Be Proactive In Your Dealings With Virgin And You'll be Happy. (virginmedia.com)

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	virginmedia.com
Date:	07/03/09 (121 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent services provided.

Disadvantages: You need to ask for better/cheaper packages.

We have been with Virgin Media for 8 years now. Virgin took over NTL who had previously merged with Telewest who had originally provided our service when cable first became available in our area. We have what is known as the XL package for our phone which incorporates free evening and weekend calls to landlines as long as you redial just before 60 minutes, as well as XL for the TV which includes all the cable channels, and the large package for the internet which provides very fast broadband, and we also have caller recognition on our telephone.

We have been very pleased with the broadband, the speed is good up to 10mb and only very rarely has their been any interruption to the service or to the emails we receive. They are now offering even faster broadband, 20mb and recently 50mb, as they are the market leaders in this. On the rare occasions we have had problems they have been sorted out quickly, and any service issues are quickly documented on the website so you know where you are and when to expect a problem to be solved.

So in all we have been very pleased. We probably wouldn't have the XL package as we are not into sports, but some of the channels I enjoy, especially National Geographic and History, are only available on this package so we subscribe to this for that reason.

Cable isn't available in all areas but it is a good option if you have it.

So what is the downside? Well a very major one in my opinion which is one I fundamentally disagree with. One day at work about 3 years ago my husband was talking to work colleagues about their internet and package providers and was horrified to discover we were paying substantially more than those being signed up for new contracts. A colleague advised my husband to query this and amazingly we were given a £20 discount on our monthly bill immediately being told there were other options available to us which were better value. Why oh why were we not told about these?-easy, because as long as you go on paying without question why should they reward customer loyalty?

Last week I was horrified to discover my neighbour who is an elderly gentleman who has only the basic TV package and the phone from Virgin is paying substantially more on his monthly bill then we are. He doesn't even know he could have a package where calls are included and he has month on month paid for an inflated bill not knowing he could query it.

So my advice is to call up the customer helpline and to press the option which says "I am thinking of leaving Virgin" This will ensure you are given the best deal going forwards. Each new contract you negotiate with them has to remain in force for 12 months, and subsequent chats with them have given us more perks for less cost. We have been awarded more channels and faster broadband and had our bills reduced. Now at the bare bone we feel we have probably reached the upper limit of concessions, but our bill is only half what it used to be for the service which has been much enhanced.

They are currently offering to install a v+box for £99 instead of the normal £150 which allows you to pause, rewind and record live TV and then to receive all the package we have would be £40 or so per month. They also have some competitive deals on mobile phones too if you add these onto your bill.


So join Virgin Media by all means, but be vigilant and speak to them on the month leading up to your anniversary and ask for any better deals. The market is so competitive you will almost certainly get a better option.

This review is also posted on Ciao by myself under the user name Violet1278.

Summary: Don't sit on the fence but talk to them and better deals will be offered.