Virgin Media Community

[Bobbybiscuit]

I signed up for this package because it was the beat around deal finacially. 

However, I am stuffed now because I upgrade my phone with Virgin Mobile because they want me to take a phone and sim packagewith them but I have a O2 contract which I was effectively blackmailed in to taking to get a good deal. Virgin wont do a phone only deal unless you buy outright. Oh yeah I wish!! 

So the alternative is an O2 deal with phone and sim card as an upgrade. two things wrong with that. 

1) 02 not so good as EE. Takes ages for notifications to come through. One voicemail took day 2 days to arrive!! 

2) I lose the sim deal of £25 all in. Must have a new contract and I would get less for same money.. Not even happy with 02. 

So be careful what you sign up for. I regret it now.

[enlli]

You say O2 not as good as EE but from the beginning of this year Virgin were using Vodafone. My advice for the future is never move to another network without checking it out fully beforehand. Use a PAYG SIM if necessary.

Also paying for a phone on contact comes with two big disadvantages. 1. It is the most expensive way to buy. 2. You tie yourself in the a significantly long period with one operator.

[Bobbybiscuit]

Research today shows that a phone and sim contract is cheaper than a separate phone and sim card contracts. 

So how do you propose I pay for a £1500 for a new phone? (bear in mind interest free on a lot of contracts)

I never had a choice of whether to have O2 as it was part of the new Virgin VOLT package. Basically if you dont take it the package excluding sim would cost a LOT more. Thats what I was told. 

So my complaint has gone in to Virgin Media who stitched me up. 

[Andrew-G]

@Bobbybiscuit "but I have a O2 contract which I was effectively blackmailed in to taking to get a good deal"

Blackmailed how?  I'd guess you didn't at any point have to take the Volt package, and that you chose it, knowing the main facts.  And then you had a 14 day cooling off period to check out the small print. 

I'd agree that Volt doesn't suit everyone (me, for instance), but for those who find the costs and benefits are right it can be very good value indeed with significant benefits on both the VM and O2 sides.  You even said "I signed up for this package because it was the beat around deal finacially" so what's changed?  Either it was the best value, or it wasn't?

[Bobbybiscuit]

I was not aware of the ramifications when it came to upgrading my phone with Virgin mobile. Basically I cant! (unless i take out a sim card with them)

I wanted to renew my contract at roughly the same price I was paying already. So no o2 sim meant I would pay substantailly more to Virgin media. At a time when cost was important ( we all dont have lots of money especially when your retired) COST was important. 

So my advice to the community and everyone else is that dont sign up for VOLT with a sim card where the service may well be inferior to what you previously expected. 

[Roger_Gooner]

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@Bobbybiscuit wrote:

Research today shows that a phone and sim contract is cheaper than a separate phone and sim card contracts. 

So how do you propose I pay for a £1500 for a new phone? (bear in mind interest free on a lot of contracts)

I never had a choice of whether to have O2 as it was part of the new Virgin VOLT package. Basically if you dont take it the package excluding sim would cost a LOT more. Thats what I was told. 

So my complaint has gone in to Virgin Media who stitched me up. 

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When I switched to Volt I got an O2 SIM card for £10pm on an 18-month contract with double my 5GB allowance (so 10GB). I reckon you will pay a lot more for a contract phone.

[Bobbybiscuit]

You are lucky. MoneySavingExpert has reserached this Phone plus separate sim or contract for both and currently combined is cheapest. It was not like that previously. 

I was told that unlimited everything was only thing on offer (total cost of virgin media plus o2 was £4 dearer than my previous 18 month contract) so it was a good deal. Would have been another £15 per month without that sim card. 

But now I am stuffed because if I want a new phone only not only I have to have an 02 phone but instead of 18 months contract it will be 36 months on the sim to run along the phone. 

[Roger_Gooner]

I should say that as VM and O2 have merged the new company (VMO2) is actively trying to move customers off its Virgin Mobile contracts (which run on Vodafone) and onto O2. So, the Volt deal includes a doubling of the data allowance and, in my case, paying O2 only £10pm. As you say I was lucky but that's just how it sometimes works out.

[enlli]

When I switched to Volt I got an O2 SIM card for £10pm on an 18-month contract with double my 5GB allowance (so 10GB). I reckon you will pay a lot more for a contract phone.

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12 month contract £8.00 pm for 20GB, now 40 GB.  Think I did well there.

[Bobbybiscuit]

Yes I agree.