Virgin Mobile - Cancelling

I just got my bill from Virgin and I know I signed up just under 12
months ago, so I called up to cancel to give however many days notice
they wanted.

They guy I spoke to just said I didn't need to cancel, once the
contract has been running for 12 months it will just automatically
cancel unless I call them the day before to tell them I want to
continue.

I've never heard anything like this. Why would a mobile company
terminate contracts automatically instead of continuing to take money
after the minimum term like everyone else does?

Have I spoken to someone whose bonus is based on not cancelling
contracts or is he correct and the contract will cancel automatically?

In message c398b813-ddb1-4225-8655-de1dcf346c14...oglegroups.com,
halfanorange <halfanorange@gmail.com> Proclaimed from the tallest tower:

> I just got my bill from Virgin and I know I signed up just under 12
> months ago, so I called up to cancel to give however many days notice
> they wanted.
>
> They guy I spoke to just said I didn't need to cancel, once the
> contract has been running for 12 months it will just automatically
> cancel unless I call them the day before to tell them I want to
> continue.
>
> I've never heard anything like this. Why would a mobile company
> terminate contracts automatically instead of continuing to take money
> after the minimum term like everyone else does?
>
> Have I spoken to someone whose bonus is based on not cancelling
> contracts or is he correct and the contract will cancel automatically?

Don't know how Virgin operate, but that sounds very odd to me. As I'm sure
you know, most mobile contracts, by default, will keep running until you
choose to cancel them. That's the way most people would like it anyway. It
would be very annoying if you were on holiday (or whatever) on the
anniversary of your contract, and it cancelled itself while you were away.
Having said that, can't see why the guy spoke to would particulary
benefit...
Maybe ring them again, and see if you get told the same thing by someone
else. If they DO say the same, make a point of having it confirmed, maybe in
writing...

--
Regards,
Chris.
(Remove Elvis's shoes to email me)

halfanorange wrote:
> I just got my bill from Virgin and I know I signed up just under 12
> months ago, so I called up to cancel to give however many days notice
> they wanted.
>
> They guy I spoke to just said I didn't need to cancel, once the
> contract has been running for 12 months it will just automatically
> cancel unless I call them the day before to tell them I want to
> continue.
>
> I've never heard anything like this. Why would a mobile company
> terminate contracts automatically instead of continuing to take money
> after the minimum term like everyone else does?
>
> Have I spoken to someone whose bonus is based on not cancelling
> contracts or is he correct and the contract will cancel automatically?

Just to be on the safe side, why not ask for a PAC, and transfer it to a
PAYG SIM or something. Keeps the number if you wanted, and use of the
PAC will terminate the account, thus ensuring it really does get
terminated, and Virgin should not refuse a request for a PAC.

D

"halfanorange" <halfanorange@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:c398b813-ddb1-4225-8655-de1dcf346c14@1g2000hsl.googlegroups.com...
>I just got my bill from Virgin and I know I signed up just under 12
> months ago, so I called up to cancel to give however many days notice
> they wanted.
>
> They guy I spoke to just said I didn't need to cancel, once the
> contract has been running for 12 months it will just automatically
> cancel unless I call them the day before to tell them I want to
> continue.
>
> I've never heard anything like this. Why would a mobile company
> terminate contracts automatically instead of continuing to take money
> after the minimum term like everyone else does?
>
> Have I spoken to someone whose bonus is based on not cancelling
> contracts or is he correct and the contract will cancel automatically?

what do your terms and conditions state you should do in order to cancel?

you could always ring back and see if you get the same response.

best bet though would be to put it in writing that you wish to cancel.

On Thu, 3 Jan 2008 04:18:09 -0800 (PST), halfanorange <halfanorange@gmail.com> wrote:
>I just got my bill from Virgin and I know I signed up just under 12
>months ago, so I called up to cancel to give however many days notice
>they wanted.
>
>They guy I spoke to just said I didn't need to cancel, once the
>contract has been running for 12 months it will just automatically
>cancel unless I call them the day before to tell them I want to
>continue.
>
>I've never heard anything like this. Why would a mobile company
>terminate contracts automatically instead of continuing to take money
>after the minimum term like everyone else does?
>
>Have I spoken to someone whose bonus is based on not cancelling
>contracts or is he correct and the contract will cancel automatically?

Are you wanting to switch to another network, or just don't want to keep
paying line rental? If the latter, you can switch to the PAYG tariff while
still paying by Direct Debit. That way you only pay for what you use, but
the convenience of not having to top up.

--
-- Michael "Soruk" McConnell Eridani Star System
MailStripper - http://www.MailStripper.eu/ - SMTP spam filter
Second Number - http://secondnumber.matrixnetwork.co.uk/

"halfanorange" <halfanorange@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:c398b813-ddb1-4225-8655-de1dcf346c14@1g2000hsl.googlegroups.com...
> I just got my bill from Virgin and I know I signed up just under 12
> months ago, so I called up to cancel to give however many days notice
> they wanted.
>
> They guy I spoke to just said I didn't need to cancel, once the
> contract has been running for 12 months it will just automatically
> cancel unless I call them the day before to tell them I want to
> continue.
>
> I've never heard anything like this. Why would a mobile company
> terminate contracts automatically instead of continuing to take money
> after the minimum term like everyone else does?
>
> Have I spoken to someone whose bonus is based on not cancelling
> contracts or is he correct and the contract will cancel automatically?

Bollocks is he correct. Your contract will renew and don't believe anything
else until you have the blood written signature of "Dick" the "Dick"
Branson.

Cancel automatically my 9 bob note.

Gareth.

"halfanorange" <halfanorange@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:c398b813-ddb1-4225-8655-de1dcf346c14@1g2000hsl.googlegroups.com...
>I just got my bill from Virgin and I know I signed up just under 12
> months ago, so I called up to cancel to give however many days notice
> they wanted.
>
> They guy I spoke to just said I didn't need to cancel, once the
> contract has been running for 12 months it will just automatically
> cancel unless I call them the day before to tell them I want to
> continue.
>
> I've never heard anything like this. Why would a mobile company
> terminate contracts automatically instead of continuing to take money
> after the minimum term like everyone else does?


Sounds like he was talking a load of bollocks to me.
I'd have called them again and spoken to someone else - see if the stories
match

> Have I spoken to someone whose bonus is based on not cancelling
> contracts or is he correct and the contract will cancel automatically?

Unlikely. All VirginMedia / Mobile bonuses have been blocked this year.