Virgin Media - Retention Deals?

[Hedobot]

After many years have pulled the trigger and cancelled Virgin. Too many price rises and shocking customer service.


Now the task begins on finding a new ISP. Last one was Nildram

Best I can get is FTTC. I realise most of the suppliers are crap so its a case of best of the worst

Thinking of taking up Sky but a dish stuck on the house seems like a retrograde step in 2019. Why on earth don't they supply their content over broadband?

Not holding out much hope for a decent retention deal but I guess its wait and see.

[pokethepope]

Virgin's Black Friday deals are online, along with all the other ISPs, so now is the time to play the cancellation/retention game. Has anyone managed to get a decent offer to stay?

[Hoink]

pokethepope said:

Virgin's Black Friday deals are online, along with all the other ISPs, so now is the time to play the cancellation/retention game. Has anyone managed to get a decent offer to stay?

I've just cancelled Virgin this evening.

Sky have some very good looking deals, including Netflix thrown in. Virgin wouldn't budge. They offered me £4 off per month which was really poor given that the Sky deal was over £30 per month cheaper and was just about identical package-wise (obviously the broadband is slower).

I'm just deciding whether to hang back to see if Virgin ring or to go ahead with Sky. The mrs isn't happy as we now get disconnected on Christmas day if I don't get it sorted.

[doogle83]

Hoink said:

I've just cancelled Virgin this evening.

Sky have some very good looking deals, including Netflix thrown in. Virgin wouldn't budge. They offered me £4 off per month which was really poor given that the Sky deal was over £30 per month cheaper and was just about identical package-wise (obviously the broadband is slower).

I'm just deciding whether to hang back to see if Virgin ring or to go ahead with Sky. The mrs isn't happy as we now get disconnected on Christmas day if I don't get it sorted.

Ours cancels on Christmas Eve!

I did have a missed call from them today it seems so no doubt there is a deal to be had but too little too late for me (again). I've gone with Plusnet for broadband this time and Freesat / Netflix / Prime for TV.

See you again in 18 months I expect Virgin!

[Hoink]

doogle83 said:

Hoink said:

I've just cancelled Virgin this evening.

Sky have some very good looking deals, including Netflix thrown in. Virgin wouldn't budge. They offered me £4 off per month which was really poor given that the Sky deal was over £30 per month cheaper and was just about identical package-wise (obviously the broadband is slower).

I'm just deciding whether to hang back to see if Virgin ring or to go ahead with Sky. The mrs isn't happy as we now get disconnected on Christmas day if I don't get it sorted.

Ours cancels on Christmas Eve!

I did have a missed call from them today it seems so no doubt there is a deal to be had but too little too late for me (again). I've gone with Plusnet for broadband this time and Freesat / Netflix / Prime for TV.

See you again in 18 months I expect Virgin!

I think I will be pulling the trigger on Sky later this week.

My only worry is that my cable runs across my neighbours front garden and has been like that since we moved in 7 years ago. I know my new neighbours are getting the driveway done next year and I would hate for my cable to be damaged without me knowing. Would it be an easy fix if that happened and I wanted to return to virgin in 18 months?

[anonymous-user]

Hoink said:

I think I will be pulling the trigger on Sky later this week.

My only worry is that my cable runs across my neighbours front garden and has been like that since we moved in 7 years ago. I know my new neighbours are getting the driveway done next year and I would hate for my cable to be damaged without me knowing. Would it be an easy fix if that happened and I wanted to return to virgin in 18 months?

They would just put a new cable in.

[CharlieH89]

Virgin will call you.
My mum and dad are getting basic tv channels and 200mb for £32.
My 200mb is £26.

[Ridealong]

I'm out of contract with VM and looking at moving, if I move, does anyone know if can keep my landline number?
Thanks

[Hoofy]

Ridealong said:

I'm out of contract with VM and looking at moving, if I move, does anyone know if can keep my landline number?
Thanks

Yes, tell your new provider that you want to keep the number and they send a request to VM.

[Hoink]

techiedave said:

Hoink said:

I think I will be pulling the trigger on Sky later this week.

My only worry is that my cable runs across my neighbours front garden and has been like that since we moved in 7 years ago. I know my new neighbours are getting the driveway done next year and I would hate for my cable to be damaged without me knowing. Would it be an easy fix if that happened and I wanted to return to virgin in 18 months?

They would just put a new cable in.

Thank you. That puts my mind at ease.

[anonymous-user]

Ridealong said:

I'm out of contract with VM and looking at moving, if I move, does anyone know if can keep my landline number?
Thanks

This can be a real kicker to Virgin and may put you in a stronger position
Say you sign up online with someone else.- call them NEW If you make it clear you want to keep your phone number then NEW send a request to Virgin to hand over the number. This can have the effect of putting their retentions team into action as they realise you are planning on going.
If you hadn't already contacted Virgin about leaving they will say you haven't cancelled etc and you can then say no that was my next call

[Hoink]

I'm pleased to say I did get a call from the virgin retentions team.

12 month contract which includes all my current package:
- all channels bar Sky Sports and films
- 200 meg broadband
- multi room (2 recordable boxes)
- free anytime calls
- kids channels
- bt sports

Plus Amazon Prime for the year.

£59.50/month for 12 months.

I was happy so accepted the offer.

[s2kjock]

Say you sign up with a "new provider" and then they ask VM for the number porting etc, at which VM come back with a better deal, how easy is it to cancel the "new provider"? Surely they must be getting peeved at everyone using them as VM bargaining chips?

Also, while I don't mind following through with a new provider if I have to, the matter of trying to get an "engineer" visit over the festive period is not desperately appealing.

[Hoofy]

Hoink said:

I'm pleased to say I did get a call from the virgin retentions team.

12 month contract which includes all my current package:
- all channels bar Sky Sports and films
- 200 meg broadband
- multi room (2 recordable boxes)
- free anytime calls
- kids channels
- bt sports

Plus Amazon Prime for the year.

£59.50/month for 12 months.

I was happy so accepted the offer.

Can't argue with that I suppose. I was on 200mb bb and phone for ~£50 before I pulled my finger out!

[Hoofy]

s2kjock said:

Say you sign up with a "new provider" and then they ask VM for the number porting etc, at which VM come back with a better deal, how easy is it to cancel the "new provider"? Surely they must be getting peeved at everyone using them as VM bargaining chips?

Also, while I don't mind following through with a new provider if I have to, the matter of trying to get an "engineer" visit over the festive period is not desperately appealing.

Because not everyone gets a decent enough deal from VM. I was willing to make the jump.

Probably also works the other way round!

[anonymous-user]

s2kjock said:

Say you sign up with a "new provider" and then they ask VM for the number porting etc, at which VM come back with a better deal, how easy is it to cancel the "new provider"? Surely they must be getting peeved at everyone using them as VM bargaining chips?

Also, while I don't mind following through with a new provider if I have to, the matter of trying to get an "engineer" visit over the festive period is not desperately appealing.

Hi
It can get interesting. I did just that for someone who was fed up of their price hiking Initial call and pathetic offer made
Looked round and Talk Talk had a good offer so contacted them and that in turn triggered Virgin into ringing back
Virgin amazingly reduced things by some 40%.

Talk Talk then contacted to cancel and they offered to reduce their costs down by 20%. They did stop the number takeover and withdrew when it was made clear they were staying with Virgin

[pokethepope]

I phoned them up last night, straight off the bat I got offered £25.24 per month for 100mb broadband only (the same package I was on, I have no need for landline or TV), 12 month contract. I was very happy with that - essentially the same as the new customer Black Friday offer with zero negotiation required or having to put in the cancellation and then waiting in hope of a good retention deal.

[Hoofy]

pokethepope said:

I phoned them up last night, straight off the bat I got offered £25.24 per month for 100mb broadband only (the same package I was on, I have no need for landline or TV), 12 month contract. I was very happy with that - essentially the same as the new customer Black Friday offer with zero negotiation required or having to put in the cancellation and then waiting in hope of a good retention deal.

Interesting to hear. For another ~£8 I have a landline.

[anonymous-user]

£32 for 200 broadband here.
Offered a landline for ‘free’ but declined, no need

[Ridealong]

Hoofy said:

Ridealong said:

I'm out of contract with VM and looking at moving, if I move, does anyone know if can keep my landline number?
Thanks

Yes, tell your new provider that you want to keep the number and they send a request to VM.

techiedave said:

This can be a real kicker to Virgin and may put you in a stronger position
Say you sign up online with someone else.- call them NEW If you make it clear you want to keep your phone number then NEW send a request to Virgin to hand over the number. This can have the effect of putting their retentions team into action as they realise you are planning on going.
If you hadn't already contacted Virgin about leaving they will say you haven't cancelled etc and you can then say no that was my next call

Thank you

I never had phone line until Telewest/VM came along, I was afraid that the number was not portable.