BT v Virgin Media costs?

[Possu]

Not sure if this qualifies as a computer question?

Been with BT for many years, happy with the service although the broadband speed is slow at (peak) times.

I'm currently paying a fixed fee for line rental & broadband plus the cost of calls on top. Bills average £40-£50pcm. I've just received a bill for £73 as I'm now making more weekday daytime calls.

Wanting to reduce my costs, I've been offered a deal with Virgin Media that includes up to 10mb Broadband speed (fibre optic, averages at 8+mb) and unlimited calls to UK landline numbers 24/7 - calls to mobiles, international, 0845 & 0870 number charged at Virgins normal rate. I don't call that many mobile numbers, whilst friends & relatives abroad normally call us as it's very cheap for them & I rarely call 0845 & 0870 numbers.

The cost of this package is £18.95 for the first 2 months and £31.45 thereafter. If I confirm soon, Virgin will wave the £35 installation fee plus I also get to retain my BT landline number (important)

This looks a cracking deal but am I missing something?

One concern I have is that Virgin bought out the old NTL/Comtel business and I had no end of problems with them years ago, the worst customer service I've experienced.

Is there a better package available elsewhere that I've missed? I'm not bother about internet TV & SKY TV etc, Freeview's enough for me.

Thoughts please & thanks in advance.

 

[BBB61]

The only concern is that you if move to Virgin for more than 3 months and decide that you want to come back to another provider that uses BT lines, you will need to transfer back to either BT or the Post Office and they will charge a reconnection fee of between £110 and £125.

 

[Monsieur]

I've been with virgin for quite a few years now - started with diamond cable then ntl and now virgin.
I've had TV, phone and broadband all that time and when I've had issues with any aspect of the package I've ALWAYS had superb service - quick and efficient

 

[MikeP]

When I moved into this place, just over a year ago, it was set-up for the Virgin fibre-optic service and I took it on.

I have the Medium TV package, broadband and land-line phone.

The TV gives me the main channels that I want and a lot that are of no interest to me.

I rarely use the land-line and I like not having to pay BT line rental.

The broadband speed is fast enough for me. I can watch streaming stuff without it hanging-up.

My bills have remained exactly what the package was pitched at (no doubt it would be different if I used the phone for day-time calls).

The only downside I've experienced was last month when Virgin had some major glitch somewhere. I lost TV for about six hours and broadband for twelve.

My monthly payment is under £30.

 

[Nobby]

my bill is between £60/70 thinking of throwing it all in and getting bt anyone got any ideas.and not got the full package either.

 

[GSmonkey]

I too have been with Virgin for years - never really experienced any major problems and broadband speed has always been good.

The only thing is that you've got to keep thretening to leaeve every year to get onto the latest deal. I've got a V+HD box and another upstairs, 10Mb broadband, phone, big TV package for about £45.

 

[wessie]

You can get a better deal by keeping your phone calls with BT and sourcing a separate internet provider.

BT Line rental: £11.54 a month
BT call plan (any UK no. inc. 0845 & 0870, 24/7) £4.99 a month (free for 1st 3 months if you sign a 12 month deal

Then, go to http://www.samknows.com/broadband/search.php and see what options are available to you. Look for LLU operators and compare to Virgin cable. Ignore AOL & TalkTalk. I'm on Be's uncapped Value package at £13.99 a month, although they are currently pushing the capped service at £7.50. O2 is the same company as Be and offer some cheap packages to their mobile customers.

11.54+4.99+7.50=24.03

 

[wessie]

and sign up using Quidco for a decent cashback
http://www.quidco.com/utilities/broadband-digital-tv/

 

[skyenet]

Check out Moneysavingexpert.com phone & Broadband section.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/

I pay line rental and calls to Primus and have Broadband with O2 - Total monthly bills less than £20.

My Ex is looking to get a phone and broadband deal and after a bit of research it looks like Talk Talk is one of the best value options around. I am sure there is no installation fee at the moment and free local calls. Web Exclusive Free Connection.

http://broadband.talktalk.co.uk/products/broadband/essentials

Talk Talk Essentials package:

Fast broadband up to 8Meg (top speed depends on your line and location)
Generous 40GB monthly download allowance
Free wireless ‘G’ router
Free Magic Desktop - give your kids a head start with this fun, educational computer programme
Free technical and customer support (from your TalkTalk line)
30-day no-quibble trial

Unlimited calls to UK landlines, on evening and weekends (including 0845/0870)
Unlimited local calls, anytime
Free voicemail
Free Calling Circle - Choose from 16 mobile and international numbers and get a discount of 10% on those calls
Free Privacy Features

TalkTalk Essential £6.99
Line Rental £11.49
Our line rental charge is cheaper than BT and is required for all phone or broadband in the UK.
Total per month £18.48

 

[chapsworth]

Not wishing to hijack this thread, but if you move from BT Broadband to AN Other, do you lose your BT email addresses?

Thanks
Simon

 

[MasterDabber]

Not wishing to hijack this thread, but if you move from BT Broadband to AN Other, do you lose your BT email addresses?

Thanks
Simon

I imagine not. I had a BT business email address into which I still receive emails 7 years after I left BT. Whether or not it should still work or not I don't know... but it does.

 

[THE ROVER]

I too have been with Virgin for years - never really experienced any major problems and broadband speed has always been good.

The only thing is that you've got to keep thretening to leaeve every year to get onto the latest deal. I've got a V+HD box and another upstairs, 10Mb broadband, phone, big TV package for about £45.

+1. I have contacted virgin threatening to leave also and always got the deal I wanted. I have rival companies details at hand when I do so I can quote prices etc. The V+ box is great, especially as we have his and hers!!

 

[Gossy]

If your BT Broadband 12/18 Month contract has expired, you are probably now on a rolling contract.

I checked with BT, and mine was, I was hoping for a replacement hub.

Without prompting they offered me a reduction in my monthly fee just to stay with them.

Original Option 1 £15.99 – reduced to £7.49 for 12 months, then re-negotiate/cancel or roll the contract for £15.99 again.

So that £19.03 per month (£7.49 + £11.54 line rental) + a new smaller black hub.

Where I am, I can only get up to 2mb, but its enough for what I want.

Where neighbours have gone over to Virgin once its been made to work there are seemingly no problems, but installation and internal wiring seems to be the main worry here at least – but higher speed.

I think whatever set up you have its always best to ask them if they want you to stay.

 

[turbine_2]

Gonna hold my hand up and say I work for VM, so colour my comments as such.

NTL (or NTHell as they were) did have a (probably deservedly) bad reputation. When VM took over 3 years ago one of the first things that was tackled was the call centres and they are demonstrably much better now, both from an actually helping perspective as well as a preventing the fault in the first place perspective. Fault rates over the last 3 years have dropped to the point now where they are at the lowest recorded level ever.

 

[Possu]

Thanks for the input, most appreciated.

Still making my mind up but will decide soon, I like the idea if having everything from one provider.

I have a couple of BT email addresses but don't really use them so no hardship.

Not that bothered about the extra TV channels but if I were, the only programme I'd want to watch is Eurosport for the racing - is this included in the TV packages?

 

[Slowdown]

I'm going to have to move back to Virgin (was with NTL - dreadful call centres) as I can't have broadband faster than 1.5mb and I can't stream TV at that speed.

i'm just hoping Virgin do a good deal on phone, TV, broadband and mobile phone.

 

[wessie]

I'm going to have to move back to Virgin (was with NTL - dreadful call centres) as I can't have broadband faster than 1.5mb and I can't stream TV at that speed.

i'm just hoping Virgin do a good deal on phone, TV, broadband and mobile phone.

If you buy a TV or broadband service from Virgin then you can get a decent discount or upgrade on a mobile phone contract. The SIM only deals are pretty good.

 

[turbine_2]

Not that bothered about the extra TV channels but if I were, the only programme I'd want to watch is Eurosport for the racing - is this included in the TV packages?

Just checked and Eurosport (and Eurosport 2 and EuroNews) are in the M+ package for TV. I believe that Eurosport HD will also be available soon on the HD package but I don't know for sure if that is free or an additional charge.

M+ is £5.50 if taken out with a phone line at £11 per month (subject to you paying by DD and using eBilling rather than paper bills). http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/tv/channels/index.html

Also, take a look at the bottom of that page and there are other options under 'build your own deal', looking at the package (TV M+, BBI L and Phone M) you're describing you're talking about £18 per month, plus call charges.

Hope that helps.