Can we cancel VM due to Wifi Hotspot withdrawal?

[rem45]

Just had an email from YouFibre saying that VirginMedia customers can leave their contracts early without penalty until the end of October due to them withdrawing the Public Wifi Hotspot feature.

I can't find anything about this elsewhere, and the YouFibre chat bot suggested I phone Virgin to ask...like they're going to make it that easy 🙂

Anyone else heard anything about this? Our contract is only a few months old but I'm keen to move if I can.

[goslow]

---

@Cunny71 wrote:

This was the wording in the email I got.

I'd be interested to know if this is correct.

---

A nice bit of marketing/sales info conflating two different subjects.

Customers are being given an option to leave because of the price rise. Customers are also receiving notifications that wi-fi hotspots are being turned off.

The YouFibre info doesn't overtly state VM customers can leave because of the hotspot shutdown!

[goslow]

---

@Cunny71 wrote:

just found this email from Virgin Media on 15/09 detailing the changes in T&Cs including retiring the wifi hotspots and price changes.

 The full text of the message (with any personal info removed) would be helpful/interesting to see what exactly was stated.

[Client62]

Below is the full copy / paste / redacted in blue...   from an email on 15/09/2023

Account Number: XXXXXXXXX

We’re changing our out-of-home WiFi service and pricing terms

Hello <customer's forename>,

We're writing to tell you about some changes that’ll affect our out-of-home WiFi hotspots and the way our price rises will work from 2024 onwards.

Please make sure you read this whole email carefully. If you’re unhappy with any of the changes announced, you can cancel your package any time before 31/10/2023, without paying any cancellation fees. More information can be found in the ‘What are my options now?’ section of this email.

We’re retiring our out-of-home WiFi service

We’ve started removing some of our out-of-home WiFi hotspots – and from 1st November 2023, we’ll be closing the service down completely. If you’ve gone onto one of these hotspots lately, you’ll probably have noticed it’s easier just to use 4G or 5G. That’s because investment in 4G and 5G has come a long way in the last few years – offering wider coverage, faster speeds and cheaper data.

We’re changing our pricing terms

We usually change our prices each year – writing to let you know how much they’re going up and giving you the chance to cancel. From April 2024, we’re doing things differently, so any price rise to your package will be made at the same time every year. This’ll be linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) rate of inflation plus an additional 3.9% – which means the amount of any increase will be clearer, sooner.

To do this, we need to change our Legal Stuff. The key features of our new rules are:

The monthly subscription price for your services will increase every April, starting from April 2024

It’ll go up by the RPI rate of inflation plus an additional 3.9%

This increase will apply to the monthly subscription price you’re paying at that time and also (if applicable) to the monthly price payable after subsequent expiry of any applicable offer or discount

The RPI rate will be the amount that’s announced in the preceding February of that year, so you’ll be able to work out the exact increase from that date

If the RPI rate is 0% or less, your price will increase by 3.9%

We’ll publish the relevant RPI rate on our website as soon as it becomes available

As this annual price increase is provided for in your terms, there’s no right to cancel because of it from April 2024

These rules will also apply to any optional add-ons you’ve chosen in addition to your core package, excluding Netflix Add to Bill , Disney+, Lionsgate+ or Stream entertainment subscriptions. These excluded add-ons, as well as admin charges (e.g., paper billing) and any out-of-allowance charges (e.g., non-inclusive calls) you incur, will continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions in respect of price changes as applied before this change to your terms and conditions

These changes to your terms and conditions will come into effect from 1st November 2023, even though the first price rise they relate to won’t be until April 2024. To see your new terms and conditions, along with our FAQs page, head to virginmedia.com/pricing-terms-2024

Find out more

What are my options now?

If you’re unhappy with anything in this email, you can cancel your package, any time before 31/10/2023 without paying any early cancellation fees.

To find out more, call us on 0345 454 1111 from any phone or 150 from your Virgin Media home phone.

Thanks for understanding and continuing to choose Virgin Media.

Talk soon,
The Virgin Media Team

This email has been sent to the following address: customer's email by Virgin Media. For more information about us, or to view our privacy policy, please visit the links below: Help   |   My Virgin Media   |   Privacy   |   About Us Registered address: 500 Brook Drive, Reading, RG2 6UU. Registered in England and Wales No. 02591237. Remember, Virgin Media will never ask you for personal information via email. C0000_D000

[goslow]

Sounds like there are two notification emails: a hotspot-only notification (with no cancellation option, as per Adduxi) and a hotspot+price rise notification (with cancellation option, as per above).

Presumably any option to cancel comes about as a result of the price rise and the hotspot notification, in the same message, is incidental.