# UPC price increase



## STEINER (2 Jul 2012)

I got a letter from UPC today, usual stuff about improvements and at the end says a €3.54 per month increase inc VAT for me from 1st august.  There doesn't seem to be any mention of it on their website.  I have basic TV and phone. 

Anybody else get price increase notifications?


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## newirishman (2 Jul 2012)

Got similar letter last week, price increase of €1.50 per month (I have internet and phone with them, no TV)


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## Delboy (2 Jul 2012)

jeez, first Greyhound waste and now UPC...and no notification from either, and cant see anything online on their sites


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## lucozade (2 Jul 2012)

I got a text from UPC on the 22nd of June. They just said that they have now kindly increased the Broadband speed for free. Normally a month or so later I get the letter to say that they are charging me for this increase... Is that even legal?. I assume it's the same thing that they doing with the rest of you. I was intending to ring them as some as I got the charge increase letter....


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## Delboy (3 Jul 2012)

i got the text to say my broadband speed was going up, but that was it
A yr ago, I asked them top reduce my speed to 15mbs or so as I have'nt asked for or needed any of the upgrades, especially if it came with a price rise. They agreed to it and reduced my monthly bill also...will do the same this time if I see the bill go up


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## Bolter (11 Jul 2012)

I got this letter too. It states at the end you can cancel without penalty. I am going to considering canceling and then re- sign up to the service for 33e a month (new customer) I rang them about this and they said they'd get back to me. It took me 15 minutes to get through so think I may just email them does anyone know their email for cancellation?


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## sulo (11 Jul 2012)

We also got the text from UPC - increasing our 25mb to 30mb for "free".  And like Lucozade, this is not the first time we've got this "free" increase in our broadband - to discover the cost for UPC goes up couple of weeks later.  I rang and had a long discussion with one of the "customer support" saying that it was a rather sneaky "free" increase.  I asked to be put on the lower rate.  But was advised that the lower rate was no longer available, I think it was the 15mb at the time.. thats what we started off at...   They give you a free upgrade to the next mb and remove the previous option so you can't go back to it, when the increase cost!...


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## Bachelor Boy (11 Jul 2012)

Hi I got this letter too did anyone notice that there was a letter saying we've standardised our call charges also. What does that mean exactly? Does it mean they've increased the charges?


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## DrMoriarty (11 Jul 2012)

STEINER said:


> There doesn't seem to be any mention of it on their website.


 


Delboy said:


> ...cant see anything online on their sites


Here you go.

I think I may do what aaa suggests — cancel and rejoin as a "new" customer. I've a pain in my face with companies (mainly ISPs and mobile networks) endlessly launching tasty "loss leader" deals for new customers only and subsidising them by price-gouging their existing customers.

Only thing holding me back is that my legacy plan includes unlimited landline calls, whereas the new bundles only seem to offer a choice of either 100 or 200 minutes/month (admittedly this now includes landlines, mobiles and about 20 international destinations). The females in the Moriarty household are easily capable of clocking up 200 minutes per week, _each_...


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## suzie (12 Jul 2012)

Dr,

You are looking for http://www.upc.ie/phone/anytimeworld/

around €18/€19 after increase. I'd say you have to ask for the loyalty department saying you'd "like" to cancel etc...

S.


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## DrMoriarty (12 Jul 2012)

Wow. Thanks, suzie! It looks like I can haggle a bit, so. And the sales guy who rang me today _insisted_ that was no longer available and that this was my only option (currently €42/month, plus that lovely "standalone" charge of €7.87/month for _not_ including the TV package). Yet there it is in black and white... well, blue and grey (my emphasis).


> Q. I am an existing Home Phone Customer with Freetime World,If I order the Fibre Power Essential bundle will my Home Phone pack change.
> A. No, in this instance *existing customers* who currently receive our Home phone with either the Freetime World *or Anytime world *call packs will continue to receive these services.


Mind you, I also had to twice challenge him when he insisted that 200 minutes/month was "the same as what you have". Very keen to apply the change there and then, for my greater convenience.  

Their information is still riddled with inconsistencies, such as the description of the 100/200 Anytime packages, which they claim in literally the same breath to include:


> ...100 [or 200] minutes of free calls to mobiles and local, national and international fixed landline calls (*excludes* calls to mobile, premium rate, SMS and non geographic numbers) in selected 21 international destinations, standard rates apply thereafter.


 
But if I cancel my account and come back as a "new customer", I can choose between:
(a) four months at half-price, plus a €50 voucher for D.I.D. Electrical or Carphone Warehouse (by signing up online through Boards.ie — see here), or

(b) sign up in-store at any branch of Carphone Warehouse, D.I.D Electrical, PC World, Currys or Michael Briscoe, and get a €250 voucher to use in that store.​Whichever way I go, I'm going to be signing up to a new 12-month contract, so I'll just have to sit down and figure out what gives me the best return. Option A is notionally worth about €150, option B €250 _(I'm going to need a new dishwasher soon, so I might go this route...). _But both will mean relinquishing the unlimited calls to landlines — they obviously want to get people off that deal, rather like the old "free texts for life" deal Meteor killed off a few years ago.

I'll just have to have a look at our usage. Pity they only provide .pdf bills, not .csv spreadsheets like Meteor do; it makes it very tedious to tot up the figures — perhaps by design?

It was nice knowing the monthly bill was always going to be a flat €50-ish...


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## PolkaDot (12 Jul 2012)

The info on the website seems to indicate that there are no price increases in relation to the broadband products?? It affects TV, phone and admin fee?


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## irishmoss (12 Jul 2012)

I've got broadband only and got no increase notification


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## Bolter (13 Jul 2012)

Just to say customer loyalty in UPC agreed to give me next 4 months Half price! If you're considering doing this do note it takes ages to get through. Go to sales and ask for customer loyalty dept. the online offer boards.ie is obviously better but I didn't want the hassle of cancelling and then re- signing up.


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## suzie (13 Jul 2012)

Dr,

The website seems to allow you to bundle anytimeworld with the BB, isnt that what you need?

S.


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## alexandra123 (24 Jul 2012)

I just got my letter,
They are charging me 1.59 for broadband and 3.75 for non-direct debit payment.

They are giving 30 days notice to cancel without incurring a penalty.


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## Delboy (24 Jul 2012)

I got an email on this the other day.....€2.08 + VAT is my increase
Saoirview and Netflix get more attractive every day


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## sulo (24 Jul 2012)

Just got an email - € 4.57 inc. VAT per month increase.

I got a text only recent - advising me of the FREE increase in Broadband range.

Im sick to the back teeth of UPC increasing the services I DON@T WANT - and then telling me they are increasing my bill, for these sercvices... i.e UPC on Demand.. and the Increase to my broadband.


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## sulo (24 Jul 2012)

I would be very interested to know how this increase is being applied.  I have the standard TV Package (no movies etc).  And we have 25mb broadband (recently upgraded to 30mb by UPC for FREEEEEE!!!)


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## DrMoriarty (24 Jul 2012)

See the link I provided above.


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## sulo (25 Jul 2012)

Dr Moriarty. Those prices do not match the current price I have with UPC. I have worked out that I was on a different "deal" and they are trying to increase me up to the "standard" current price.  Thats why I have a bigger increase.  

After speaking to UPC they confirmed that they are trying to Streamline all customers onto the same "standard" packages.... I expect over the years they have customers on all sorts of deals...  

I expressed my disatisfaction at the organisation and its increases etc... and its supposed "free" services, i.e upgrade of 25mb broad band to 30mb for free or the new "free" service UPC Demand - which all were followed up with a letter/ email to advise they have to charge for these costs to the org... all well and good... but I don't need an extra 5 mb nor did I ask for that or the UPC on Demand!... 

Talk to Loyalty Dept is my advice to anyone not happy!


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## DrMoriarty (26 Jul 2012)

More here. I'd merge the two threads but it would mix up the order of the replies.
Has anyone actually left UPC and then returned as a "new" customer?


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## JohnJay (26 Jul 2012)

it will be interesting to see what happens when Sky enter the market...... http://www.independent.ie/business/...-fall-as-sky-enters-irish-market-3181205.html


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## knealecat (8 Aug 2012)

I was like you "Sulo" but on basic TV package and was looking at around a €3 increase, phoned UPC and was asked to speak to the Loyalty Dept..... I Got €5 off my bill for the next 12 months.


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## alexandra123 (16 Aug 2012)

Just rang the loyalty dep. I got 2 months free internet and 5 euro discount for the next 12 months. 

My bill is now cheaper than it was before they sent out the letter. 

Happy camper


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