Forum Discussion

AdamofEngland's avatar
AdamofEngland
Just joined
2 months ago

Why are they so keen to see us leave?

Im trying to get a better deal, i have been with Virgin for over 20 years and the lady on the phone was no help at all, in fact she tried to increase my monthly payments with her "deals" when i told her i specifically need to reduce them.
All i would like is 1gig broadband (which i currently have)/basic tv & sky movies. 
Sky are offering me SkyTV+Movies+Netflix no ads for £30 per month.

I want to keep the broadband service and can see they are advertising it online for £36.99 a month. The lady on the phone said if i cancelled all services and kept just broadband it would be £70 a month still!!? She told me the only way i can get that deal is if i cancel my contract altogether and my wife opens a new one to get that broadband deal! Why are they making it so hard? It will just be easier to switch all services to Sky??

11 Replies

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  • carl_pearce's avatar
    carl_pearce
    Superstar
    2 months ago

    Using an analogy like 'meat grinder' may sound a little harsh, however, it's the truth.

    It's almost as if VM believe they make more money from new customers on cheaper deals, then rely on said new customers 'forgetting' they are out of contract, and £10's if not £100’s are being withdrawn from their account on a monthly basis without the bat of an eyelid.

    Once the realization hits, the first thing they do is spend hours trying to contact VM for a better deal, fail, then spend several more hours attempting to cancel on endless loops of chatbots, inadequately trained staff, and systems that do not function correctly.

    Finally, the cancel occurs, the customer returns the equipment, then several months later without warning they are charged for none returned equipment, as well as a marker on their credit rating for monies due for no apparent reason other than incompetence on VM's part.

    If you have FTTP and adequate TV services available from other providers just cancel and move on.

    Just a note that if OTS is an option use it. It will save you years on your life.

    https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/switching-provider/easier-than-ever-to-switch/

    • AdamofEngland's avatar
      AdamofEngland
      Just joined
      2 months ago

      amazing thank you, i will certainly look into that. My contract expires in July so if i cancel any earlier ill be stuck with a large fee so ill let it run its course then cancel, have my wife take out a new contract for the broadband (which i actually wanted to keep as i work from home and have a lot of devices connected - but they quoted me £80 for a broadband only contract where my wife can take out the same one as a new deal for £36.99 a month!) then ill accept the good offer from Sky. 

      • Robert_P's avatar
        Robert_P
        Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
        2 months ago

        Hello AdamofEngland

         

        Sorry to her of the issues experienced with your package and getting a new deal you feel is suitable, we appreciate you raising this via the forums.

         

        As with all providers we do offer 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 we can to offer the best existing customer deal available.

        If you do decide to leave, please be aware we would need 30 days notice so depending on when your contract is due to expire we'd recommend taking that into consideration.

    • saif1a's avatar
      saif1a
      Just joined
      2 months ago

      I've had a cancellation verified 1 month before my contract expires in textbook fashion and taken all call details. Still no sign of that on my account here. No sign of any email to return equipment or when they will send for it. I'm due to go on holiday at the end of my contract so it's looking bit grim

  • GuildfordUser's avatar
    GuildfordUser
    On our wavelength
    2 months ago

    VM offer the worst customer service in the country… a quick search will verify this. 

    They don’t care and they offer feeble excuses, as we see from Robert P. 

    vultures. 

  • wilco2020's avatar
    wilco2020
    On our wavelength
    2 months ago

    Think that it is time VM changed their approach. As a customer since telewest days I have been trapped in a "bundle" with a phone I do not need and tv channels never watched. £94 with more increases coming. Paying for a "land line " that is now integrated into data stream. OPen Reach fibre now arriving so it will be possible to escape from the monopoly that  VM were enjoying. Sounds like using Sky for half the cost is the way forwrd and Sky will deal with the cancellation also.

    • jpeg1's avatar
      jpeg1
      Alessandro Volta
      2 months ago

      Many Virginmedia customers are leaving when Openreach brings FTTP to their door. With it comes a long list of broadband providers all competing for your business. 

  • Blair30's avatar
    Blair30
    Tuning in
    2 months ago

    My contract runs out in April, and in all honesty Virgin have gone nuts with their pricing. I've been with them since 2010 and I'm being quoted £90 a month for 500Mb broadband and calls. Something to do with them not being able to offer discounts if you downgrade\remove part of your package. 

     

    • wilco2020's avatar
      wilco2020
      On our wavelength
      2 months ago

      My basic TV/250Mb/phone goes up to £104. Sky same package but 500Mb £40 and they organise Fibre install.. Yes it is a new customer price for 24 months but will see what is on offer end of contract. 

    • unisoft's avatar
      unisoft
      Knows their stuff
      2 months ago

      A successful VM will just lead to them gobbling up ALTNETS that are far cheaper and offer full fibre many with symmetric speeds. They already bought one ALTNET.

      VM want to buy ALNETS to erase competition so they can continue the gravy train.

      It's imperative that if people leave they look at ALTNETS in their area and go with their business to keep them going. In most cases the latency is far superior to VM, particularly their RFoG or coax networks and it will feel like a gold premium service. I think all of them offer UK support too and most offer better routers.