Virgin Media prices?

jonislost · 10 Mar 2011 at 13:47

So I was just going through my finances the other day and I've been with Virgin Media (Cable) broadband since back in the NTL days. I'm paying £25.25 per month for the 10mb 'L' package.

I wanted to change my Direct Debit collection date so I visited the virgin media site for the first time ever and noticed the price for 10mb 'L' is now:

Without a Virgin Phone line

£16 a month
for 3 months
then £21 a month

So seeing that I decided to email them asking why I am paying more and to have my price re-aligned. The response I got back was:

We?re sorry you feel you?ve been incorrectly charged. It looks like we
could have explained and clarified your monthly charges much better for
you.

We?ve checked your account and can confirm that you?re being charged as
per the standard price of £25.25 per month for the Broadband Size L
package.

We're really keen for new customers to join Virgin Media so they can
start getting all the benefits we offer. So from time to time, we have
special offers and promotions to welcome new customers on board. As a
part of such offers, we provide Broadband Size L at a discounted rate to
new customers.

So I went back quite angrily asking to cancel my account with immediate effect or lower the price due to penalising loyal customers!

Anybody else on 10Mb and paying too much?

varkanoid · 10 Mar 2011 at 14:37

Its common practice I am afraid. Another company I was with in the past I paid £20 a month (quite a few years ago) unbeknown to me they changed their prices and the same package was £14. So I switched the package straight away and was allowed to do so. From then on I regularly checked the prices on their website. When I questioned it I was told they are not obliged to inform you of the package you are on is now cheaper.

Its same with a lot of companies, Sky for instance give new customers more discount than existing. Its only if we as consumers complain about these things in number that something gets done.

Thing is its not in our nature to complain and companies can prey on this.

Interesting to see your outcome. Complaining often works, we should do more of it.

benftl · 10 Mar 2011 at 14:54

As above, it's totally unfair, I'd suggest calling retentions and threatening to leave if they don't adjust your price. It worked for me

visibleman · 10 Mar 2011 at 18:07

Should have phoned cs/retentions; last time i noticed we were being overcharged they lowered our bill by £10 and put us on the next package up (just as long as we signed up to another 12 month contract).

JimAroo · 10 Mar 2011 at 21:09

VM seem to charge each and every one of their customers a different amount, if you don't phone them up and start moaning they don't offer you deals, simple as that.

These deals do generally come with a 1 year contract however..

jonislost · 11 Mar 2011 at 15:15

JimAroo said:
VM seem to charge each and every one of their customers a different amount, if you don't phone them up and start moaning they don't offer you deals, simple as that.

These deals do generally come with a 1 year contract however..

Yeah, I toyed with the idea of phoning up, but I'm not too bothered about losing the service so I'll just see if they come back with anything. I definitely won't tie into another 12 months.

No reply as yet.

Braka · 11 Mar 2011 at 17:01

phone retentions if ur out of contract we did few weeks back

we were on 10mb bb xl phone L cable and 2x boxes we were paying around 70+

so phoned up retentions asked what they can offer us for new 12 month contract

now were paying 63 for 20mb bb xl phone XL cable and 2x boxes for less and been upgraded , its mabe still a bad deal compared to new customers but atleast were getting more then we were originally were getting right?

give it a think about phoneing up

[RB] · 11 Mar 2011 at 17:28

I've just joined for the no phoneline 10Mb. It's offered at the moment at £16 for the first 3 months then £21 after for 12 month contract.

On the flip side my Ma and Pa's Virgin bill was quite high so I rang up and the best deals they were prepared to offer all revolved around upgrading services for lesser prices than normal rather than reducing the cost of the monthly bill.

jonislost · 14 Mar 2011 at 12:58

Ok here's the offer:

Thank you for your e-mail dated 11 March 2011 expressing your disappointment at the reply you've received. I'm sorry you've had to contact us again about this issue.
Having looked through our most recent offers i can see we can add a discount to your account to reduce your monthly cost to £21.00 like our new customers. I'm sorry you were advised differently in the last email.
I'd be happy to add this discount to your account but i must make you aware this will enter you into a new 12 month contract as we're adding a new discount. If you're happy to accept this please reply to this email and I'll get the discount added immediately.
I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Seems fair enough to me, I won't be taking it though because of the 12 month thing, as I'm moving very soon and not sure if I'll need it. Fair play to them though

[RB] · 14 Mar 2011 at 13:09

jonislost said:
Ok here's the offer:

Seems fair enough to me, I won't be taking it though because of the 12 month thing, as I'm moving very soon and not sure if I'll need it. Fair play to them though

I was under the impression you could move properties with Virgin and they'd simply change the address / install you for no extra cost?

Am I confusing them with Sky?

Although if you're moving house you may as well sign up as a new customer and reap the benefits anyway :cool:

Colasanto · 14 Mar 2011 at 13:11

Think yourself lucky, I'm paying £33 a month for 5meg... that does include line rental though.

shine · 14 Mar 2011 at 14:15

[RB];18666399 said:
I was under the impression you could move properties with Virgin and they'd simply change the address / install you for no extra cost?

Am I confusing them with Sky?

Although if you're moving house you may as well sign up as a new customer and reap the benefits anyway

That's right they will, Sky have also recently added a free home move service. The new customer offers generally make it worthwhile signing up again unless you need to keep your old phone number.

Sho · 14 Mar 2011 at 15:56

Just thought i'll let you know. That i just upgraded my broadband package with Virgin Media.

Was paying L Broadband (10mb) £20.25 soon to be £21

Earlier on just excepted, M+ Tv, L Broadband (10mb) and M Phone line for £20.49 per month includind line rental.

I know it's only the "M" packages that i got but im more then happy, as me and Mrs have mobile phone contracts, so its alright for the people to ring us on the landline, where as before they would give us a miss call. As the both of us wont even use the landline.

The M+ tv is alright just might watch the HD channels that comes with it, which is about 6 channels if im right, will come in handy to watch FA cup and CL games lol.