Comparing packages - seeking advice

[RMWC]

I have long had a contract with Virgin Media. It goes up each year – no reduction for faithful customers. Currently I pay £64.59 monthly for M250 Fibre Broadband, Mix TV, and weekend chatter, plus £5 for weekend international calls (I need that for an elderly relative abroad). Virgin Media proposes to raise this to £86.59 a month and if I try to reduce anything, I'm told I will lose all possibility of "discounts". My neighbour has a similar package (minus the international calls) and pays £48 a month. I would be so grateful to hear from anyone else who has experienced such a leap or who pays a price similar to that of my neighbour as I suspect the Virgin Media people don't believe me and certainly do not seemed prepared to bring the price right down. I will probably have to leave as Community Fibre's prices are much better. But it is a shame after all these years. 

[Mr_K · Accepted solution]

I'm afraid they're in the game of charging whatever they can get away with.

When I first got cable, 30 years ago, there was a tariff for all to see of exactly what you pay, for what combination of services. Those days are gone,it's transparent as mud, no 2 customers pay the same.

Cancel and await developments if I were you. 

[japitts]

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@RMWC wrote:

Currently I pay £64.59 monthly ....Virgin Media proposes to raise this to £86.59 a month

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Are you referring to an actual price rise? Or the loss of time-limited discounts at the end of your minimum term?

If you have sought prices from alternative local providers, you are halfway to a good retentions negotiation.

[BringBackHub2]

Have you considered using a mobile for the international calls? Using a landline to make them no longer seems competitive and this isn’t unique to Virgin Media - noted it with my cousin on BT a few years ago, who was calling a friend abroad.

It may be that the best deal is via a sim other than your usual mobile, in which case you could buy a cheap second handset or use a dual sim slot if you have one (more UK handsets seem to have these nowadays.) You could then see what VM will offer for a stripped down package.

[Cardiffman282]

Switch to Community Fibre. It's better and cheaper. Don't feel any shame - none is due. Also review your bank accounts, power suppliers, etc while you are at it using comparison sites. Misplaced loyalty is expensive. 

[Geoff_H]

Agree. I've just done that. 1Gbps for £26pcm is just impossible to ignore. My current VM contract was £43pcm for 350Mbps, but once that ended, VM were proposing to up the price to £61pcm!!

I long ago dumped my phone line and use an VOIP handset with a SIP service with free incoming calls and zero monthly fee.

I have access to more free TV than I can watch with a Firestick on my TV (I don't use Amazon video).

The Community Fibre service doesn't include email, but there are loads of free email services out there, so no big deal.

VM will have to get used to the idea that they no longer have a monopoly over very fast broadband and either stop charging extortionate prices or lose significant numbers of customers.