Left Virgin
 

Swapped to YouFibre a week ago. They were great at the instillation of their bits.

I had been with Virgin from the beginning way back to when they were Comcast. In those days they had a local office in the next town (Stockton). It was never any hassle getting things sorted. Can't say that now except when I came to pay my final bill they had that sorted to confirm within an hour that I had paid it.

Having logged into the forum for a number of years just thanks for tips and ideas of solutions I have found reading the threads. Bye Bye

Re: Left Virgin
 

I swapped VM for YF 18 months ago it was a good decision and has saved my some cash

Re: Left Virgin
 

Virgin wanted to put me up to £54 in January. Paying £29.99 with YF for 18 month. £24 in my pocket each month, it became a no-brainer.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I got 1 Gig FTTP for £27.99 a month for 2 years from YF and I don't have to deal with VM customer service any more. ;)

Re: Left Virgin
 

The first point is very good, second even better !

Re: Left Virgin
 

;)

Re: Left Virgin
 

I was hoping that the increased competition would drive up Virgin customer service, but it hasn't.

Instead they bought out one of their competitors to kill the competition, I do hope that this isn't now their general strategy as people would be right back where they started. It was reported that they were sniffing around at several Alt Nets earlier this year.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Is and always has been. :monkey:

Re: Left Virgin
 

You do realise you dont have to use VM to use the forum ?
Many members do not (probably more dont then do these days, I wont be using them soon either).

Re: Left Virgin
 

Yep, I left VM some years ago, for Vodafone then Fusion Fibre, seeking a symmetrical connection to support my Plex server.

I have continued to comment here when useful for me or others. I live in hope that VM offers a symmetrical service in my area at a competitive price and also improves its reliability and customer service. If they do, I will hear it here first. Not holding my breath.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Virgin should have a decent product but it is let down by its lack of service.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Well today was that day.
I contacted VM to cancel my Broadband.
That's the only service I have from them now.
My 30 days notice given, service ends on 9th Jan.

:)

Re: Left Virgin
 

I just had a call from Virgin I left them 18 months ago, they asked me if I left because of the price and I said partly. The asked me what deal I was on now and I told them, they said that was a very good deal and thanked me for my time.

Just confirms what an Odd company VM is, they must be feeling the pinch as nearly every in this area has moved to YouFibre.

Re: Left Virgin
 

They seem to be their own worst enemy. Some years ago, just a block away from me, VM installed full fibre to the premises. At the time, understandably, they offered a much lower upstream speed than downstream. I guess their main exchange still didn't have the capacity for symmetrical connections. Yet, here we are a few years later, with CityFibre over the whole city of Coventry, enabling symmetrical connections up to 2.5Gb, and Virgin is still offering only 100Mb upstream with 1.3Gb downstream on full fibre. :rolleyes:

Re: Left Virgin
 

It just seems that VM must be in a desperate position if they ring up old customers who left them such a long time ago. They were, before the Altnets, in a comfortable position but they did nothing to enhance their service and have been overtaken by the Altnets. !!

Re: Left Virgin
 

Great if you have such altnets, but many of us still dont.
The main FTTP alternative (which I now have, is not symmetrical).

Re: Left Virgin
 

All that data will be collected up and sent to the mothership, and in 12 months VM will launch a product offer that still isnt very good because their marketing teams won't allow something cheap to sully their brand.

They don't seem to care that being overpriced with terrible customer services have been degrading their brand for 10 years now, but hey ho.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Murphy had just taught his pig to eat nothing and then it died😂

Re: Left Virgin
 

Seasons Greetings all, I have been a member here since 2007, but unfortunately do not use the forum as much as I should, slapped wrist.
Age has caught up with me now and I am 79 in 2025, I have been with VM for over 20 years but my contract ends on 1st February 2025.
Today was the first I had heard of YouFibre so I will have a look when I log off here.
Just one question, VM have a winter sale on for new customers only, if I call them on February 2nd, will I qualify as a new customer?

Re: Left Virgin
 

It varies, but generally you need to have left VM for at least 90 days to be considered a "new" customer and get the good deals.

I am also in my 70s, I can recommend Youfibre I have been with them for nearly 2 years, a great product and good customer service.

Re: Left Virgin
 

YouFibre is only available in a few areas of the country.
Here its OpenReach FTTP, which is used by many companies to supply you.
I have mine from Aquiss, and gave VM my 30 days notice, my service ends on Jan 8th.

Dont forget that while your current contract may end on 1st Feb, your service will not, you will still be supplied by them on a rolling contract, and will still have to give 30 days notice to leave. As noted above, my understanding is also that you are not considered "New" by VM until at least 90 days after your previous service ends.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Thanks very much for the replies both, I did look what YF was and it does not cover my neck of the woods.
Ultimately I feel that I will be able to negotiate a new contract, I get on better when I speak to a UK CSA.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Good luck with that, it's nigh on impossible to get a UK agent these days no matter what time you ring up. That said I ended up speaking to an African sounding retentions rep who was actually quite helpful and gave me the best deal I've ever managed to get. Just be prepared and armed with prices for alternative suppliers to demonstrate you mean business but have a backup plan if they ultimately don't play ball.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I just let it roll over , they made a better offer , lord knows why , than I would have asked for! Still don't understand why two months later. Runs till August 26 :cool:

Re: Left Virgin
 

Yes exactly what happened to me, got an 18 month deal that was quite a bit better than the deal I had in my mind that I expected to get knocked back on.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Talking to extend family earlier on what's app my granddaughters cousin, said did I slam virgin on public forums , giving my name. Part of the company he works for , in France monitor them for such things. Thinks I have been bought off :dozey::dozey: did you do such things ? Not convinced, but if it was , great :cool:

Re: Left Virgin
 

It may be that you have been bought off, but I think is more likely that VM have seen a huge reduction in their customers numbers and revenue. I live on a Drive where we had VM cable installed when the houses were built, talking to my neighbours no one seems to be with VM now, most are with Youfibre or Sky.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Does Youfibre or any of these high speed broadband companies offer a TV service as well?

Re: Left Virgin
 

Sky is probably the only one however, if you have broadband you can always stream TV. I understand you can have the Sky streaming boxes without having the Sky broadband.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Am I the only person to find streaming generally a pain, :rolleyes: searching all over the place, logging in and out of different channels. Tv pointer, works but a shaking hand doesn't make it easy. Guess voice control would be easier. :shocked:

Re: Left Virgin
 

I agree streaming over multiple providers is currently a pain but streaming is the way Tv will be delivered in the coming years.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Incidentally, Sky Stream is to cut the lag on Sky Sports from 40 seconds by 22 seconds to 18 seconds. Will start on Sky Sports Main Event before being rolled out to the other channels.

Re: Left Virgin
 

They've been doing that for a while now - I think since the summer. It is something offered in the US too.

It has to be optional as a poor Internet service can have issues with it.

Sky has the two different versions on different channel numbers.

Re: Left Virgin
 

This made it sound like it was just starting.
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/t...eadmore-target

I bet Sky won't let Virgin have it for their streaming box.

Re: Left Virgin
 

It's not exactly easy to find something worth watching on the broadcast channels.

I think Netflix has the best choice - why not just search for 'science fiction', 'dramas', 'documentaries', or search by actor, director, etc? You might have more luck in finding what you want if you search by genre, methinks.

Don't forget that a search on Virgin will also pick upprogrammes on the streamers available on their system (except for Netflix on the 360).

Re: Left Virgin
 

Although Netflix search isn't integrated into the TV360 search, you can however still search for Netflix content on your Virgin TV 360.

Select the Search icon from any full screen menu and then enter your Search term using the on-screen keyboard. Press the back button on your remote and then press right to highlight the “All” filter. Press OK and select Netflix. It only shows Netflix items and immediately launches the Netflix app when selecting a result.

This method also works on the VM Stream box,

Re: Left Virgin
 

Have customers been any more successful extending their contracts by using the online chat?
Is there a person handling the chat at anytime?
If the bot cannot help does it transfer to a human being, if so are they UK based?
Or perhaps I am best to call retentions on 150,one of these tasks I have to undertake in the next 7 days really.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I used the chat to cancel, simple and painless, took about 10 mins in total.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Thank you, newapollo, that’s the first I’ve heard of that.I will experiment with that tomorrow as my wife has a lie-in!

---------- Post added at 20:05 ---------- Previous post was at 20:03 ----------

I found Chat better than the phone. I got attention very quickly, had answers to all my questions (all in writing) and finished in no time. I will definitely do that again if I have a query.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Paul, Did VM offer you any deals to stay?

Any ide where the chat operatives are based, UK, Africa?

Happy New Year everyone.

Re: Left Virgin
 

They asked me if was interested in a deal, and I said 'no', and that was it.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I left VM about 6 months ago for IDnet, paying £60 for a 2500/2500 connection, static IPv4 and IPv6 and no longer have to deal with VM's horrible superhubs, and no price increases either.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Nice if you can get it. :)
The best I could get from IDNet is 1800/120, they are one of the few offering the slightly higher OpenReach speeds.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Mine is with CityFibre, it used to be I could only get VM or really slow OpenReach, like 30Mb, but now I have CityFibre and FTTP from OpenReach available so VM was swiftly cancelled.

I'm from Nottingham too so surprised you can't get CityFibre, though I don't think they have finished building yet.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Maybe they are building in the City ?
I'm not based in the city, thats about 10 miles from me.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I’m on the Arnold border, near the City Hospital.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Yeah, I'm way further out, past the M1.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I'm lucky to be in Coventry where Cityfibre have installed in every street as well as Bedworth and Nuneaton. I use Fusion Fibre, riding on Cityfibre. For £34 I get a static IP, IPV6, pings below 6ms and a nice symmetrical connection averaging at 920Mb, peaking at 943Mb. Until VM offer a symmetrical service, they are going to be out of the running as more and more areas get access to CF. I guess they figure, correctly, that most customers don't need more than 50MB/100MB upstream, but they need to be more future orientated. The market will demand better upstreams as bandwidth hungry applications roll out.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Virgin missed the boat, they should have upgraded their network to fibre a long time go, now they have to upgrade in order to be competitive but they have already lost lots of customers.

Re: Left Virgin
 

City fibre have just started putting the ducts in down my village high street so I'm guessing that'll be available to me eventually as I live off one of the roads coming off it?

Does anyone know a rough time scale between the start of ducting and customer availability based on your experience, I'm guessing atleast 12 months?

Re: Left Virgin
 

Probably about right.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CityFibre/c...e_building_on/

Re: Left Virgin
 

From Cityfibre website...

Re: Left Virgin
 

Thanks, already done that but I think I'm super early in looking into it, I was just looking at the colour of the ducts getting laid and with a bit of a Google and this site found out it's City Fibre, also had a response from Open Reach saying FTTP will be coming to my area.

I'm looking forward to ditching everything VM and have multiple choice on high speed internet in the future and hopefully cheaper.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Me too.

Re: Left Virgin
 

What's annoying is even when Virgin do roll out fibre, you're still stuck using a stupid superhub as they aren't using ONT's like pretty much every other fibre network.

Re: Left Virgin
 

You're also stuck with VM customer services:td:

Re: Left Virgin
 

Very true.

Re: Left Virgin
 

True, the whole getting stuck at a 50Mb upload on my gigabit connection for a month and them taking a month to fix it was the final straw, much prefer my 2500Mb upload speed now.

Re: Left Virgin
 

And having to suffer the drama and frustration of having to explain the same problem to multiple Customer Service people, numerous times. :mad::mad::mad:

Re: Left Virgin
 

Isnt this becasue the final bit to your house is not actually fibre, thats the case here, its coax.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I believe Virgin can take fibre to the house and connect to an ONT built into the router.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I'm a bit late to the thread here.

I think Virgin are now fully aware of the AltNets and streamers as my contract was due to finish next month (March), I used the chat and got a crazy deal (IMHO) to stay for another 18 months.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I dont know, but there is no sign of that happening around here.

Re: Left Virgin
 

On Virgins new network it’s full fibre to your house but they are using a hub 5X which has a fibre input instead of coax.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Same here even before I got my last bill.... plus april 2025 .... increase of prices.
So for 150m without a deal high 60's with Youfibre in the low 30's for 1gig fibre, I dug out an old 2012 bill from when I installed the V2 ac1 modem around the time it went up to @150 <> 200m wait for it ..... 48.80. Yet in 2025 they want @67 are you serious???

Like many I've been hold off for a good while when the prices have been jumping thinking something will better will come along or offered for a even figure of money.... nothing! So go bye virgin! after over Its 21yrs as I've still have two broadband installer CD bundles from the NTL years...... for years of memories.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I left Virgin after giving them my custom for almost 25 years. I had a stonking offer 18 months ago when their app offered me an upgrade to Gig1 for £18 a month. The service is generally OK, but I loathe dealing with their 'tech support' when issues arise and playing the contract dance.

In the last year or so, Openreach and the altnets have finally run FTTP in my area. Talk about buses coming all at once!! Part of me was itching to move to full fibre and the lure of symmetrical 900Mbps was too much. Not having to deal with VM was a bonus and they made the decision that much easier this year and didn't call back once with an offer. More fool them as my average latency has dropped over 13ms. See the before and after thinkbroadband ping monitor graphs

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...9&d=1757803209

Re: Left Virgin
 

Same here, was with VM at this address for 23 years and at my old address for about 4 years. I left about 5 months ago to go over to BRSK who are new in this area. Got the 2Gb up and down, haven't had a problem with them since joining.

Re: Left Virgin
 

City Fibre are currently building out my village and I will also be leaving eventually, but it could be a while before something is available, but I don't want to renew my VM contract for 18 months to get my ridiculously high bill down so I hope it'll become available early 2026.

Re: Left Virgin
 

They now offer 24 month contracts only and I would have had the satisfaction of 2x £3.50 price increases baked in the next 2 April's had I renewed :td:

Re: Left Virgin
 

I could get a No contract rolling monthly for just broadband and that would save me over half my current bill but I'll just keep paying until city fibre is ready then I'll cancel the lot.

Re: Left Virgin
 

I'd hold on as long as possible, once other services are ready to be used throw virgin media services in the dust bin... they remind me of old BT moving to open reach too big sluggish & expecting customers to put up with bull cr*p service while jacking up the prices. Don't get me started on their tier 4/5 service operators..... offering little or things too little too late. They couldn't even match or get close to youfibre's basic offer without the discount, I laughed in their face down the phone... telling them they'll have to do better than the offer they gave me. That phone call (better offer) never came...:rofl:

Alt net providers are eating them up alive losing 1000's per year. :D

After switching over..... A few months with youfibre well lets just say beside being MUCH cheaper a well needed breath of fresh air. The service is constant, they message you with any issues > emails time frames then don't bullsh*t you on the speeds they promise.... they suggest it varies for the first month then settles down to a baseline speed overall. Works every time everyday like clock work unlike virgin media.... a mixed bag of slow speeds latency up the wasoo - near useless :rant:

Re: Left Virgin
 

To be fair my VM broadband works very well, I always get my expected speeds and on the occasion it has gone down in the last year or so it's not been for long and they have sent a text message keeping me up to date even before me finding out it was down.

What I really hate is having to negotiate a new contract every time which I never do as I hate phoning people up, so when I have lots of city fibre options I can just outright cancel and swap between different companies every now and then to easily keep my monthly bill in check.

Re: Left Virgin
 

If you have option right now I'd move over from virgin, most Alt net providers offer to buy out your contract - youfibre said as much to me but as I was years out of contract the move over was mine to make without charges. You won't regret it one bit, the swap over is painless (should be) virgin grovelling on their knees wishing you will stay with them, what I got with female on the other end asking what could they do to make me stay with them... my answer give me a better offer comparing them to youfibre's prices & I'll think about it.

What followed... Just a short brief gasp of a moment like it was a high flow daily event, virgin looking on as a river of former customers (suckers) sailing down it to others en mass. She had no answer just confirmed the switch was in process & be a few days before it was final! :redcard:The sound of me:walk:away :sleeping: peacefully.

On the other hand.. Returning your virgin media equipment well that's another challenge, phoned them twice all promises & no luck... saying I couldn't just send them back I'd need a provided information slip etc... not had one yet! The box of two modems & bits gathering dust (older & newer). You have to ask yourself do they really want their old tat back or passing you off to charge you their fee? :shocked:

Re: Left Virgin
 

I don't have the option for several months they're building the network.

Re: Left Virgin
 

They sent me a prepaid returns package to send the modem and stuff back, I had a text from them telling me there'll be a £65 charge if not returned by a certain date. plus I'd lose any credit I had left on my account (£38).

It was easy enough and free to return, just dropped it off at one of the many listed stores that would take it.

I'm on the monthly contract with BRSK, it's £10pm cheaper if going for the 18 month contract.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Same here, in fact, as I recall, I didnt even have to post it, someone came and collected it.

Re: Left Virgin
 

They also sent me a box to pack my old Hub3 in then I just dropped it off at one of my local shops in a village near me.

Although I tried tracking it after that and that info never said it arrived at Virgin, but I had proof of sending it so wasn't worried.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Coincidentally my VM return flat pack arrived a few days ago after being misdelivered to a random house on my street courtesy of HM Royal Fail. Shipped it off this evening. Good riddance!

Re: Left Virgin
 

I have not regretted leaving for a single second.

Re: Left Virgin
 

Me too. I knew I was going to leave for a year or so, as soon as I had a choice to.

Re: Left Virgin
 

But do read the small print, on YF’s website it does say that they will pay ‘up to’ £300 to cover Early Disconnection Fees, not necessarily, the whole lot. Also just to add to the confusion, it mentions what you need to do, to whit;

Send a copy of your final bill from your current provider to cbo@youfibre.com and include:

Your full name

Your address incl. Postcode

YouFibre order number e.g. ORXXXXXX from your order confirmation email.

The final bill needs to show:

Your full name and address - this should match your YouFibre order details

The Early Termination Fee for Broadband clearly itemised - it should be £300 or under to qualify.

It’s the last line which adds to the general confusion, a literal reading would suggest that if your bill is over £300 you get nothing back, not even £300 towards the cost! Oh and this only covers the ‘broadband’ portion of the bill, so if you are also paying for TV or phone, that’s not covered.

Like I said, read and understand the small print and Ts and Cs, don’t blindly believe what a random salesman knowing on the door promises!