Hi All, I have been a customer since NTL World days, 1999, which was later bought over by Virgin, so more than 25-years continuously. I am also fed up with the unfair way VM treats existing customers. After all it is us the longtime customers that were propping up this company through thick and thin. Since 1999 my subscription has been increasing year on year; occasionally VM had thrown some crumbs at me in the guise of offers. But the fundamental issue of existing customers given the same deals as new customers has been irritating me. I have just renewed my contract due to end this month of July. The extant contract is at £93.28 per month, and a new contract offered at £100.12 for the same package. To rub salt into my wound, VM had quoted on the same notification that for a new customer, the same package would cost £49.00. See how unfair this deal offered to a 25-yr long term customer ...... more than twice the cost to a new customer. I tried to negotiate a reduced price for my new contract to continue with VM quoting their £49.00 for the new customer, but VM firmly said, NO, all new customers get just one life time offer once, presumably in this case £52 reduction from what I would have to pay. Asked their definition of "Life Time", the agent stumbled for a response, because on this question they had not been trained to fob off the customer. I said surely VM could be flexible and offer something better for us long term customers instead of ripping us off as they have time to time thrown some crumbs at me over the last 25-yr. So, it flexibility is possible, only if they have a heart or sense of business empathy. But tell me bloggers, when did a business organization ever had a heart. Anyway after some soul searching while I was kept on the line, the agent offered to give me the same package as before for £92.25, a whole £1.00 reduction that reminded me of The Merchant of Venice. To fudge the bitter pill, BB speed was increased to M500 but with HomeWorks added, all these improvements without my asking, but they had to be taken as a package. M500 was welcome because I as a retiree, use the internet a lot, but HomeWorks, an unnecessary facility as I do not work from home. So, there, that is my story. As quite a few bloggers suggested, I too would like to walk away from VM, but unfortunately the other two major players BT or Sky do not offer such a technically good package as VM, e.g. our BT local download speed at postcode GU14 is just above 30 Mb, vs my current VM speed of M350, with higher capacity M500 and 1 Gbps. Undoubtedly, VM system performance is superb from my own practical experience, their package combinations and Add-Ons are good and comprehensive, and the level of service good. Only once I had to call an engineer troubleshooter to my home. I have no reason to complain on VM's technical excellence and the service, and it is for this reason that I have stayed with VM all this time. My major issue of dissatisfaction is the cost and unfair discrimination. Please do not misunderstand me, I am not promoting VM here, but only being fair in my comment. If BT or Sky could give me my current requirements at half or 2/3rd of VM price, I would leave VM but they cannot. VM may be charging a hefty connection and setting up charge, I guess around £40.00 to new customers, so the low cost package may not be as attractive as it seems . Better the devil you know than the one you do not know. Hope my blog helps you to decide if to stay or leave!
