Buy V+ box, get charged for V box too!

[homealone]

I'm not sure if I'm adding to this debate, or clouding the waters, but I have just had the email advising me this months e-bill is ready.

This was of especial interest, since last month I had them swap one of our two V boxes for a V+ box & the figures given over the phone suggested we wouldn't have to pay that much more.

Anyway, relevant figures for comparison..

Old Bill

V box                  no charge
Additional V box      £15
Total                  £15

New Bill

V+ Box                                £10
Additional V box                      £15
Additional set top box discount       -£10
Total                                     £15

- did they charge an installation fee for your V+ box 'girl friday'??

[girl friday]

Yes, I paid the £75 installation fee. I'm glad your bill hasn't given you any nasty shocks. I do like the V+ service so I think the next step is to get my money's worth out of it! I hope you enjoy it too.

[MrB]

This perhaps highlights why customers get fed up with VM (and other organisations) where Customer Services do not know their own pricing policies, and as a customer you can learn more about what you should be being charged on discussion boards - you would think this would be quite straightforward, but after 4 pages apparently not.

Originally Posted by homealone

I'm not sure if I'm adding to this debate, or clouding the waters, but I have just had the email advising me this months e-bill is ready.

This was of especial interest, since last month I had them swap one of our two V boxes for a V+ box & the figures given over the phone suggested we wouldn't have to pay that much more.

Anyway, relevant figures for comparison..

 
Old Bill
 
V box                  no charge
Additional V box      £15
Total                  £15
 
New Bill
 
V+ Box                                £10
Additional V box                      £15
Additional set top box discount       -£10
Total                                     £15

- did they charge an installation fee for your V+ box 'girl friday'??

If you pay £75 up front installation fee for V+, then I understand that you don't pay the £10 per month V+ fee (though you would pay £5 per month if you are not on XL TV). Interestingly, according to information further up the thread if you had V Box plus a second V box, the second should be £9.50, therefore £9.50 in total and you appear to have been overcharged even before this change ... as indeed is girl friday (still!)

MrB

[homealone]

Originally Posted by MrB

If you pay £75 up front installation fee for V+, then I understand that you don't pay the £10 per month V+ fee (though you may pay £5 per month if you are not on XL TV). Interestingly, according to information further up the thread if you had V Box plus a second V box, the second should be £9.50 (therefore £9.50 in total) ...

MrB

well spotted MrB, when I first phoned to enquire whether I could get a reduction in my bill the 'second' box charged at £9.50 instead of £15 was the first thing discussed.

But as it turned out I could get a V+ swapped for at least one box for no more money - well worth it, in my opinion ???

[BenMcr]

The reduction to £9.50 for an addtional V box has only applied since it became Virgin Media.

Anyone who had more than one standard STB since before Feb 2007 will be paying £15 for it

[MrB]

Originally Posted by homealone

well spotted MrB, when I first phoned to enquire whether I could get a reduction in my bill the 'second' box charged at £9.50 instead of £15 was the first thing discussed.

But as it turned out I could get a V+ swapped for at least one box for no more money - well worth it, in my opinion ???

Yes, I see your point that you are paying no more than you did before for a better V+ box. However, by paying the £75 up front, after 7.5 months you will be saving money over the year minimum term contract (12x£10 per month = £120, therefore £45 saving in Year 1!), and if you keep it for longer, an even bigger saving.

MrB

[akira]

What people are missing is your not actually paying the £5 for the box its self. its for the features of the box.

First Box = Free
2nd Box = £5
The recording features of the v+ = £5

If they were charing for the first box she'd be paying the following:

First Box = £5
2nd Box = £5
Recording features of the V+ = £5

VM Could disable the recording features of the V+ box which would mean youd still have the box its self and not pay anything for it on the free tv.

[JethroUK]

Originally Posted by akira

What people are missing is your not actually paying the £5 for the box its self. its for the features of the box.

box = features of box

you seem to suggest that everyone else is discussing a piece of plastic casing (a box) - and only you are discussing what it contains (and it's features)

You can be assured that everyone is totally aware that the difference between V box and V+ box goes beyond the plastic casing (box) - they have merely abreviated 'features of box' to just 'box' for convenience - in fact if you look closely you will see most people qualify they're definition of box with either V or V+

[rare uk]

I wanted a V+ box but after reading this thread I was bricking it regards the charges. So I ordered one anyway

I already have a V Box with XL package and 4MB BB (L) and Phone Unlimited(XL). So I rang them up and spoke to this lovely lady, and told her I wanted a V+ box installed as a second box. She told me I would have to pay £75 install and then an extra £5/month would be added to my bill. I paid the £75 over the phone. She also said I will be charged double in the first month as they like a month in advance. Soooo fingers crossed the billing isn't wrong when they charge me.

Watch this space......

Edit: Rang 150 this eveing and got through to the Indian (I assume) call centre, and he told me roughly the same thing except that my V+ box is classed as my main box and the V Box will be my second box and the V Box will incur the £5 extra charge

[JethroUK]

Originally Posted by rare uk

...She also said I will be charged double in the first month as they like a month in advance...

Without wanting to be too perdantic

If they charge you £5 before you use the box - that is a month in advance?????

Does she mean they want £10 = 2 months in advance?

[rare uk]

Originally Posted by JethroUK

Without wanting to be too perdantic

If they charge you £5 before you use the box - that is a month in advance?????

Does she mean they want £10 = 2 months in advance?

Sorry mate I made a mistake, I meant to say they charged me £75 over the phone, I accidentally typed £5 instead of £75 in the post above.

[King Of Fools]

Originally Posted by rare uk

She told me I would have to pay £75 install and then an extra £5/month would be added to my bill.

Rang 150 this eveing and got through to the Indian (I assume) call centre, and he told me roughly the same thing except that my V+ box is classed as my main box and the V Box will be my second box and the V Box will incur the £5 extra charge

Yes its is the same thing. You get the V+ box for no service charge (as you are on TV:XL) and a one-off £75 and then you pay £5 per month for a second box service charge.