Has Virgin greatly increased the cost of making phone calls? - Virgin Media TV and Phone

ffa1 · 05-11-2009, 11:56

I was surprised how much my recent phone bill was and upon investigation it looks like their charges are ridiculously high.

I'm on the basic Talk Off Peak package (£11.00 pm) and it costs 6.36p per minute for a daytime call and 4.89p per minute in the evening and at weekends. In addition there's a 9.79p charge for simply connecting a call!!

I thought I was paying 3p in the daytime, 2p in the evening and 1p at weekends?

When did they scrap those charges?

Can anyone recommend one of those online services where you type in a number before you make your phone call? I understand that they can be very cheap.

dmc5007 · 05-11-2009, 12:18

The 321 pricing went ages ago. Virgins phone prices are not cheap by any means but I have XL telephone which makes most calls inclusive.

The charging structure is largely industry wide now, ie Xp per minute and Yp to connect the call. Virgins is on the pricey side, have you considered XL telephone or VOIP?

kmusgrave · 05-11-2009, 12:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmc5007

Virgins is on the pricey side,

Just a bit

I don't think you'll be able to find a more expensive one in the UK.

I don't have a phone line from Virgin (or anyone else) - I just use my mobile and VOIP services.

ffa1 · 05-11-2009, 12:50

Thanks for the info.

My call charges still aren't really enough to make the XL package worthwhile for me.

As for VOIP, my calls are mostly to my parents and they're not online. I did try using the VOIP to land-line facility but they weren't impressed by the sound quality of my call.

tm009f0737@blue · 05-11-2009, 17:57

'I thought I was paying 3p in the daytime, 2p in the evening and 1p at weekends?'

You sure have a long memory. I think you'll find those price's changed about 10 years ago.

acolston · 05-11-2009, 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by ffa1

I was surprised how much my recent phone bill was and upon investigation it looks like their charges are ridiculously high.

I'm on the basic Talk Off Peak package (£11.00 pm) and it costs 6.36p per minute for a daytime call and 4.89p per minute in the evening and at weekends. In addition there's a 9.79p charge for simply connecting a call!!

I thought I was paying 3p in the daytime, 2p in the evening and 1p at weekends?

When did they scrap those charges?

Can anyone recommend one of those online services where you type in a number before you make your phone call? I understand that they can be very cheap.

I would not look at their 0845 or 0870 charges, up to 20 times the cost of making the same call on BT 10p/min v's 0.5p/min on BT for 0845 in the evening.

johnathome · 05-11-2009, 22:48

Check this out matey, it's what i use

http://www.18185.co.uk/mobilerates.php

Cable-Boy · 06-11-2009, 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by ffa1

I was surprised how much my recent phone bill was and upon investigation it looks like their charges are ridiculously high.

I'm on the basic Talk Off Peak package (£11.00 pm) and it costs 6.36p per minute for a daytime call and 4.89p per minute in the evening and at weekends. In addition there's a 9.79p charge for simply connecting a call!!

I thought I was paying 3p in the daytime, 2p in the evening and 1p at weekends?

When did they scrap those charges?

BT isn't that much better 9.05 setup fee and # Evening calls: 1.45p a minute
# Daytime calls: 5.25p a minute..

ffa1 · 07-11-2009, 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnathome

Check this out matey, it's what i use

http://www.18185.co.uk/mobilerates.php

Thanks for that - I'll register now!

Raymond1 · 07-11-2009, 13:19

I prefer fist telecom. They send you a free call router so there is no need to dial a prefix number.

Raymond1 · 08-11-2009, 16:17

I and many others here prefer "first telecom" with their cable saver they send you a free call router so you do not have to predial a prefix everytime you make a call.

shevlen · 08-11-2009, 19:38

Virgin have put up their 0845 numbers to the same cost as the horrendous 0870 numbers........10p a minute!
I'm on their Talk Unlimited package, which is only for normal 02, 01. Most companies and business use 0845 and it costs a fortune unless I can find an alternative number on the 'SayNoTo0870' website.
Virgin should be ashamed of charging nearly 10p a minute for 0845 numbers!

johnathome · 08-11-2009, 19:52

Thats bad, 0845 are meant to be charged at LOCAL rate.

Still, using 18185 it costs 3p a minute.

I started using it when VM ripped me off for a Thailand landline call to a mate. Now i can call his Thai MOBILE for 1.5p a minute, so if 18185 can make a profit on that we are seriously being ripped off

Thine Wonk · 08-11-2009, 23:17

I cant see why Virgin are dearer than BT by as much as they are. I never make or receive a call on the Virgin line because of it. It would cost me the same not to have the line. Not used it for nearly a year now.

Cheaper on the mobile, it's Virgin that are losing out I would imagine as I bet there's a lot of people like me that hardly use the landline any more because it's too expensive.

davebav50 · 08-11-2009, 23:40

I just use mine on Sat and Sun when its free.

05-11-2009, 11:56	#1
ffa1 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 63	Has Virgin greatly increased the cost of making phone calls? I was surprised how much my recent phone bill was and upon investigation it looks like their charges are ridiculously high. I'm on the basic Talk Off Peak package (£11.00 pm) and it costs 6.36p per minute for a daytime call and 4.89p per minute in the evening and at weekends. In addition there's a 9.79p charge for simply connecting a call!! I thought I was paying 3p in the daytime, 2p in the evening and 1p at weekends? When did they scrap those charges? Can anyone recommend one of those online services where you type in a number before you make your phone call? I understand that they can be very cheap.

05-11-2009, 12:18	#2
dmc5007 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Midlands Services: Virgin VIP, XBOX 360 Posts: 535	The 321 pricing went ages ago. Virgins phone prices are not cheap by any means but I have XL telephone which makes most calls inclusive. The charging structure is largely industry wide now, ie Xp per minute and Yp to connect the call. Virgins is on the pricey side, have you considered XL telephone or VOIP?

05-11-2009, 12:50	#4
ffa1 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 63	Thanks for the info. My call charges still aren't really enough to make the XL package worthwhile for me. As for VOIP, my calls are mostly to my parents and they're not online. I did try using the VOIP to land-line facility but they weren't impressed by the sound quality of my call.

05-11-2009, 17:57	#5
tm009f0737@blue Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: up north Services: virgin 3 xl's,v+ ,v box & 20mb Posts: 745	'I thought I was paying 3p in the daytime, 2p in the evening and 1p at weekends?' You sure have a long memory. I think you'll find those price's changed about 10 years ago.

05-11-2009, 22:48	#7
johnathome Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 100	Check this out matey, it's what i use http://www.18185.co.uk/mobilerates.php

07-11-2009, 13:19	#10
Raymond1 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 45	I prefer fist telecom. They send you a free call router so there is no need to dial a prefix number.

08-11-2009, 16:17	#11
Raymond1 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 45	I and many others here prefer "first telecom" with their cable saver they send you a free call router so you do not have to predial a prefix everytime you make a call.

08-11-2009, 19:38	#12
shevlen Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 130	Virgin have put up their 0845 numbers to the same cost as the horrendous 0870 numbers........10p a minute! I'm on their Talk Unlimited package, which is only for normal 02, 01. Most companies and business use 0845 and it costs a fortune unless I can find an alternative number on the 'SayNoTo0870' website. Virgin should be ashamed of charging nearly 10p a minute for 0845 numbers!

08-11-2009, 19:52	#13
johnathome Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 100	Thats bad, 0845 are meant to be charged at LOCAL rate. Still, using 18185 it costs 3p a minute. I started using it when VM ripped me off for a Thailand landline call to a mate. Now i can call his Thai MOBILE for 1.5p a minute, so if 18185 can make a profit on that we are seriously being ripped off

08-11-2009, 23:17	#14
Thine Wonk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Services: Unlocked iphone 3g on 3 Network. VM XL TV, L BB, M Phone, 1GB mobile BB Posts: 700	I cant see why Virgin are dearer than BT by as much as they are. I never make or receive a call on the Virgin line because of it. It would cost me the same not to have the line. Not used it for nearly a year now. Cheaper on the mobile, it's Virgin that are losing out I would imagine as I bet there's a lot of people like me that hardly use the landline any more because it's too expensive.

08-11-2009, 23:40	#15
davebav50 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Great Yarmouth Services: Virgin Media, Sky, Freeview+ Posts: 174	I just use mine on Sat and Sun when its free.