Buyer beware Virgin mobile

[ZeroZero]

I have been with virgin mobile for many years and I have never had good service, there have been many 'mistakes' on my bill, but recently virgin have lost all credibility with me. I simply dont believe the company is honest and above board. Here is my recent experience.
In January of this year I decided that I would treat myself to a smart phone so I went out and bought a Nexus S. As my contract had no data at all on it (SIM only) I contacted Virgin to get some data added to my contraft. As I was a virgin media customer they added 1 gig of data for £9 pcm. I am a low user.
Over the next couple of months I thought my bill was high, so I contacted Virgin and discovered they were actually charging £18 pcm, and charging for data. The operator who spoke with me said they would rectify the situation.
The following month they charged me again - same story.
This month I was charged against I spoke with a manager. She informed me that I had never said any such thing. I asked her to retrieve the conversation which they recorded she said she would do so and offered me only half on my money back 'as a gesture of good will'. I ws not pleased at all but she told me that the written record of the conversation contained no record of the i gig of data. She assured me that she would check the recording and ring me back within 48 hrs. I was not at all happy with this and cancelled my contract - she told me she would change my contract to pat as you go. It was like talking to a deaf person - does cancelling a contract mean convert to a Pay as you go contract in any langiuage?
73 hours later no contact of any nature. I phoned Virgin again and spoke to another operator. She contradicted what the 'manager' Tshidi had said and confirmed there WAS a written record of the conversation. She said she would refund me in full (there was no record of half of my money being returned to me) and stated that this would take up to THREE WEEKS.
I insisted on her emailing me to confirm this intention to refund but i do not hold out hope.
I must say that this form of underhand treatment is typical of Virgin. I experienced the same sharp practice several times with my landline phone.

I have put in several complaints to Virgin over the last three months and not a single complaint has ever received any response.
Richard Branson might look like a saint but I have received nothing but sharp practice from this company.

[LexDiamond]

Sorry to hear about your problems.

AFAIK it is standard practice on all networks to convert a contract sim to PAYG. Not sure why but I think it is so that you keep the no.

[Pipster]

I can only speak about my own experiences with Virgin.

I have 2 contracts with them. 1 Galaxy S2 never any problems over the moon with it and very happy.

2nd one however is a pain. Each month the DD fails to be set up by Virgin ending in me ringing and paying the bill manually. After a few months of it happening and complaining to the CEO office they have sorted it out and offered to upgrade my phone 4 months early for me. I'm happy as issue has finally been sorted and a bit of a carrot offered to stay with them.

[ZeroZero]

Lex its technically possible for you to keep a number for an interim period whilst you set up a new phone, without converting your SIM to pay as you go - IF the companies want this to happen, the reason why your number is converted to pay as you go is so that they can continue to harvest money from you.
Virgin even demanded that I do not cease my Direct debit to them for three months - obviously to maximise oppornutities to sneak in additional charges. I shall not be acceeding ot the demands

I pity the weak and the vulnerable who cant stand up for themselves - corporate abuse is rife these days

[Peter_]

You are obviously unaware that Richard Branson does not own the company called Virgin Mobile or its parent company Virgin Media as both names are only leased from his group of companies so he will show little interest in your issue.

Try emailing the actual CEO of the company neil.berkett@virginmedia.co.uk with all the above details.

[ZeroZero]

If he can lease his name so can I

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by ZeroZero

If he can lease his name so can I

He has not leased his actual name though has he.

The Virgin group of companies have leased the name to NTL/Telewest who pay his company in 7% of company shares which include him appearing in advertising but excludes him from caring one jot about any issues you may have.

[arcimedes]

Originally Posted by Peter_

He has not leased his actual name though has he.

The Virgin group of companies have leased the name to NTL/Telewest who pay his company in 7% of company shares which include him appearing in advertising but excludes him from caring one jot about any issues you may have.

Part of the confusion is caused by for example the "advert" that appears when you look up when your speed is due for upgrade. Picture of Usain Bolt with a message "I'm Richard Branson and I'm doubling everyones speeds" Then followed by this

"I was taking the balloon for a ride the other day and got thinking: 'These days, everyone's doing more and more online. We all tweet, shop, play, video-chat, even watch HD movies.'

Then it hit me. 'My customers already have the UK's fastest broadband, but they'd get a lot more enjoyment out of it if I doubled their speeds.'

So that's what I'm going to do for over 4 million Virgin Broadband customers. Because I can. "

Not everyone realises its just advertising

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by arcimedes

Part of the confusion is caused by for example the "advert" that appears when you look up when your speed is due for upgrade. Picture of Usain Bolt with a message "I'm Richard Branson and I'm doubling everyones speeds" Then followed by this

"I was taking the balloon for a ride the other day and got thinking: 'These days, everyone's doing more and more online. We all tweet, shop, play, video-chat, even watch HD movies.'

Then it hit me. 'My customers already have the UK's fastest broadband, but they'd get a lot more enjoyment out of it if I doubled their speeds.'

So that's what I'm going to do for over 4 million Virgin Broadband customers. Because I can. "

Not everyone realises its just advertising

I know that and so does Virgin Media who love to hang onto his shirt tails because it implies he owns the company but he is only there for the money.