Keeping you up to speed

[Kei_M]

As you can imagine, with costs such as energy bills rising fast, our running costs are increasing too. So, to make sure we can keep giving you the service you expect, the price of your package may be going up. If you have been contacted and want to find out more, click below.

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/pricechange2023 

[Andrew-G]

And perhaps to spell out what this means for you:

1) In April this year your price goes up, by well above inflation because VM are applying an above-inflation increase to the standard price, and then adding that increase to your discounted bill.  So your month on month increase is probably in the 20-30% range, depending on how good a discount you have.  The better the discount, the higher the proportionate price rise.

2) In the next 30 days you can reject this increase, and cancel without penalty, and as soon as you do that your 30 days notice period starts to tick.  Obviously you'll need to find another ISP who aren't planning the same thing, or can offer a fixed price, or better value new customer deal.  I've recently got a 12 month fixed price broadband deal with a smaller ISP known for their customer service, but you need to do your research on those and what their offer is, and allow for both any special offers, discounts and new connection charges.

3) You can phone VM to reject the price rise and cancel, but with the actual intention to play the retentions game and agree a new 18 month contract and discount.  That may result in a good deal, it may not.  As the other ISPs who VM benchmark against are all doing similar things, your leeway may be limited.  I'm told there's an automated offer been put up on VM systems where you can get a modest additional discount for six months without changing your contract, although it will still mean an increase in April.  

4) If you choose to stick with VM and their April increase (with or without any automated discount offer), then in September your existing discount ends and you'll need to cancel or speak to retentions at that time, otherwise you'll roll on to the full fat and heavily inflated tariff.

5) Regardless of any new deal you agree with VM, come this time next year, VM are changing their terms so they will be able to apply their disgraceful, grasping RPI + 3.9% formula (again on the undiscounted rate) without you having any right to cancel, but with you still tied in for the remainder of any fixed term.

I decided before this latest announcement that I'd had enough of VM's price rises, poor service, and the sinking feeling whenever I needed to contact them, so I've taken my business elsewhere.  I'm not using the VM connection now, but it is still live for a further nine days, then no more VM forever.  

[Marv95]

I'm disgusted to receive ANOTHER email from Virgin stating that they are "increasing their prices year on year". What is the point of having an 18/24x month contract when Virgin can increase their prices YEAR ON YEAR within that contract. £11 from April then 3.9% every other April.

I've been a Virgin Customer since 2010 - but I've had enough. I will be cancelling my subscription this year. Anyone feel the same?

Regards
Marv

[Gilbert84]

Yeah it's scandalous, for me that £11 is an over 25% increase! It's unjustifiable but when they have done this before I get on the phone to retentions and that normally gets a better result. 

[Andrew-G]

Note that it's not 3.9% from next April, it's RPI + 3.9%, so next year's price increase will likely be around 10%, and because that's now stated in the contract you won't have the "luxury" that you do have this year of rejecting it and leaving before any fixed term ends.  For both this year and next the percentage increase quoted is against the undiscounted rate, so if you are on a discounted contract then your proportionate rise will be greater.  VM currently quote the introductory offer for the Big Bundle at £29.99 a month, and the undiscounted price is £65 a month.  A 13.8% increase on £65 will be an extra £8.97, when that's applied to the £29.99 bill, what that customer pays is going up by 29.9%.  That's going to come as a huge shock to many people, especially those who thought they'd got a fixed price deal.

You can cancel without penalty within 30 days of getting the price rise notification, but make sure you allow for any price rise plans with alternative ISPs, as well as any connection costs.  VM will of course try and retain you by offering discounts or even a complete new contract, but make sure you understand fully what you'll be paying, when prices change, and by how much.  Potentially somebody agreeing a new contract now could be on a new discount deal of 18 months but might still be hit by the April increase, would still be in a fixed term when next year's circa 10% rise hits, but be unable to leave or renegotiate until their 18 months is up.

Do I feel the same?  No as I've already cancelled, and my price is fixed through 2023 with a smaller ISP who focus on customer service.

[iinweed]

Well, Giganet will be offering their gigabit broadband package around here in a few weeks. £40 for a full fibre gig up/gig down connection. Guess where my money will be going as soon as they can connect me (and that's a 1 month rolling contract, not some money grabbing long term tie-in)?

Yearly inflation PLUS rises from Virgin have had me itching to cancel as soon as there was a real alternative.

With the upcoming removal of "real" land lines, and the proliferation of streaming services, they had better get their business model sorted out PDQ, or they are going to find themselves left with zero customer base soon, and I for one will have zero sympathy.

[BadlyDrawnBlue]

Andrew, thanks for the post above which is very informative.

My package is also due to increase by £11/month from April 23.

I am currently under contract until Sept 23 at a discounted cost of £42.50/month, reduced from a total package price of £62.50/month. (MixTV + M100 b/band.).

I can't budget for this additional cost so it's either re-negotiation or downgrade my package.

Been told previously that downgrading the b/band is not possible, so that just leaves the TV package, but I'm struggling to find other TV options in order to see what I might lose were I to move to a lower package.

One alternative I am considering is just to abandon Virgin altogether and go for 5G broadband throughout the house, scrapping the complete package, but 'for another forum.

[newapollo]

Hi @BadlyDrawnBlue 

You could drop the VM TV package and take out a VM Stream box. It can't be used in conjunction with any other VM TV box or package. It's only one Stream box per household and doesn't use the coaxial cable. The TV is streamed over the internet. There are details on the following page https://www.virginmedia.com/tv/stream 

If you look at the Legal Stuff sub section towards the bottom of that page you will also see that it says, "Virgin Media broadband required (min. 50 Mbps)."  

It's basically the majority of freeview channels plus a  couple of extra channels. You can also add the Essential Entertainment pack for an extra £8 a month which contains an additional 23 channels. There's a list of channels <<< here >>> 

[acdeag]

Have you actually had your notification of increase, have you checked what fibre to the home providers might be able to offer you in your area, some like Hyperoptic offer broadband for £20 a month (with no annual rises), they aren't available everywhere though of course.

[Anonymous]

VM emailed me to tell me they are putting my package up by £9.00 a month will be paying £100 for what is basically a bunch of free to air channels and broadband hardly use the land line They been ripping me off for the past year not taking any more

I'm switching to BT Full Fibre No landline and a pay as you go sim I can get all the channels I watch from on demand services

[Dazzasky2001]

I for one will be cancelling when I get my notification and going to Vodafone. 

[BadlyDrawnBlue]

Only really been using the V Box for recording. With the wide availability of free online players now available through my TV I'm.now using it less and less.

So I'm trying to find out what additional channels I might lose if I cancel my MixTV and abandon all TV not available on Freeview, Freesat or the players. 

[john113]

I dialed 150 regarding the price increase and got through immediately just wanting a better deal as a long term customer, ie NTL era, but the strong Asian accent at the call center made this a very difficult task, I was constantly asking them to repeat their questions hoping I could latch on to what they were saying, it would have been so much quicker and easier if we could be switched to someone with less of an accent. Long and short of it is that I believe I got a deal but not sure until the bills roll in

[MartJ]

I think it about time that OFCOM forced Telecommunications Companies to publish the breakdown in costs when prices rise. To be told it’s going by 15% or whatever is insufficient, customers deserve to know why prices are rising, I somewhat doubt VM staff are getting anywhere near a 15% rise in salary.

OFWAT the water regulator examines each water companies performance against targets set annually, before permitting any increase, time OFCOM did something similar. 

[dessy]

why is virgin putting prices up by 14% this spring , i for one cant wait  for the letter to drop through my letterbox  THEN I AM LEVING THEM FREE OF CHARGE. WHAT DO OTHERS THINK OF THE PRICE INCREASE. the price rise was announced by martin lewis from moneysupermarket

[deano2012]

Same here once i receive my email/letter I’ll be straight on the blower to cancel mine I’m off I’ve had enough problems with this company to last me a lifetime the customer services is diabolical couldn’t care less as long as they’re getting your money. Youfibre FTTP have just completed my area so I’ll be switching 1GB full fibre £25 a month eero pro 6 router including eero 6 mesh. No brainer  

[acdeag]

Has anyone had an email/letter yet?

[Anonymous]

Why has my post about the VM price hike in Chatter and Natter been deleted after getting around 2k views and 35 replies please?

Previous alerts to updates on the thread have now been pointed to this official thread.

This feels unreasonable, oppressive, and censorious by the VM forum team and I would like an explanation please.

Title of deleted post: Virgin Media price increase 2023 — what can customers do 

[gwilson6838]

Considering leaving Virgin Media because of price increases and change to terms and conditions. Been informed my package which is currently £69.25 for 24 months with £10 discount for the first 18 months will be increasing by £12. I understood price increase was 13.8%. When I phoned disconnections I was told it was 14.9%. Virgin are asking me for an increase of 17.3% based on my package price without discounts but are unable to explain why this is. If they cannot explain how can I have confidence in future price increases when I will have no option of cancelling my contract if I do not like the increase they are charging.

In order to gauge possible price increases I looked at their minimum prices for new customers. They offer a higher broadband than I currently have with Essential TV channels for 29.99 going up to 65.00 after 18 months. They also offer one with a higher broadband with 190+ channels for 39.99 going up to 91.00 after 18 months. With this £26 price difference I was considering reducing the current package that I have with only the essential channels rather than the 190+ that I currently have. I was told by the disconnections that both packages were the same price?? Obviously Virgin like people to upgrade but not downgrade

Thinking about changing broadband and looking for other TV options like Sky Stream

any advice would be useful

[BadlyDrawnBlue]

Also looking for an alternative now I fully understand what is going on.

How the hell did we get in a position as customers, that they are allowed to sell us a fixed contract service with us having to accommodate future price rises, without actually being aware what the price might be. ?

It's the equivalent of us agreeing a 12 month contract, then ringing up after 6 months and telling them I am now only prepared to pay 60% of the agreed cost, but they I can cancel if they prefer.

Ever get the feeling your being conned ?

[acdeag]

I am sure the intention was to allow inflation increases only now they are inflation plus, they actually push up inflation each year