Confused about sign up to EE broadband, switch from virgin media and fees

[Roodles]

I wonder if someone can sense check what I have been told please.

I called EE today to cancel my mobile phone contract as the price had got quite high.

They suggested I switch to their broadband, and I can then get a deal on the sim only contract.

I explained that I'm with Virgin media, and that I have 8 months left on my contract. I was told that they would deal with Virgin Media and cover the termination fee.

However reading through the info I have, it looks like this is capped at £300, and VM are likely to charge 90 - 95% of the remaining 8 months (based on VMs info, probably around £480).

Could someone elaborate on what the process is as I am left feeling a bit uneasy and confused!

My thoughts are basically:
Do EE cancel virgin, or do I?
Is the EE termination fee "credit" capped at £300?

Cheers
Rob

[XRaySpeX]

@Roodles : You need to cancel VM yourself as they use a diff infrastructure from BT/OR.

EE will pay up to £300 of your Early Cancellation Fees upon sight of your previous ISP's bill showing them. You can claim this online @ Switch Broadband to EE and we'll pay your leaving fee.

[Roodles]

Ok thank you. I was advised differently on the phone, I only found this out when googling what happens next.

The cynic in me feels like the operator said whatever to get the sale.

Do you know if EE cancellation / retention calls are recorded?

[JimM11]

@Roodles You also need to look at the mobile closely regarding use etc, couple of variants for speed/price etc good points unlimited everything only if you keep the BB and 30 day notice to quit the mobile. Also OR infrastructure to match your VM is available for you now.

[Roodles]

Thanks.

I'm getting more and more upset about this.

I can't understand why none of the information was given - i.e. I need to phone virgin and cancel myself.

I also made it clear that I have 8 months left on Virgin at £50/m. They went on hold to check with their manager and said it would be ok.

I assume I can just cancel all of this under the cooling off period?

[JimM11]

@Roodles It can be a minimum issue to change provider, the VM to EE is not, You have not posted ie, what type of VM package you have, does/can you get the equivalent type of package with EE, do you have a new fibre available, is it still old copper, EE would have looked up your address and worked out what you could get. What is your total saving for a combined package over the 24 month period, you may save overall. If going with all new on EE then do keep your VM up and running until the EE system is active and working, then and then only cancel your VM broadband think you only have to give 14 days notice, and VM will not make it easy for you so you know. Do you use a landline, do you have TV package etc? what about that. Cancel if you need, do it before everything is in motion, there may be charges for postage etc but if stopped now you may not have to deal with it. You will also have to PAY everything yourself up front then claim back and hope there are no issues with that. HTH

[Roodles]

Thanks. I've logged this as a complaint with EE so I will update the thread with the outcome, in case any others find this in the future.

I shouldn't have left that call thinking that EE would handle the switch and the fee, to find out that essentially neither are true.

I hope that it's a training issue rather than them purposely misleading people, because to be frank I am fuming about this.

[JimM11]

@Roodles Always a possible sticky point, EE will handle but you also have to play a part to comply. Did you receive a welcome to EE order e-mail with details of what you need to do. Think that your conversation would be recorded if you need to go down that route.  

[Roodles]

Yeah I got a welcome email, thanks. But no detail (that I can see) re VM next steps etc.

My main issue is that unless I have misunderstood VM's T&Cs, the £300 is unlikely to cover it (closer to £500).

I wouldn't have accepted a hard credit check if I'd known this. Additionally, VM are aggressive at retention, I mentioned this on the call and was told that EE handle it.

So I essentially feel like I've been led up the garden path by EE. I get wound up about these things as I think, if this was my elderly parents, the first time they would know something had gone wrong would be when they continued to receive bills from VM.

Anyway in spirit of transparency, if I am told by EE that I completely misunderstood it all and I'm stupid, I'll let you all know haha.

Cheers

[JimM11]

@Roodles VM do halve a good final calculation examples on there site, so you can get a fairly good figure worked out for yourself if that helps, and it is a 30 day cancellation notice that i think i saw when i had quick look yesterday. Hope you get it all sorted.