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smithzert · 24-05-2009, 08:37

I'm resurrecting this thread with a bit more information - for those like me who want the cheapest connection and are already virgin customers.

There is some talk in here of why someone would opt for size s when they can get a faster connection for the same price. Well, you can't if you are an existing virgin customer. The cheapest offer on http://allyours.virginmedia.com/webs...ervice.do?id=2 at present is broadband L + phone M at £14 a month after the first 3 months bait price. However, anyone already signed up to virgin can't get this price unless they cancel for 6 months and then sign up again as a new customer. I was on size m + phone for £14.50 a month. They tried to put me on a higher speed for £18 a month. I don't want or need a faster speed. Nor do I want to speed £18 a month for the internet! The only lower option I was offered was size s for £14 a month. This is with no phone, but I never used it anyway - I use a mobile - I only had it because it was part of a bundle at no extra cost.

There is also some talk of crippling traffic management if you are on size s. According to http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php you get throttled 50% on your upstream and 75% on your downstream between 9am and 9pm (once you reach the threshold). 'Unlimited' otherwise I guess. If you don't download a lot this won't affect you anyway.

My own experience on size s is that it is exactly the same as the connection I had before (size m). I have the same upload and download maximums and when I do get throttled it is down to the same speeds as before. Also, I don't get throttled between 9am and 9pm as the page above states, but just now and again, again just as I used to on size m.

It's my guess that the truth of it is that if you are an existing customer they just try to hike the price to get you to upgrade once you reach the end of your contract. If you say no, they shove you on the lowest tariff and do nothing physically to alter your connection. It's just a marketing ploy to increase your monthly payments. Of course if you want to pay £50 a month instead of £14 for 'xxl' then go for it, but I bet you won't use it, unless you are one of the minority who are downloading things 24 hours a day. The vast majority download one or two large things rarely and maybe watch something on iPlayer every so often, with the end result that the connection is left virtually unused for 99% of the time - at whatever speed you are on - and at £50 a month for xxl I say thanks but no thanks.

If you decide to opt for size s: you can still download things just as before (it takes a bit longer than xxl - but so what?), and you can still watch TV on iPlayer with no stalling in playback (and so I presume with other such players too) .

I hope this helps anyone trying to decide whether to pay extra for a faster speed when their existing virgin contract is up.

24-05-2009, 08:37	#53
smithzert Inactive Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 22	Re: Virgin to launch 2Mb Size S I'm resurrecting this thread with a bit more information - for those like me who want the cheapest connection and are already virgin customers. There is some talk in here of why someone would opt for size s when they can get a faster connection for the same price. Well, you can't if you are an existing virgin customer. The cheapest offer on http://allyours.virginmedia.com/webs...ervice.do?id=2 at present is broadband L + phone M at £14 a month after the first 3 months bait price. However, anyone already signed up to virgin can't get this price unless they cancel for 6 months and then sign up again as a new customer. I was on size m + phone for £14.50 a month. They tried to put me on a higher speed for £18 a month. I don't want or need a faster speed. Nor do I want to speed £18 a month for the internet! The only lower option I was offered was size s for £14 a month. This is with no phone, but I never used it anyway - I use a mobile - I only had it because it was part of a bundle at no extra cost. There is also some talk of crippling traffic management if you are on size s. According to http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php you get throttled 50% on your upstream and 75% on your downstream between 9am and 9pm (once you reach the threshold). 'Unlimited' otherwise I guess. If you don't download a lot this won't affect you anyway. My own experience on size s is that it is exactly the same as the connection I had before (size m). I have the same upload and download maximums and when I do get throttled it is down to the same speeds as before. Also, I don't get throttled between 9am and 9pm as the page above states, but just now and again, again just as I used to on size m. It's my guess that the truth of it is that if you are an existing customer they just try to hike the price to get you to upgrade once you reach the end of your contract. If you say no, they shove you on the lowest tariff and do nothing physically to alter your connection. It's just a marketing ploy to increase your monthly payments. Of course if you want to pay £50 a month instead of £14 for 'xxl' then go for it, but I bet you won't use it, unless you are one of the minority who are downloading things 24 hours a day. The vast majority download one or two large things rarely and maybe watch something on iPlayer every so often, with the end result that the connection is left virtually unused for 99% of the time - at whatever speed you are on - and at £50 a month for xxl I say thanks but no thanks. If you decide to opt for size s: you can still download things just as before (it takes a bit longer than xxl - but so what?), and you can still watch TV on iPlayer with no stalling in playback (and so I presume with other such players too) . I hope this helps anyone trying to decide whether to pay extra for a faster speed when their existing virgin contract is up.