UPC Price increase??

DMcL1971

surf board wrote: »

Have horizon select extra, phone and 120mb bband for 68 per month got increase email of 5er. Rang an loyalty offered me 12months for 36.50. Exact same as I already have.

Doesn't seem unreasonable. For new customers that bundle is €25 for the first 6 months.

http://www.upc.ie/bundles/tv-broadband/

Irish Steve

Increase on UPC eh?

Makes me laugh, if you look on their web site, and try to find out what they offer in Ashbourne, there's nothing found.

Might be something to do with the problem that their "cable" system in Ashbourne is now 20 years out of date, it's still the old Ashbourne Relays network, operating on VHF channels that some (most) modern sets can't even tune in accurately, and the quality is dire, there are so many issues with it, but do UPC actually do anything about it? Not a thing.

It's as bad now as it was when we moved to Ashbourne some 20 years ago, the names have changes, Cable Management, then Chorus, then UPC, but the underlying issue is that UPC have ignored their cable systems for years.

Now that Eircom are installing Fibre locally, I can see a time coming when UPC will just abandon the cable network, and good thing too, I will be very happy to tear down the badly installed and untidy cable that was put all over the place at various times.

Gave up on them a long time ago, best thing we've done in a long time, once I'd got rid of the VHF signals, and put a Sky Quattro Multilink system in, the overall quality issues went away, and with Saorview now replacing the UPC signal, the system is watchable again.

kooga

Spoke to UPC this morning customer loyalty

Setanta sports is not going up staying at €16

digital Value mds going up €3.

As my dad currently has the setanta sub they offered him setanta free for two months, so happy with that. New 12 month contract plus no downgrade fee when he cancels setanta for the summer months june, july and august. so happy with that.

so next two months €20 a month as opposed to €36.

update website showing setanta going up, looks like left hand don't know what the right hand is doing

Add Setanta Plus


Enjoy Setanta 1, BT Sports 1, BT Sports 2 and the New ESPN Channel


€ 17.25 extra a month

Add

Jelle1880

I wasn't too happy with UPC anyway, this price increase is pretty small for me (comes down to 2 euro/month) but it's the principle.

There is no reason imo to increase the prices, except for pure greed.

Think I'll start looking at alternatives.

icdg

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

http://www.upc.ie/pricechanges/

full breakdown of price increases....

3 euro extra for sky sports????? WTF

So if Horizon and "regular" UPC packages are now the same price, surely should be including HD in all their packages now? Or is it the case the "regular'+HD packages are now €5 more expensive then the Horizon packages? Slightly confused on that front.

surf board

The_Valeyard wrote: »

How??????

Rang and said wanted to cancel. Guy in loyalty gave me 3 options. All very attractive offers tbh. I even said it seems too good to be true and he said that's the power their team has.

joe123

Noticed this thread the last day so checked with my girlfriend who gets all the UPC emails and sure enough ours is going up by 5.49 although minus 3.50 for a self service discount.

Now its only two euro but reading through here its looking like we are getting rightly screwed by UPC at the minute.

We have been with them two years and initially had a TV + BB bundle which we were getting charged 66 euro for. We then got a call last year at some stage asking do we want free phone plus espn for an extra 2 euro. So we said why not.

Anyways there was a price incrase last year, I rang them to downgrade and they said we were on the lowest package already and I said will get rid of the phone and ESPN and was told they couldnt do that.

Fast foward to today and we are currently paying 71 euros for 30mb broadband, regular UPC and a phone we never use.

My question is, if I was to ring them today and asked for a downgrade or cheaper UPC would they tie me to another 12 month contract or is there any way they can just reduce the charge?

There is a chance we will be moving around June so the last thing we want is another 12 month contract

In the email it also stated we would be upgraded to 120mb BB in the next while by visiting the link below. When I click the link it shows "technical difficulties".

Can they automatically enter us into a new 12 month contract?

Sorry for all the questions! Any help would be appreciated.

tostao1014

Joe123, I'm on the same as you (bar the phone and ESPN).

Has anyone done any research where to go. Does Sky offer something on par or better, I have twice visited their web site and gave up trying to understand their products bundles.

uSwitch from Eircom looks like a racket.

What about combining TV and broadband from different companies.

I would love to tell UPC to stuff it but I am wondering what my options are first. As an earlier post said this is no way to treat customers. They make you feel like a mug!

tostao1014

Answer my own question . . .

uSwitch ain't great but Eircom's eVision is better value for me than UPC.

eVision Essential Pack
* 30 of the most popular channels
* 50MB Unlimited
* eTalk Off-Peak
* 60 a month after introductory offer

Will save me a tenner, give me unlimited off-peak calls phone calls and increase my current broadband speed by 20MB.

Exo

poisonedstream wrote: »

I am on the basic 50Mb package with phone and unlimited use. They are upgrading me to 120Mb on march 1st and my costs are going up by 0. Still trying to figure it out but wooooo

You're most likely paying €44 already, which is the current price. The increases are indicative of the current pricing. I was paying €42 for the same package, it's gong up by €2 to match their pricing.. if that makes sense. Bull**** move by UPC, but they're giving me 120Mb so I'll let it be.

phelixoflaherty

Currently paying 53 euro for Fibre Power Broadband 50Mb and basic phone, no TV

Cant find a breakdown of the price.

Does the price seem right or am I being overcharged?

dubrov

Yes you are being overcharged.

Here are their latest phone/broadband bundles

http://www.upc.ie/bundles/broadband-phone/

The 120Mb package is only €37

deravarra

phelixoflaherty wrote: »

Currently paying 53 euro for Fibre Power Broadband 50Mb and basic phone, no TV

am I being overcharged?

Yes! Current pricing shows 50 Mb with phone for 37 euro per month

joe123

Spoke with UPC this morning. Got a very unfriendly agent who seemed like she couldnt care less.

Told her how we are paying 71 euro for 30mb broadband and basic UPC and a phone we never use. I explained how we might be moving in the next 5 months and that if we downgrade does that tie us to a new contract which she said it does.

I asked her if we move to an area where theres no UPC what happens and she said you will pay the 200 euro cancellation fee.

I said we will have to cancel so and she was going to put me through to them and then said she needs to get approval from the account holder (under girlfriends name)

The girlfriend will call them later and hopefully we will get someone who cares a little bit more.

deravarra

joe123 wrote: »

Spoke with UPC this morning. Got a very unfriendly agent who seemed like she couldnt care less.

Told her how we are paying 71 euro for 30mb broadband and basic UPC and a phone we never use. I explained how we might be moving in the next 5 months and that if we downgrade does that tie us to a new contract which she said it does.

I asked her if we move to an area where theres no UPC what happens and she said you will pay the 200 euro cancellation fee.

I said we will have to cancel so and she was going to put me through to them and then said she needs to get approval from the account holder (under girlfriends name)

The girlfriend will call them later and hopefully we will get someone who cares a little bit more.

Did ye get an email to let ye know the prices were increasing?

CinSoots

Can I cancel my current Horizon service with them and then reorder a new account in my girlfriends name and get the new customer discounts etc???

gavmcg92

tostao1014 wrote: »

Answer my own question . . .

uSwitch ain't great but Eircom's eVision is better value for me than UPC.

eVision Essential Pack
* 30 of the most popular channels
* 50MB Unlimited
* eTalk Off-Peak
* 60 a month after introductory offer

Will save me a tenner, give me unlimited off-peak calls phone calls and increase my current broadband speed by 20MB.

Also thinking of going with that package too, provided that I get an email about price increases.

Can anyone tell me if Digital Max or The TV point charges are going up? Have yet to receive the email.

smurf22

Got email from UPC last week to tell me my bill was going up €4 so its €80 all together

Decided i wasn't having any of it and rang up today to change the package

Result: I've now gotten rid of some rubbish channels i never watch, upgrading on to a Horizon box (If you call that an upgrade) going from 50mb to 120mb broadband and my monthly bill is going from €80 to €68

Thanks UPC, looking forward to the next time you want to increase your profits, i might just switch to freesat or eircom and save even more money

deravarra

smurf22 wrote: »

upgrading on to a Horizon box

Please, do not do as I did and let them take your router - unless you want to put up with rubbish wifi and have to go and buy another router ...

smurf22

deravarra wrote: »

Please, do not do as I did and let them take your router - unless you want to put up with rubbish wifi and have to go and buy another router ...

Would i be even given a choice?

Would the horizon box work with the old router? not that it matters as i dont use wireless anyway and use a cable for everything i have that needs broadband

gavmcg92

smurf22 wrote: »

Would i be even given a choice?

It costs 45 euro to get it done. Kick up a fuss and you might be able to get it for free.

deravarra

smurf22 wrote: »

Would i be even given a choice?

Would the horizon box work with the old router? not that it matters as i dont use wireless anyway and use a cable for everything i have that needs broadband

fair enough so - but you can use the router seperately - as in the services would be deconsolidated - tv thru horizon and broadband/phone thru router.

deravarra

gavmcg92 wrote: »

It costs 45 euro to get it done. Kick up a fuss and you might be able to get it for free.

The replacement router - Technicolor - has worse wifi than the horizon. Tried n tested...

smurf22

gavmcg92 wrote: »

It costs 45 euro to get it done. Kick up a fuss and you might be able to get it for free.

Thats sounds like a upc rep just wanted a back hander, cant see why there would be a problem in keeping an older router unless it isn't compatible with the new box

I'll try to hold onto it, if they do look for money, they can go jump for it and if there is problems with the new router they will get constant out calls to replace their faulty equipment until they give me one that works

smurf22

deravarra wrote: »

The replacement router - Technicolor - has worse wifi than the horizon. Tried n tested...

Is this just a problem with the actual wifi or the router itself?, as i said i dont use wireless as i dont trust it anyway

Should i expect any problems using a cable?

gavmcg92

smurf22 wrote: »

Thats sounds like a upc rep just wanted a back hander, cant see why there would be a problem in keeping an older router unless it isn't compatible with the new box

I'll try to hold onto it, if they do look for money, they can go jump for it and if there is problems with the new router they will get constant out calls to replace their faulty equipment until they give me one that works

Nope. It's a 'deconsolidation' fee and has been discussed in great detail on the UPC forums. It's not possible to just hold onto your router from them. When you switch over to Horizon, the MAC address on the router you're using will be removed from your account and the horizon box will be set up instead.

antodeco

Mines going up by €11.50 per month, but thanks to registering with myUPC i get a discount of €3.50. So an increase of €8 per month. Over 12 months, thats €96. Thats currently €20 more than I pay per month. So the increase has meant I now pay for 13 months, for the price of 12, and as a thank you for this reverse offer, I only need to pay an additional €20 once off fee.

Current yearly cost: €912
New year cost: €1008

Net increase of: €96. Thats an increase of 10.5% (after discount). Based on these figures, it means I can look at the competition much more easily now. I dont use the phone, so all I need is TV and Broadband. As most of the usage was work networking, which I can no longer do due to the transfer protocal used on the server (Port shaping as a response to the torrents), all I need is a browseable internet connection.

JHet

Just called upc to downgrade from 150 meg to 50.

They try to make you sign up to another 12 mths if you downgrade lads. This is NOT a downgrade without penalty IMHO.

I've no interest in locking myself for another 12 months as I'm currently out of contract.

Oatesy

Just as JHet did, I called them to downgrade to 50. (Currently on 60 for €44 for an old deal with which the contract expires in 2 weeks) On 1st March I'll be getting the "free" upgrade to 120MB.

They said I could only be downgraded with a new 12 month contract and that the penalty referred to the cancellation fee.
I then mentioned the current Fibre 50 deal for 37€ with the first 6 months for €25, and asked her whats to stop me from finishing my contract and cancelling my subscription then getting that deal as a "new" customer. I was offered to be referred to some other customer support area to possibly switch to that deal without the bother of cancelling and setting up a new account.


I'm not in a position to take a new contract even with the obvious savings but maybe its worth a try if you don't mind taking a new one.

pippip

Anyone else not get a letter/email yet? Nothing in messages on myUPC either.

I have Digital Select Extra, HD, broadband and 1 multiroom so I am thinking I must be getting a hike somehow.

Only thing is I am having tech issues with reception which might still be ongoing as they said lines between houses down the estate needed fixing.

gavmcg92

pippip wrote: »

Anyone else not get a letter/email yet? Nothing in messages on myUPC either.

I have Digital Select Extra, HD, broadband and 1 multiroom so I am thinking I must be getting a hike somehow.

Only thing is I am having tech issues with reception which might still be ongoing as they said lines between houses down the estate needed fixing.

Also haven't recieved confirmation of the price increases. Recently changed the email on my account so hoping that didn't mess with the system. We get most of our stuff from UPC in the post so I imagine that's where this confirmation will cone from too.

atomoh

Exo wrote: »

You're most likely paying €44 already, which is the current price. The increases are indicative of the current pricing. I was paying €42 for the same package, it's gong up by €2 to match their pricing.. if that makes sense. Bull**** move by UPC, but they're giving me 120Mb so I'll let it be.

will the upgrade from 50Mb to 120Mb require a replacement of the modem?

deravarra

atomoh wrote: »

will the upgrade from 50Mb to 120Mb require a replacement of the modem?

If you are getting a horizon box, you are better off getting a separate router. Just got one myself and the difference is amazing. Now getting 60+ Mbps from my phone on the 5g band. 2.4 giving me 40 ish. Range is much better too.

Unless you are living in a bedsit, the WiFi will be useless

Liberty boy

I just got the same e-mail about a price increase from UPC. With the discount they still want an extra €10.50 a month. What planet are they living on. I am on a company pension and have not had a pension increase in 6 years. I have cancelled my contract and am looking around for a better deal. Anyone got any suggestions ?

The Cush

Liberty boy wrote: »

I have cancelled my contract and am looking around for a better deal. Anyone got any suggestions ?

Sky for subscription channels or Saorview for the Irish channels and Freesat for the UK channels without subscription.

deravarra

The Cush wrote: »

Sky for subscription channels or Saorview for the Irish channels and Freesat for the UK channels without subscription.

Can be expensive to set up, but then no monthly fees after that. I'd still try to stick with UPC for broadband if I were you!

MickeyD

I'm with UPC for 3 years now and I'm paying 50 quid a month for basic tv (no hd, no record functionality etc.) no phone and 30MB broadband, and that's with a discount for ringing them up and complaining after the last fee hike last may/june. Never got told about any upgrades (free phone addition, horizon, bb speed increases etc.) so still on the same package as when i joined - my own fault for not reading about it I guess.

Compared to what I see some people getting I don't think I'm getting a good deal as it is and now they want to increase my fee by 7 quid (with the myupc 'discount') which would actually bring it over what they're quoting as the normal price for my package: Value 50 is 53 per month, with the addition of phone, digital+ and faster broadband.

I'm thinking of switching to magnet as I don't really make use of the TV these days. If I ring up their cancellation line and get put through loyalty what sort of deal should I be able to get? I don't think I was pushy enough the last time I rang. I assume there's no way to not have to sign up to a new contract once you change the terms (e.g. if I just want to take the TV sub out)? In any case I'm sure it'll only be another 6 months by the time they hike it up again anyway.

Liberty boy

I just got a call from UPC and they have given me a good deal for 12 months. After that I will have to renegotiate a new deal. My advice to everyone is cancel their contract and see what happens.I saved just over €250 for the year.

gandalf

Not sure if this thread in bargain alerts has been flagged before but alot of us have significantly reduced our bills by following the advice in the thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057131675

mccard

I called them last week to cancel my package due to price increase. They told me that I am not affected and there is no price increase. Was she trying to fob me off or does it not affect everyone?

deravarra

mccard wrote: »

I called them last week to cancel my package due to price increase. They told me that I am not affected and there is no price increase. Was she trying to fob me off or does it not affect everyone?

Did you get either a letter or an email informing you?

mccard

No, just reading this post prompted me to call them last week. I have not received any notifications from them regarding price increase.

When I called she said as you are not using multi-room you are not affected. Just a bit wary as I forgot to ask for anything in writing.

I am currently on the Horizon Max HD package. Phone + BB + TV.

deravarra

mccard wrote: »

No, just reading this post prompted me to call them last week. I have not received any notifications from them regarding price increase.

When I called she said as you are not using multi-room you are not affected. Just a bit wary as I forgot to ask for anything in writing.

I am currently on the Horizon Max HD package. Phone + BB + TV.

Then if they are telling you that there is no increase, there should not be one.

Call again if you want and ask for re-assurance, that the price you are paying now is the price you are expecting to pay in 6-12 months time ... unless you are on the 6 months at 35 euro....

Note the price you are paying in your DD, and if this changes, they are in breach of the contract by failing to notify you of a change to your contract and you are then free to walk away without penalty

mccard

Cool, thanks for that.

gavmcg92

Still waiting for my confirmation. I have two multiroom points in the house so I'm sure I'll be notified soon.

Liberty boy

I wonder if UPC are not increasing any more bills due to the reaction of their customers. If enough people cancelled their subscriptions due to the increase :mad:they would soon change their minds about these ridiculous increases.

phasers

Just got the letter in the post a second ago, it's going up by nearly a tenner a month! Well they can whistle for it, I'll be ringing to cancel this evening.

Liberty boy

When I cancelled, they gave me a better deal, so go it !

deravarra

phasers wrote: »

Just got the letter in the post a second ago, it's going up by nearly a tenner a month! Well they can whistle for it, I'll be ringing to cancel this evening.

Phone them, tell them you are thinking about moving to another provider, and then tell them you want to speak to the customer loyalty department.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what they can do for you

who_me

If everyone is calling to cancel and getting a better deal, then the price increases are backfiring dramatically!