Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Tonka. on 28 May 2010, 13:13:30

Title: Virgin Media
Post by: Tonka. on 28 May 2010, 13:13:30
After looking through the VM web site I thought surely I could get HD for free, so...........

Bearing in mind I pay £ 24.50 for TV Size XL and they are offering TV Size XL plus HD inc box for £23.00

I got on on the 'phone to VM and had a little chat with a nice lady.

They will install HD with a set up fee of £49. She told me the set up consists of disposal of the old box (I can do that). Setting up the TV (I can do that) Having been a VM customer for 8 years I said they should waive the set up fee as I am more than capable of plugging in, setting up and activating the card.

She said the technician would have to do it as all TV's are different but she would reduce the fee to £35. I said no fee please. She said £40, no, I mean £30.

I said hang on, the fee covers something which is straight forward to do and varies with each breath you take.

What would you do people? After 8 years I am satisfied with VM and do not wish to leave them, but to try to charge me with what seems random amounts seems a little odd.  :-/

Any advice  :y
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: ScottieMV6 on 28 May 2010, 13:37:07
Threaten to leave and see what you can get out of them then? I know it works with Sky and most of the mobile phone companies.

Pretty sure they won't want to lose you, its a competitive market :y
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: Varche on 28 May 2010, 13:52:13
It is far harder to win a new customer than keep an existing one.

Call back and negotiate with talk of Sky products.......
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: tunnie on 28 May 2010, 14:25:52
Sky let you install newer boxes for nowt! As you say its very simple to plug it in, the excuse that all TV's are different is bull. They all use industry standard connections!
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: Kevin Wood on 28 May 2010, 14:42:02
Quote
Sky let you install newer boxes for nowt! As you say its very simple to plug it in, the excuse that all TV's are different is bull. They all use industry standard connections!

What's the score for an existing Sky customer upgrading to a Sky+ box?

Thinking the existing setup (either set top box or LNB, haven't proved it yet) is getting a bit flaky.

Current contracts seem to come with a Sky+ box as standard. Just wondering if I am likely to be able to blag one?

Not interested in HD and they will come and install stuff over my dead body. ;D

Kevin
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: Tonka. on 28 May 2010, 15:48:21
Called them back. What an attitude the next woman had.
Her opening line "Hello, do you want me to disconnect you"

Me - "No, I want HD TV"

VM - " I haven't disconnected anybody today, you can be the first if you want"

Me - "Now, I don't want disconnecting but I have spoken to Sky and they seem to be happy to take me as a new customer with the same package as you (VM) including HD TV"

Me - "As you value me as a customer and you want to retain me how about sorting out HD TV without a set up fee"

VM - "No, thats £35"

Me - "As a long standing valued customer, surely you could waive the fee and set it up"

VM - "Its £35, if you won't pay it then you don't have it, tough"

Customer service 0/10

I don't want to change provider as the general service VM give is okay and I don't want the hassle and expense of changing over.

I give up, they drain me >:( >:(

Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: ScottieMV6 on 28 May 2010, 16:19:08
Quote
Called them back. What an attitude the next woman had.
Her opening line "Hello, do you want me to disconnect you"

Me - "No, I want HD TV"

VM - " I haven't disconnected anybody today, you can be the first if you want"

Me - "Now, I don't want disconnecting but I have spoken to Sky and they seem to be happy to take me as a new customer with the same package as you (VM) including HD TV"

Me - "As you value me as a customer and you want to retain me how about sorting out HD TV without a set up fee"

VM - "No, thats £35"

Me - "As a long standing valued customer, surely you could waive the fee and set it up"

VM - "Its £35, if you won't pay it then you don't have it, tough"

Customer service 0/10

I don't want to change provider as the general service VM give is okay and I don't want the hassle and expense of changing over.

I give up, they drain me >:( >:(


I think this might be where you went wrong. You have to let them make that suggestion so they feel like it is their only option to keep you.

You could ring back and try again in the hope you get someone more helpful. Just tell them you are thinking about leaving because you want HD and you can get £100 cashback (effectively making the HD free) if you sign with sky today (this is true, Quidco are offering this deal but it ends at midnight tonight). This might just give them the kick up the harris they need to give you what you want. Let them suggest giving you HD for free :y
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: duggs on 28 May 2010, 16:51:37
They are strange.  I phoned them about a month ago and asked "what can you do for me to prevent me going to Sky ?"

And without question they reduced my monthly bill for Broadband/Phone from £56.00 down to £35.00 ?
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: tunnie on 28 May 2010, 17:25:49
Quote
Quote
Sky let you install newer boxes for nowt! As you say its very simple to plug it in, the excuse that all TV's are different is bull. They all use industry standard connections!

What's the score for an existing Sky customer upgrading to a Sky+ box?

Thinking the existing setup (either set top box or LNB, haven't proved it yet) is getting a bit flaky.

Current contracts seem to come with a Sky+ box as standard. Just wondering if I am likely to be able to blag one?

Not interested in HD and they will come and install stuff over my dead body. ;D

Kevin

Yeah + box is standard, but its not always enabled as thats done on the card.

I've just rung the staff line we have (get straight through  :D)

If you already have a non+ box and never had one, you get one for free, its £60 install, you can install yourself (if you have duel feed to box) its just a carriage fee. Which apparently is £40!  :o  :-/

They will enable + features for free if you provide details of the box you get, but i rekon eBay ones would be crap.

I'd be inclined to pay £40 postage as that basically gets you a new box, sort out the wiring yourself, ring them up and get it enabled on your account  :y
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: tunnie on 28 May 2010, 17:27:04
oh i did ask if they could ship the box to an internal Sky address so i could collect it, but they said it had to go to the customers address  :(
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 28 May 2010, 17:46:18
Both companies know they have you by the short and curlies.

Why on earth would anyone want to give up VM for sky, and most people that cant get VM will only go for sky if the freeview box doesnt cover what they want.

Given the chance of VM I would dump Sky tomorrow.  Plus if a 3rd company came along and un;ocked thier box to add it to a network or allow USB caddies to be added I would leave them both behind.
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: tunnie on 28 May 2010, 17:48:28
i had VM at Uni, and would have dumped them for Sky, but the superior internet speeds kept us with VM.
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: Kevin Wood on 28 May 2010, 17:53:48
Quote
Yeah + box is standard, but its not always enabled as thats done on the card.

I've just rung the staff line we have (get straight through  :D)

If you already have a non+ box and never had one, you get one for free, its £60 install, you can install yourself (if you have duel feed to box) its just a carriage fee. Which apparently is £40!  :o  :-/

They will enable + features for free if you provide details of the box you get, but i rekon eBay ones would be crap.

I'd be inclined to pay £40 postage as that basically gets you a new box, sort out the wiring yourself, ring them up and get it enabled on your account  :y

Interesting. Thanks for that, Tunnie. :y

So, cheap dual feed LNB would eliminate a problem with that (old one is 10 years old anyway), Sky+ box would eliminate a problem with the box (10 years old) and PVR functionality added for £40. :y

Only fly in the ointment is running another LNB feed to the living room. Might be able to pull one down the cavity wall, I suppose.

Kevin

Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: tunnie on 28 May 2010, 17:57:27
Quote
Quote
Yeah + box is standard, but its not always enabled as thats done on the card.

I've just rung the staff line we have (get straight through  :D)

If you already have a non+ box and never had one, you get one for free, its £60 install, you can install yourself (if you have duel feed to box) its just a carriage fee. Which apparently is £40!  :o  :-/

They will enable + features for free if you provide details of the box you get, but i rekon eBay ones would be crap.

I'd be inclined to pay £40 postage as that basically gets you a new box, sort out the wiring yourself, ring them up and get it enabled on your account  :y

Interesting. Thanks for that, Tunnie. :y

So, cheap dual feed LNB would eliminate a problem with that (old one is 10 years old anyway), Sky+ box would eliminate a problem with the box (10 years old) and PVR functionality added for £40. :y

Only fly in the ointment is running another LNB feed to the living room. Might be able to pull one down the cavity wall, I suppose.

Kevin


Sure you can do much better & neater job of running new feed yourself  :y

So yeah just £40 for new box and + features, must admit + is super handy, although i forget sometimes, and keep pressing FF button when its adverts, and wondering why its not work.... d'oh its live TV  ;D

I actually PVR it even if i am there to watch it, i'll do something else and come back later when i can FF those annoying adverts  :)
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: Del Boy on 28 May 2010, 18:43:37
Quote
i had VM at Uni, and would have dumped them for Sky, but the superior internet speeds kept us with VM.
VM I find are 10x better tham Sky I think to be honest.
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: Welung666 on 28 May 2010, 18:45:26
We dumped Telewest just as Branson took over, that smug git ain't havin' a penny off me!!!! Sky fitter turned up (free fitting etc. as a new customer) and nailed a bloody great black cable halfway round the living room. 5 minutes after he'd gone the skirting boards and door surrounds were off and the cable was tucked into the milled groove in the back that I'd previously had the telewest cable sitting in! No wires in sight :y
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: RobG on 28 May 2010, 19:35:36
Just got off the phone to VM. The package I`ve got is XLTV + phone with free calls to Virgin mobiles and unlimited any calls at weekends + 10MB broadband. Asked about new customers getting the V+ box and can I have one please. "Yes sir not a problem" Got a £6 reduction in my monthly payment and the V+ box is being delivered with an engineer in two weeks time with no installation fee. Result. :) :y
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: tunnie on 28 May 2010, 20:48:33
Quote
We dumped Telewest just as Branson took over, that smug git ain't havin' a penny off me!!!! Sky fitter turned up (free fitting etc. as a new customer) and nailed a bloody great black cable halfway round the living room. 5 minutes after he'd gone the skirting boards and door surrounds were off and the cable was tucked into the milled groove in the back that I'd previously had the telewest cable sitting in! No wires in sight :y

Read Bransons autobiography, i personally think he is a great bloke!  :y
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: Plomien on 28 May 2010, 21:33:00
I am an ex employee of VM (made redundant),
Richard Branson is an advertising gimic and has bugger all to do with the running of the company.
As regards the original post call through and say that you were offended at the women you spoke to before and in the manner she spoke to you.
Request to speak to a supervisor to make the complaint about her. If they say they will get one to call you back say no you want one now and you can wait.

explain what happened and say that you hadn't even asked to disconnect, you just called to find out how it was done as you had been offered free Sky HD with install.

bet the supervisor gets it to you for free.... :y
Title: Re: Virgin Media
Post by: Kevin Wood on 01 June 2010, 10:12:29
Quote
Quote
Quote
Yeah + box is standard, but its not always enabled as thats done on the card.

I've just rung the staff line we have (get straight through  :D)

If you already have a non+ box and never had one, you get one for free, its £60 install, you can install yourself (if you have duel feed to box) its just a carriage fee. Which apparently is £40!  :o  :-/

They will enable + features for free if you provide details of the box you get, but i rekon eBay ones would be crap.

I'd be inclined to pay £40 postage as that basically gets you a new box, sort out the wiring yourself, ring them up and get it enabled on your account  :y

Interesting. Thanks for that, Tunnie. :y

So, cheap dual feed LNB would eliminate a problem with that (old one is 10 years old anyway), Sky+ box would eliminate a problem with the box (10 years old) and PVR functionality added for £40. :y

Only fly in the ointment is running another LNB feed to the living room. Might be able to pull one down the cavity wall, I suppose.

Kevin


Sure you can do much better & neater job of running new feed yourself  :y

So yeah just £40 for new box and + features, must admit + is super handy, although i forget sometimes, and keep pressing FF button when its adverts, and wondering why its not work.... d'oh its live TV  ;D

I actually PVR it even if i am there to watch it, i'll do something else and come back later when i can FF those annoying adverts  :)

New LNB appears to have fixed it. (Once I remembered the polarisation skew! ::))

Might still think about a + box when I get round to running another feeder down to the living room.

Kevin