Bloody Virgin Media, putting up my costs again!
Discussion
davek_964 said:
I'm not really defending it - mine has gone up to and I'd prefer it didn't. But....
For luxury services like this, especially ones that need to keep up with changes / advances in technology - I'm not sure inflation is a reasonable measure. I can't remember what broadband speeds were 10 years ago - but let's say 2Mb/s. If that was still the best Virgin could offer, but prices had only gone up with inflation in the meantime - would people be happy?
R&D etc. costs money - and ultimately, it's the customers who pay for it.
Virginmedia (well, Blueyonder) were doing 20Mbit 10 years ago For luxury services like this, especially ones that need to keep up with changes / advances in technology - I'm not sure inflation is a reasonable measure. I can't remember what broadband speeds were 10 years ago - but let's say 2Mb/s. If that was still the best Virgin could offer, but prices had only gone up with inflation in the meantime - would people be happy?
R&D etc. costs money - and ultimately, it's the customers who pay for it.
Jobbo said:
Craikeybaby said:
Jobbo said:
Finally had the retentions call from Virgin - I've dispensed with my phone line and any TV package at all (won't miss the TiVo which has become so slow it's almost unusable) and increased broadband speed to 200Mbps for a substantial price reduction, guaranteed for (and tied in for) 12 months. I was going to be paying about £46.50 a month after the rise; will now be paying just over £30 a month.
I've had a £2.99 increase, so I'm not paying just over £30 for 70Mbps - I think I'll need to call them too.The retentions people did actually call last week but I was in a meeting and couldn't take it. I called back because it was an 0800 number but got an automated message that they would call me again. Anyway, there was a bit of brinkmanship involved in actually cancelling and waiting!
So, about a year ago on this thread I defended Virgin a bit, but the letter I got yesterday saying it's going up again - by 10% - has changed my view!
This increase will take me over the £50 a month barrier for simply broadband and a landline I never use. I'm very tempted to move somewhere else, but it would need to be somewhere else that lets me have my broadband connection in a completely different location from my phone line.
Ironically, having looked at the Virgin deals it seems i could add TV for 12 months for £1.38 more than the current price I pay - which means I could add TV for a year and pay less than I do for my current package once the price increase kicks in.....
This increase will take me over the £50 a month barrier for simply broadband and a landline I never use. I'm very tempted to move somewhere else, but it would need to be somewhere else that lets me have my broadband connection in a completely different location from my phone line.
Ironically, having looked at the Virgin deals it seems i could add TV for 12 months for £1.38 more than the current price I pay - which means I could add TV for a year and pay less than I do for my current package once the price increase kicks in.....
I actually started this thread in 2013. I finally got rid of Virgin earlier this year because I got fed up with the twice yearly price hikes. I'm now with BT and am happy with the 40Mbs I get from them, TV service is ok.
Once my BT contract is up I may well go back to Virgin, I'll play them off against each other every year, might even get Sky in the loop for other options. It's a shame they have forced me to do this, I'd happily stick with Virgin if they gave me a reasonable price and fixed it.
Once my BT contract is up I may well go back to Virgin, I'll play them off against each other every year, might even get Sky in the loop for other options. It's a shame they have forced me to do this, I'd happily stick with Virgin if they gave me a reasonable price and fixed it.
Edited by megaphone on Wednesday 13th September 10:27
Currently paying £67 for two boxes (one TiVo), 200mb BB and weekend and evening calls and got the email saying it will now go up by £4. Is it only Virgin who are upping their prices twice a year or are Sky, BT etc doing the same?
I'm getting fed up of it to be honest but saying that, some people will look at the price I'm paying and say I'm getting a good deal whereas others will say I'm paying too much. Do any two households pay the same price for the same packages anymore?!
One thing I can't stand is Virgin will bring out 300/400/500gb and for people who don't want these speeds, anything lower won't be available so will have to pay above what they want.
I'm getting fed up of it to be honest but saying that, some people will look at the price I'm paying and say I'm getting a good deal whereas others will say I'm paying too much. Do any two households pay the same price for the same packages anymore?!
One thing I can't stand is Virgin will bring out 300/400/500gb and for people who don't want these speeds, anything lower won't be available so will have to pay above what they want.
Had my letter through this week also, thankfully I'm still on a fixed price until January. (£55 deal thing)
My only issue is that I only have a cable connection to my flat and I'm not allowed to install a dish/phone wiring so I'm somewhat buggered.
Plan is to request cancellation in December, see if they offer me new joiner rates, else let my girlfriend take out a contract in her name, rinse and repeat annually.
My only issue is that I only have a cable connection to my flat and I'm not allowed to install a dish/phone wiring so I'm somewhat buggered.
Plan is to request cancellation in December, see if they offer me new joiner rates, else let my girlfriend take out a contract in her name, rinse and repeat annually.
davek_964 said:
So, about a year ago on this thread I defended Virgin a bit, but the letter I got yesterday saying it's going up again - by 10% - has changed my view!
This increase will take me over the £50 a month barrier for simply broadband and a landline I never use. I'm very tempted to move somewhere else, but it would need to be somewhere else that lets me have my broadband connection in a completely different location from my phone line.
Ironically, having looked at the Virgin deals it seems i could add TV for 12 months for £1.38 more than the current price I pay - which means I could add TV for a year and pay less than I do for my current package once the price increase kicks in.....
I'm in exactly the same situation. I have broadband and a landline that I barely use. For that I am now at just over £50/month plus the cost of calls etc.This increase will take me over the £50 a month barrier for simply broadband and a landline I never use. I'm very tempted to move somewhere else, but it would need to be somewhere else that lets me have my broadband connection in a completely different location from my phone line.
Ironically, having looked at the Virgin deals it seems i could add TV for 12 months for £1.38 more than the current price I pay - which means I could add TV for a year and pay less than I do for my current package once the price increase kicks in.....
It's just too expensive now. I would switch to BT but I am planning to move out early next year so I will just ride it out. The next place I move to, I will go with BT who seem to keep their prices reasonable (being so big, and a former public utility, I guess they know that any price increase will get splashed all over the news).
The Virgin broadband is a really good product and it's been pretty reliable in the 17 years I've been with them (back when it was NTL). But I sense that they are now trying to extract as much cash as they can out of loyal customers. I suspect they will find that those customers are not as loyal as they think.
p1stonhead said:
Why not bin the landline? I pay £35 for 100mb broadband and thats it.
Its a lot but its fast and never ever cuts out.
I'm tempted, I must admit - but I still think there are occasions when I'm glad I have a landline, even if it's very rare.Its a lot but its fast and never ever cuts out.
ETA : I'd also say that I feel I'm being charged too much for the services I have - so reducing the services I have, and being charged less - but still too much - for them doesn't seem like the solution.
Edited by davek_964 on Wednesday 13th September 12:16
Sounds like spots and Leopards.
Way back in the days of dial up, NTL ( part of VM) had an offer of two phone lines at BT rates for one, with free internet access. Problem was that you needed a sign up code and CD or calls would be charged and although the delivery time for the disc was long, NTL expected to be paid for those calls.
Fast forward to VM BB. At first it was 2 MB, with a FREE offer to upgrade to 10. No strings attached. BUT customers had to request the upgrade ,which counted as a new contract . Guess what next - few months later prices went up . End of contract I told them to do one and bought a mobile dongle.
Now I have a different problem with VM. Every few weeks I get a promotional package from VM. I've tried returning them to VM customer services and been assured that my address has been removed. Week later and another .
So could th latest price rise be to pay for all the unwanted junk VM spew out.
Way back in the days of dial up, NTL ( part of VM) had an offer of two phone lines at BT rates for one, with free internet access. Problem was that you needed a sign up code and CD or calls would be charged and although the delivery time for the disc was long, NTL expected to be paid for those calls.
Fast forward to VM BB. At first it was 2 MB, with a FREE offer to upgrade to 10. No strings attached. BUT customers had to request the upgrade ,which counted as a new contract . Guess what next - few months later prices went up . End of contract I told them to do one and bought a mobile dongle.
Now I have a different problem with VM. Every few weeks I get a promotional package from VM. I've tried returning them to VM customer services and been assured that my address has been removed. Week later and another .
So could th latest price rise be to pay for all the unwanted junk VM spew out.
davek_964 said:
So, about a year ago on this thread I defended Virgin a bit, but the letter I got yesterday saying it's going up again - by 10% - has changed my view!
This increase will take me over the £50 a month barrier for simply broadband and a landline I never use. I'm very tempted to move somewhere else, but it would need to be somewhere else that lets me have my broadband connection in a completely different location from my phone line.
Ironically, having looked at the Virgin deals it seems i could add TV for 12 months for £1.38 more than the current price I pay - which means I could add TV for a year and pay less than I do for my current package once the price increase kicks in.....
The basic TV package is pretty poor though - little better than freeview as far as I can work out - my g/f, who has a fairly basic Sky package at home regularly moans about it when she stays with me This increase will take me over the £50 a month barrier for simply broadband and a landline I never use. I'm very tempted to move somewhere else, but it would need to be somewhere else that lets me have my broadband connection in a completely different location from my phone line.
Ironically, having looked at the Virgin deals it seems i could add TV for 12 months for £1.38 more than the current price I pay - which means I could add TV for a year and pay less than I do for my current package once the price increase kicks in.....
I am another one getting fed up with the price increases, and while I like the reliability (although recently it has been dropping out), the equivalent from BT does not seem that much cheaper - experience of my parents with BT has been terrible, albeit they have no fibre where they live.
I have considered the expense of getting my roof aerial fixed and getting now TV which might be cheaper in the longer term, but as above the basic TV add on from Virgin is very cheap - so taking the "delete option" does not save very much (in true premium motor car style!)
p1stonhead said:
Why not bin the landline? I pay £35 for 100mb broadband and thats it.
Every time we've tried doing that with Virgin it has worked out MORE expensive! The Virgin man is currently installing a new Tivo box at home, can't remember what deal my OH managed to negotiate but it included a new box & an upgrade from 150 to 200mbps (not that we'll notice) & cheaper than the current payment.
tty throttled service they offer.Well, Virgin have kept me. I'm currently on Virgin 70Mb/s + phone which is about to go up to £54 a month.
Having browsed, I was planning to switch to Sky Fibre Max + phone - same speeds, £38.99 a month - although with a fairly hefty £50 installation + £9.95 delivery charge. (Apparently, the Sky Fibre (not Max) which is ~40Mb/s is only £10 activation, £9.95 delivery and £25 a month).
I called Virgin and basically said : You're too expensive, offer me a deal or I leave.
I was offered two retention deals :
Downgrade to 50Mb/s @ £35 a month
Upgrade to 100Mb/s @ £40 a month
I probably only need the 50Mb/s, but it seemed the 100Mb/s was a better deal even if it's more than I actually need - basically the same as I was willing to pay Sky.
Having browsed, I was planning to switch to Sky Fibre Max + phone - same speeds, £38.99 a month - although with a fairly hefty £50 installation + £9.95 delivery charge. (Apparently, the Sky Fibre (not Max) which is ~40Mb/s is only £10 activation, £9.95 delivery and £25 a month).
I called Virgin and basically said : You're too expensive, offer me a deal or I leave.
I was offered two retention deals :
Downgrade to 50Mb/s @ £35 a month
Upgrade to 100Mb/s @ £40 a month
I probably only need the 50Mb/s, but it seemed the 100Mb/s was a better deal even if it's more than I actually need - basically the same as I was willing to pay Sky.
I've thought about binning the landline, but being a bit old fashioned I feel that one ought to have a landline, in case there is no mobile phone reception for some reason. Or I lose my phone.
I just think that such a basic package should be cheaper, especially for someone who has been with them for 17 years and never missed a payment.
I just think that such a basic package should be cheaper, especially for someone who has been with them for 17 years and never missed a payment.
s2kjock said:
The basic TV package is pretty poor though - little better than freeview as far as I can work out - my g/f, who has a fairly basic Sky package at home regularly moans about it when she stays with me
I am another one getting fed up with the price increases, and while I like the reliability (although recently it has been dropping out), the equivalent from BT does not seem that much cheaper - experience of my parents with BT has been terrible, albeit they have no fibre where they live.
I have considered the expense of getting my roof aerial fixed and getting now TV which might be cheaper in the longer term, but as above the basic TV add on from Virgin is very cheap - so taking the "delete option" does not save very much (in true premium motor car style!)
(for reference: We have BT TV at my parents place and I have Virgin cable in my own gaff)I am another one getting fed up with the price increases, and while I like the reliability (although recently it has been dropping out), the equivalent from BT does not seem that much cheaper - experience of my parents with BT has been terrible, albeit they have no fibre where they live.
I have considered the expense of getting my roof aerial fixed and getting now TV which might be cheaper in the longer term, but as above the basic TV add on from Virgin is very cheap - so taking the "delete option" does not save very much (in true premium motor car style!)
Depends what you want from Pay TV .... Personally, I'm not a fan of paying large amounts of money for big bundles of channels and BT offer a really decent 'small' bundle of interesting pay channels for a tenner a month, which is something I'm happy to pay. Especially as they include a decent Youview PVR box in the deal, which is yours to keep once the initial contract term is up. Obviously, if your Freeview reception is crap this might not be suitable though.
I augment that with Amazon Prime and my own downloads - offers me everything I need really. Could also use NowTV and/or Netflix if I wanted to pay for them.
I don't really feel that my Virgin TV service offers VFM and will look to ditch it shortly.
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