My Virgin Media bill instantly doubled overnight, | Tech News

I’ve been writing about client technology for over 14 years, and one of my largest bugbears has long been extreme price rises for broadband and cellphone contracts. Take your eye off the ball, and a low cost deal that you simply signed up for 18 months in the past can out of the blue turn into very, very costly. Earlier this 12 months, I had a large moan at my mother and father after I discovered their earlier web contract with BT had ended, they usually had been now paying far an excessive amount of for fairly mediocre obtain speeds. So, I’m fairly embarrassed by what has simply occurred to me.

I renewed my contract with Virgin Media in 2024 and felt fairly smug once I negotiated a very aggressive £30-per-month deal for superfast 350Mbps speeds.

That price rose this 12 months to £33 during the same old spring hikes, however I’ve by no means had a motive to bitch or really feel ripped off. At no level during my contract has Virgin’s broadband gone down, turn into gradual or left me offline. In reality, the service I’ve acquired from this UK supplier has been very spectacular, with my speeds not often dropping beneath 300 Mbps.

However, I’ve simply made a main mistake that might have confirmed pricey.

My contract ended in the beginning of November, and my month-to-month price instantly shot up from a cheap £33 monthly to an outrageously high £70. That means it more than doubled in a single day.

Now, I’m not essentially blaming Virgin Media for this. The firm had despatched out an e mail (which I missed) after which texted me the day after the new out-of-contract price was set.

They additionally offer a comparatively straightforward strategy to log in and see a renewal deal that is out there if you’re glad to signal up for a new 24-month plan.

Once I’d realised my mistake and logged into my online account, I noticed my up to date offer price was £34 monthly slightly than £70.

I’m additionally effectively conscious that in some unspecified time in the future, I signed a contract that will have defined the price rise in full. All of Virgin’s correspondence clearly states the quantity of every April increase and the whole price as soon as the contract expires.

I’ve been extremely busy in latest weeks and I completely took my eye off the ball. After my mistake, I don’t need others to do the identical, as it could go away you critically out of pocket.

There are so many offers out there for the time being, and never switching when your contract involves an finish shall be pricey. For instance, I’ve Community Fibre in my avenue, which is at present offering free 300Mbps speeds for six months (then simply £23 monthly).

If I’d signed up for that plan, it might price me simply £138 for the subsequent 12 months’s broadband entry.

If I had continued with Virgin whereas out of contract, I’d have paid over £840 for a similar speeds.

These price hikes are normal follow throughout the industry, so regardless of who your supplier is, when your deal is up for renewal, don’t delay in calling them and asking for a higher price.

It’s usually a good concept to ask to talk with the retentions crew, as they are going to sometimes offer the best costs.

Always head into the call armed with rival offers from different suppliers, as this can even help secure a decrease price.

Just don’t do what I did and miss or ignore the messages. If you do, you’ll get a mighty bill shock.

In response to my price points, a Virgin Media spokesperson mentioned: “The broadband market is extremely aggressive, with a vary of great-value packages out there. Customers usually signal up on a promotional offer with their ongoing price at all times clearly defined on the level of sale.

“We also write to customers when their deal is coming to an end, reminding them they are nearing the end of their minimum contract period and highlighting cheaper options available, as well as sending out similar reminders every year.”