50MB Broadband now just Â£18 per month - Page 5

BenMcr · 03-09-2009, 00:47

Please see my answer to your original post which still applies

Thanks

Basisboy · 03-09-2009, 17:44

Just got a response from Consumer Direct ... Thought it may be interesting ...
...
From your email it appears you wish to report a trader for advertising a service at one price but after making a phone call you have established that the price is considerably higher.

Based on the information you have provided the key legal points in response to your enquiry are as follows:

There may be a breach of the law by advertising a service at one price but charging a higher price. It may be dependent on the terms and conditions of the advert to establish if there is a misleading price indication.

UK law includes a principle called â€˜Invitation To Treatâ€™. The trader is inviting you to offer the asking price to purchase that item. When you make the offer, the trader then decides whether they accept your offer or not. A trader can refuse to sell without giving a reason - there is no 'right to buy' in law.

However, as advised above, any misleading pricing is potentially a breach of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, the information you have provided will be passed to Trading Standards for further consideration and, if necessary, further action. Trading Standards may contact you for further information if they deem it necessary.
...

If VM are going to advertise prices for services then they need to make sure they are the price that are being offered...

I'd pay Â£28 for 50MB if it was available ... and that it how I interpret (and so do consumer direct and hopefully Trading Standards).

If I get any news will update....

BenMcr · 03-09-2009, 20:38

Once again - everyone pays the same price for XXL - the price that is on the website.

---------- Post added at 19:38 ---------- Previous post was at 19:36 ----------

I don't see how that is a difficult concept?!

Billy-Bob · 03-09-2009, 20:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Once again - everyone pays the same price for XXL - the price that is on the website.

---------- Post added at 19:38 ---------- Previous post was at 19:36 ----------

I don't see how that is a difficult concept?!

So, as of 19:53hrs on 3 September 2009, according to the "upgrade my broadband" Virgin Media selfcare pages that load when I log-in with my username and password, that would be "Â£52 per month subscription", would it?

Nope. I thought not.

Come on, Virgin Media. Sort out your website. It's a disgrace.

BenMcr · 03-09-2009, 20:59

I have said several times now - DO NOT USE SELFCARE.

Phone Virgin and you will be offered the price on the website

Mr Smooth · 03-09-2009, 21:06

Virgin dont make it easy. The way it appears on the bill, and the way you can check the online price just makes it even more confusing. It SHOULDNT be a difficult concept, but thats the way Virginmedia have made it.

I can understand that if you want a service individually, you should pay a certain price.
I can understand if you have a bundle or more than one service, you pay for the bundle price.
I can understand that if you are a new customer, you should be entitled to a discount on installation or the price for a number of months.

What I dont understand is how I can see the prices online on the bundle builder, and they are different to what existing customers should get?

What I dont understand is that they say I get a 'loyalty discount' when in fact I just get the price that is advertised for the bundle I get currently.

What I dont understand is If I want to 'Upgrade' one service and 'downgrade' another whilst keeping within a bundle structure, I apparently 'lose' Â£20 discount and still end being asked for Â£9.50 more than what it should according to the online bundle builder.

Its *******s.

Billy-Bob · 03-09-2009, 21:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

I have said several times now - DO NOT USE SELFCARE.

Phone Virgin and you will be offered the price on the website

Following the horror stories on this forum of (some, not all) incompetent, clueless, dishonest or disingenuous VM telephone agents either quoting the wrong price, or quoting the right price then charging the wrong price, I for one don't want to take the risk of upgrading over the phone. I'd rather do it online. If VM don't want people to use the website to administer their accounts, they shouldn't offer the facility.

JayAy · 03-09-2009, 21:18

I just rang about switching from XL to XXL (currently have VIP services) to get an idea of pricing and was told I'd have a monthly increase of Â£8 - good and then told there'd be a Â£50 install charge - bad. I was under the impression that there was now free installation as indicated at http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html...d/compare.html

BenMcr · 03-09-2009, 21:31

And if you read the small print it says:

Free installation offer: Free installation includes standard and Quickstart installation worth up to Â£30. This offer is available for online purchases that include cable broadband services (i.e. broadband without a phone line, broadband with a phone line or TV, or all three services) on a 12 month contract. The credit will be applied to your first month's bill. Offer available to new customers only

---------- Post added at 20:31 ---------- Previous post was at 20:27 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Smooth

What I dont understand is If I want to 'Upgrade' one service and 'downgrade' another whilst keeping within a bundle structure, I apparently 'lose' Â£20 discount and still end being asked for Â£9.50 more than what it should according to the online bundle builder.

Its *******s.

And I told you earlier if you do want to do that speak to Sales or Customer Relations.

Customer Service cannot do that. They have to work within the rules they are given - which say that if you downgrade services below the services needed for your discount you lose the discount

rgwebster · 03-09-2009, 21:35

I thought VM made a big play about existing customers getting the same deal as new customers.......this looks like a Â£30 penalty for being an existing customer!!

BenMcr · 03-09-2009, 21:37

Existing customers got free broadband installation (if it was a new service) throughout July and August.

JayAy · 03-09-2009, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Existing customers got free broadband installation (if it was a new service) throughout July and August.

Thanks for the quick responses.

I wonder if it might be worth waiting a little longer to see what other offers come up in the next month or two then? - maybe there will be another free install for existing customers coming up.

deehand · 03-09-2009, 23:00

I have just been off the phone to Virgin enquiring about upgrading my 20Mb broadband connetion to 50Mb. My current package is built up as follows:-
Phone, TV & BB Bundle Saving Â£ -9.50
Line Rental Â£ 11.00
TV Size: L Â£ 11.50
Broadband Size: X L Â£ 37.00
X L B B Saving Â£ -8.00

This would indicate that my current 20Mb cost is Â£37-Â£8 = Â£29 (excl. the Bundle saving). This is Â£1 more than the new Â£28 per month offer for 50Mb.

However, the Virgin sales assistant insisted that I would have to pay Â£7 extra to change to the 50Mb speed. This effectively means that I would be paying Â£36 per month for 50Mb (i.e. Â£29 + Â£7).

I am puzzled by the logic behind Virgin's extra charge.

BenMcr · 03-09-2009, 23:39

Your total price for BB XL, TV L and Phone M is Â£42. On the website it is Â£41. So you are paying Â£1 more than the current price for those services.

As all customers pay the same price for XXL it would cost you Â£7 to upgrade as BB XXL, TV L and Phone M costs Â£49

To break this down further - you are current paying Â£21 for BB XL

You have the Â£8 discout 'X L B B Saving Â£ -8.00' and Â£8 of the Â£9.50 discount is also because you have broadband - which is why it says 'Phone, TV & BB Bundle Saving'

Â£37 - Â£16 = Â£21

So as you are paying Â£1 more a month than the current price it will cost you Â£7 more to upgrade rather than the Â£8 it should

03-09-2009, 23:40

i would like to take advantage of the XXL price drop and intend to phone VM up to ask how much it would cost in the next few days .I don't mind paying a instalation cost .My main question would be do i have to enter a new deal losing any discounts i already have thus making the price drop inefective .I would appreciate any advice on the best way to approach this
this is my current bill

Main services

(Provided by Virgin Media Ltd or Virgin Media Payments Ltd) Â£68.00

Description Date/period Amount
Telephone Line Rental 01 September - 30 September Â£11.00
Payment Handling Charge 01 September - 30 September Â£5.00
Talk Unlimited 01 September - 30 September Â£7.95
X L Triple Saving 01 September - 30 September Â£-20.95
T V Size: X L 01 September - 30 September Â£23.00
1 Additional V Box 01 September - 30 September Â£15.00
V+ Box 01 September - 30 September Â£0.00
Add Set Box(es) Discount 01 September - 30 September Â£-10.00

Broadband Size: X L 01 September - 30 September Â£37.00