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Virgin Media UK Pledge No Cable Broadband Price Rise in 2020

Thursday, Jul 30th, 2020 (7:30 am) - Score 12,013
virgin media fast broadband

Existing customers of cable TV and ultrafast broadband ISP Virgin Media UK (Liberty Global) have this week begun receiving a new email from the operator, which informs them of “a little good news” and reveals that they “won’t see any other price rise in 2020.” The provider normally hikes prices annually by around 5% (average).

The letter itself, which is copied below, appears to have been partly constructed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and references how they “know the future is uncertain for everybody.” A spokesperson for the operator said, “While we start to ease out of lockdown we know that it’s still a tough and uncertain time for many people, so Virgin Media will not be raising monthly subscription prices for its cable customers this year and has not conducted its mobile price adjustment in line with inflation which was due to occur in July.

At the same time Virgin Media, much like other operators in the UK telecoms sector, have also been coming under increased pressure from Ofcom to treat their customers fairly (here), which might also be playing a role in their decision.

Meanwhile some of VM’s biggest rivals, such as BT and Plusnet, have now adopted milder price increases that are linked to inflation, although there’s a fear that some of those (e.g. Plusnet) may compensate by doing more than one increase in any given 12 month period.

One other thing to keep in mind here is that the cable operator could still choose to compensate for this week’s decision by simply bringing next year’s price rise forward so that it occurs earlier in 2020, which is a crafty tactic that the big players sometimes use. We’ll find out in 2021.

virgin media 2020 price rise email

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Mark-Jackson
By Mark Jackson
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and .
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Comments
44 Responses
  1. Avatar photo Shaukat says:

    No price rise in 2020 maybe a small win, however an inflation busting price rise in 2021 maybe expected 😉

    1. Avatar photo ianh says:

      I was thinking the same thing…..the small print probably says “don’t worry, we’ll still get you…”

      Hopefully this is part of a pre-planned defence to all the new operators who are going to start eating into them in the next 5 years.

    2. Avatar photo JOSEPH LEDGERTON says:

      Sad reflection on things when a “no price rise” makes the news

  2. Avatar photo Buggerlugz says:

    Will new Virgin customers still get a “better deal” than existing customers (as always) still though?

    1. Avatar photo Kevin says:

      Did you get a better deal than existing customers when you signed up?

  3. Avatar photo Gaz says:

    Hello I believe that not true sorry. Virginia Media charge me more money for my broadband internet from £27 a month to 32.50 a month this year around May . I really not happy with that I told them I didn’t back work yet but they don’t care. I don’t have any options .

    1. Avatar photo Steve Drewett says:

      Just give them 4 weeks notice and watch them bend over backwards to keep you, 2 years ago I was paying £32.50 , I’m now paying £26.50 and this November I hope to be paying around £21.
      If not, I’ll leave. Hi here are Broadband companies out there as good as VM, the reason we stay with them is because we can’t b bothered to change.
      VM are over priced and over rated.

    2. Avatar photo Sandra says:

      “VM are over priced and over rated.”

      And the only one pushing over 100mbps in my city – when I get an alternative I might leave.. until then…

    3. Avatar photo David says:

      I pay 200mb £18 3 mobile AYCE sim £2 another 3 Mobile sim AYCE using this tplink 4g router in my apartment £6 you guys do not haggle hard enough push them on live chat.

      I even got my mate today EE unlimited 5G sim deal for £22 live chat.

  4. Avatar photo Stephen Parr says:

    They won’t doing anything for customers that live in high utilisation areas though

    1. Avatar photo CarlT says:

      I’ll share that revelation with the Capacity Planning Director whose teams are planning and carrying out numerous upgrades daily.

    2. Avatar photo Buggerlugz says:

      Join the club Stephen, one of the many reasons why I left them.

    3. Avatar photo Adam says:

      The capacity planning director needs a rocket up his backside, Northampton has had high utilisation across the whole town for 8 months since a bodged reseg.

    4. Avatar photo Tom Watson says:

      Should try the Birstall area of Leicestershire constantly over subscribed partly due to Openreach only providing ADSL to a whole estate.

      It just gets worse in Birstall each week slower speeds so much so 500 Mb product has been off sale for months and now the 350 product is not available as no capacity for higher speeds.

    5. Avatar photo CarlT says:

      The idea that a single resegmentation would cause issues with the whole of Northampton indicates you’ve no idea what you’re talking about, Adam.

      With that in mind I’ll pass on mentioning that to him.

  5. Avatar photo m hague says:

    just been hit with a bill for over 200 pounds arrears and an increase from 79 to 139 a month for a speed upgrade i didnt ask for only 8 months into my contract is this legal

    1. Avatar photo Alex Metslov says:

      That’s totally fine.
      I moved to New address, where they had virgin media router already and VM declined to connect me. Actually, they told they can’t connect me, because there is already a router there. I just supposed to pay early termination fee. (10 months for me).
      Then they decided to disconnect other router. (Why the hell you can use 2 cables and 2 routers at the same time? Any issues with router religion or something?)
      Then promised to connect me. Then 12 days later I decided to decline any connections at all, done I already used 4g router as internet connection. (they disabled connection on old router and never added onto my router)
      Promised to fix internet connection during almost 2 weeks. Even sent me new “equipment”
      -cable. Thank you very much.
      Then I, suddenly, found out that I can disconnect without any exit fees, because they signed me to a new contract. (Never sent me the papers or mentioned it anywhere. On the phone they said it is because of saving world and not sending oapers, unless requested. (And how the hell I supposed to know about new contract?)
      After I was extremely surprised if having a completely new contract and luckily having called them in 2 last days of trial period, I could leave without any fees.
      Week later they sent me request of £20. 10 for “using” internet. And £10 for changing products. Apparently, according to VM, I requested most expensive internet, phone line, and !2! TV boxes!

    2. Avatar photo Buggerlugz says:

      Not legal, but atypical of Virgin in how they operate.

    3. Avatar photo m hague says:

      been in touch with virgin for quite a while with respect to them spoke to a very efficient lady who said it was their error bill now back to 79 pounds no arrears owed and upgrade free quoted the old computer error

    4. Avatar photo Sandra says:

      Then they decided to disconnect other router. (Why the hell you can use 2 cables and 2 routers at the same time? Any issues with router religion or something?)

      No, My house currently has 4 VM connections, on going into each room.

  6. Avatar photo JibbaJabba says:

    Typical when City Fibre are laying my street, the 2 times a year price hike doesn’t happen… Just locked in for 12 in June as well. Meh.

  7. Avatar photo Buggerlugz says:

    The problem with this is the need for “locking in” people into contracts.

    Virgin operate a stupid model where everyone gets charged differently depending on the “locked in” deal you get over a period of 1 to 2 years.

    If all new and old customers alike all got charged the same and they had an actual flat rate for every service they provide (with no complex discounts that no one, not even them, can understand) this would benefit ALL customers.

    A level playing field is what is needed, where customers join you because you are actually really competitive and provide good services, not great deals until your contract ends and you see it ramp up ridiculously time and time again.

  8. Avatar photo Ray In Leeds says:

    I got this email the other day it could mean the next price increase maybe next Jan/Feb next year we are on a special discount until next March we only have 100meg Broadband and home phone with Virgin & because we were going to leave early on this year they gave us £20 off our bill, Unless they repeat the offer we will be leaving to go with Zen they have a price promise that your bill never goes up as long as you stay with them, I told Virgin this and that is why we got £20 off per month for 12 months, You have to shop around these days. https://www.zen.co.uk/

  9. Avatar photo D waterhouse says:

    They are not increasing charges I should hope not as most people have not had a proper internet service for months and it’s still no better. If u phone to complain no one to speak too just nos to press, then when u think u are eventually through it cuts you off so annoying . I have been with virgin for over 20 years. but I have had enough am looking into changing to a different supplier

  10. Avatar photo Neil Chittock says:

    My broadband going up from £45 to £55 end of July phoned them to cancel got it for £30

    1. Avatar photo Buggerlugz says:

      And that’s the problem isn’t it Neil! Everyone’s paying as much as virgin believes they can get out of them!

    2. Avatar photo unknown says:

      im currently paying £44 for 350 Package, Is this a good price compared to others ?

    3. Avatar photo Sandra says:

      Well I pay £59 for the Ultimate Bundle..

      so… Nooo?

      Also it seems only some people’s prices are not going up in 2020¬

  11. Avatar photo Mr Dan says:

    probably not the right thread to be posting this but anyone have an idea when 1gig broadband will be activated in london, thanks

  12. Avatar photo Joseph wall says:

    I have recently left virgin media after 5yrs due to the price increases year on year, final straw came when I cancelled basic package no phone line and just asked for broadband, virgin media told me it would be £32 a month for 18months, I was actually paying £44.50. I’m glad to say I shall Never sign up to a virgin media product again.

  13. Avatar photo William says:

    I think Virgin should be giving everyone 50% discount. My Wifi was very slow. I thought it was because of the covid, you know every body working from home. But I thought I would contact them, with in minutes it was much faster. I spoke to a virgin engineer. He said that unless you complain they won’t do anything
    About it!!!

  14. Avatar photo B hall says:

    Virgin media phoned me to get me to do an upgrade at extra cost to me but I declined as lm happy to stay with what I have now. All I have is broadband plus land line only for which I pay £59.24 monthly I told them I think its too expensive l was overwhelmed when they reduced my next bill by 1new pence big deal

  15. Avatar photo William John Smith says:

    I think Virgin should be giving everyone 50% discount. My Wifi was very slow. I thought it was because of the covid, you know every body working from home. But I thought I would contact them, with in minutes it was much faster. I spoke to a virgin engineer. He said that unless you complain they won’t do anything
    About it!!!

  16. Avatar photo Joe says:

    As a valued existing VM customer it’s £62.50 a month here for their inclusive anytime landline (which is limited to 60 mins per call before they charge), 100Mbps broadband service and their basic unwanted and usused TV package. They’re getting bulleted as soon as my landline number gets ported to Sipgate which is in progress now.

    1. Avatar photo Ray in Leeds says:

      We pay £49.95 for the same package you have leaving out the basic TV package, I won’t pay for pay TV from Sky or Virgin.

    2. Avatar photo Sandra says:

      Yet I am on Ultimate for £59…

    3. Avatar photo Amz says:

      Hi,
      That crazy am with virgin media and I have been a loyal customer with virgin media for my service I have 200mb broadband, tv package max it tv 230+ channel which includes all BT Sports channels but not sky sports or sky movies and normal landline talk weekend all for £61 a month

  17. Avatar photo Ray STEEL says:

    I got a new contract for a account transferred from my absent flatmate for £60 per month I phoned said no thanks and did not sign the contract but was told I could not cancel without a years fee as it was transferred. But virgin told me to transfer the account. The contract said I could cancel within 14 days so I did so. But the operative said no and so I asked to speak to a manger or person with authority. I was told I would get a call back within 72 hours, it never came. So I wrote to the chief executive of virgin. I have not had any reply in now 3 & half weeks. Virgin still are sending me emails for money including late payment amount. I had stopped using virgin when the contract arrived. Although they had cut it off. They are the worst customer service I have come across. I’m still in dispute with them and now have advice from which mag legal team.

    1. Avatar photo Aleksandr Metslov says:

      I would like to follow your story.
      I hate their nasty practices. Monopoly state of VM is corrupting so much.
      To others: unless you have other fast internet provider in your area, your alternative choose us going back to phone line. Not a solution.

  18. Avatar photo Ray STEEL says:

    I got a new contract for a account transferred from my absent flatmate for £60 per month I phoned said no thanks and did not sign the contract but was told I could not cancel without a years fee as it was transferred. But virgin told me to transfer the account. I asked to speak to a manager or person with authority. was told I would get a call back within 72 hours, it never came. So I wrote to the chief executive of virgin. I have not had any reply in now 3 & half weeks. Virgin still are sending me emails for money including late payment amount. I had stopped using virgin when the contract arrived. Although they had cut it off. They are the worst customer service I have come across. I’m still in dispute with them and now have advice from which mag legal team.

  19. Avatar photo David says:

    You guys getting ripped off im currently on 200mb for £18 12 months contract haggled them on ive chat.
    They even offered me £15 100meg.

    1. Avatar photo Rob says:

      Ha, I can never find the live chat option available on the Website.

  20. Avatar photo Julie says:

    As a Virgin Media customer I received the email stating no price increases in 2020 but today I’ve received my bill for September with a price increase of £7 per month. We will be paying £116.08 per month however we do have everything – broadband, unlimited phone, Sky cinema and Sports, biggest TV package. In the past I’ve asked to have some services removed but we’re either tied in to a contract, or we’re already on the best deal(!) I’d leave Virgin tomorrow except I’ve had the same email address for years.

  21. Avatar photo Kas says:

    We’ve just had broadband price increase. When my husband phoned to query it they said we are now using more broadband hence the increase. Under normal circumstances we wouldn’t be using as much broadband but this is not normal circumstances and we are going to pay for it. We have been with this company since it was telewest.

Comments are closed

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