Existing customers valuable too

[Rolandt]

I understand that Virgin Media expect us to pay more if we are out of contract.

But it's pretty dumb that they chase away loyal customers.

I'm with Virgin Media for 6 years. I went through this "leaving game" and signed new contract before because I didn't want the trouble that comes with switching provider.

But not this time.

I pay £53 for a 200mb broadband. (By the way this broadband is not better than a 60mb one!)

New customers get the same package for £28.

The best price that the retention team could offer me was £43 with an 18 month contract.

So they want me to take the same obligations like a new customer for 18 months and pay £15 extra per month.

Just because I was loyal to them.

No, thank you.

I'm going to give my money to Three. They provide 1.6Gbps broadband for £24 per month.

That's less than half what I pay now and it's lot faster as well.

Virgin Media should reconsider their prices and policies.

An existing customer with a new contract should be equal to a new customer.

[jamesofmerton]

'An existing customer with a new contract should be equal to a new customer'

not in terms of price they aren't. that goes for all isp's, energy companies, insurance companies etc. that is the way the 'game' works. new customers groomed in on the cheap loss making deals, whilst knowing that if people are happy most will continue to pay ever increasing prices.

the 'game' is to allow for a competitive market that means customers can go in search of new cheaper deals (initially) should they choose to. encouraged by the regulators and both labour and conservatives.

[cje85]

---

@jamesofmerton wrote:
'An existing customer with a new contract should be equal to a new customer'

not in terms of price they aren't. that goes for all isp's, energy companies, insurance companies etc. that is the way the 'game' works. new customers groomed in on the cheap loss making deals, whilst knowing that if people are happy most will continue to pay ever increasing prices.

the 'game' is to allow for a competitive market that means customers can go in search of new cheaper deals (initially) should they choose to. encouraged by the regulators and both labour and conservatives.

---

People always say that on this forum, but it's simply no longer correct. Customers on other major ISPs can re-contract on new customer prices. Virgin is the only major ISP which still refuses to offer this.

Watchdog reported that lots of viewers felt unhappy that as loyal customers of Virgin Media, they were paying more than new customers for phone, broadband and TV packages.

We asked Virgin Media why it had not signed up to a voluntary Ofcom agreement to give existing customers access to the same prices paid by new customers, in contrast to many of its major competitors. The company declined to provide a response to this question but says it works hard to ensure prices are clear and represent good value.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2Yd8kKmYkzdrPC24dY2Z4Ds/watchdog-virgin-media

Virgin Media is refusing to offer loyal broadband customers the same deals as switchers despite pressure from Ofcom.

The company, which claims to offer some of the fastest broadband speeds in Britain, is one of the few remaining large providers that reserve their cheapest deals for new customers. Longstanding Virgin Media users pay about £52 a year more than people on new contracts.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/virgin-resists-ofcom-pressure-to-offer-loyal-customers-same-broad...

[Anonymous]

---

@cje85 wrote:

---

@jamesofmerton wrote:
'An existing customer with a new contract should be equal to a new customer'

not in terms of price they aren't. that goes for all isp's, energy companies, insurance companies etc. that is the way the 'game' works. new customers groomed in on the cheap loss making deals, whilst knowing that if people are happy most will continue to pay ever increasing prices.

the 'game' is to allow for a competitive market that means customers can go in search of new cheaper deals (initially) should they choose to. encouraged by the regulators and both labour and conservatives.

---

People always say that on this forum, but it's simply no longer correct. Customers on other major ISPs can re-contract on new customer prices. Virgin is the only major ISP which still refuses to offer this.

Watchdog reported that lots of viewers felt unhappy that as loyal customers of Virgin Media, they were paying more than new customers for phone, broadband and TV packages.

We asked Virgin Media why it had not signed up to a voluntary Ofcom agreement to give existing customers access to the same prices paid by new customers, in contrast to many of its major competitors. The company declined to provide a response to this question but says it works hard to ensure prices are clear and represent good value.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2Yd8kKmYkzdrPC24dY2Z4Ds/watchdog-virgin-media

Virgin Media is refusing to offer loyal broadband customers the same deals as switchers despite pressure from Ofcom.

The company, which claims to offer some of the fastest broadband speeds in Britain, is one of the few remaining large providers that reserve their cheapest deals for new customers. Longstanding Virgin Media users pay about £52 a year more than people on new contracts.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/virgin-resists-ofcom-pressure-to-offer-loyal-customers-same-broad...

---

I do find this funny.

If other ISP can now offer everyone new customer deals. They are not new customer deals they are standard prices and they have been over charging for years.

VM really do offer good deals to new customers and i suspect often at a lose to make them switch. If they offered the same to everyone they would jsut stop offering new customer deals or they would always be making a loss.

Not everything Nothing the BBC do and say is good

[Kath_F]

Hi Rolandt, 

Thanks for your post and apologies to hear you are leaving us. New customers do get a new customer deal when they join, just like you would of had when you first joined however these are exclusively for new customers. We do balance this out though by ensuring that existing customers are first in line for free speed boosts, along with other discounts and offers.

We'll always try to see if there are any new discounts or promotional offers you can benefit from as an existing customer on your current services but sometimes, to get the cheaper deal, it would mean changing part of your package or downgrading part of it to make the price lower. 

I understand the frustration but we also understand you need to do what's right for you. If you haven't already, be sure to speak to the team on 0345 454 1111 option 1, 4 then 4 again so the team can take you through the cancellation process. 

We wish you the best of luck going forward. 

[Rolandt]

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@cje85 wrote:

---

@jamesofmerton wrote:
'An existing customer with a new contract should be equal to a new customer'

not in terms of price they aren't. that goes for all isp's, energy companies, insurance companies etc. that is the way the 'game' works. new customers groomed in on the cheap loss making deals, whilst knowing that if people are happy most will continue to pay ever increasing prices.

the 'game' is to allow for a competitive market that means customers can go in search of new cheaper deals (initially) should they choose to. encouraged by the regulators and both labour and conservatives.

---

People always say that on this forum, but it's simply no longer correct. Customers on other major ISPs can re-contract on new customer prices. Virgin is the only major ISP which still refuses to offer this.

Watchdog reported that lots of viewers felt unhappy that as loyal customers of Virgin Media, they were paying more than new customers for phone, broadband and TV packages.

We asked Virgin Media why it had not signed up to a voluntary Ofcom agreement to give existing customers access to the same prices paid by new customers, in contrast to many of its major competitors. The company declined to provide a response to this question but says it works hard to ensure prices are clear and represent good value.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2Yd8kKmYkzdrPC24dY2Z4Ds/watchdog-virgin-media

Virgin Media is refusing to offer loyal broadband customers the same deals as switchers despite pressure from Ofcom.

The company, which claims to offer some of the fastest broadband speeds in Britain, is one of the few remaining large providers that reserve their cheapest deals for new customers. Longstanding Virgin Media users pay about £52 a year more than people on new contracts.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/virgin-resists-ofcom-pressure-to-offer-loyal-customers-same-broad...

---

Exactly. Thank you. I'm glad I'm not alone with my opinion.

I expected these generic answers, that's why I said I know how it works.

The whole point is that if Virgin Media wants me to sign an 18 month contract then I should get the same conditions like a new customer.

As I'm going to be bonded in a contract to Virgin Media again and I cannot leave without penalty.

I should have got the loyalty bonus automatically without a contract.

Or without me contacting Virgin Media. Then probably I would have never even thought of leaving in the first place.

Even if I had to pay a little more than a new customer.

But charging me £53 for a service that others get for £28 is outrageous!

(Not to mention the service quality, but I don't want to bring that here.)

Virgin Media could get £28 per month from me. Now it will get £0.

Good business policy. 👏👏👏

[japitts]

M200 solus without any other services, is £50/month standard price, discounted to £34 for new new customers. Not sure where you're seeing £28 from.

If you're having issues with your speed, and assuming it's not a WiFi issue, I'd suggest posting about those in the speed section of the forum 

[Rolandt]

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@japitts wrote:

M200 solus without any other services, is £50/month standard price, discounted to £34 for new new customers. Not sure where you're seeing £28 from.

If you're having issues with your speed, and assuming it's not a WiFi issue, I'd suggest posting about those in the speed section of the forum 

---

I have problems with the router and not the WiFi. It was replaced but nothing improved.

This is not my main issue that's why I didn't post there.

The price is on Money Super Market.

This is the real speed of M200 with cable.

[Anonymous]

that deal clearly says New Customer only 🙂

[Rolandt]

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@Anonymous wrote:

that deal clearly says New Customer only 🙂

---

Obviously, that's what we were talking about.

It seems my screenshot of the speed of M200 is not going through. I wonder why...

Anyway the speed of M200 is 60.54 Mbps with cable and it's 16.49 Mbps with WiFi.