Virgin packages - are they a good deal?

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Arthur the spur here, l don't know if anyone has realised, talking about sport, Setanta Sports have a NINE channel package for £15.OO per month, with Sky, yet on Virgin media (or NTL/ Telewest) you get SIX channels of Setanta Sports for the same price of £15.00, who is conning who. there is something wrong somewhere.

Originally Posted by Shaun

After 60 min you're charged at a whopping 3ppm - you can't always redial if you're in the middle of a call.

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Originally Posted by Shaun

If you're on the phone to a company call centre then you can't just say "oh hang on I'll call you back" as you'd never get the same agent again.

Originally Posted by savvychels

Um - if you're on to a company call centre you're already most likely on an 0870 number so you're paying for the call anyway.

Originally Posted by Shaun

www.saynoto0870.com Not is you want to do it for free

Shouldn't need to redial, then.......

[daggman]

shaun:

New name same rubbish over priced product if you ask me.

Unless they get their products to match Sky both feature and price wise as well as giving me a damb good reason to switch on top of this like some killer feature Sky can't provide* then I'll not touch them with a barge pole after last time.

well that sounds like u may at least have issues

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Shouldn't need to redial, then.......

Of course you will. the phone package from Ntl requires you redial after 60min or pay 3pppm.

If you're on a call to British Gas for 1.5 hours trying to ge them to sort a problem (even if you call on an 01 number) then you'll need to redial or pay 90p for the supposedly "free" call.

---------- Post added at 08:37 ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 ----------

Originally Posted by daggman

shaun:

well that sounds like u may at least have issues

And the fact that I think the re brand won't change the mentality of the upper management within Ntl means the figures I've quoted from other websites are pointless?

Can I suggest you look at the figures and comment on them rather than any perceived axe I have to grind?

If you want to ignore the figures then just leave the thread - no one makes you come in here. After all the thread title is: "Virgin packages - are they a good deal?"

Have you provided figure or discussion on the topic of the thread?

Originally Posted by Shaun

Of course you will. the phone package from Ntl requires you redial after 60min or pay 3pppm.

If you're on a call to British Gas for 1.5 hours trying to ge them to sort a problem (even if you call on an 01 number) then you'll need to redial or pay 90p for the supposedly "free" call.

Why is that Virgins fault. I want to know why anyone would sit on a phone to British Gas for 1.5 hours, i certainly would not but there again i would not use British Gas.

I think British Gas need to sort out there call centre's if you have to be on for 1.5 hours

[prawncocktail]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Of course you will. the phone package from Ntl requires you redial after 60min or pay 3pppm.

If you're on a call to British Gas for 1.5 hours trying to ge them to sort a problem (even if you call on an 01 number) then you'll need to redial or pay 90p for the supposedly "free" call.

---------- Post added at 08:37 ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 ----------

i was also under the impression the same was with BT and er also every other provider although I do know some who are 70 mins rather than 60 but they are few and far between

Shaun

[dcclanuk]

Originally Posted by Bill C

Why is that Virgins fault. I want to know why anyone would sit on a phone to British Gas for 1.5 hours, i certainly would not but there again i would not use British Gas.

I think British Gas need to sort out there call centre's if you have to be on for 1.5 hours

yeah! why on earth would u be talking to british gas for 1.5 hours lol

Originally Posted by Shaun

Of course you will. the phone package from Ntl requires you redial after 60min or pay 3pppm.

If you're on a call to British Gas for 1.5 hours trying to ge them to sort a problem (even if you call on an 01 number) then you'll need to redial or pay 90p for the supposedly "free" call.

Shaun, couldn't find anything on the Virgin Media website to confirm/deny your proposition re 3ppm for 0800 calls after 60 minutes, so I called CS.

They stated that 0800 numbers continue to be non-chargeable after 60 minutes (phew, that's a relief).

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by Bill C

Why is that Virgins fault. I want to know why anyone would sit on a phone to British Gas for 1.5 hours, i certainly would not but there again i would not use British Gas.

I think British Gas need to sort out there call centre's if you have to be on for 1.5 hours

BG were an example - it could be any company.

Substitute BG for NTL:

---------- Post added at 10:07 ---------- Previous post was at 10:07 ----------

Originally Posted by skirkby

i was also under the impression the same was with BT and er also every other provider although I do know some who are 70 mins rather than 60 but they are few and far between

Shaun

18185 have no restrictions on call length and neither do Vonage

---------- Post added at 10:09 ---------- Previous post was at 10:07 ----------

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Shaun, couldn't find anything on the Virgin Media website to confirm/deny your proposition re 3ppm for 0800 calls after 60 minutes, so I called CS.

They stated that 0800 numbers continue to be non-chargeable after 60 minutes (phew, that's a relief).

0800 numbers are not my proposition here.

I think we're at crossed purposes.

When I said free, I was talking about making the call within your call package (at no extra cost). I.e. getting an 01 or 02 number from saynoto0870.

Please excuse my confusion.....

[lauzjp]

ok, I think I have sussed - if virgin media are going to move people on ntl packages to the new virgin media packages (anyone know if this is going to happen?) then what I am presently on (family pack, sky sports, 2mb bb, std phone) will be £66 a month; £11 phone, £20.50 xl tv, £18 2mb bb, £16.50 sky sports. so the difference between tv packs is £12 - cos I could get the 3 for £30 + skysports for £24 = £54... or I could just be a tightwad and face facts that there really isn't that much new programming on telly , and just go back to 4 + a bit channels & dvd's: broadband +basic phone £20

hmm...

[NTLVictim]

I notice that during the launch, Richard had a pop at the way Sky bundle channels, so you end up spending more to get what you need..now, bearing that in mind..

I like watching the Discovery channels, which Virgin describe as "factual",so Size L looks like the one for me at first glance (I couldn't give a monkeys about the sports or movie channels).

Now someone who watches factual channels watches more than one of the same kind, right? Sky split them up into different "packs" so you have to buy more than you want.

Virgin are doing the same thing, to get ALL the discovery channels as well as other in the same vein like The History channel,The Biography Channel, National Geographic etc., you have to go up to the XL package! Isn't this the same thing that Richard accused Sky of unfairly doing?

[lauzjp]

Originally Posted by NTLVictim

I notice that during the launch, Richard had a pop at the way Sky bundle channels, so you end up spending more to get what you need..now, bearing that in mind..

I like watching the Discovery channels, which Virgin describe as "factual",so Size L looks like the one for me at first glance (I couldn't give a monkeys about the sports or movie channels).

Now someone who watches factual channels watches more than one of the same kind, right? Sky split them up into different "packs" so you have to buy more than you want.

Virgin are doing the same thing, to get ALL the discovery channels as well as other in the same vein like The History channel,The Biography Channel, National Geographic etc., you have to go up to the XL package! Isn't this the same thing that Richard accused Sky of unfairly doing?

I don't mind paying a few quid extra to get the channels I want, but like you, they are somewhere (seemingly randomly) between the L and XL package. Although sky may seem more expensive - it would work out cheaper for me (well, if I had a bt landline it would ) - cos the 2/4/6 mixes are only literally £2 or something difference between each! *sigh* I'm not no way in hell prepared to pay £66 a month for our 'entertainment'. so I guess we'll be going without...

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by NTLVictim

I notice that during the launch, Richard had a pop at the way Sky bundle channels, so you end up spending more to get what you need..now, bearing that in mind..

I like watching the Discovery channels, which Virgin describe as "factual",so Size L looks like the one for me at first glance (I couldn't give a monkeys about the sports or movie channels).

Now someone who watches factual channels watches more than one of the same kind, right? Sky split them up into different "packs" so you have to buy more than you want.

Virgin are doing the same thing, to get ALL the discovery channels as well as other in the same vein like The History channel,The Biography Channel, National Geographic etc., you have to go up to the XL package! Isn't this the same thing that Richard accused Sky of unfairly doing?

I loathe these big bundle "catch all" packs. I would prefer if cable went back to the category packs, ie Entertainment, Music, News & Docs etc. Although I would prefer to choose exactly what channels I wanted a la carte style. And this could be made to pay for Virgin if you had to have self-selected packs of say 50, 100, 150 etc channels. But you choose exactly what channels you want within these packs. Could be done via VM's website very easily.

If you want all the "Factual" programmes on cable, you have no choice but to pay for the top tier XL pack. Same with Kids, same as with Music channels etc. So Branson is talking utter rubbish, Sky is far more flexible. On Sky you can choose smaller category packs, unlike on cable.

[jcuk]

thats really quite true sky do seem to offer better value for choice (if thats a, whatever)

but realistically in each of the 3 packs that VM offer theres a range of channels from every category, the range of categories expand as you go up in price.

whereas sky you can have a single category and pay more for another and another category.

so doesent that theoretically make VM better 'all round' for home digital tv?

i know if it were me, i personally like trouble, living, and all that, discovery and such aint for me, but it is for others. id guess its down to personal preference which is better. value for money & choice wise.

or am i talking utter ****e? i feel like i am hehe :P