Virgin Media has appalling terms and service

[eckuk]

Ok, so I've been with Virgin Media since they took over from Telewest's Blueyonder broadband service.
Now, I noticed on Virgin's website that they are offering new customers 50Mb broadband for £35 with an £11 phone line from them. Ok, so I've had my connection all this time, including the phone line for £11 and guess what? my 20Mb connection is £37 alongside my £11 phone line.

What is with them!? So they're giving new customers 50 meg for £35 and punishing me (a long term customer) with my old 20 meg connection which is even MORE expensive?

I even tried phoning them and could barely understand any of the three of them.

Anyway, I was wondering if I could close this account and have someone else in my family (same household) sign up for a new account with the same £11 phone line (same number) and take the 50 meg connection for £35.
Or would I be able to downgrade to 10 meg then upgrade again to 20 meg for £20? To be honest, 20 meg is enough downspeed for me what with the fake "ulimited" tag they slapped on it, I am being capped for my amount of downloaded data so there's not much point in increasing my downspeed. It's really the upload speed I'm bothered about. ~750Kbps is utter rubbish as a ratio to 20Mbps down.

It's terrible I have to even ask somewhere else other than on their customer support line.

[AndyCambs]

Haven't you checked for car insurance lately? As a "new" customer - my existing cover would be £30 cheaper than the renewal. Checking on the back of the renewal notice in the small print states charges which include £20 fee on renewals...

[Peter_]

Haven't you checked for car insurance lately? As a "new" customer - my existing cover would be £30 cheaper than the renewal. Checking on the back of the renewal notice in the small print states charges which include £20 fee on renewals...
Have you posted in the wrong thread.

[AndyCambs]

Have you posted in the wrong thread.
Not really just pointing out that it's a common factor with companies to favour new customers over existing.
It's not a unique trait to Virgin Media however much some people seem to think.

[eckuk]

Not really just pointing out that it's a common factor with companies to favour new customers over existing.
It's not a unique trait to Virgin Media however much some people seem to think.
Even so, I am STILL being charged £37 when there's not a single package listed at that price.

Virgin just like to milk people's wallets dry. But yeah it's all about business, though that doesn't excuse them from misinforming people or charging rates they don't even use any more.

Now, to close my current account and have someone else in my house subscribe to a new package with the £11 phone and the 50 meg for £35, I still need to pay for installation (£50 or something) and their possibly BS "50mb activation" charge of £20. And get this, the self installation charge is £15 too. I need to pay them, to install hardware myself? Do I even need a new modem? I don't see what else they need to do since I'm already using the same line as I would with the 50Mb.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Hi eckuk, I have been saying this for months, although this is an advert gimmick to attract more customers, it is unfair on the 'old', I have been incontact with VM before on this matter, and they have said that, the price will go up after a couple of months, but then after several months, they do the same again, you cannot win.

[AndyCambs]

Virgin will match current offers. Assuming I am reading correctly this page (http://allyours.virginmedia.com/websales/product.do?id=3246) quotes 20MB broadband and telephone as £20 plus £11 for the phone line.

You need to contact customer services - and I would suggest during normall office hours to get a UK representative.
The offer of £10 per month plus £11 is only for new customers.
I've assumed that you only have broadband and telephone from your posting - if you have television as well, then the costs will differ, but I would certainly speak with customer service. I called a couple of times about issues and was told on each occasion that there was a better package available.
Be aware that any package change will involve a new 12 month contract generally.

[deathtrap3000]

Isnt there a page on their website saying that all offers are for all customers?? Im sure its somewhere.

[eckuk]

Says at the bottom of that page "Offer is available to new customers only..."
The only TV I have is the free package, which is 'M' I think.

I don't think we mind the 12 month contract, I just don't want to pay £37 per month for 20Mb when there's offers for 50Mb (massive difference) for £35. Even if it is for new customers, it's really bugging me.

I doubt I'll even stay with Virgin, I've just had too many bad experiences now.

All I really want is 20Mb+ down and at least a decent upload, maybe 1.5Mb+ so I can make use of some new hardware capture I bought.

[v0id]

Isnt there a page on their website saying that all offers are for all customers?? Im sure its somewhere.

http://www.virginmedia.com/wehearyou/OffersForAll.html

[eckuk]

http://www.virginmedia.com/wehearyou/OffersForAll.html

Thanks for the link. This however, as I understand it, says they have different offers for new and existing customers. I don't think this means existing customers can get these "new customer" broadband prices.
They really need to change things though. Hopefully there's thousands like me who are seeing this in their bills and on Virgin's website.

---------- Post added at 18:25 ---------- Previous post was at 18:17 ----------

I noticed on this page:

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/broadband/50Mb-difference.html

There's no small print stating that those offers are for new customers only.

[chuzzlemonkey]

Just to point out...your broadband xl will show as £37.00 on your bill...but do you have any rolling discounts on your account at all? Example: Phone, TV & BB saving £9.50- ?? You need to take these into account when checking your current price...

BBI:XXL shows on customers bills as £52.00, they then have separate discounts applied to bring it down to the quoted price...

Just a thought. If you don't have any rolling discounts then you're paying over the odds and should give them a call asap, they can reduce your bill.

[Toto]

Hi eckuk, I have been saying this for months, although this is an advert gimmick to attract more customers, it is unfair on the 'old', I have been incontact with VM before on this matter, and they have said that, the price will go up after a couple of months, but then after several months, they do the same again, you cannot win.

Thought you were with Sky these last ten years?

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Now, now Toto, l am with both, and they are both the same, They give out these offers, but increase the offers after several months. ALL customers should get the same treatment.

[Toto]

Now, now Toto, l am with both, and they are both the same, They give out these offers, but increase the offers after several months. ALL customers should get the same treatment.

Thanks. I did ask you on a previous thread about this, but you must have missed that.

I see no problem personally in any business offering short term offers to attract new customer, as long as loyalty to good paying customers is recognized.

[slowcoach]

eckuk, existing customers can have the same deal as new customers, minus the first 3 months at x price, but you have to call in to get it. You can call in and get your current 20Mb + phone deal reduced or get the 50Mb + phone for £35 + £11, as chuzzlemonkey has stated your bill will show full price then they include a discount which brings it down to the new customer price.
Of course you should already be getting a bundle discount on your 20Mb + phone but the new price match is even better.
The deal is available to everyone who has the phone package, so you don't have to phone up and argue the toss, you just have to ask.

[eckuk]

eckuk, existing customers can have the same deal as new customers, minus the first 3 months at x price, but you have to call in to get it. You can call in and get your current 20Mb + phone deal reduced or get the 50Mb + phone for £35 + £11, as chuzzlemonkey has stated your bill will show full price then they include a discount which brings it down to the new customer price.
Of course you should already be getting a bundle discount on your 20Mb + phone but the new price match is even better.
The deal is available to everyone who has the phone package, so you don't have to phone up and argue the toss, you just have to ask.

Thanks, I'm going to phone up tomorrow then and ask about it. Hopefully they can get me the 50Mb for £35 alongside my £11 phone line.

[BenMcr]

Yes they will be able to