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Author Topic: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'  (Read 27208 times)

oldfogy

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Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« on: March 25, 2015, 12:56:52 AM »

Yesterday I had cause to call the VM helpline, fortunately on the second occasion I got through to the Scottish help-desk.
(The first so-called helpline operative in India eventually simply sent me a link to a web page for help in blocking unwanted calls, 99% of which I had already told him that I was already doing, needless to say, VM India sucked again) why do they bother with those people.

But back to the point, I tried again and fortunately got the Scottish call centre and within 2 minutes answered the quest which is they can't block individual numbers (PPI Caller from Manchester, 20+ calls on Monday alone)

But the good news (long story short) VM have now made 'Caller ID' FREE OF CHARGE, so no more £2+ per month fee.
I didn't ask what happens to anyone who already subscribes, but if you are one of those or want caller ID then you just need to ask.

Better still was even though the very nice Scottish lady said it could be 'up-to' 24 hours before it's set up, it was actually set-up within about 15 minutes, I know because I then received another call from Manchester.

So that was that.
**************************
But just to follow the story on a little, I decided to phone the Manchester number (0165 6253130), thankfully probably the best thing I did instead of continuously ignoring them.

However it seems they are getting around the 'Telephone Preference Service' regulations in my mind with using a fictitious name of someone who supposedly initiated the enquiry using in this case my number which then gives them the right to continue to call back the caller to continue with their request, 'YES' what a load of tripe.

But at least once the Manchester person believed that although my name was not 'Sharon' and no one of that name lives here and I have had the same number for the last 15 years she agreed to remove my number from the enquiry list, obviously only time will tell, but as said earlier, maybe I should have tried talking to them earlier instead of pulling out my last remaining strand of hair.
(Obviously my Avatar is the real me) just that it was taken 66 years ago.
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kitz

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2015, 04:22:52 AM »

Thanks for letting us know.

Its interesting that Virgin have just made this service free, when BT last year announced that they are now to start charging for it. :D

--------
btw thats not a Manchester (0161) number.   01656 is Bridgend and belongs to Action Direct who telemarket PPI.

If you search around the net in many places they have been marked as Aggressive Advertisers. - eg :(

I hope you got it sorted and they dont bother you anymore. :)
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oldfogy

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2015, 12:04:11 PM »

Thanks for the correction, they are appreciated.

As for me saying VM have just introduced the Caller ID as being free, I think the help-line did actually say it had been introduced a couple of months ago, so again maybe as you said to coincide with BT starting to charge (although I always 'thought' everyone charged) but it's another good step in the right direction of helping customers with the little things in life.

Although I did make the comment 'in a friendly way' that VM don't actually do themselves any favours by not going out of their way to mass publicise things and just expect people to pick-up these goodies by scanning their web-site.

But yes, early days yet, so will have to wait and see what happens.
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jid

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2015, 08:57:04 AM »

Action Direct are not far from me and quite a big employer in Bridgend. Short contracts and rubbish pay was what I heard last.

Good luck with them Of, seems you may have solved the nuisance calling for now :)
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broadstairs

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2015, 09:59:59 AM »

I thought Caller ID was free as it helps with unwanted or nuisance calls. TT dont charge.

Stuart
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AArdvark

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2015, 12:46:30 PM »

Quote
it helps with unwanted or nuisance calls.

Which is why you usually pay for it. Captive market !!!. [TT are using it as a enticement to go with them]
Allow anyone to 'mass market' to your customers or so they say !!. Make money. Ka-Ching  ;D
Thought process: If you want to deal with all the marketing and scam calls you have got to 'cross my palm with silver' Ka-ching.  ;D
Laugh all the way to the bank. [Don't get me started on the Banks ......  >:( ;D )
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oldfogy

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2015, 02:30:18 PM »

Well so-far since contacting them I haven't had any more calls from them, but now the caller ID is free I have bought one of those call number blockers from ebay, the price was not to bad compared with some of them '£15.30 with P&P' and should be arriving tomorrow, but obviously only time will tell and we will have to wait and see.

I'm not sure although I don't think this particular one will allow me to input numbers manually, which will be a shame really because I have a small list of callers originating from asia from last year, so if and when it starts again I'll just have to wait before being able to block any-more of their calls.

It's unfortunate that the Panasonic phone quad phone set I already have does not have the call blocking facility, although I did also leave a £25 bid on a triple set of BT phones, but just been notified of being out bid.

Who knows, maybe the answer is not to ignore them at the beginning, 'even though they are such a pain in the proverbial back-side'
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oldfogy

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2015, 01:43:15 AM »

Well I thought I would tag this onto this thread seeing as it concerns Virgin Media.

What is it they say, you get nothing for nothing.

Yesterday I received a letter from Virgin Media telling me that from February 2016 they will be increasing my monthly fee by £4.49, which will mean my basic payment goes from £26.58 to £30.80, which is just over a 17% increase.
This is for a basic internet, telephone line rental is paid annually so is not included in the above payment and my TV package is also the lowest package and was informed as it's just the basic Freeview package it is FREE, so that will make my internet £30.80 pm.

So thanks Virgin Media for the upcoming free upgrade to 75mbs but after February I doubt if it will be of any use, simply because this is one more customer you will be losing.

*******************
Edit.
No-doubt this is the consequence of the free upgrade that I mentioned in a earlier thread.

http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php?topic=16348.new;topicseen#new
« Last Edit: December 06, 2015, 03:34:55 PM by oldfogy »
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oldfogy

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #8 on: December 25, 2015, 04:59:03 PM »

Well that's it, signed, sealed, and now just waiting for delivery on 11th January 2016.

Yes GOODBYE Virgin Media and hello TalkTalk.

With Virgin Media's proposed increase in February it would have meant my monthly bill was a minimum of £44.73 against my new bill of just £21.45. (both included 24/7 free calls to 01 & 02 numbers)

Yes I know the BB is not the same or maybe even anywhere near as fast but I do not need VMs speed any longer.

On a slightly different note, I found yesterday 'by accident' that Virgin Media has included a few more extra channels, no doubt just for the holiday period as they do from time-to-time, but annoyingly they never inform anyone when they do such things, maybe they could have let people know when they sent out the email notifying us that our bill was ready, but no, they can't be bothered.
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burakkucat

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #9 on: December 25, 2015, 06:26:38 PM »

Just wondering which type of broadband service you have taken. ADSL2+ or VDSL2 based?  :-\

I have had a TT service for over eight & a half years and have no cause to consider "going elsewhere".  :)
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oldfogy

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #10 on: December 25, 2015, 06:43:32 PM »

I don't know which type or what the difference is (ADSL2+ or VDSL2), although I'm not expecting things to go without a hitch, because in-spite of telling the helpline operator my existing phone is through cable, and the BT socket in the house has never been connected in the street box, but we'll have to wait and see what happens on that score on the day, although I mentioned it a few times I was assured there will not be a connection fee, which was one of the reasons for not switching in the past when they wanted £150 to connect the BT line, which at the time would have wiped out any saving in switching so just put up with Virgin.
If things do go without a hitch, then that will be a bonus.
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Black Sheep

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #11 on: December 25, 2015, 09:12:14 PM »

I highly suspect you are not on your own, OF ?? This mythical 'need for speed' IMHO, is driven by obsessives and pedants.

I'm not talking about individuals such as Weaver (hope he doesn't mind the reference ??), who are limited due to geographical constraints. I'm on about Mr Average who lives in a terraced house a few hundred yards from the street DSLAM.
They are for the most part more than happy with the VDSL2 speeds they get, especially for the price they get it for.

This constant call by the few for Gigabit FTTP, would not be required by the masses ............ especially when the tariff is observed by the EU. 

Glad you've halved your outgoings OF, a frugal move indeed.  :) :)
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oldfogy

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #12 on: December 25, 2015, 09:21:02 PM »

One of the other problems with these speed upgrades is that as with Virgin Media 'following court mandates' blocks most of the sites that 'if I was still pirating' would still want to use, even though the use of a VPN bypasses that problem for downloading the actual torrent.

As for receiving email, well 2 seconds of 22 seconds would not make any difference, but obviously there are times when speed may be required, but for me not now very often.
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burakkucat

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #13 on: December 25, 2015, 10:06:57 PM »

I don't know which type or what the difference is (ADSL2+ or VDSL2),

A TT ADSL2+ service will originate from their own MSAN, installed in your local telephone exchange. A VDSL2 service will originate from an Openreach MSAN, configured as a DSLAM, and contained in one of those ubiquitous green cabinets.

So a TT ADSL2+ service will be up to 24 Mbps DS, whereas the TT VDSL2 service could either be up to 40/2 Mbps DS/US or up to 80/20 Mbps DS/US.
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oldfogy

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Re: Latest Virgin Media 'Freebie'
« Reply #14 on: December 25, 2015, 10:28:47 PM »

In which case as my speed will be 'upto' 17mbps I guess  it might be the ADSL2+ connection, but TBH providing I can receive emails, surf the net, book my holidays and a bit of on-line banking then I should be adequately taken care of.

My only other concern at the moment is if my 8 port (Gigabit Ethernet Switch Model GS605) switch box will be suitable, but at a guess I'm thinking it will be, if not, again not to worry as it pushes me to go ahead and reduce/downsize my equipment which is also something else I want to do.
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