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Nutty34 · 15-03-2013, 09:22 PM

I am on the LBO 40/10 package with phone line rental and calls I pay around £38 a month. I considered upgrading to the 70/20 package at an extra monthly cost but was surprised that LBO wanted to charge a £25 upgrade/admin fee, simply to change my profile settings.

Clearly I am not going to pay to upgrade, is there any wonder that DR is struggling with hair brained policies such as this ?

**mirdragon** · 15-03-2013, 09:57 PM

if they are not forcing you into another 12 or 18 month contract, then they aren't going to do the work for free

would you be happy providing your services to a customer and not get paid for it if it was your company?

***Chalky*** · (This post was last modified: 15-03-2013 10:54 PM by Chalky.)

(15-03-2013 09:57 PM)mirdragon Wrote: if they are not forcing you into another 12 or 18 month contract, then they aren't going to do the work for free

would you be happy providing your services to a customer and not get paid for it if it was your company?

But they're not doing it for free, they'll be getting the additional revenue from the upgraded service. It certainly should be free to upgrade, all they have to do is ring Thales and request the change so even if they insist in charging, it's not £25 worth of work.

Going back to mobile phone contracts (like with the Origin Equipment), I can change my tariff to a more expensive one, it doesn't cost me to upgrade (other than the higher monthly fee) and I don't have to restart my contract. It's only if I want to lower my tariff that I would hit problems.

john22rob · (This post was last modified: 15-03-2013 11:33 PM by john22rob.)

(15-03-2013 10:53 PM)Chalky Wrote:
(15-03-2013 09:57 PM)mirdragon Wrote: if they are not forcing you into another 12 or 18 month contract, then they aren't going to do the work for free

would you be happy providing your services to a customer and not get paid for it if it was your company?

But they're not doing it for free, they'll be getting the additional revenue from the upgraded service. It certainly should be free to upgrade, all they have to do is ring Thales and request the change so even if they insist in charging, it's not £25 worth of work.

Going back to mobile phone contracts (like with the Origin Equipment), I can change my tariff to a more expensive one, it doesn't cost me to upgrade (other than the higher monthly fee) and I don't have to restart my contract. It's only if I want to lower my tariff that I would hit problems.

i agree, i upgraded mine last year with Origin from 24/2 to 24/10 and cost me a one off cost of £25 plus a new 18month contract. Same monthly cost but they started offering 24/10 3-4 weeks after i joined and wouldnt just transfer me over.

little things like that spoil it!

TBH though, virgin tie you into a 12month contract if you wanted to upgrade.....18month is a little extreme and with a charge.

I keep thinking of joining the Max package but no way am i paying a one off fee and a new contract of 18month (maybe if i remind them i have referred 3 people now they might do it out of the kindness of their hearts lol)

also the DR Max packages are looking a little steep compared to Bt and virgin etc

BT infinity £26/month with £100 sainsburys gift card and only £20/month for first 3 months 18 month contract 76 meg
Talk talk, the job lot with Fibre, tv, tlk and free youview £30/month and free youview box, 12 month contract 76 meg
Virgin, £12.50 for 6 months then £27/month for upto 100meg 18month

Origin equivilentt upto 76meg £35 with half price for 3 months 18month

Nutty34 · 16-03-2013, 06:30 AM

Agreed, though it is expensive in comparison to other providers of FTTC I do not have the option of other providers where I live. In my mind the fact I am prepared to pay the extra every month to upgrade my package is enough. To charge an extra £25 to upgrade is an insult.

**mirdragon** · 16-03-2013, 10:08 AM

(15-03-2013 10:53 PM)Chalky Wrote:
(15-03-2013 09:57 PM)mirdragon Wrote: if they are not forcing you into another 12 or 18 month contract, then they aren't going to do the work for free

would you be happy providing your services to a customer and not get paid for it if it was your company?

But they're not doing it for free, they'll be getting the additional revenue from the upgraded service. It certainly should be free to upgrade, all they have to do is ring Thales and request the change so even if they insist in charging, it's not £25 worth of work.

Going back to mobile phone contracts (like with the Origin Equipment), I can change my tariff to a more expensive one, it doesn't cost me to upgrade (other than the higher monthly fee) and I don't have to restart my contract. It's only if I want to lower my tariff that I would hit problems.

I totally forgot they charge extra for the higher speeds, so yes I agree it should be free - it was the same for switching providers on the network, not sure if same but used to have to pay for that and I know it doesn't take that long to do the work.

In this day and age, people want value for money and services for the minimum price and DR and the ISP's are just pricing the standard consumers out of their reach.

Nutty34 · 16-03-2013, 02:52 PM

(16-03-2013 10:08 AM)mirdragon Wrote:
(15-03-2013 10:53 PM)Chalky Wrote:
(15-03-2013 09:57 PM)mirdragon Wrote: if they are not forcing you into another 12 or 18 month contract, then they aren't going to do the work for free

would you be happy providing your services to a customer and not get paid for it if it was your company?

But they're not doing it for free, they'll be getting the additional revenue from the upgraded service. It certainly should be free to upgrade, all they have to do is ring Thales and request the change so even if they insist in charging, it's not £25 worth of work.

Going back to mobile phone contracts (like with the Origin Equipment), I can change my tariff to a more expensive one, it doesn't cost me to upgrade (other than the higher monthly fee) and I don't have to restart my contract. It's only if I want to lower my tariff that I would hit problems.

I totally forgot they charge extra for the higher speeds, so yes I agree it should be free - it was the same for switching providers on the network, not sure if same but used to have to pay for that and I know it doesn't take that long to do the work.

In this day and age, people want value for money and services for the minimum price and DR and the ISP's are just pricing the standard consumers out of their reach.

Quite right mate, in all honesty I actually rate my DR connection and am more than happy with its performance and reliability, however given the choice I would move for a more competitive similar package.

It strikes me that neither the ISP's nor DR are interested in marketing the DR product for some reason.

**mirdragon** · 16-03-2013, 06:57 PM

When I joined BT Infinity in Jan 2012 on 40/10 it was an 18 month contract and free setup - only charge I had to pay was for the TV cos I wanted it Tongue

- in April 2012 I upgraded to their 80/20 product and all it meant was extended my contract by 3 month - what then found out was in Dec 2012 I was able to switch package as they thought I was on a 12 month contract from Jan 2012 - So lucky me I signed up again for 12 month on cheaper package - earlier in March I then switched to their new 80/20 totally unlimited/unthrottled pacakge - what did it cost me - just to renew for 12 months so did do

Nutty34 · 16-03-2013, 07:12 PM

(16-03-2013 06:57 PM)mirdragon Wrote: When I joined BT Infinity in Jan 2012 on 40/10 it was an 18 month contract and free setup - only charge I had to pay was for the TV cos I wanted it - in April 2012 I upgraded to their 80/20 product and all it meant was extended my contract by 3 month - what then found out was in Dec 2012 I was able to switch package as they thought I was on a 12 month contract from Jan 2012 - So lucky me I signed up again for 12 month on cheaper package - earlier in March I then switched to their new 80/20 totally unlimited/unthrottled pacakge - what did it cost me - just to renew for 12 months so did do

This is where DR ISP's are missing out, I would have upgraded, I would have also extended my contract, however although I am prepared to pay the extra monthly fee I am not prepared to pay £25 for the privelidge of doing so.

LeJimster · 16-03-2013, 07:17 PM

If there is a charge from Thales for the "upgrade" then I can understand why the ISP might pass the cost along, although even then I think they should absorb the cost considering you would be entering a new long term contract with any upgrade. Hopefully this will be all sorted out when the new company takes over running.