[sct1l8]

You're certainly not the only one to fail the credit check on the "special offer" £10 a month SIM.

To start with, clicking on the link from the Telewest home page ("existing customers click here") to go to the Virgin website takes you to a page where you have to enter your account number, postcode and house number. Needless to say it is not possible to continue because a Telewest account number is ONE DIGIT MORE than the page allows you to enter.

Ringing Telewest does not offer much help (as it's a Virgin offer), however they will put you through free of charge to 0845 6000 789 to speak to someone at Virgin. Apparently they try to do it there and then for you, tell you "you're entitled to two deals per household" and that your order "has gone through" blah blah blah. A few seconds later you get an email saying "unfortunately we can't accept your order at this time" - followed about a minute later by another message saying they received your order (Virgin must be using some sort of a time machine as the message with the order arrives after the order has been declined).

Although Virgin did ask for date of birth and address, it mysteriously asked for your bank details again (I was under the impression that this would be billed on my Telewest bill but apparently Virgin would like their own £10 a month direct debit). Calling back you get a very grumpy operator (listening to a radio in full blast at the background) who finally tells you to contact Equifax. Needless to say there is nothing wrong with your Equifax report.

It all sounds to me like a marketing ploy by Virgin to get customer details (why I do not understand as since they've now control both ntl and Telewest they already have those details).

Previous experience with "free SIMS" seems to indicate that if you live in a block of flats you'll likely never get one (1 per household, or, according to Virgin, two per household, is no good in a building of 10-20 flats - and everyone has a mobile those days). If Virgin were serious, first they'd know how many digits a Telewest account number is, and second they'd send the SIM cards to cable customers no matter how many people have mobiles in the building!

In the end of the day, it's Virgin who will lose business with customers flocking to other networks blaming Equifax for what is just Virgin's lack of market awareness!