Haggling with broadband provider

[diddlydee]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Is it too late? Call them and check Pixie - they might be able to stop the cancellation?
(I'm ignorant with all things techie so sorry if this is obviously not possible)

[5corpio]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Yep! :red

The dongle seemed fine tbh - maybe a little slower but I don't download anything. Might try it for a while until the work situation picks up. There isn't a BT line in the house so I'd have to pay £85 for one to be put in and I can't really afford that at the moment, especially with Christmas around the corner - my fault for having 4 kids!!

Is there a BT Box in the premises?

T&C With BT: * If you do need to connect a new BT line, the charges are (incl. VAT):
[size=5]* £0 when you take a TV, Broadband & Calls package
* £0 when you take a Broadband & Calls package
* £29.99 when you take a BT line only (with no broadband or TV) – (standard price for connection £127.99 – see below for offer conditions)
ITS ACTUALLY FREE IF YOU HAVE A WIRED BT 'LOGO' BOX IN YOUR PREMISES
https://www.productsandservices.bt.com/ ... n%20charge
ITS A 18 Mth contract.....

There are 2 packages online: http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/c ... 25633#tab2
£13.99 10GB Usage p/mth + £9.99 p/mth Line rental =£23.98 p/mth (£FREE First 3 mths)
£17.99 40GB Usage p/mth + £9.99 p/mth Line rental =£27.98 p/mth (£9.99 First 3 mths)
Both have: [size=5]Unlimited UK^ Evening and Weekend calls including 0845 and 0870 numbers (midnight Fri to midnight Sun, for up to an hour - you must make at least 10 chargeable or inclusive calls per month or aquire £1.50 charge for it ie; you call someone and get them to hang up 10x lol)

I was getting it installed this year as i had a BT Box & No number as well as explained its OLD but has BT embossed on their box, its was going to cost me £0 For package standard Phone Line rental & Broadband. But cancelled as i was made redundant and would've sat with a 18mth contract... :cry

[billypre]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

More fool you for listening to the muppets on MSE! Going through to disconnections means, ermm - they have decided to let you go|! NEVER let it get that far! (as you've learned) haha

Can't agree here Nidster.

I have went through to the "retentions" (disconnections) department with Virgin every time i have been wanting an extra added or a discount etc and always been successful except once (detailed below). I dont overdo it though and its always a reasonable ask and not anything outrageous.

Its not over yet Pixie. The game of bluff is still alive. The one time they called my bluff i was in same boat and on 30 day notice of cancellation. About 1-2 weeks before it was due to cancel the retentions team called me up with one final offer to keep me as a customer, which i accepted as it was exactly what i asked for lol.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Can't agree here Nidster.

I have went through to the "retentions" (disconnections) department with Virgin every time i have been wanting an extra added or a discount etc and always been successful except once (detailed below). I dont overdo it though and its always a reasonable ask and not anything outrageous.

Its not over yet Pixie. The game of bluff is still alive. The one time they called my bluff i was in same boat and on 30 day notice of cancellation. About 1-2 weeks before it was due to cancel the retentions team called me up with one final offer to keep me as a customer, which i accepted as it was exactly what i asked for lol.

Yea but it's a bloody big gamble when you could be left with no service at the end of it! Is that really worth it?

I say not, so in my humble opinion, i'd say never let it get that far. An incentive is all well and good, when it suits both parties. Hold someone to ransom long enough, they will never agree again. Been there and done it several times with Sky - used them since they first came in the UK back in the 80's (with 5 channels) and a square dish! Haggled and haggled but they always win, i've cancelled and went to wife / back to me that many times I lose count! You know why I do it? Every 2 years your HD box slows down, they always do - but Sky, in their wisdom, give free boxes to newbies but those that have paid for years (in my case almost 25yrs) - we get a discount and are expected to still pay.

Soooo, its easier to cancel and join in wifes name, get new HD box, 2 new plus boxes (for free) £50 vouchers, then in 2yrs do the same process back to me. Works all the time - but the first time they cancelled it I was gobsmacked and disgusted..... they never reward loyalty like they do newbies. Remember that!

Cancel then haggle to rejoin, for best deals.

[billypre]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Yeh i hear what you are saying. I dont hold them to ransom much though. I phone up and choose the option "If you are thinking of leaving us press *"

Then they ask why i am "thinking" of leaving and i give my reason. This is where they then try and retain you. Usually if they have given them a decent offer to match they will do it.

I would always say to people who try this route......... NEVER actually go through with the disconnection unless you are SURE you are happy to switch if it backfires........ but to be honest you shouldn't let it get that far. Always remember you aren't talking to the "disconnections" team, you are talking to "retentions" team, whose job it is to stop you from getting disconnected. You can haggle and throw a deal at them and they usually back down. If they don't you can always just tell "retentions" that you will have a think and phone back.

[Pixie]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Yep! :red

The dongle seemed fine tbh - maybe a little slower but I don't download anything. Might try it for a while until the work situation picks up. There isn't a BT line in the house so I'd have to pay £85 for one to be put in and I can't really afford that at the moment, especially with Christmas around the corner - my fault for having 4 kids!!

Is there a BT Box in the premises?

That's answered in the quote!!!!

I'll see if Virgin come back with an offer. O2 did with my mobile when I threatened to leave last year, about a week before I was due to leave. Though my daughter left Virgin last year and they didn't get back to her. Though I think she just told them straight out that she wanted to leave and didn't try to haggle with them.

I don't really watch enough tv to justify paying for it and I've got freeview. At the moment, I'm not too bothered about a land line I really only use it to phone those awful 0845/0870 numbers and to phone my friend in Australia and she now has Skype. I have plenty of cross-network minutes on my mobile to phone my Dad etc. As for incoming calls...

So, for now, I'm going to get a 3 PAYG dongle and keep a look out for any offers. I reckon I'll probably save about £350-£400 over the year.

[billypre]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

As for the 0845/0870 numbers i would advise using the saynoto0870 website. For almost any number which has a "premium" code you will find a landline number or better still a freephone alternative.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Pixie, but but but *excuse my ignorance here* a dongle isnt direct so is slower, it also uses usb before it does anything plus its quite dear, no? How long is the contract?

Too many people jump in for these dongles and here i am again slating them for the junk that they are! If you find a blind spot in your house - you've signed up to a mobile network for xx years that could be a wasted job if you get no signal in the room u want it.

You're only going to be running at an extremely small percentage of your capability. In honesty dongles are shyte and were never designed to be a main source of broadband.

PS if you're certain about this huge mistake, then at least go to a firm thst gives a free laptop lol

[Pixie]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

I appreciate your concern Niddy

I'm not saying that the dongle will be as good/quick as my cabled broadband but will probably be adequate for what I need.

I'm not thinking about signing a contract but getting a PAYG dongle which works fine in the room I have my computer. I know because I borrowed my daughter's. 3's website says that you can improve the signal by using a wireless router in the room that gets the best signal and plugging the dongle into that. A 12GB dongle from 3 costs £79.99 (can get £12 cashback on it) - less than I'd have to pay to have a BT line installed. According to Virgin my usage is usually in MB, with 1.6GB being used a couple of months ago. So it [size=5]should work out cheaper.

I'm not necessarily thinking of a dongle as a long-term solution - just waiting until a) I have some spare cash b) special offers.

Anyway this might all be irrelevant. Had a call this morning (answerphone dials 1471) from a number which comes up on 'who calls me?' as .....Virgin Media! ;-)

[5corpio]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Dongle no good for downloads agree totally. 350kb a second I get on download

I use a PAYGO and it's as good as broadband speed (again this depends on your area & connectivity), but I only use for here, facebook, picture uploads, browsing and emails and never looked back really (video, and downloads different ball game on PAYGO though which I don't use. Its cheaper for me to run for what I have to do on it (got a BT box though). Wouldnt get a dongle contract, as it's cheaper to get broadband Including paying for the installation.

[5corpio]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Got OH dec last year 3 dongle for when she goes to Leeds and Newcastle for work £79 for 12mth PAYGO and she still got 3gb left which expires this mth (I sometimes pinch it so I can upload my pics and videos) lol

[Pixie]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Just spoke to Virgin and they just wanted to know why I was leaving when I'd been with them for a long time. Didn't improve their offer though.

[5corpio]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

Just spoke to Virgin and they just wanted to know why I was leaving when I'd been with them for a long time. Didn't improve their offer though.

Just say that you 'have experienced very poor and bad customer service', and it 'may' swing it back in favour towards you who knows..... gh

[billypre]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

A line which i always use is *I really want to stay with virgin but......." then just say that you are finding better offers elsewhere etc.

Is the offer they gave you not tempting ? Or is it worth switching ?

[Pixie]

Re: Haggling with broadband provider

The offer isn't bad - certainly a lot cheaper than I have been paying - but I could get better offers elsewhere if I had a BT line, which is probably where they think they've 'got' me.

I'm not too bothered about the TV package because I hardly watch it and the house phone is mainly used for dcas to ring me and I don't see why I should pay for that 'privilege!

Looks like I'll be trying a dongle for a while, until the money/work situation improves.