TV 360 as part of new package. Unsure about it. Recontracting difficult 2 x price. Outbound passback

[slimcraigy]

Hello. I wanted to get some opinions about the TV 360. I was trying to recontract with Virgin and paying £37.50 for my base package which had Ultimate Volt, Gig 1, two V6, sky sports, cinema uhd, Maxit TV Netflix, the full shebang really.

I can't remember how long I spent on the phone and how many times I rang over a few weeks, and the first deal seemed the best now, £72 same price but no TV 360 and double what I was paying.

 I am unsure of TV 360 and wonder if users preferred the V6 boxes before a software update. If I were to go 360 I should have asked about a third box really but it wasn't part of my plan, now was accepting an offer double what I was paying.

Now they have the money/ contract I notice a shift in how they speak to you. I'm sick of being lied to tbh, duped (like in to dropping hub 5 complaint that they said they'd send it it resolved my complaint) then did t send the hub, so I had to ring back about that again, and I know there are better packages out there, I can see what people post out on certain sites.

I wanted to ask for a referral and  outbound pass back form to be filled out so the team with largest discounts phoned me but they seem to pretend to not know what I'm talking about now. 

It's poor treatment tbh as soon as they have the money/ contract and I'm only trying to get the best deal available at lowest price. In this cost of living era too.  Even now I'm wondering if the only reason the hub 5 got sent was me being out of contract soon and ombudsman mentioned.

I'm really not sure about TV 360 or Virgin anymore. There's only so much someone can take before they get fed up. It is probably in my interests to cancel tbh as it is other people who use them (one box was moved into a family members room when I wanted it in mine and I pay for it and told them my intention to move it into my room. Can just imagine the agro that would cause though if I took that away.

So is TV 360 worth it? I don't know exactly what different and although think you only get one useable hard drive now. Really wondering if I should just cancel completely tbh. I know there's better deals available if one knows where to look.

[slimcraigy]

Hello, japitts. So, if it's streaming focused wouldn't they be pushing bundles like Disney and those kinds of things with 360? 

Or trying to get a third box? If it's cloud based recording then.i guess that means a good internet connection is a must and won't be able to play back without it.

I just wish they'd have done me a price like they did last time. I mean £10 extra sounds reasonable or up to 50-60 range depending on what else is included.

I just get a bit annoyed that I can phone up about it twice in a day and prices change between agents, or ill say please note that deal for me and even told I had 48 hours the first time, rang back and it had changed so it's really annoying and I hate recontracting.

They say look on the website, so I click the offers or upgrades and just get an "oops page not found, go back to homepage" every single time.

Told to use chat, look in the app, all of which I've done to no avail. I have rang up many times and spent hours on the phone and still ended up with a half way house of compromises with no option to revert back to V6 if I don't like 360.

There's a cost of living crisis too and people are trying to limit spending and stay at home more so obviously good deals from providers would be welcome. Loyalty bonus. How about that as well?

I mean wouldn't you be fed up with being lied to? How many excuses they made up why they didn't send the hub 5 I don't know. 

Anyway, sorry for the soap box and thanks for the reply. I'm still considering what to do but leaning towards cancelling now tbh. Duno why V6 would be more expensive or you can't have 3.

[japitts]

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@slimcraigy wrote:

Duno why V6 would be more expensive or you can't have 3.

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1: You can have 3 x V6, I'm not sure why you think otherwise.

2: V6 itself is not more expensive, however VM's discounting can be a dark art at the best of times. I know of relatives who've taken additional services at re-contracting, because those services attracted discounts exceeding their unit price. In other words, a "with" bundle was cheaper than "without". Some people get quite upset with this, but I don't see the issue. Just accept the freebie and file it appropriately! Use it, don't use it - whatever suits you.. but if VM are paying you to take xyz service, then let them.

That is quite common with landline and mobile telephony, but could potentially apply to Disney+ or Paramount+ and - if so - could explain your story.

[slimcraigy]

Thanks japitts.

I guess they lied to me again about the 3 V6 boxes then as I'm sure I've asked a few times and told I can't have them and it'd have to be 360 and a mini. I honestly think I've asked numerous times about it.

I had to ring up about something (maybe intermittent broadband) and said to my brother about moving a box to my room when F1 season started and possibly get a third box, which maybe why he "stole" the other box when they told me I couldn't get 3.

Like I said they lie about things and it seems to be tolerated.

I have no idea why people would be upset with a freebie either, other than if it's inconvenient like the 02 SIM for £25 they don't want. That I do understand as it's a separate bill, extra faff, they may be happy with who they're with already etc. but also added benefits.

Looks like I'll have to cancel this package altogether or just hand my notice in to leave, as it takes way too long to negotiate a decent price now and multiple calls.

If I did stay I'd have to get V6'S back and maybe an extra one but honestly I have already rang a lot/ spoke for a long time and not something I'm looking forward to doing whatever I decide. 

Appreciate the information.

[Tavis75]

The issue I have with having to have lots of extra stuff to get a decent price is that it suggests that they're artificially bumping up the price of the packages without, i.e. there must be some cost to them for offering Netflix (probably considerably less than the full price, as for a start it traps you into 12/18 months of Netflix rather than the usual monthly contract, so there's a benefit to Netflix as you can't dip in and out, but still a cost) so really they should be able to offer a package without it for less, even if it was only a pound or two less.

I know it's up to them what they charge and obviously they want as much per customer as they can get, it just bugs me. It's the same with lots of things these days, was looking at new mobile providers to replace O2 and started with the big names but all they seem to offer were really expensive packages with loads of stuff I didn't want bundled in; Disney+, music streaming, priority access to concert tickets etc. so ended up looking at the more unknown names who seem to be the only ones that offer a mobile phone contract that actually is just a mobile phone contract.

[japitts]

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@Tavis75 wrote:

 for a start it traps you into 12/18 months of Netflix rather than the usual monthly contract

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It's not helping the original poster, but you're contracting with VM for the minimum term duration of 12/18months with a covering discount. If that discount provides price certainty for the relevant period, and you are able to unsubscribe without penalty after that (or even during it), then there's no way you should be out-of-pocket.

Having an account with a third party such as O2 is admittedly a different scenario.

[Tavis75]

Assuming that VM have pushed the package price up to cover whatever Netflix is costing them, then you would be out of pocket if you wouldn't have subscribed to it, and depending on exactly what it's costing then even if you might usually have just got it for a month or two now and again to binge anything worth watching, then it may be working out more expensive.

I haven't watched anything on Netflix since December when I watched Family Switch and Rebel Moon (which was probably not sensible), and before that it was back in October that I last watched anything, so if it wasn't part of my VM package I would have cancelled it long ago.

[japitts]

An interesting side-debate, potentially worth a new thread.

A close relative re-contracted last May with inclusive Netflix, and at no point had to provide billing details to NF directly. VM provided the sign-up link for NF, and on the screen where you choose the pricing tier, there was an option for "inclusive with VM package" or words to the effect.

Thus all the billing is done with VM, the registration with NF - meaning the contract is with Virgin, even if service is provided by the third party. The "look and feel" was of a voucher-code setup, where VM provided payment details to NF directly.

[slimcraigy]

Hi. I've just tried ringing back again and asking if they can stop the upgrade or add a V6 and they say it's like 80-100 otherwise so I don't know what to do.

There seems a barrier as well like what I'm asking and they're asking if I need help setting 360 up when I want to prevent 360 tbh but I dont know.

I also had to ask about returning my hub 4 as there was an email about it and she said I don't think you need to (but not sure of she understood I meant a hub 4)

Also asked about a wire as the splitter is a bit dodgy where the ethernet cable joins the hub (other goes to V6 box ) but all they sent was a replacement ethernet cable which is not the same thing.

I don't know what to do. Should I cancel and will they ring me if I do? I  ant seem to get anywhere when I phone and am due some bill credit too so wanted to know what happens if I cancel and give 30 days notice? Do I get charged at mega expensive for 30 days of they don't ring. I duno why they can't just stop the upgrade if you said I don't have to have it. 

The lady was just saying have you tried remotes and I'm like no I don't want to activate any of it!!! 

Really tired of this tbh. Got other numbers to ring but unsure if I'll get UK retentions or elsewhere which sometimes matters (hope this doesn't sound bad).

It can't be reversed either can it so kinda panicking I'll be stuck with it.

Sorry. Probs sound like a bit frenetic but havent slept n stuff.

Regards Craig S.

[slimcraigy]

Hello. Up for recontracting recently and rang a couple times with offers varying from £72-74-96-116 depending who I spoke to, when (bearing in mind 37.50 for everything Gig1 netflix sports hd, cinema uhd, 02 VOLT and supposedly hub 5).

Every time I phoned offers changed. Was told to look on website but can't as every time an "oops something went wrong back to home page" message appeared or similar so impossible to look at packages online.

Ended up offered 360, tnt, sports cinema netflix same deal except not V6 boxes as for some reason they're more expensive and also mentioned a credit due meaning I wouldn't have to pay anything for a few months (which did influence my decision), so I said ok then was worried about this TV 360 and made a thread about it.

I have rang back and kept eye on bill recently and now instead of credit there's £235 to pay next bill (after going up to 75 from 37.50) before that. 

I'm concerned and still a bit confused what I'm getting whether I don't have to have 360 any more, as I was / am worried about it. I was informed I could get 3 V6'S (by a user on here) so did try to ask for them (maybe if I could cancel 360).

The best I could get eventually (after many calls) was these 360 boxes and a third box would double the price or something after being said to be £5 or £10 earlier. Told me to wait/ activate  360... and similar messages which was exactly what I'd was trying not to do.

I'm so confused. 1. why there was a credit "error" (if it even was an error) as that really influenced my decision to take a package for £72 in the first place (considering it was from 37.50 is still double but at least a credit softened the blow). Worried that now it's showing £235 outstanding and why as even at full price for a month it shouldn't be that much. Surely after just laying 74.50?

I was thinking of cancelling altogether but told if I did it'd be £500 odd quid to do so what about / when I am supposed to have a cooling off period am I not? 

So I can't have 3 V6's (or could if I didn't have 360 (software upgrade I'm unsure if it "upgraded") n therefore if I even have 360). Either way a third box seems to make a package way more expensive apparently (doubling).

I wanted the third box tbh as it isn't me that even gets to watch the TV I pay for as one my brother took, and one in living room so it's been a massive headache.

I mean if I cancelled in cooling off period I shouldn't need to pay £500 surely. Yeh I know it's 30 days but doesn't have to be at highest price.

Something doesn't feel right and I didn't know if I have 360 or they'll stay V6'S now and this £235 that came out of nowhere I want to know how much that should be. No way is it supposed to be that much. No way.

It really is hard on phone to Virgin, some agents are good others there's a lack of understanding/ barrier at times (sorry for saying and no offense but honestly feel it doesn't help).

My bill now shows £235 and £135 Credit (not what it was originally it was a lot more credit supposedly in error). 

My services though it says Gig 1 and TV unknown, Phone unknown or something so I don't know if I even need to activate TV 360 with remotes now, if they are V6 (I'm assuming) still and I really would have liked a third box added for me in my room.

Really don't want to phone up again as it's getting to a point I should just cancel everything (apparently that means no discounts afterwards if I don't leave fully unless that's another lie I was told). In which case if I do and give a 30 day notice in what should I do about the package (in cooling off period)? Get it as low as I can manage or have a new contract until a 30 day period is up?

It's just so confusing and it's been a nightmare recontracting again. Every time it is.

I have screenshots to prove contract (I also have them of credits that were showing allegedly now in error) and now the contract is suddenly £67 not £72 (which showed £77 initially albeit I think £5 was for activation of 360 £5). I'm wondering if that is just V6 now and rest sports, cinema netflix etc. as haven't seen "unknown" before and the rest is my previous contract I think showing.

[japitts]

Once you've accepted an invitation to, or asked to, convert to TV360, the process is usually irreversible.

If migrating from V6, you'll receive new remotes within a few days. You then have a short time to initiate the "upgrade now" option on your V6 home-page before the process is done for you. Any TiVo boxes are hardware swapped to TV360-minis.

The staff will need to comment on your billing issues.