UPC standalone charge for existing customers only

none

Does any one else see an issue with that?

This is what they have in their T&C.

A standalone charge of €7.75 applies to all broadband packs and is in addition to the prices shown here. This charge is not applicable if broadband is taken with a UPC TV or Phone service.

http://www.upc.ie/broadband/twentyfive/

This is what they wrote to me in response to me questioning the above.

Please be advised that customer who are subscribed to broadband and phone prior to August 2011 are liable for the standalone charge. However customers who have installed broadband and phone after August 2011 are not liable for the standalone charge. As the phone connection on your account was installed prior to August 2011 and you don’t have a UPC TV connection so you are liable for the standalone charge.

I have their BB and phone, no TV.

p.s.Sorry, I had to create a new thread as all the old ones on the subject are closed.

vibe666

yup, same thing happened to a lot of us but we complained to the customer loyalty team during the upgrades and they removed it.

not sure if they're still doing that tho, but its worth a shot.

Fnz

vibe666 wrote: »

yup, same thing happened to a lot of us but we complained to the customer loyalty team during the upgrades and they removed it.

Did they get satisfaction by complaining to the reps on boards.ie or over the phone?

Think I'd like to ditch their slow DVR box and possibly their phone service.

vibe666

i did it via email, but some others have done it via twitter and over the phone too from what i remember.

cookie1977

I did it over the phone.

I rang customer loyalty, told them I was canceling service if they didn't put me onto a package which was meat for new customers.

Within 5 mins, I was on the package.

Also, I had a few months left in contract, they didnt say anything about that.

Leiva

I have TV and BB now for over 7yrs .

Was thinking of ditching the TV and going SKY but keeping the BB .

Am I gonna face a additional fee cause I now will only have one service (BB) ?
:mad:

vibe666

mixednuts wrote: »

I have TV and BB now for over 7yrs .

Was thinking of ditching the TV and going SKY but keeping the BB .

Am I gonna face a additional fee cause I now will only have one service (BB) ?
:mad:

if you only have the one service then most likely yes. but if you get the basic phone package, no probably not if you kick up a fuss.

brophs

Someone mentioned to me the other day that they got broadband on its own without the standalone charge and without being a UPC customer beforehand. Anyone know whether that's a standard thing?

brophs

brophs wrote: »

Someone mentioned to me the other day that they got broadband on its own without the standalone charge and without being a UPC customer beforehand. Anyone know whether that's a standard thing?

The standalone charge doesn't apply to new customer AFAIK.

none

Thanks for all the feedback:)

But the fact that the standalone charge doesn't apply to new customer seems a bit strange, to say the least. And I definitely don't get it.

Normally, the existing customers can be treated preferentially due to some discontinued tariffs or other loyalty programs. The new customers can only avail of some short-term offers but long-terms conditions are almost always better for the old ones.

In the case of UPC, it's the opposite. It's like they're saying "We want all our existing customers to terminate their contracts". Well, not much sense in it. Certainly, some of those may sign up again but there'll definitely be a good deal of people opting for a competitor after such a "preferential treatment".

brophs

I just spoke to UPC on the phone and they were adamant the standalone charge is still in place if you don't take either the phone or tv package with it.

vibe666

none wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback:)

But the fact that the standalone charge doesn't apply to new customer seems a bit strange, to say the least. And I definitely don't get it.

Normally, the existing customers can be treated preferentially due to some discontinued tariffs or other loyalty programs.

not in this country. there's always special offers to attract new customers whilst existing customers get shat on. look at sky tv, always offering special offers for new customers, but if you're an existing customer you have to quit (or at the very least threaten to quit) and sign up under a different name to get them.

mobile phone companies are the same too, more interested in new business than keeping the old business.

Crackity Jones

brophs wrote: »

I just spoke to UPC on the phone and they were adamant the standalone charge is still in place if you don't take either the phone or tv package with it.

Just ask to be put through to cancellations or 'loyalty' dept. They will sort it. UPC cust care Twitter guys very helpful too. They sorted me out.

This was a big talking point when these packages launched.

..Brian..

The stand alone charge will always apply to ANY customer existing or new, if they have BB on its own.

If the phone is available then its always cheaper to get the phone activated instead even if you do not take a handset or ever use the service.

Basic phone = €6 pm or stand alone charge = €7.75 pm

Or bundle 25mb BB and Freetime world (off peak calls free) for €40 pm, even cheaper again!

If you have BB and Phone and are still paying the standalone charge ring sales or customer loyalty and they can simply put you onto the new bundles.

cookie1977

I threatened to leave when the changed the speeds. I rang and asked to speak to the customer retention team. The reason I gave was that a friend had the same BB only package as me but yet didn't have to pay the stand alone charge and I thought this unfair. They agreed and now I only pay 25euro for the bb service only.

cardol

I posted in this thread back on the 1st September 2011 - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056373258&page=2 - it got closed, as someone felt it was straying off topic!:rolleyes:

I am still having huge problems with UPC. Every month, there is a new problem with my bills and I have to phone Customer Support (itself a nightmare) to have someone try to explain the huge costs to me, before eventually admitting mistakes were made!

Read my first post about when I signed up. The costs now are all related to this first mistake they made.