'm shocked that this is the case . Does anyone know if VM do broadband only without a phone line

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

You can get broadband only yes.

However the two bundled together is usually cheaper.

Why are you so set on keeping such an old phone package?

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Although you can get broadband on it's own at a set price - you can't add that service to an existing telephone account, as the pricing rules don't allow it.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

What about 2 accounts in the same house? 1 old telephone, 1 new bb.

Betting their systems don't support it :p

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

They do but it's complicated.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

This is perfectly normal. When services are no longer offered they become 'grandfathered'. You've no more chance of being able to carry a grandfathered phone service through when adding new services than you do being able to keep 2Mb broadband through an old set top box and trying to add TiVo.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Why not just do it as a duplicated account... so have 2 accounts at the same property, i've seen it done loads at student houses where there are many different accounts at one address, this way the telco stays on one account and the bb on the other?

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

It may be done for student account, but its not normal for it to be done for normal customer accounts.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

There is nothing stopping anyone applying for a secondary account at an address, however it's subject to certain criteria and approval from Virgin Media i.e. there is no guarantee it would happen.

Of course the other thing to point out here, is there is also no guarantee that Talk Anywhere will always be on the phone account. As long as Virgin Media gave the appropriate notice as per the T&Cs it could be completely withdrawn.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

That would be helpful who would I need to offer myself to get this

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

personally I don't see the problem here the guy has a old virgin call package and wants broadband unless he is wanting them as a package then yes I can see virgins reason but he is just wanting broadband, I can't see the problem.
its like having a classic 1920s car and being told you cant have another car till you trade or old car for a new one.
take it further ask for someone upstairs to sortout not the call centre person or manager.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

You would need to speak to the Telesales team - as they would have to put in a request for a second account at the address. But as I said, there is no guarantee of it being approved.

It's not like that at all.

The only way that would be 'sorted out' by anyone within the company would be as discussed above - a separate account with broadband charged at the full standalone price.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

No, its like you taking a 1920s car to a garage and asking them to fit parking sensors, electric windows, central locking, ABS brakes and a stereo radio cassette.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

I'd do it.

Seriously though, in the past VM have allowed you to just add and remove anything to anything. There's no benefit to the new 'system',.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

that's what he wants isn't it so again wots the problem.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

THe problem is he would be paying more than the equivalent updated bundle by doing that

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

That would ultimately depend on which calls the OP makes using the talk anywhere as you may find they make a lot of calls to a number that IS included in their current plan but not the new ones.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Assuming there is an equivalent bundle.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

My point exactly I was starting to think I'm asking for the stars and moon.

I use Talk Anywhere to make internationals calls to a few countries and can't be bothered with calling cards or paying another company for credit
I've been with VM since before they were NTL and have had to have a dormant BT line for broadband.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

There have always been exclusions.

For instance Talk Anywhere has never been available with the top VIP bundle, even going right back to the original one from 2007.

There are also other Talk Plans that have been retired such as Talk Weekends Local, Talk Off Peak etc, which you'd also have to lose to move to a current bundle.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

There is for VM. No-one likes having obsolete products in their billing system.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

In that sense the new packages are counter-productive...

There's always going to be a small minority unwilling to move of their own accord so unless they go round forcefully moving those people onto new products they're just increasing the number of obsolete products that they have to keep in their billing system.

---------- Post added at 13:11 ---------- Previous post was at 13:10 ----------

That's just saying 'It's not a drawback because we've been doing it since 2007'...

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

All depends if the costs to change those remaining on a package outweigh the benefit of forcing everyone off it. Generally it's done by momentum as in this case i.e. you can keep the package until you want to change something.

I'd also point out we're 32 posts into a discussion about it for one person. Now times that sort of 'why' questioning by however many customers may be on retired service of whatever description and you'd send the call centres into meltdown.
It was done before that, but as we are talking about Talk Anywhere for an ex-ntl customer, it wasn't available to much before the change to Virgin Media, so it was most relevant.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

It's still not going to allow you to remove the obsolete product from the billing system until all customers are off it. Even if your 'momentum' convinces 99.9% of customers to move off, there'll still be some left who either don't know or don't care what package their on - or even don't know they have a VM service or who's paying their bill.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Correct. Virgin Media have already been through that with analogue TV.

But the momentum of prior package change rules will mean that any forced change will impact the minimum number of customers it possibly can.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Ah. Good point. Hadn't thought of it that way.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

I'm about to sign up to TalkTalk Fibre, tried calling Customer Services again but after being cut off twice the last person pretty much said there wasn't much point in helping me barbecue they wouldn't get commission.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

WTF

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

because not Barbeque DAMN Auto-Correct Lols

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Just to update the thread and stop it from dying lols I signed up with TalkTalk but after failing to find anyone who had a good word to say about them I decided to cancel my order. I am now about to sign up with Plus Net Fibre

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

At least with Plus Net you'll have UK support if needed.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

DOnt VM have UK Support?

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

On occasion.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

you have a wirus sir

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

omigod isitebola? amigonnadie?

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

No, and yes. Everyone dies eventually :P

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

Yis.

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

albeit statistically more often while awaiting a VM Cat C "utilisation" fix! :dunce:

Re: Just been told Can't Add Broadband to my phone Package
 

haha! :D