Sunday, February 12, 2012

No time to say goodbye to Virgin Media (and the bearded one)


I am finally free of Virgin Media and its anti-trade union bearded one! I think that I have been a customer of the cable company (in its various reincarnations) for about 15 years. You can click on the label "Virgin media" below for the back ground. When I saw that disgusting video Richard Branson put out attacking trade union recognition I felt I had no choice but to leave.

It has been quite a journey. I've been shouted at and threatened by their managers, my phone deliberately cut off, complaints ignored and then finally given 4 minutes notice by email that they were cutting off (again) not only my home telephone but this time my TV and broadband service in breach of my contract and against my express instructions!

They didn't dare charge me the £144 they had threatened, however to be honest that given that the senior management at Virgin are so nasty and malicious that I had half expected them to cut me off again. It's pretty pathetic and vindictive. But this is what you come to expect if you are a Virgin Media customer.

Anyway, I am still continuing the fight and have asked for clarification on their useless responses to date and have even asked to be put back on Virgin (I know, I know...but 4 minutes to get someone else is clearly inadequate) until I can get an alternative provider. We will wait and see.

I will post soon on how to to cancel your Virgin Media service. There are much better and cheaper providers out there. The real problem I think with Virgin Media is that it acts like a monopoly and that is why it has such a poor service ethos and is so expensive and unresponsive. I have some ideas on this front. So watch this space.

(ps I love this "Time to Say Goodbye" song and like to post it whenever possible)

6 comments:

Robert said...

The bloke even sounds like a Tory.

John Gray said...

Hi Robert

Not only if he looks like a tory, but he walks likes and talks like...

macuser_e7 said...

Tesco is offering broadband for £2.50 a month (for 12 months) if you have a Clubcard and take their line rental too.

Might be worth checking out.

(I don't work for Tesco, just passing along the info)

John Gray said...

Thanks Macuser this does look a good deal. The problem is getting a package with the telly on demand with films etc. Sky is obviously out so that leaves BT. What do you think about BT infinity? (it's now available live in Forest Gate)

macuser_e7 said...

I'm afraid I don't anything about BT Infinity, I have O2 broadband I'm (also a mobile customer) and they're pretty good.

For on-demand movies take a look at Netflix and Lovefilm. I think Netflix has an "all you can eat" streaming offer for £6 a month.

'Cable cutting' is something of a trend in the US (and increasingly here, I'm sure). If you Google for that you might find some ideas you can replicate.

John Gray said...

thanks macuser I will look into these sites.

Yes, cable is over priced here and the US. New broadband providers could spell its doom.

If BT infinity is as fast as they claim then why have cable?