View Full Version : Free net book with virgin BB
Hi I have just noticed on there website that virgin offer a free virgin netbook with all new broadband installations .Do you think because I ordered a 50mb upgrade which is getting installed 4th Nov that I would be eligible for this offer.
Graham M
17-10-2009, 18:31
I wouldn't have thought so but it's worth a shot! Give 'em a ring and let us know how you get on!
As long as you are on the preapproved list, also take out Mobile Broadband for £15 a month (which all new customers have to do as well) and resign to a 24 month contract I'm sure you can have it (which new customers have to do as well)
But I dont want mobile broadband I have got 20 mb on xl package now have been a customer for 9 years some this is just an upgrade I will give them a ring tomorow thanks.
You won't get the Netbook without taking out Mobile Broadband. All the bundles advertised with it include MBB in the price
http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/specialoffers/netbook-demo.html
Get a free Virgin Media netbook with
10Mb fibre optic broadband
1GB mobile broadband
This package includes:
A lightweight and compact Freedom Netbook that fits in the palm of your hand.
A FREE soft carry case, so you and your laptop can travel in style
Mobile broadband with FREE dongle so you can work wherever and whenever you want.
The options presented include the £15 Mobile Dongle:
1)£29 + £11 = £40. This is BB L + Phone M @ £25 (http://allyours.virginmedia.com/websales/product.do?id=3264) + £15 Mobile Broadband = £40
2)£34.50 + £11 = £45.50. This is BB L, Phone M and TV M+ @ £30.50 (http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/bundles/mplusoffer.html) + £15 Mobile Broadband = £45.50
3)£62 + £11 = £73. This is BB XL, Phone XL and TV XL @ £58 (http://allyours.virginmedia.com/websales/product.do?id=15163) + £15 Mobile Broadband = £73
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 21:14
I know we have gone over this before but how in gods name can it possibly be a free netbook when you are paying £5 more per month for the mobile broadband
Because its free with the price advertised on the page. If you see the netbook mentioned anywhere else (http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/bundles/triple-builder.html) on the site it is priced as:
Virgin Netbook & Mobile Broadband
Exclusive laptop, with 1GB mobile monthly download limit. Just £15 a month
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 21:26
Just for a sec Ben think outside of the VM employee box. 1 GB limit mobile BB is £10 per month with a free dongle on an 18 month contract. You can have a netbook if you are prepared to pay £5 more per month and be tied to a 2 year contract. So over the 2 years you have paid £120 for the privilege of receiving a free netbook :) Its still cheap and its not gonna be noticable when spreading the cost but its not really free is it :)
revelent definition of the word free
complimentary: costing nothing; "complimentary tickets"; "free admission"
It is free as you're paying for the mobile internet and not the netbook.. It just has the restriction that you have to get the MBB.. Or do you suggest that they give away the mobile internet for free and make you pay full price for the netbook?? ;)
Never denied the price of the mobile broadband with the netbook is more that the normal 1Gb dongle, but as I said the 'free' claim has nothing to do with that. It is not comparing the cost of the MBB+Netbook bundle with the MBB only product
However, the £15 Mobile Broadband dongle option with the Triple XL and above is 3Gbit - which is the same price as the 'normal' one ;)
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 21:31
It is free as you're paying for the mobile internet and not the netbook.. It just has the restriction that you have to get the MBB.. Or do you suggest that they give away the mobile internet for free and make you pay full price for the netbook?? ;)
kymmy I think I made my point clear enough
1 GB mobile BB on its own is £10
1 GB mobile BB with a netbook is £15
can you see the differnce ;)
---------- Post added at 21:31 ---------- Previous post was at 21:31 ----------
Never denied the price of the mobile broadband with the netbook is more that the normal 1Gb dongle, but as I said the 'free' claim has nothing to do with that.
However, the £15 Mobile Broadband dongle option with the Triple XL and above is 3Gbit - which is the same price as the 'normal' one ;)
Ok so its free if you are on triple XL its nto free if you are on a lower package ;)
Do you still get the £20 discount when bought as a bundle?
Why are we going over the same ground again? You aren't going to change your view and I'm not going to change mine.
Don't think there is much point continuing further
Yep, never noticed that... It's only available as a bundle but the ( 10mb/M phone) bundle price doesn't match up with the individual prices...and is actually 5 quid more.. VM strikes again :rolleyes:
It is no different than any of the other Mobile Networks do. The dongles with the netbook usually are more for the same allowance as those without.
The 'free' claim is only ever to itself and does not compare any Netbook/Laptop+MBB option with the MBB only option
Never said it did...but you do have to admit that a lot of people will see it that way :p:
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 21:43
Why are we going over the same ground again? You aren't going to change your view and I'm not going to change mine.
Don't think there is much point continuing further
correct me if I am wrong.
If you are on trip xl its £58 total if I was to take mobile BB out on its own I would actuall pay £12 as it says on the website 20% off when taken as a bundle? Your figures are missing the 20% discount do you lose that if you take the netbook?
I think potential customers need to know the actual figures and not the VM flannel mate I mean no offense to you just think it needs to be clarified
Ben why cant you just admit its not really free when it is plain to see it isnt
Actually in all the netbook calls I've taken it's never come up
The only issue people have is the same as the OP - that they don't think they have to take MBB to get it.
---------- Post added at 21:46 ---------- Previous post was at 21:44 ----------
correct me if I am wrong.
If you are on trip xl its £58 total if I was to take mobile BB out on its own I would actuall pay £12 as it says on the website 20% off when taken as a bundle? Your figures are missing the 20% discount do you lose that if you take the netbook?You don't lose it, as the 20% isn't part of the MBB+Netbook offer in the first place, it only applies to the two products it says it applies to
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 21:46
Actually in all the netbook calls I've taken it's never come up
The only issue people have is the same as the OP - that they don't think they have to take MBB to get it.
Because most people are blind to it and do not look into it in great enough detail and do not knwo all the facts
They say oh look FREE netbook I want one
That's not Virgin's fault though
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 21:49
You don't lose it, as the 20% isn't part of the MBB+Netbook offer in the first place, it only applies to the two products it says it applies to
That's not Virgin's fault though
dude you really are VMs version of Joseph Goebbels aint ya lol
(Hitlers head of propaganda if you didnt know lol)
Look, Virgin are not the first company to do it and they will not be the last. All companies will present their products in the best light possible
Virgin are not lying on the advertising, nor are they hiding any information.
I see it that way and thats why I wont be getting it free means costs nothing at all VM do seem to always throw something in like higher price for something else or extra long contract.
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 21:55
Look, Virgin are not the first company to do it and they will not be the last. All companies will present their products in the best light possible
Virgin are not lying on the advertising, nor are they hiding any information.
No but its misleading
I know they are not the first company to do this and they will not be the ast but if I see it I will speak out about it. I do not like being misled or ripped off and I will do my upmost to counter it. Also I will stand up and say my peice and point it out to those who do not see it so they can make educated decisions with a full idea of the facts
Let me know was the ASA says then
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 22:10
I do not care what the ASA as I say I will point out these things when I see them. Plenty of people see it matey for some reason you are blind to reason. Look at Kymmys response when she realised the differences in prices "VM strikes again"
Pricing is an issue to a lot of people. If you do not like it when I bring it to the attention of users then block me so you will not have to read it cuz I tell you one thing,I aint gonna stop!
Never said you should stop. But if you feel that strongly about it, do something more it about than just having a go at Virgin on a web forum.
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 22:21
lmao its a web forum where I offer support and this end of it is mainly aimed at Virgin media so I point it out to people who come here for help. I think its helpful to point out these price differences although you for some reason would rather customers stumbled in blindly
If I though that, then why would I bother coming on here in the first place?! I certainly don't do it to be compared to a Nazi
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 22:27
well you are always on the defensive when the issue of price differences are bought up. You back VMs strategy almost vehemently and you appear to me in these issues to be blinkered with some kind of misplaced loyalty
You offer excellent tech support and your knowledge of the pricing is beyond reproach its just sometimes I think you can not see the wood for the trees :)
Oh my, I have loyalty for the company I work for and won't slag them off on a public forum. How surprising!
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 22:38
I do not ask for you to slag them off where did I say you should?
anyway we are now no longer posting about netbook pricing :)
Indeed so I am going stop on this thread
It seems strange that Ben has defended VM's actions by stating
Look, Virgin are not the first company to do it and they will not be the last.
That's really worrying as whether or not they're not alone in this practice of charging more for thier "free offers", instead it's more a case of should this practice be happening at all?
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 23:15
well I have to say no it shouldnt but being in a capitalist culture greed is promoted
right, so you get 24 GigaBytes of mobile broadband data allowance for your 24 month contract, Before More data charges are billed to your account ? see *
you MUST take the provided (whats the exact brand/model and firmware provided by VM BTW ?) MBB+USB2 3G key at an extra £5 PCM cost to you if you want this so called PR'ed 'FREE' aka subsidised netbook.... we get that....
now...., is the supplyed USB2 3G wireless broadband device locked in ANY WAY to this VM package and mobile tower routers etc.
OR can you go and get any other providers generic 3G mobile broadband SIM and replace the VM MBB SIM card, so you can get a fully working reasonable amount of allotted bandwidth for the price after you use up your VM 1 gigabyte PCM data usage in a day of getting it and plugging it in to the free netbook...
or does your VM 3G mobile broadband data flow just stop after 1 GB PCM?
*how do you know your about to go over your alloted 1 GigaByte (1GB) PCM mobile data allowance ?
what notification rules does Virgin media follow regarding data charging before/after you reach this agreed 1 gigabyte per calender month usage.
and were do we see this, and related notices, costs per megabit excess charges, and the amount of data used realtime updated web page ? etc.
do you charge and or add the data used from internal internal VM servers to this total MBB data used PCM even though its not costing anything to read or supply this data or other VM web pages...
i agree that its unlikely you will miss the £120 over the 24 months and its a very good way to enter into in effect an unofficial '24 month higher purchase' agreement.
the netbook cost seems seasonable for its capabilitys although iv not looked that hard for the real data spec.
however, the mandatory USB MBB stick with its crumby 1GB monthly data allowance, and more so.... its as yet unstated over allowance data rate costs are a concern.
will we (if we see fit to take the offer) be getting a higher VM bill for extra charges if we use more data than the set 1 GB amount PCM because a VM department or automated script did not inform us of reaching our 1 gigbyte limit ?
---------- Post added at 23:33 ---------- Previous post was at 23:27 ----------
i do find it odd though that ben and the posters in all the MBB threads didnt seem to consider any extra data charges VM will make , or ask about any extra charges as relates to this MBB USB stick and allowance since i was gone....
theres always a one off charge with VM bills that VM accounts like to spring on you for this or that, that never seems to be seen until its to late...
zing_deleted
17-10-2009, 23:35
good points on the excess data charges. I must say I did not see whilst skipping through the FAQ but I did only skip
now...., is the supplyed USB2 3G wireless broadband device locked in ANY WAY to this VM package and mobile tower routers etcAnswered here (http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/genericContent.do?contentId=mobile.broadband.howdo i.sm374) which is the page linked to when you access the Help section of the Media and Mobile websites
It's locked
or does your VM 3G mobile broadband data flow just stop after 1 GB PCM?Also answered on the page above. It continues and is charged at 1.46p per MB. This question is also answered on the main Mobile Broadband sales page here (http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/broadband/mobile.html)
how do you know your about to go over your alloted 1 GigaByte (1GB) PCM mobile data allowance ?You get a notification text message to the Mobile Broadband software advising you are approaching your monthly limit. The software itself also tracks usage
what notification rules does Virgin media follow regarding data charging before/after you reach this agreed 1 gigabyte per calender month usage, and were do we see this and related notices, costs per megabit exess charges and the amount of data used web page ? etc.You get a text message after you have exceed your monthly limit, the cost is linked to above, and you can also access your usage within the 'My Account' section on the Virgin Mobile website (as also said in the Mobile Broadband help). You can also see the usage within the Mobile Broadband software
will we (if we see fit to take the offer) be getting a higher VM bill for extra charges if we use more data than the set 1 GB amount PCM because a VM department or automated script did not inform us of reaching our 1 gigbyte limit ?No because you get fully notified before any extra charges occur, as I've already said
---------- Post added at 23:33 ---------- Previous post was at 23:27 ----------
i do find it odd though that ben and the posters in all the MBB threads didnt seem to consider any extra data charges VM will make , or ask about any extra charges as relates to this MBB USB stick and allowance since i was gone....Because the extra charges are up to the customer. They get plenty of notification before they exceed the limit so it is up to them as to whether they go over or not
deathtrap3000
18-10-2009, 00:57
Glad I took this out when all you had to do was pay £50 and sign for a 24 month contract.
hmm interesting..... ;)
for instance that very same, and tipical average bloated VM web page design is
384,596 bytes
plus picture, but i dont see or take all the adverts, popups and/or flash inserts into consideration here, even though im downloading them too, so we are looking at around (to be generous to VM), just under 3 average VM web pages of that size per 1.46p on average....
the internal VM google page size
http://search.virginmedia.com/results/index.php?channel=search&vml=&vmt=&q=uk+contract+law+In+Good+Thaith&cr=countryUK
searching on uk only "uk contract law In Good Thaith" is around
156,012 bytes per generic page.
and the real google page for the same search is smaller at
59,946 bytes.
it SOON adds up, and even uploading is counted in the total data transfered it seems, Hmmmm.
also apparently the Calculate your monthly broadband usage http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/genericContent.do?contentId=mobile.broadband.data. calculator.page.sm279
says you can get 250 hours of generic http(s) web page browsing (google,facebook,amazon etc) in an average of 0.35 GB per month.
but thats nowere near anything resembling accurate and under estimates by a very long way to Virgin Media's massive finantial benefit if you were to take their official calculator on legal 'fairness' and 'In Good Thaith' Hmmm....
this "FREE" MBB netbook is a rather more involved, some might say intense way to print REAL "Free" money for VM coffers over that very long 2 years consumer contract, UNLESS you keep highly detailed track of ALL the data useage both Up and down to a fine detail on these existing accounts.
or you could have a word with your local friendly county magistrate that also happens to have a VM MBB account perhaps :)
but OC thats only one potential problem off the top of the head , without looking into it to hard, there could be some very serious hidden problems you didnt take into consideration yet.... and i cant be botherd to spell them out ;)
All the points you have just raised apply to every single Mobile Broadband service in the UK
You have also ignored the facts that VM give you as a customer multiple warnings and information about your usage and give you the customer the option of ceasing to use the service before you breach the monthly limit
Also as the Mobile Broadband is in addition to the fixed broadband, any MBB customer can opt to check their usage and/or read the Help information on their home connection without it affecting their mobile usage.
Or are you implying that all customers of Virgin Media are so dumb that they can't read such messages? Nor can they can responsibility for researching, considering and agreeing to a contract without resorting to 'I didn't know what I was doing'?
ohh and the average CF page for this very threads page 2 is
550,354 bytes
so you have already run up at least that 1.46p+ by reading upto here :)
just because "they do it" , "so we can too" doesnt hold much sway to your average users paying the real costs....month on month.... or the local magistrate come to that if theres existing case law, OR they beleave theres a case for in good thaith to be made in a cheap and cheerful 'small claim' court case etc.
you know me by now Ben, ill NEVER ignore the facts if they are known to me at the time... but it will not stop me from looking at something from a very different POV, actively putting yourself in others shoes and seeing things from other perspectives is a very good way to learn new things, and help people, but you know this already.
zing_deleted
18-10-2009, 10:00
All the points you have just raised apply to every single Mobile Broadband service in the UK
You have also ignored the facts that VM give you as a customer multiple warnings and information about your usage and give you the customer the option of ceasing to use the service before you breach the monthly limit
Also as the Mobile Broadband is in addition to the fixed broadband, any MBB customer can opt to check their usage and/or read the Help information on their home connection without it affecting their mobile usage.
Or are you implying that all customers of Virgin Media are so dumb that they can't read such messages? Nor can they can responsibility for researching, considering and agreeing to a contract without resorting to 'I didn't know what I was doing'?
you do know the history of this site? you do know its mainly aimed at Virgin Media customers right? if someone was to ask about someone elses free netbook I am sure we would look into it and say if it appears to be a con. Wipe your nose mate ;)
Sir John Luke
18-10-2009, 10:28
Hopefully, something MAY be done about VM (and others) pricing policies.
http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press/2009/126-09
zing_deleted
18-10-2009, 10:32
complex pricing, where it is difficult for consumers to assess an individual price, for example 'three-for-two' or 'non-inclusive' prices, and
this point from your link. Would deffo cover VMs ludicrous pricing policy
Sir John Luke
18-10-2009, 10:35
Exactly.
zing_deleted
18-10-2009, 10:40
well something doesneed to be done because this is a VM forum obviously we want it to sort them out first but the likes of DFS and Carpetright all need to get the pricing policy sorted out as there continual sales are just a con
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