Virgin Data Charges

[hazfiend]

This isn't about going to west africa and being hit for updating facebook automatically with roaming and that.

 

I understand hardware and computers and no way will I enable my Android smartphone to play merrily with PAYG data while I sleep, so I don't want that service. It can update applications and stuff when it is at home with the wireless broadband, as far as I'm concerned. Of course, I have BT broadband that includes hotspots and so on and the local pub, etc, have free wireless because various companies do that, e.g. little chef, etc. So I'm mostly sorted and if not I can wait 'til I am to check the BBC news website.

 

All was well until maybe a year ago. I was offered a deal where I could get free data access just by topping up my call credit, £15 a month got me a good bandwidth that I wouldn't be exceeding that month so I did that for a bit but quickly had large call credit that would take ages to use so I packed that in and went back to how I was.

 

But, it turns out that I was paying for my "free" data from some point. I dunno because they don't give you a monthly bill on PAYG, it might have been from day one, it might have been once I stopped topping up, either way all the money I put into the account was gone recently and that's how I found out they are charging me daily rates for having data on my phone, which is something I certainly never signed a contract for to and wouldn't want to have anyway because I don't need it.

 

Talking to Virgin through the phone was a waste of time, the drones just try to sell me something and when I escalated to a manager (or, another drone, I suppose) I got told to send email into their customer services, which gets a reply along the lines of "we hope to reply within five working days" but nothing else. I repeated this at least once and nothing.

 

I've now switched to vodafone (yes, I see most of the posts in here are about them being a problem!) and after two tries at the PAC code, which varies each time, I'm assuming I will get rid of Virgin fairly soon.

 

But it annoys me intensely, I know exactly what I wouldn't and didn't agree to and ended up with precisely that and it cost me, I suppose, £50 to £100. I've sent in the "meet the escalation criteria" complaint to Virgin and I'll do the arbitration thing but this isn't about money, it's about punishing them for bad behaviour. I don't mind losing money during the process but how much does a small claims court action actually cost? Assuming arbitration is a flop, naturally.

 

Thanks in advance. Dang I hope vodafone aren't going to be worse. I was with Virgin for about a decade, maybe more, until the wheels fell off.

[locutus]

Well, if things do get worse, at least there is the webteam here who talk a little bit more sense that the usual CS

 

Most of these "free data" have the *small print (providing you top up £xx per month). I'm sure if lee sees this thread he'll post, I believe it's £10 tho on their PAYG "text and web" package as that's what I got for my daughter to use my old smartphone.

[hazfiend]

Ok well I've tried a third time to contact Virgin and no response after a couple of working days so the next step is to make a complaint via CICAS to kick start the arbitration process, according to Ofcom. Has anyone else done this? Any advice?

[locutus]

[email protected] is the CEO, try his department before going down the CISAS route.

 

My view is that CISAS is not as independant as I feel they should be. (maybe it's pronounced "kiss ass" for a reason?)

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

 

I've now switched to vodafone (yes, I see most of the posts in here are about them being a problem!) and after two tries at the PAC code, which varies each time, I'm assuming I will get rid of Virgin fairly soon....

 

...Thanks in advance. Dang I hope vodafone aren't going to be worse. I was with Virgin for about a decade, maybe more, until the wheels fell off.

 

Hi hazfiend,

 

It's good to see that you've decided to join us.

 

As locutus says the Web Relations Team are here to assist any customer who encounters difficulties with us.

 

Should you require any assistance in the future please email me via the Contact us form here quoting the code WRT135 - CAG Forum in the subject line.

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

 

Web Relations Team

 

Vodafone UK