UPC Broadband speed upgrade pushing 12 mths contact:(

harvy

To all interested in UPC's broadband speed upgrade. Quote from their webpage:
"Please note this change to your broadband package will signal the start of a new 12 month contract. Increases from 3Mb to 6Mb or from 6Mb to 12Mb will not incur any extra costs. Any other changes will result in an increase to your billing amount."
That sucks! If I have to get involved with them for next 12 months I'd rather get better deal! So I called their helpdesk trying to get another deal as new users can get 2 months half price and WiFi router and they told me that existing customers can get nothing of these!!! So the only option to get what new customers are getting is to quit their services and get new connection after this. That's so stupid! They rather not give good offer to existing customers but pay for new installation (free), give new modem (free) and WiFi (free) rather than keeping existing customer without disconnecting.

Whatsthisabout

upe.ie wrote:

If you are an existing broadband customer and wish to avail of these new faster speeds as they become available in your area, simply complete this form. We will contact you in June to confirm your broadband package has been updated.

They are giving you a choice.

This type of thing is the norm in most ISP strategy across Europe.

In England where the broadband market is so saturated all the providers do things like this, where all the new deals are available to everyone but all they ask off the existing customer is that they sign a new contract.

This is the norm so I wouldn't be thinking upc are doing anything too bold here

paulm17781

So hang on. If I choose to "upgrade" to 12MB I have to sign up for another year of substandard service. If I don't I have to pay more than other 6MB customers?

CAI here I come.

Whatsthisabout

Well I can't speak from fact here, but I would imagine if you don't opt for the upgrade you wont be subject to the new contract.

However if you Downgrade to the express pack from the ultra pack you wont be subject to a new contract either. This will mean you will still have 6Mb but at the express price of 10 euro cheaper.

Moriarty

paulm17781 wrote: »

So hang on. If I choose to "upgrade" to 12MB I have to sign up for another year of substandard service. If I don't I have to pay more than other 6MB customers?

CAI here I come.

If you choose to upgrade you'll be using a new service. If not, you'll continue to have the service you signed up for whenever you got your most recent ntl/upc contract at the same price as you've always paid. I don't see the issue here.

Cabaal

While "some" ISP's give free speed upgrades, I see this as a pretty fair step by UPC

paulm17781

Moriarty wrote: »

If you choose to upgrade you'll be using a new service. If not, you'll continue to have the service you signed up for whenever you got your most recent ntl/upc contract at the same price as you've always paid. I don't see the issue here.

So you're saying if I don't want to sign a new contract with a service I am not sure I want to keep, I deserve to pay more than the service costs?

Moriarty

You deserve to pay what you said you would when you entered into a contract. That's what you'll be doing if you choose to stay with your current contract. The other offer is entirely open to you to move to at any point, if you accept a new 12 month contract with that package at that price. It's normal business practice and fair for all concerned.

paulm17781

Moriarty wrote: »

You deserve to pay what you said you would when you entered into a contract. That's what you'll be doing if you choose to stay with your current contract. The other offer is entirely open to you to move to at any point, if you accept a new 12 month contract with that package at that price. It's normal business practice and fair for all concerned.

Actually that's a very good point. I think if I felt UPC lived up to their side of the service I wouldn't have an issue with it. I'm happy with them 90% of the time. The other 10% I want to leave, I've been with them about 4 years now and have always had the option to leave, I suppose I just don't want to lose that.

RoyalMarine

paulm17781 wrote: »

Actually that's a very good point. I think if I felt UPC lived up to their side of the service I wouldn't have an issue with it. I'm happy with them 90% of the time. The other 10% I want to leave, I've been with them about 4 years now and have always had the option to leave, I suppose I just don't want to lose that.

so your saying 10 euro extra a month is worth it to you rather than signing a new contract and saving 10 euro a month? just so you can have "peace at mind" with having the ability to cancel upc broadband anytime since your out of your original 12 month contract......

seems crazy to me.

paulm17781

RoyalMarineComm wrote: »

so your saying 10 euro extra a month is worth it to you rather than signing a new contract and saving 10 euro a month? just so you can have "peace at mind" with having the ability to cancel upc broadband anytime since your out of your original 12 month contract......

I hate message boards...

No, what I'm saying is I agree with Moriarty. Whether I like it or not, this is the choice I have. I can sign a new contract or I can move on. My initial complaint is invalid as I'm not being forced into anything. I don't like the choice I have but I have an option.

Couch Potato

In the process of considering what to do next in light of the new 12 month contract.

When I signed up for BB I had to take the Analog tv package also.

Now the BB is available without the tv for 6 euro extra.

My question is - if I cancel the analog tv and pay the extra for the BB - is the tv signal still be transmitted down the cable anyway ?

watty

I'd say there will not be analogue TV much longer. Each Analogue TV is 6 to 12 Digital TV channels or very approx 100 Broadband users. Also Analogue TV can't be secured. I'm sure I have answered your question.