Virgin Media Cancellation deals

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120946187#Comment_120946187

You need to give 30 days notice. I got an immediate cancellation once from them, it was when one of their price rises allowed me out of contract early, on the stroke of midnight it was switched off. I tried for immediate cancellation again but was refused making it impossible to avoid paying one month @ full price.

WATPOAE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120946114#Comment_120946114

Rang them back again this morning and they won't budge further on the offer. Got the usual Sky/Eir warnings.

Speaking of which, I know Eir and Vodafone both flag that the cost of BB packages will go up each April by CPI +3%, anyone know if this is the same policy with Sky? (Apologies if someone has answered this before)

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120952223#Comment_120952223

I'm not 100% certain but I don't think they do. I got an email from them offering me 500 for 30 a month for 12 months (sky that is)

0ph0rce0

Don't know about broadband but Sky just put the price up a few quid each year for TV when it suits. Same with them all. Doesn't matter if you're in contract or not. They state it in the T&C to cover their arses so you can't leave your contract midway through.

I signed a new contract in December one year and they put the price up in April even though it was a 12 month deal 🤷

Funnyonion79

Hi my 12 month contract with VM is up mid September so I'll be emailing them to cancel it next week, giving them their 30 days notice and ensuring that I'm finished up with them on the day my contract expires. I signed up in my husband's name last year, so will be signing up in my name this year as a "new customer". As far as I remember, it's the phone number on the account that needs to be different from the previous one.

Can I ask how do I change the SSID and password on the new modem when I arrives? Can anyone walk me through it? Thanks!

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120953242#Comment_120953242

Can you let us know if that's allowed? I tried doing that this year and they wouldn't let me, the agent said I could only give my 30 days notice when I was out of contract, stinging me for one month at full price 😡. It's easiest to change SSID and password using a pad or laptop, 192.168.0.1 entered on the top bar of your browser will bring you to the router page. You'll need the router password it's underneath the router it isn't the wireless password. A welcome dialogue starts, prompting you to first change this password if you want to, skip or change if you want to I normally leave it as it is. The next screen is the one you want where it asks you if you want to change your SSID and password, change it and save, obviously when this happens you'll be logged out, all going well a quick search will find the "new" SSID and you're sorted.

Sarn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120953904#Comment_120953904

You can definitely give the 30 day notice while in contract so that it ends the day the term ends. However, when speaking to customer service you get all sorts of conflicting information. For example, with some you can serve notice well in advance (>30 days) to end the day your contract is up. Others say you can only do it 30 days beforehand. While others say you can only give your 30 days out of contract (this is nonsense). Luck of the draw.

ben.schlomo

Of course you can give your 30 days notice before the contract ends. How would it make any sense for anyone to have pay for a month at an even more inflated price I did when I moved to VF and did it another year before they made me a better offer.

Funnyonion79

Thanks CoBo55. I'm going to try emailing them at the cancel@virginmedia.ie address and I'm going to say my contract is due to end on X date and I don't want to renew it so here's my 30 days notice.

If I don't get a reply straight away then I'll ring them but I'll let you know how I get on anyway.

Their customer service is so bad and I know you get told something different depending on which person you speak to, but it can't be legal for them to keep you paying another month at the new increased contract prices when you tell them in advance that you don't want to renew/continue the contract and give them the 30 days notice in time.

I'll keep you posted anyway! Thanks again for the SSID info.

Funnyonion79

Also for anyone that's signing up as a new customer in their partners name...jlnefore you do it, just check your profile details on your account through myvirginmedia

Remove any mention of your partner's name, email address but especially their mobile number.

I remember last year when signing up in my husband's name, it initially wouldn't let me and by process of elimination, I realised that his mobile number was listed on our account profile and when I removed it and updated our account details online (through myvirginmedia), it let me sign up as him....same address and same bank details as before.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120954151#Comment_120954151

Good tip👍

mickger844posts

Im on the 1 gig and landline package for 83 per month. Had the half price for 6 months offer last time. Rang today and got offered 15 euro off for 9 months and full price for the remainder. No chance of any better offers according to the operator. Rang back 15 mins later and got the same lady. What are the odds of that lol. Anyway will have to look into signing up in my own name as the account has been in the fathers name for years. Seems the offers this year are very poor compared to the past.

0ph0rce0

I cancelled a few weeks back. Had eir lined up to come in Monday morning. Just got a call from Virgin matching the 35 price for 500mb Broadband for the year.

On the original call I asked for 9, then 6 months half price and they wouldn't budge, measly 10 or 15 off for a few months is what they offered.

All the hassle ringing and canceling, then signing up to Eir and they give it to you anyway.

Pain in the hole.

TheRona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120960894#Comment_120960894

And you stuck with them? At that point, I'd be switching.

0ph0rce0

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120961034#Comment_120961034

Yeah, they matched the eir price in the end so why not. I'll move next year 😁

WATPOAE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120960894#Comment_120960894

Lol, unbelievable nonsense from VM. I'm calling to cancel in the morning. Their approach seems to be random so not counting on getting a similar call.

Were you able to cancel the Eir sign up/install without any issues?

0ph0rce0

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120962254#Comment_120962254

Yeah just told them I have no ducting for the cable they said OK.

We'll see soon if they try take money for a direct debit. I've heard some stories 😂

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120965349#Comment_120965349

I filled in an online cancellation form for Eir, don't ask me where to get it because for the life of me I can't remember 🤔🤔.

pAdidas

Anyone been talking to VM for their renewal recently after introductory offer expires?

I just got off the phone on a call back, after emailing in a query about getting a discount on my broadband at renewal if I moved my mobile phone plan to them as well. (currently with vodafone and renewal starts around the same time as VM broadband renewal)

Was offered €10 off for 6 months, if I moved my phone contract too. It all seems completely ridiculous as the 'new customer offer' is €49 p/m for a year and the best they can offer me is €70 p/m and I have to pay €20 on top every month for my mobile plan too.

I'm stuck as no other provider offers broadband to my apartment, so I've told them to cancel and will start a new one using my other half's details. Shame it's the only choice I have, I was willing to move my phone contact to them too if they were willing to offer a half decent deal.

bittihuduga

my contract ending 30th Aug. rang up today and said wanna cancel. i was on 50 euro for one year.

offer1: got 15 euro off for 6 months, i declined

offer2: gave half price ie 40euro for 6 months and 80 euro for 6 months - i declined

offer3: gave half price ie 40 euro for 9 months and 80 euro for 3 months - accepted as it is equal to 50 euro per month

no change nothing - same continues for one year. happy

ciano1

Called to cancel yesterday. Deals they offered were crap.

Are they still calling people back a few days before the 30 days notice to offer them a better deal?

pAdidas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121016038#Comment_121016038

Would be happy enough paying the same for one more year, the upload speeds are cat and the download speeds do take a noticeable hit at certain times of day, but I literally have no other option until the fibre roll out catches up or the sharing lines deal with Eir kicks in (not really holding my breath), as my only other choice is 24mbps over coaxial from another company.

If I don't get a matching offer in the next few weeks, I'll just let it cancel and resign up with my partners name. It's really shocking they have a monopoly on this apartment block, literally no other option.

Glad to hear they're still offering decent deals though, thanks

pAdidas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017373#Comment_121017373

All I've gotten so far is one offer of 10 euro off for 6 months, and that was after me asking if I could get a deal by adding in my mobile phone contract as that's up now too. My contract isn't up until October though, so fingers crossed I'll get another call before renewal, otherwise I'll be using the partner's name for the new customer deal.

Sconsey

Folks, does anyone have experience with cancelling VM in one persons name and opening new account in another householders name? I am wondering how to do so that I limit any period of no coverage. My contract is coming to an end and want to go with a new customer offer assuming VM will not match it on my current account.

I don't want to lose TV and broadband in between so wondering how to minimize switch-over disruptions?

Thanks

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024390#Comment_121024390

They get the boxes delivered to me in 1-2 working days. I just sign up 4-5 days before my service will be terminated. The overlap is just that and I pay double for those few days only. However, in the course of a year, I save a lot.

gtg60

Contract up next month, have had 500Mb on a contract for the last 12 months (9 months half price and 3 months @ €70). Rang up and the best deal I got offered was €55 a month for 9 months then €70 (along with a rather pushy sales guy telling me I wouldn't get a better deal and that 'local providers' were going against ComReg, blah, blah).

Looks like I'll be a new customer this time next month...

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121042295#Comment_121042295

Did you give your 30 days notice? I'm not getting caught for a full month next year when my contract ends.

One More Toy

Have to do the yearly dance very soon, what are the main talking points I can use as ammo when talking to the cancellation team? Ty

Roberto_gas

Looks like I am back with virgin with €30 pm for 500 Mbps taking into consideration their €100 one4all voucher offer valid till 31st..my question is when does the billing start? Once i activate the router i assume? I have a month to go with Vodafone(no big loss if use both)..

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121045136#Comment_121045136

Cheers, didn't see the one4all was back. Signed up a few days earlier then planned. Nice €100 for being a "new" customer.

guyfawkes5

After emailing my cancellation request for the 1GB broadband package about two weeks ago, I called the retention number texted to me by Virgin. After saying I liked the service but was cancelling for financial reasons, they offered six months half price. I said that I probably wouldn't take that as it averaged out to €60+ a month which hit me as still a bit much (thanks to the poster who suggested that reasoning earlier in the thread), at which point they offered nine months half price, which I accepted. The call took about five minutes in total.

Having worked many years ago in the Abtran call centre in Cork which handled Sky cancellation calls and having read quite a bit of this thread over the years, what I can say for advice to people calling Virgin to attempt get one of these retention deals:

Do:

• Be pleasant.
• Keep your motivation (i.e. financial) transparent. You're trying to lay an obvious path for the rep to follow, and if you complain about every aspect of the service then this will cloud things and the rep may read you as a lost cause.
• Feel free to politely direct the conversation away from things that are unimportant to you (e.g. comparisons to competitors). I got stuck with this myself last year when the rep, who I think was a bit too passionate, drew me into a 10 minute long conversation about how competitors don't measure up. This year as this started up again, I politely acknowledged that I understand where the rep's coming from, but said it's probably not productive to have a blow-by-blow of something I've researched myself before making this call.
• Feel free to politely end the call with your cancellation actioned if you feel like even after following the above advice, you're not close to get a discount. Sometimes reps won't take a retention that's handed to them, or they're having an off day, or whatever else. You can always call again later to uncancel or try again.

Don't:

• Be unpleasant or blame the person over the phone for the business structure of who they work for. These jobs aren't typically very well paid with very small bonuses paid for sales and saves. I knew of many people back in the call centre who - quite reasonably - would rather let a sale or save off the phone sooner rather than deal with deeply unpleasant people acting out.
• Ask for or refer to retention offers directly. They are intended to prevent cancellations for financial reasons and aren't intended as universally entitled loyalty bonuses or whatever other understanding you overlay on them. Reps were coached not to acknowledge this in various ways and are explicitly told not to offer them on asking. The scripted path to getting these offers is that you are cancelling because the subscription is too expensive.

I think this should generally result in less stress for people calling, even if there's always exceptions (e.g. call centre reps who don't care, very odd times of the year when retention offers are pulled for a bit because of quarterly performance, etc).

And yes, the churn business model in Ireland is very frustrating, but at least from the point of view of the readers of this thread it means that the customers who do nothing are subsidising those of us who are willing to go through a 5 or 10 minute song and dance phone call every year.

Roberto_gas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121045136#Comment_121045136

update on this..a fine lady gave me 15 days credit as i told i will want to start after two weeks ! Looks like service atarts as soon as u accept delivery for self install

tom1ie

Folks, just to confirm I am on a 30 day rolling contract with VM paying €60 or something ridiculous like that.

Both my name and my wife’s were on the account until I changed it to just mine about three weeks ago.

I am now gonna phone up and cancel.

I will then open a new account in my wife’s name to get the new price of €39.

Is this correct?

Do I have to give them 30 days notice as I am on the “30 day rolling contract” since my deal expired?

thanks for any suggestions.

tom1ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084144#Comment_121084144

ok i have puled the trigger today and cancelled VM as the best they could do was €45PM for 9 months and then back to €60 for the remaining three.

Do i have to wait for a loss in service to order a new service in my wife's name to get the new customer offer, or what happens?

tom1ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121025957#Comment_121025957

Hi Bren, do you sign up in another householders name to get the new customer offer?

Myself and my wife had both our names on the bill, -ive had her name taken off with the plan to sign up in her name when contract expires.

However ive cancelled now and when i go to sign up as a new customer the website is saying the account is associated with an existing account- even though theyve confirmed my wifes name was taken off the account?

any ideas?

Mech1

I was on 88pm 1Gb and phone line.

Just called, now on 41.50pm for 6m and then 83pm for next 6.

I have no problems with there service so I accepted that.

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121097787#Comment_121097787

I use the same name. Same address. Same email. Same bank account. I buy a new phone number every year. I suspect it's the mobile phone number is that is flagging in their system.

Your best bet is to only use one name on the account this year and swap it between yous every year.

EarWig

....

Funnyonion79

Hi just to let you know, I signed up last year in my husband's name and removed my mobile number from our account, as that's what flags you as a previous customer.

My 12 month broadband only contract at €40 per month is due to finish on 21st Sept so on 22nd August I got my husband to ring and cancel and give our 30 days notice. The rep tried a little to offer some deals but nothing as good as the deal you get when signing up as a new customer.

I went online today and signed up in my own name as a new customer and got 500mb broadband only for €39 a month with no issues. I used my own name, email, mobile number etc but it's the same address and bank details as before. I was able to select my installation date so I chose 21st Sept, so this means that there should hopefully be no overlap with billing etc.

Hope this helps!

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121124850#Comment_121124850

It does help indeed especially the giving notice part. I'm using my wifes number this year I'll go back to my own number next year. In saying that I'm strongly considering ftth as it gives a lot more choice of provider.

jonnybravo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121124850#Comment_121124850

For the installation date do they come out to install it or can you do it yourself?

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129799#Comment_121129799

You do it yourself as you're only replacing the modem.

Batesy

Yeah. It's my understanding that if you are going for the same package / speed as before it's a self install but if you are upgrading from say 500mb to 1gb then an engineer comes out.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121132491#Comment_121132491

I went from 500 to 1gig, it was a self install they sent me a new router and I just plugged it in.

Batesy

Was the opposite for me last year when moving from 250mb to 500mb. Installer came out and was here for over 30mins.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121133822#Comment_121133822

What did the installer do? I never had 250, I started on 360 then 500 and now 1gig. I did need an installer to get the first BB connection, it was self install after that. In saying that everywhere in town was completely rewired.

Sconsey

I was planning on cancelling and creating a new account with another family member. I rang to cancel and after a bit of discussion and haggling I ended up getting a deal that was good enough to keep me on for another year without cancelling. They sent me an email with the new contract, price, start date, etc. All good.

But when I got my first bill they were still charging me my old rate. I rang them and after a long wait I got through to an agent who investigated, agreed it was a mistake, and while they could not refund me they would give me credit on my next bill (have not got that bill yet). The thing is, the exact same mistake happened me about a year and a half ago, the last time I got a new contract. They did not set it up right, over charged me and if I recall corrected it then next month.

So twice in a row they have messed up and overcharged me, once was an accident, twice makes me wonder..... Anyway, buyers beware, make sure to check your bills when you get a new contract.

EarWig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121134659#Comment_121134659

At least you didn't get charged both the old price AND the new price like me. This is one reason I gave up on VM.

Batesy

Not exactly sure but he was out at exterior box for a few minutes then inside connecting the new modem up and checking speeds. I got the impression that he had to make some adjustments to enable the faster connection.

I had an issue after where he took away the old router and VM hounded me for weeks to return the old equipment. They eventually took my word that the engineer took the equipment with him.

Ozvaldo

Anyone can tell me if cancel@virginmedia.ie still works to get rid of them ?