TiVo : Last day to get out of your contract due to the price rise.

[RichardCoulter]

Just a reminder that today is the last day that you can cancel your VM contract due to the price rise. After today, you'll be locked into the end of the contract.

I cancelled yesterday after 17 years and They. Couldn't. Have. Cared. Less.

They have done all but pick me up and push me into the arms of Sky.

Meanwhile, Sky are picking up VM customers with their deals such as 60% off for five years with no contract.

They are obviously taking a sensible long term view.

I dislike Sky, but when their main competitor just rolls over and isn't providing healthy and effective competition, something needs to be done.

What are Virgin Media offering in return? The exclusive spinning purple circle channel, a prise rise and a new box that will be ready when it's ready. Its almost as if Sky have planted their own people in key VM posts.

They aren't fit to hold the franchises.

[denphone]

While each customer is free to move to whoever they want if they are unhappy as we live in the world of choice to say Virgin Media ain't fit to hold a fit and proper license is total utter bollocks IMO.

[RobboEdin]

Oh no it's not.
It's dependent on your billing cycle.
For many, it's already too late as the relevant date was 30 September.

[Horizon]

My letter says 30 November.

[RobboEdin]

..so dependant on your billing cycle.
Certainly not the last day as asserted by the 'reliable' OP.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by denphone

While each customer is free to move to whoever they want if they are unhappy as we live in the world of choice to say Virgin Media ain't fit to hold a fit and proper license is total utter bollocks IMO.

Its not like you to use language like that Den.

The Virgin CEO admitted to not paying attention to the TV side of things, when I read this, I had high hopes that things would improve and I would be able to stay with VM (I really don't like Sky for many and varied reasons).

Then the performance of my TiVo worsened, there was still no word as to when the new box would be out (or pricing) and to top it off they had the cheek to implement a price rise!

It beggars belief that they would do this and then make no attempt whatsoever to keep my custom. They effectively just shrugged their shoulders.

Everyone has only a finite amount of patience and when Sky are throwing out offers of 60% off for 5 years with no contract, the VM offering becomes untenable.

Originally Posted by RobboEdin

Oh no it's not.
It's dependent on your billing cycle.
For many, it's already too late as the relevant date was 30 September.

Thank you, I stand corrected.

[denphone]

Its not Virgins fault that Sky are throwing round deals that IMO is utter financial madness as for a awful lots of companies that ain't a proper sustainable business model and Virgin would be stupid to compete with it.

The Virgin CEO has stated in his last few interviews that the TV side of things would be improving significantly and l don't see any reason not to believe him.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Meanwhile, Sky are picking up VM customers with their deals such as 60% off for five years with no contract.

Five years Where have you seen that ?

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Just a reminder that today is the last day that you can cancel your VM contract due to the price rise. After today, you'll be locked into the end of the contract.

I cancelled yesterday after 17 years and They. Couldn't. Have. Cared. Less.

They have done all but pick me up and push me into the arms of Sky.

Meanwhile, Sky are picking up VM customers with their deals such as 60% off for five years with no contract.

They are obviously taking a sensible long term view.

I dislike Sky, but when their main competitor just rolls over and isn't providing healthy and effective competition, something needs to be done.

What are Virgin Media offering in return? The exclusive spinning purple circle channel, a prise rise and a new box that will be ready when it's ready. Its almost as if Sky have planted their own people in key VM posts.

They aren't fit to hold the franchises.

You are really off on a tangent here, Richard (and by the way, you are repeating yourself).

You are not locked in until the end of your contract. You are locked in to the next price rise.

It's down to you if you change to Sky with only a few short weeks to go until the launch of the new box. Sounds a bit reckless to me, to be honest.

If you want to fall into the hot sticky armpits of Sky for the sake of a few weeks simply because of their discounts, you should be happy.

The way you are going on about this sounds to me that you are looking for reassurance about a potentially bad decision.

I'm sorry, but you won't be getting any solice from me on your decision. It's Barmyland, IMHO.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by denphone

Its not Virgins fault that Sky are throwing round deals that IMO is utter financial madness as for a awful lots of companies that ain't a proper sustainable business model and Virgin would be stupid to compete with it.

The Virgin CEO has stated in his last few interviews that the TV side of things would be improving significantly and l don't see any reason not to believe him.

It's sound business sense to accept a lower profit rather than none at all, or even to introduce loss leaders to persuade customers to cross over.

They may not even be loss leaders when you take into account the increased economies of scale and profit from phone and broadband.

90% of a successful sale is getting the customer into the shop in the future place. Inertia also plays a part once people have your product and I'm certain that Sky realise this.

Originally Posted by Paul M

Five years Where have you seen that ?

Forum member Chad left VM for Sky some time ago. He has never paid full price since and has now received an email saying that he can have 60% off for the next five years with no contract. He doesn't even have to call them, it will be done automatically unless he tells them otherwise.

If you're out of contract with Sky I'd look into this Paul.

Might be worth asking Chad too:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/member.php?u=67522

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

You are really off on a tangent here, Richard (and by the way, you are repeating yourself).

You are not locked in until the end of your contract. You are locked in to the next price rise.

It's down to you if you change to Sky with only a few short weeks to go until the launch of the new box. Sounds a bit reckless to me, to be honest.

If you want to fall into the hot sticky armpits of Sky for the sake of a few weeks simply because of their discounts, you should be happy.

The way you are going on about this sounds to me that you are looking for reassurance about a potentially bad decision.

I'm sorry, but you won't be getting any solice from me on your decision. It's Barmyland, IMHO.

If there is yet another price rise before March it's true that I could leave earlier, but that's not really the point is it.

I think you're being very naive if you 100% believe that the new box will be released in a few weeks. It might be, but with VM I wouldn't bet any money on it.

I dislike Sky myself, but why do you seem to favour all things VM over Sky??

Thus far I'm not regretting my decision, nor looking for reassurance or validation. The only contact I've had since cancelling yesterday is a text to say that they will be sending me some packaging to send back their equipment!!!

It really is a case of, "if you're leaving, get gone then". This is despite me making it clear that if they want their equipment back they will have to pick it up at my convenience.

The router I can understand, but what use will a pile of old unusable TiVo's be??

I wonder if new customers will get a new box by default or if they will try to palm them off with an old one??

I am open to rescinding my notice if VM start being sensible.

I've seen a few posts where they've let customers go, only to call them back a couple of weeks later (or even on the last day of their notice period) with amazing offers and a request for them to reconsider.

The trouble is, by the time they pull their finger out, many people have gone to another provider and signed a new contract. Wouldn't it make more sense to do this when people call up to cancel instead of playing games?

They really are so inept, i'm glad I don't have an investment in this company.

Edit: Actually, perhaps I should stay with VM after all for my phone if going to Sky would set my house on fire!!!

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...8#post35866878

[eljay]

I don't think it would have mattered who's telephone socket was fitted in that occurrence. There was obviously a power surge or short with a high voltage line. Even if their was a short in the socket itself the current generated would not be of level to cause a fire.

One word of warning on leaving VM is that you could well get a series of bills despite cancelling.

I left in September with termination on 8th October and no further payment required and DD cancelled. Then on the 15th October got an email with a bill of £238 including Oct to Nov charges and charges for Nov to Dec. Phoned up and after 30 mins talking to two different departments found that someone hadn't completed one of the cancellation stages correctly but told it was all done now and forget the bill. Next day got a letter with a bill for the same amount which I cut up presuming an overlap.

However, guess what happened on Saturday. Yes I got an email with another bill for £101 covering November to December. That was followed yesterday by another letter for £238. So I now have to waste my time and theirs sorting this mess out again.

Maybe if VM were more efficient they wouldn't have to keep putting up their charges!

By the way same as Richard no attempt to keep me as a customer whatsoever.

[RichardCoulter]

Thanks for the warning.

I wasn't told anything about what would happen until I asked. I was told that I would receive a letter telling me if there's anything else to pay.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I think you're being very naive if you 100% believe that the new box will be released in a few weeks. It might be, but with VM I wouldn't bet any money on it.

I dislike Sky myself, but why do you seem to favour all things VM over Sky??

I certainly do believe that the new V6 will be out before Christmas, in fact this month is a real possibility.

I do not favour all things VM over Sky. Sky have Atlantic. I've complained about its absence from VM often enough, haven't I?

I just think you have rushed into the decision to leave for Sky and I think you will regret it. Unfortunately, I think you will have to experience it to believe it.

Don't get me wrong, Sky offer a good service. I just think that Virgin's is better in many ways - the slow Tivo is a temporary problem, about to be solved.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I certainly do believe that the new V6 will be out before Christmas, in fact this month is a real possibility.

I do not favour all things VM over Sky. Sky have Atlantic. I've complained about its absence from VM often enough, haven't I?

I just think you have rushed into the decision to leave for Sky and I think you will regret it. Unfortunately, I think you will have to experience it to believe it.

Don't get me wrong, Sky offer a good service. I just think that Virgin's is better in many ways - the slow Tivo is a temporary problem, about to be solved.

If VM redeem themselves I am open to rescinding my notice or rejoining them in the future.

That should make the share price soar...