Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

I find it usually highlights the fact your better buying a phone sim free with the silly RRP prices

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

One thing's for sure, whichever way you look at it the days of the ridiculous loss-leading subsidies on handsets are over.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

It is a good thing, in my view anyway.

It means you know exactly what you're paying for the phone itself, rather than the illusion that it is free. It was never free, but paid for over the course of the contract. Now it's just transparent, with the bonus of being able to pay for the phone itself to get an upgrade.

I've just upgraded to a G3 with the phone part costing me £15 a month over 2 years, a total of £360. Yes a little higher than the best price online of £300, but much easier for me to handle than a big lump sum.

I think VM Freestyle is also great, but I cannot fathom why you would fail a credit check despite being a long term customer, that's just perverse frankly.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

Its because its not just an internal credit check. But a full on external reference performed.

As the phone part is actually a loan of sorts.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

Ah, that makes sense, as I had to agree to a loan contract to get this phone too.

However, I wasn't credit checked, or at least the operator on the phone when I upgraded glossed over it as I was only asked to confirm that I could afford the contract, that was it.

I would say to phone VM to ask if they could override the credit check based on your long standing account but I suspect I know the answer. I really hate these checks when they fail you despite a current contract that you're clearly paying with no problem! Computer says no should not be the be all when it comes to this sort of thing.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

You would definitely have been credit checked and if he didn't tell you then am sure some rules were broken.

I've already tried that and stated that existing customer for years and I pay the same per month on my existing account. However he said they can't skip it or work round it.
He even told me I am C5 on their records which is the highest rating but in the case of freestyle they have to go by the external credit rating.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

Hah excellent. If they do any of this to me my solution is really simple - I take my business elsewhere immediately. Do not pass go do not collect anything. I haven't paid VMobile late once in 4 years, so it's their problem if they have changed their criteria.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2015/01/15.png

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

The way these schemes work (both in VM's case and O2's case) is that they've just shrugged off the entire responsibility for providing you with a handset to somebody else, in this cause a pseudo-bank set up by Virgin group to provide financial services. They are now quite literally operating as a broker in order to get you to apply for a loan from a third-party company.

Frankly the separation of a plain credit agreement (loan) for your handset and an airtime agreement for your airtime is a huge step forward considering all the awkward legal complexities and loopholes involved in selling a 'Free' handset with a subsidised-airtime contract. It provides more clarity for both the consumer and the retailer, although not all changes are to the customer's benefit - it's a lot easier to contest the handset part of the contract if you have a faulty handset for example, which was previously a rather obnoxious position to be in if you didn't purchase your handset directly from the network.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

Oh I absolutely understand how they work, it's made pretty clear by that the credit agreement is for the cost of the handset rather than any ongoing costs of service provision, however I don't actually care how they work, merely how they impact me personally.

If they cause me grief I'm off :)

---------- Post added at 15:47 ---------- Previous post was at 15:36 ----------

Just linked this thread to their social media team.

While I appreciate the reason for the new checks, it doesn't change that it's a 'back end' process, and something the customer shouldn't be exposed to.

Virgin Mobile have always taken the risk on customers not paying for their handsets by defaulting on contracts, they appear to be trying to outsource that risk and the new credit checks are a part of that.

Where this policy causes customers grief they can and should complain.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

I think that's where our interpretations differ. To me I see it as a new service. Mainly, because i'm interpreting it the same way as per O2's 'Refresh' service launched a few years ago. Although in O2's case, you could still purchase traditional/all-in-one contracts via independents, VM customers don't have that luxury because I don't think they sell contract upgrades via independents.

It's not just 'the same thing under a different name' but rather a completely different type of mobile service - change tariff at any time, upgrade whenever you want, etc. etc. - a bit like T-Mobile's old Flext tariffs. While they may be criticised for withdrawing the old options and not giving customers a choice, I see it as novel enough that customers should be aware of and have full exposure to the fact that it is a different service and thus the checks works differently.

Ultimately VM are within their rights to change their credit-check criteria at any time they feel like, whether or not they're selling a new service that justifies the changes. Many operators routinely do so year to year. After all banks can and do still refuse people because their credit records are too good.

In this case the risk isn't being outsourced much as it seems the finance company ("Virgin Media Mobile Finance Limited") is owned and run by themselves anyway.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

It's still a service supplied to the end user by Virgin Mobile. However they are managing things internally there is no reason to credit check customers again beyond 'process'. They should have all the information required to form an internal assessment of credit risk based on an existing customer's payment profile.

They are obviously within their rights to change their credit criteria, doesn't mean customers have to like it.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

AS I see it, I have been told I am classed in their highest block of customers with a C5 rating and 4 contracts on the go with them.

However I can't upgrade my main phone now due to their new way of doing things. Having seen thread on the community forums I am not alone in this. Loyal for years and now a credit check deems me unable to afford it. Even though I am paying the same on that phone as it is now, along with three other phones.

So really their internal credit scoring is now utterly pointless as they are relying on an external credit check for ALL upgrades and new contracts.

I feel there should be allowances or a different process for existing long term customers.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

You'll probably find that the external credit scoring sees you as having too many outgoings with those contracts and rejects you.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

Which is where that process is flawed.

I am not taking out anything extra but taking a new phone on an EXISTING service.

Re: VM's new Freestyle tariffs!!
 

Lol