How to boost sales, increase retentions and confuse people: the tale of an unintentional VM Upgrade!

[pgn]

So even though new contracts taken out this month with either O2 or VM still quote the 3.9% + RPI figure for the annual price increase in March - I have upgraded both a VM (unintentionally, more below) and an O2 contract in the last 30days - it appears that even the VM Retentions Department has no clear guidance on what's happening in this respect.

I found this out when I tried to add a Black Friday boost to my VM broadband - an offer sold as "a free speed boost to the next level for 3 months, then £6/month extra until my next renewal date. My existing contract was due for renewal in Jun-2025 - so 3 free months boost to Feb, and 3 months of £6 extra at that speed seemed worth the punt.

The pdfs e-mailed to me 3 days after applying for the boost had a really weird pricing structure, and references to Jun-2026, not Jun-2025. I called VM up. Call center answer - noisy background and an understandable but heavily accented lady answered my call, listened, looked at the screens in front of her, and said: "We can't see what your final monthly figure will be at this point, please ring us back in 14 days, our systems will show the true cost then". 

• Strike 1!

Hah, said I - then you have me by the short and doodahs, as there's no get-out after 14 days without penalty, is my understanding correct? 

"Ah. Hold the line a minute, sir, let me transfer you to another department who will be able to give you better answers... Please don't hang-up."

So I ended up transferred to Matt in Retentions (a nice, quiet office and very clear and precise and friendly tone), who took me through security again and then listened attentively as I explained how I understood the offer to work. (There was a TV offer also for Black Friday, which did renew your contract for 18months, but the speed boost offer was clearly "until end of current contract").

Matt looked at the account info he had in front of him, said "Oh, you pay 58.75/mo for your package, let me tidy that up for you a little - how does 57.00/mo for 18months, to Jun-2026, sound... all at the next speed band shown on the last documents you received? I've just e-mailed you 2 revised documents, do take a minute here to go through them with me, please."

Sounds good*. So next level speed, same terms for everything else - WiFi booster (1), land line call package, etc. 

"That's correct"

All good and so far acceptable*. Now I edged him towards the March price increase... "Yes, 3.9% plus the base RPI will appear on your April bill"...."

• Strike 2.

Really?

"Yep".

Sure?

"Let me read you the terms we have to read out at this point..."

OK, OK, what's the real cost going to be, since my O2 contract is apparently going to go up by £1.80 instead of 3.9%+RPI, not that O2 tells you that in the paperwork?

"VM can't comment about future pricing model changes at this time. 3.9%+RPI is what it says here. First in Mar-25, next in Mar-26, by which time you may be looking for a new contract anyway..."

• Strike 3...

Anyhoo. This independent info "Virgin Media O2’s Price Hike: A Perspective on Transparency and Fairness in Contracts" gives a legal perspective if anyone is interested and needs to be able to refer to it. And it's £1.80 on top of your O2 Airtime or bundled tarriff price added in March-2025, and £3.50 on your VM package bill also in Mar-2025.

Despite what O2 or VM Retentions claim this month.

*Yeah, I know, I'm a push-over 🤣

Edited slightly for typos E&OE.

[Cleoriff]

@pgn 

Totally confusing but I will ask this:

Did you ever take up the offer of a VM Black Friday Broadband Boost?

[pgn]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

@pgn 

Totally confusing but I will ask this:

Did you ever take up the offer of a VM Black Friday Broadband Boost?

---

They gave me the boost to next speed and reduced my bill by £1.75 - so I guess it's an 18month boost, and no increase of £6/mo after the original offer of boost 3-month term expires... so indirectly, I guess so. Things went sideways, as they often do with VM or O2, but in my favour I guess.

Their offer:

Fancy next-level broadband speeds?

How’s this for a Black Friday deal? Take your broadband speed up to the next level.

Get M350 for the same price as you’re currently paying for M250 with this free boost for 3 months (£6 extra a month thereafter). Monthly price will increase each April by RPI +3.9%. 

[Cleoriff]

Good to hear!

[Enlli]

Still not had the text re next years rise on my SIM tariff. Only had the one regarding my none existent watch!

[pgn]

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@Enlli wrote:

Still not had the text re next years rise on my SIM tariff. Only had the one regarding my none existent watch!

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I got one for my previous contract about 3 hours before I upgraded and went SIMO, @Enlli - and this, spotted this morning on a reseller's website re price increases...

T'is a minefield... a bit like that pop-up grrr!

 

[Oxonian]

When you refer to "confuse people" @pgn, my head is spinning having read that. I do have sympathy for the O2 CS staff as many of them are clearly not well trained and are working from deficient scripts. 

I just hope that your first bill is what you are expecting it to be ; or will there be a sequel ?    

[pgn]

@Oxonian -

My first bill will be £57.

My April-2025 bill should be £60.50.

My April-2026 bill will be £64. 

My discounts come to an end in June-2026, when, assuming I have not moved supplier or renegotiated pricing, at which point my monthly subscription will be £83.

VM's pricing seems somewhat ephemeral...

[gmarkj]

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@pgn wrote:

VM's pricing seems somewhat ephemeral...

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Not sure ephemeral is the word. It's cloudier than a pint of Guinness!

[Cleoriff]

I think @pgn might have meant 'short lived' @gmarkj 😉