Forum Discussion

Tazmania's avatar
Tazmania
Tuning in
3 days ago

Contract expiring but VM seems reluctant to help.

My contract is terminating on the 1st August after the offer to renew was way more than currently paying even with reducing things off the account I don't need, keep being told your package then becomes more expensive as not as many discounts available.

I've tried a few times now to ask just for the basic TV channels and m500 broadband to be told they can not do this or it will be more expensive than the offer given for renewal price but no one has ever given me the price of what I asked for just told that's the best they can do.

As a new customer there is a price showing for m362 and basic channels for around £34.99 per month, but I'm being told no price available for me to do something like that just with m500 broadband, surely being a loyal customer there is something available for me in order to stay, as can get sky stream with discovery+ , netflix and 500mb broadband for £40 a month.

Just feels to me Virgin don't want to keep customers just loose them. Anybody else having same issue and any mods on here that maybe help! As tried a few times and seems to hit my head up a brick wall.

Many thanks.

15 Replies

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    3 days ago

    If VM refuses to give you the services you want, at a price you are prepared to pay, put in a cancellation to VM and switch to Sky.

    You might then find that all the things VM says you cannot have suddenly become available at a better price. Having marketing options on in My VM is advised to be able to receive renewal comm's from VM.

    If you do cancel though, you must be prepared to follow through and leave if necessary as VM may still fail to come up with a deal which you find acceptable or may not come back to you at all wih a better offer.

    VM's model is based on selling bundles of services. VM will be most interested in those customers taking the greatest number of services.

  • Alex_RM's avatar
    Alex_RM
    Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
    3 days ago

    Hi Tazmania,

    Thanks for posting, and sorry to hear you're leaving us.

    We do always aim to offer our existing customers the best deal possible at the time of their contact. It does usually work out cheaper/ better value for money the more services you have. 

    If you do still want to look at pricing options for other packages you can call the team on 150/ 0345 454 1111 or pop them a Whats app on +44780 308 9684, as we don't do package changes via this forum. 

    Alex_Rm

    • Tazmania's avatar
      Tazmania
      Tuning in
      3 days ago

      Thank you both for replying, I've already put cancellation in and the offers are rubbish, I just don't get why they will not give me a price for broadband and basic TV channels as to me some money from a customer is better than none but they refuse to even give me a price for broadband and basic channels I just don't get it 

      • goslow's avatar
        goslow
        Alessandro Volta
        3 days ago

        Your offers may improve as your 30 day notice period nears an end via a retentions call-back (but there is absolutely no guarantee at all such a call-back will actually happen).

        Your tone, when posting in this topic, is that you really don't want to leave VM. VM's agents will be very familiar in picking up on this and, if they do not believe you really will leave, they will price your renewal accordingly. It is simply a game of bluff and counter-bluff.

  • jb66's avatar
    jb66
    Very Insightful Person
    3 days ago

    They won't give you a deal right now as they belive you will cave in and pay the higher prices

    • Tazmania's avatar
      Tazmania
      Tuning in
      3 days ago

      Hi jb66 I've already had the retentions call weeks ago when I 1st put cancellation request in, the offer then was still rubbish and again not wanting to quote to have what I wanted only the expensive package as kept saying by removing stuff off the package increases the cost as not as many discounts can be applied to the package, they are only really interested in the top package whoever you speak too at VM but it's not what people want or need.

      • Carley_S's avatar
        Carley_S
        Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
        2 days ago

        Sorry to hear that you've since put in your notice to cancel Tazmania. 

        As with all providers, we have introductory offers to new customers. At the start of all of our customers' time with us, they will have benefited from such a deal. Once this expires, we'll always do all that we can to offer the best existing customer deal that's available.

        We hope we see you join us again in the further. 

         

  • dianeaj's avatar
    dianeaj
    Tuning in
    3 days ago

    I've been with VM for 14 years and the price keeps going up. This time when renewal they basically said I couldn't get any discount if I wanted to keep the package I have. It appears now I can but it would cost the same as getting an upgrade. VM marketing seems only interested in getting new customers and has no real loyalty scheme.

  • mcr007's avatar
    mcr007
    On our wavelength
    2 days ago

    I've been a customer of Virgin Media for some years getting deals by renewal.

    My last deal offer was rubbish... same "great" service for more than I was paying. So I cancelled.

    My package included 2 STB's (V360 + a mini), GIG1 broadband, phone, movies/sports and Netflix. 

    Since the new deal was rubbish compared to elsewhere I decided to cancel.

    What I was interested in was the GIG2 with synchronous upload and static IP. It is in my street, the new cab is across the road.

    I've in a mid terraced house and my immediate neighbours either side of me are offered it on the site, but but I am not - presumably because I have had cable previously (and at the time, currently)?

    Normally Virgin Media would call back and retentions try and find a way to give you the package you want  - but I got no such call or offer.

    Virgin Media would gladly come out to do the install of the new GIG2 full fibre to gain +1 customer but not to avoid -1. They would rather I went somewhere else. My services went off on 3rd of July and today received my package to return my equipment. I am now signing up with Freedom Fibre, who offer full fibre 1GIG up/down and static IP. Looking at options for my TV service but looks like Sky Stream. I would rather have had Virgin Media's services but there stubbornness cost them my custom.

    There was a time when Virgin Media always offered the fastest broadband, way ahead when BT (and other alt fibre providers) could do FTTP but they have now caught up and Virgin Media have no motivation to compete.

    This is a sad sign of the times and I guess the end of an era. I am sure Virgin Media will eventually be offering upgrades to full fibre, but if I renewed on any existing deal on there legacy inferior network the upgrade would not be free. I will no doubt however be in a contracted period with a new supplier so is going to be too late.

    Given how poor Virgin Media's customer services has a reputation of, there services been superior was all they had going for them. Now they are getting left behind.

    I seems bizarre to me that Virgin Media would spend so much upgrading there network, only to refuse custom that they physically could accept but instead force them to go elsewhere.

    The management of Virgin Media need to have a serious rethink of there policy's for existing customers as they don't like getting the 'second class customer' treatment.

    • newapollo's avatar
      newapollo
      Very Insightful Person
      23 hours ago

      mcr007​ 

      Ok, your post in short:-

      You've cancelled your current package ( 2 STB's (V360 + a mini), GIG1 broadband, phone, movies/sports and Netflix) with VM because you were interested in VM's Gig2  synchronous  deal with a static IP, as it's in your street. The new cab is across the road, and your immediate neighbours either side of you are offered it on the site, but you are not. Your services were disconnected on 3rd of July and you are now signing up with Freedom Fibre, who offer full fibre 1GIG up/down and static IP.

      You've stated that VM's synchronous Gig2 broadband offers a static IP - that is incorrect.  Only VM's Business packages offer a static IP.

      At present VM won't be upgrading current customers that are on the older DOCSIS network to the synchronous Gig2 broadband. They may possibly do this in 2027.

      If the new Full Fibre network is live then new customers can sign up to that. You are no longer a current VM customer so it's possible that you could now sign up and be placed on the new Full Fibre network, however you normally need to have been left for around 3 months.  There's nothing to prevent you signing up again and see what is offered now.

      Some caveats of the new Full Fibre service.   There is no landline phone service on the Full Fibre network.  The older TV boxes (tivo, V6 and main TV360 and TV360 mini boxes are not available on the new network as they are incompatible.  Therefore any TV service on the new network is streamed over the internet and thus has no recording facilities. 

      Since you've now cancelled your VM services and are in the process of returning your equipment then you also need to be aware that you should back up any emails you want to keep from your Virgin Media email address, as this will close 90 days after your disconnection date. Just make sure you forward anything important to a new email address.

      Also since you have Netflix as part of your package, you’ll be able to continue using it until the end of your subscription period on your final bill.  If you received netflix free as part of your VM bundle then if you had linked an existing Netflix account to your eligible bundle, and afterwards terminate your eligible bundle then this will not automatically cancel your Netflix membership, and Netflix will automatically resume charging your existing payment method that they have on file once your eligible bundle ends

      • mcr007's avatar
        mcr007
        On our wavelength
        22 hours ago

        A static IP is not s show stopper but would be useful.

        I never said I was not interested in getting migrated to business account - I would certainly have considered that as an option.

        It's physically possible for them to do full fibre for me now - they just choose not to offer it me so lost an existing customer. This seems crazy to me. I will not be waiting till 2027.

        I cannot just sign up again because there site knows who has had a cable install previously and does not offer GIG2. It only offers you the GIG2 if you have not physically had a connection on there old network.

        I don't have a landline now - so no issue there.

        TV could have been upgrade to there new stream boxes, or left on the old network. It would not cost them anything to leave the TV side on the old network and install the new fibre just for broadband. Either option would have helped keep me as a customer.

        I don't (and never have) used VM emails - I stopped using ISP issue mail services back in the late 90's.

        I can take on Netflix direct.

        There is just no excuse not to offer full fibre to existing customers where cabling is present and they are willing to enter into the 2 year contract.

        As it is they are just turning people away to there competitors. I am going to join Freedom Fibre (through one of there partners) who have offered me 1gig synchronous and static IP.

        Virgin Media could have had my custom instead but they cannot be bothered arranging an install. 

  • mcr007's avatar
    mcr007
    On our wavelength
    2 days ago

    Virgin Media seem to have given up trying to offer decent new customers deals. I just posted my story in another thread. Sure they offer 'deals' but still not up to the same level of a new customer.

    I think it's a mistake for them to treat existing customers this way because in the past, they were the only providers that could offer fast broadband a TV service ... but with the rise of alt FFTP providers who can deliver content by streaming (Sky Stream etc.) Virgin Media's strongest point is now mute.

    Don't be afraid of leaving Virgin Media if they give you a worse deal than a new customer.

    I am sure in a few years the management will wonder why customers decline as they move away to competitors who can now compete (or even be better than)

  • Hosay299's avatar
    Hosay299
    Fibre optic
    2 days ago

    Same here i left due to cost higher for less services. 

     

    So is my neighbour too!!