Virgin Mobile downgrading VIP Tarif from Unlimited to 2GB

newbie1001 · 18-07-2015, 02:34

Thats Nice of them. Apparently it's uneconomical for them to offer the service even though there is 10 months of the contract to run.

2 options

Even cancel and keep the phone or accept the new restrictions and still pay the same money

Phone now is virtually worthless and not worth the hassle of finding a new contract to match what i had also the switching etc.

If i tried to cancel with 10 months left i would hate to think the charges i would get hit with.

Guess it's time to take all my business elsewhere if i am costing them money

jb66 · 18-07-2015, 18:15

The new tariff come with 4gb, surely you can migrate to that one

Stephen · 18-07-2015, 20:26

4GB is pointless also though. Have you read the fair use policy in the T&Cs?

I have an Unlimited data package and this month used 3.6GB I now find my self capped to 0.4Mbps!!!! Its unusable.

VM told me they can't take it off either, even though my bill has just been made up and my allowances reset. Due to the fact that the FUP runs from the 1st-30th and is if you go over 3.5GB.

Why it is totally different from the billing period I don't know. I can't even leave as I have until Feb next year. Its the first time I have used that much data as I just started a new job and have been commuting and streaming a lot of music and videos.

Whats the points in giving my unlimited data if after a certain amount I am capped to a speed that is totally unusable. VM claim I can still browse the web and use email and what not, but facebook takes an age to load and even then the photos take even longer.

Can't stream music at all as it spends more time buffering. Even more annoying is the customer service person said I can't complain on the phone I would have to email the complaints team, the twitter team said I can raise a complete on the phone and the complaints team would call me back about it.

The T&Cs(which were last updated in 2012) even states that only 0.25% of customers breach this 'rule'. they are so far behind the times regarding data usage. Can't wait till I can cancel. Things were only good as I used to get staff discount but now I am working for an other mobile company I'll be jumping ship ASAP so I can get 4G too.

DJSADERS · 19-07-2015, 14:28

surely this would fall under a change of constact if they remove the unlimited data and cap it, would that not then allow for a 14 day cancellation?

newbie1001 · 19-07-2015, 21:49

You can cancel, even that is a farce though. You have to Text Leave to a number then they will disconnect you within 7 days. Trying to sort a replacement is a real pain time scale wise no option to take the number as well.

I also have 2 other Mobile and a broadband service, cancelling this one means to make the other services work i will have to switch provider en mass. I have about 4 months left on a couple bet they do not let me cancel them though without penalties. What is ok for them should be ok for me.

I have been ok with Virgin for years with no real issues then they put this on me, so much for customer loyalty.

Have sent a mail and awaiting response not hopeful though.Lucky i Have BT Fibre in my area so should still get the speed for what i require.

Ignitionnet · 19-07-2015, 22:16

*Strokes his new three contract.

Said I would leave, leave I did. The changes to unlimited data just cemented it.

Stephen · 19-07-2015, 23:02

There is nothing unlimited about VMs data!

Just found out I can get a cracking offer through my new work. So I may actually just pay off my VM contract. only going to be about £230.

qasdfdsaq · 20-07-2015, 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen

I have an Unlimited data package and this month used 3.6GB I now find my self capped to 0.4Mbps!!!! Its unusable.

I would strongly disagree that 0.4Mbps is unusable. I've just spent a week abroad, with unlimited data capped at 0.3Mbps. It's perfectly usable, just not for video and audio streaming, which I don't do. It's noticeably sluggish, but most certainly usable.

Quote:

The T&Cs(which were last updated in 2012) even states that only 0.25% of customers breach this 'rule'. they are so far behind the times regarding data usage.

Last I checked, the average UK user on an unlimited plan used 1.5GB and the average user on a 4G plan used 2.5GB. For a value-orientated network, 3.5GB isn't that far behind the times, and how many of the real operators actually offer unlimited data anymore?

Quote:

Can't wait till I can cancel. Things were only good as I used to get staff discount but now I am working for an other mobile company I'll be jumping ship ASAP so I can get 4G too.

EE's 4G is capped 0.3Mbps while you're abroad.

Stephen · 20-07-2015, 16:33

Good thing it's not EE I am planning on joining.

Don't three offer unlimited data still? Vodafone offer 20GB on some of their plans. That's almost unlimited and for first three months of any new contract you do get fully unlimited data test drive.

Well I can barely get facebook app to load photos just now and Web browsing is painful. You may be happy to accept slow speeds but I am not.

Why offer me unlimited data if you don't actually want me to use it.

Same goes for their new tariff offering 4GB of data. Use it all and you will be capped.

Pointless really.

jb66 · 20-07-2015, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen

Good thing it's not EE I am planning on joining.

Don't three offer unlimited data still? Vodafone offer 20GB on some of their plans. That's almost unlimited and for first three months of any new contract you do get fully unlimited data test drive.

Well I can barely get facebook app to load photos just now and Web browsing is painful. You may be happy to accept slow speeds but I am not.

Why offer me unlimited data if you don't actually want me to use it.

Same goes for their new tariff offering 4GB of data. Use it all and you will be capped.

Pointless really.

I thaught the unlimited data was capped but the 4gb and 8gb wasn't

qasdfdsaq · 20-07-2015, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen

Don't three offer unlimited data still?

Yes, they do. And consequently they're also the slowest network and have the worst coverage for 4G. And it's not truly unlimited, only unlimited for certain types of data, plus they also don't offer unlimited data while abroad.

Quote:

Vodafone offer 20GB on some of their plans. That's almost unlimited and for first three months of any new contract you do get fully unlimited data test drive.

What makes 20GB more "almost unlimited" than 4GB or 40GB?

Quote:

Well I can barely get facebook app to load photos just now and Web browsing is painful. You may be happy to accept slow speeds but I am not.

I didn't say I'm happy, but given all providers either cap or throttle or both while abroad, I had to make do and it worked out fine. And speed isn't everything. EE has the fastest 4G speeds, yet a third of the time web pages won't load at all (compared to <3% of the time on all other networks). Though given a choice of 20Mbps with 1 in 3 pages failing to load, or 0.4Mbps with 99.9% reliability, I'm not entirely sure which I'd choose.

Quote:

Why offer me unlimited data if you don't actually want me to use it.

Did you not even read the OP? I thought this whole thread was about the fact VM are not offering you unlimited data anymore.

The whole point of unlimited data was as a cash cow to make money out of people who have no idea how much they use and would rather pay extra for "assurance" they won't get excess charges, same as unlimited calls or unlimited texts (both of which also had fair use limits in previous times). Charge people for more than they actually use, and punish people for using more than they pay.

Quote:

Pointless really.

What makes 4GB more pointless than 20GB or 40GB? Again, I see nothing here but your personal grievances that packages meant for most other people aren't enough for your particular heavy use. How's that ever been different to STM and fair use policies on fixed broadband?

Virgin Mobile are aiming for cheapo, low-end users. If you need more - then it may be pointless for you, but it's still perfectly sufficient for >90% of everyone else.

Stephen · 20-07-2015, 18:09

Well 4GB or 20GB with no fair use policies or speed caps is better than 'Unlimited' data with a cap. I'd say slowing my speed by 50% would be better than dropping 15mbps to 0.4mbps!

Well the reason I upgraded my tariff from 3GB data in March was cause I exceeded it a few times and was cheaper to do that than pay extra for data bolt ons. However it was never explained to me on the phone that the FUP was there and would kick in so close to my original allowance.

AFAIK Vodafone don't limit your 4G when abroad.

qasdfdsaq · 21-07-2015, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen

Well 4GB or 20GB with no fair use policies or speed caps is better than 'Unlimited' data with a cap. I'd say slowing my speed by 50% would be better than dropping 15mbps to 0.4mbps!

I suppose that's where we disagree. I really don't see the difference between unlimited data with a throttle after exceeding a certain amount, vs. "unlimited" home broadband as it was sold a few years ago which worked exactly the same.

Quote:

AFAIK Vodafone don't limit your 4G when abroad.

No, they just charge you ridiculous rates when you exceed your allowance.

Then again, nobody throttled overseas data until the EU regulations forced them to put prices down. Just a few years ago everyone allowed full speeds 24/7 because it was in their own interests to rip you off more. £6 per megabyte? Sure you can have 3 megabytes per second! No problem! Say hello to your £100 per minute phone bill!