Virgin Media - Above Inflation Rises from 1st February

[MrB]

I am sure others are already aware but cannot see it mentioned (apologies if it has been).

We are about to be hit for another inflation busting rise of an average 5.4% according to MSE:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/new...048.1402934389

How prices will rise from 1 February 2016

Here's what's happening to line rental:

• Line rental: Rises from £16.99/mth to £17.99/mth – up £1/mth.
• Line rental saver (for new and renewing customers): Rises from £164/year to £184/year – up £20/year.

Here are the increases for bundles and packages – the £1/mth line rental increase is included in the price rises below:

• Big Connection: Rises from £34.49/mth to £37.98/mth – up £3.49/mth.
• Big Easy: Rises from £38.99/mth to £42.48/mth – up £3.49/mth.
• Big Bang: Rises from £48.99/mth to £52.98/mth – up £3.99/mth.
• Big Kahuna: Rises from £68.99/mth to £72.98/mth – up £3.99/mth.
• Big Daddy: Rises from £121.49/mth to £125.48/mth – up £3.99/mth.
• All other bundles and packages: Rise by between £1/mth and £3.99/mth, depending on the package. (The 'Big' packages above may rise to a different price if you're on a legacy tariff, but the increase will still be £3.49 or £3.99.)

And here we were thinking we were getting another "free" broadband speed increase ... but wait, this is the annual cycle of free speed increase followed almost immediately by large price rise ... for some, the £5 a month discount negotiated less than a fortnight ago has potentially suddenly been clawed back.

[denphone]

Sadly all these companies are at it and my advice is if you ain't happy phone them up to get a better deal and if that don't work then go elsewhere to get a better deal.

[MalteseFalcon]

Thanks for this, now looking at latest bill to find savings ahead of February. They say every customer gets a letter, but I find that for some reason this house seems to get missed out with these letters.

[ileikcaek]

These price increases are getting, quite frankly, grotesque, especially line rental and it's not just Virgin Media at it either. There is serious issues with the telecoms market in the UK that nobody seems willing to address, we pay quite a bit more than other EU countries.

We pay £45.99 a month for 200Mb and phone line, it'd be £40.99 but my mother who is the account holder refuses to use direct debit for anything so we get a £5 penalty which is grossly expensive. I'd expect some form of fee, other companies only seem to charge a couple of quid extra, £5 is a lot just to process a payment that likely doesn't cost them a thing to process.

We get an £6 Loyalty discount on top of this so really we'd be paying £51.99. Not clear if 200Mb will be going up so it will at least be £1 more in February.

[djfunkdup]

The more people that stop getting Tv from Vm and go with BB only has to have an impact on the cost of Tv for remaining customers.. Plus Free Bt sport for people on Tv Xl ? it never was going to be free . they should have offered it as a standalone add on.. thats another thing that feckled me off with Vm when i still had tv with them. i have no interest in watching live sport on tv but i was not offered a CHOICE. it was take it or leave it. leaving it meant downsizing my Tv package so in the end i did down size to no Tv at all.. Does it cost more to provide a landline than it did before ? don't think so .. Just another increase in the landline tax. of course the great thing with Vm is that the landline tax is avoidable if you should choose to not play that game

[TAZMANUK]

If I downgrade and remove line rental at current price and 100meg bb and keep TV at xl I will only be £2 better off, 50 Meg down, loss of landline on xl

I think its unfair, forces to have bundle deals to get so like better deals but when get price hikes like this

Now i know why when asking to get my 200meg speed boost they said yes at £5 extra as it would be this price increase.

What I'd like to know those that don't go for the vivid 200 speedboost and stay on 152meg it would make no difference as the prices are going up, you'll be loosing out on speed as be paying the increased price.

So those that don't except it, do they get a price decrease since they stay in the same speed or is it just contract renewal be benefit only???

Looking it that way the only choice is to upgrade to the 200 vivid from 152 and wait for the increase as by not doing so you're end up paying anyway if you don't.

Line rental, maybe now they should give us free extras such as free call blocking, caller I'd, etc

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by ileikcaek

These price increases are getting, quite frankly, grotesque, especially line rental and it's not just Virgin Media at it either. There is serious issues with the telecoms market in the UK that nobody seems willing to address, we pay quite a bit more than other EU countries.

Hmm.

https://www.ziggo.nl/internet/vergelijken/
https://www5.unitymedia.de/privatkun...y-premium-200/
http://www.upc-cablecom.ch/en/internet/products/
http://www.movistar.es/particulares/...0mb?pid=tef-es

Cablecom is a debatable one as incomes are markedly higher in Switzerland.

I've left out many UPC territories as we can't really compare the prices we pay with those in Romania or Poland.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by ileikcaek

These price increases are getting, quite frankly, grotesque, especially line rental and it's not just Virgin Media at it either. There is serious issues with the telecoms market in the UK that nobody seems willing to address, we pay quite a bit more than other EU countries.

Indeed. We're looking at what's nearing on a 50% increase in 5 years on a service most people don't even want.

[TAZMANUK]

Good post of what other countries pay, but don't forget we have the licence fee on top £12.12 per month...

[Jimmy-J]

The landline is becoming less of a necessity these days.

[Gavin-D]

BT is now looking much cheaper for me for what I need would be under £50 a month with them instead of nearly £90 a month with VM, yes they don't have the same amount of channels but I only watch a select few which they have

Will phone the cancellation team once I get the letter, but unless they have some good deals I may be forced to move on, not something I want to do as I've had a very good service from them but this price rise is one step too far

[jobbie8]

I've been thinking about getting a Roku 4 box when it goes onsale, with NowTV and Freeview or Freesat,
I will be getting rid of my 3 Tivos and Landline, £17.99 a month is crazy for something I never use. My Line Rental Saver ends this month, as does my contract. So will just keep BB, going down to 70MB,
I was ready to ditch them last year but this time I'm looking forward to it, and the savings.

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Indeed. We're looking at what's nearing on a 50% increase in 5 years on a service most people don't even want.

No one is holding a gun (other weapons of intimidation/coercion are available) to their heads - if they 'don't even want' the service, they have options...

[Mr K]

Well I was right with the month of the increase anyway.
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35797384-post161.html

All too predictable. A FREE broadband speed increase is always soon followed by a price rise.

Has line rental saver gone up now, or won't it happen till February?

[jobbie8]

Originally Posted by Mr K

Well I was right with the month of the increase anyway.
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35797384-post161.html

All too predictable. A FREE broadband speed increase is always soon followed by a price rise.

Has line rental saver gone up now, or won't it happen till February?

I've had Line Rental Saver for 2 years now, the 1st cost £120 and last years, (ends this month) was £140.
I seem to miss the increases until the year after, so I believe the increase will be in February.