Whenever Virgin Media raises its prices it's a confusing time as we all have different deals and I can only really comment on how the rise affects me. I'm on the VIP package and have just renewed it for a further twelve months to get the Netflix deal, and I've had the email saying that my monthly charge from February will be up by £4.95. Elsewhere I've seen it reported that prices are going up by an average of 6.7%, but it really does vary depending on what deal you've got - my increase is actually 4.3%.
That'll be affordable for me but some may say enough's enough. Virgin Media has sweetened the pill slightly by upping broadband speeds around the same time with the top tier of 130mbps being elevated to a BT-thumping 152mbps.
(It would be nice if they'd throw in Sky Atlantic and the missing Sky HD channels to sweeten it further, but I still have no news on that front to offer.)
18 comments:
Mines going up by 9.3% and I'm reviewing whether it's actually worth it. Can't fault broadband so probably won't cancel but may look to reduce TV service.
You can all leave without penalty as stated n your t&c. I have gone with sky now, well fitted next weds. Pretty much identical package as they now have fibre in my area all for £40 per month all in. VM wanted £74
It always amazes me how as soon as a price increase is announced people jump to Sky and quote lower prices, I have always found you get what you pay for and the small increase by Virgin Media is well worth it for Tivo, superfast broadband and smartcall along with the knowledge if something goes wrong a virgin media engineer will come and fix for free and don't have to deal with third party companies. I'm not a big sports fan but appreciate it being free with my package and all the on demand not taking away from my broadband speed. My neighbour has Sky fibre broadband and even though the box is outside my hedge she only gets 12mb speed and Sky and BT will not do anything about it as it's an up to service and to make it faster would mean replacing telephone line. She only has Sky due to a block paved drive and is considering lifting part of it to go with virgin media now due to the terrible service from Sky both with broadband and loss of picture.
Meant to say appreciate having BT sport for free
sky wont let anyone have the missing channels no chance of getting them
lets have sky news and sky sports hd as a sweetner?
I ditched my TV package a few months back, everything I watch is now via Netflix (US Version), the UK terrestrial catch up services excluding ITV and NOW TV Entertainment package. Oh and I might be downloading the odd movie but not tha many actually
This has also allowed me to ditch the TV licence as its now needed for anything that is on a catch up service
At the end of the day. The only reason I have pay tv is for the kids channels. I couldnt care less who I am with. And about the fast broadband. In the past 14 months I have been with virgin, my speed averages 5.6mb and I have an engineer at my house every 2 weeks or so and they have done bugger all. Sky have assured me of the speed mentioned above or they will give it me for free and I have that in writing!
Sky have a lot more channels including more HD, you get what you pay for, one makes a choice. I was recently in the Virgin shop, and tried TiVo, and found screens sluggish at loading, the SD picture was poor, and the HD not as good as Sky's.
I've only got Xl TV for Disney channel. Missus only watches terrestria. So was cconsidering downgrading to M+ then get a now TV sub with the Disney channel included. Granted price may go up from a fiver in March, but would suit my needs for the time been.
Oh here we go again
"The price is going up"
So when those of you have jumped ship and gone across to Sky, what are you going to say when their costs go up, which we all know will happen, then what?
Stop bitching about the channels, if it was easy & cheap to buy them wholesale we would, but when Sky asks or insane money what are we to do, just say yes. Well that would be a bright idea, VM would be out of business so fast that even our broadband would seem slow.
@sduncb
No company guarantees broadband speeds, you can't be such a fool to honestly believe that, even if it is in writing. VM operate the best broadband in the UK. I have the 130mb service, and when checked on www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/
I constantly get 110mb+
@ Square Eyes, You say Virgin have the best broadband speed, they don't deliver that proper to all their customers, some customers receive very slow speeds, nowhere any speed they should, despite many cowboy engineer visits, proof of this, can be found, by reading Virgin Media Forum, I too have experienced this for a long time in the past, I was getting less than 1 meg download at times.
@Square Eyes
I totally agree with you.
@sduncb
If virgin media price is £74 and Sky price is £40 what are you losing for that? HD perhaps, second box, premium channels, on demand, free repairs. I have checked Sky prices and for the equivalent of the £67.99 virgin media premier package Sky are charging £78.65 and that's without BT sport and with slower broadband. Being honest I am actually surprised that Virgin Media are cheaper without offers.
Have you tried a different computer connected to your router? I was getting slow speeds on my computer and it turned out my computer was at fault. I ran the VM app digital home support PC health check which updated my settings and just like magic my speed went up to nearly full speed.
I have had multiple discounts added to my accoint as I have joined them from vm. I have all the hd and 3d content. The only thing I have lost is an additional box but that doesnt bother me at all
to sduncb
when you add sky multiroom -normally £11 ppm ontop and then lookk at what sky price / package is without these introductory discounts which is cheaper ?
would love to see you list your packages you are recieving as i have sold both virin and sky svs since 2003 and i hear this every day at work
I have the entertainment extra tv package which on paper is pretty identical to the xl in what channels I actually watch.
The fibre plus which is 76mb fibre. Was on 60mb with virgin.
The talk weekend phone which is the same.
I never took advantage of multiroom with virgin as I just put familyguy on in bed so get that on freeview anyway. Without discounts would be the same as vm but £20pm is £240 the year I am saving so I dont care really. Im not a fanboy eitherway just want disney channel for the kids and a crppy reality channel for the mrs when im at work.
I have with Sky, the Entertainment Extra +, same as Virgin XL, I also have Sky movies in HD, I pay £24 a month, this is a regular discount, Virgin could not even come anywhere near that price for the TV, even though I have phone and broadband with Virgin, and been with Virgin for over 16 years.
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