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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Switching to Now TV

I'm currently with Virgin but looking to switch to Now TV as its a lot cheaper. When I called Virgin to cancel, they warned me that Now TV would not be able to offer me anywhere near the speeds I would need, even to run Netflix. This is despite being told by Now TV that I will get around 80 meg. 

 

Virgin pointed me to this URL - https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/speedtest/streetstats/ and told me that my nearest Sky exchange only offered a maximum of 8meg, and as I'm so far away from it, I won't even get that. Now, I don't fully understand how the Fibre packages work but I was under the impression that it didn't go through the exchange and as such wouldn't affect this? I appreciate that I may not get the full 80 meg but if it was there or thereabouts I'd be happy.

 

Can anyone advise? Virgin are telling me one thing, and Now TV another - I just don't want to leave Virgin and then be stuck with terrible speeds.

 

Thanks!

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Tony-D
NOW Team Member
NOW Team Member

@Anonymous User wrote:
Thanks all. We did ask about just having the broadband with Virgin but our house is on the market and Virgin isn't available in the area we're hoping to move to so that's not an option.

Looks like we'll give the Now TV combo a go as we'll have to leave Virgin when we move anyway. I do think Virgin were probably stretching the truth trying to scare us into staying though but as long as we can stream then I'm not too bothered on the actual speed. I'm supposed to have 200mb with Virgin but that entirely depends on the time of day and day of the week seemingly. For example I'm currently getting 12mb right now so as long as it's better than that I'll be happy.

Final question, are there any usage limits with the Super fibre package? It does say unlimited but just wondering if there is anything in the terms and conditions

@Anonymous User Sorry i am only getting onto the forum now. With your last question, we do have ts and cs. But we mean, say you were downloading a Petabyte of data a month, as in 1000TB we would have to do something. I don't even know if that's mathmatically possible based on an 80mb connection though. As with all your previous questions, our speed tool is based off the OpenReach Database so safe to say that you'll get the speeds we tell you at the point of sale. Any more questions, ask away 🙂

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14 REPLIES 14
schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User

 

I believe that NowTV uses the BT infrastructure, where Virgin uses a different method of delivering the internet to your household.

 

I am on BT where the internet speeds promised in the sales literature is dependent on where the local hubs are in relation to your property, where the longer the distance apart the more the internet speeds drop together with other factors involved.

 

Lucky for me i am within 100 metres of the local BT hub so i am getting the full speed promised, where my parents have no BT hubs close to their house where their speeds are shockingly poor.

 

Have you tried using the NowTV broadband checker tool on their website ?

 

I would also suggest going to My Account > My Package where there is a telephone helpline number for potential customers interested in the NowTV Combo service and ask them the question what happens if the fab fibre speeds don't achieve the speeds promised ? 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Thanks for the reply schnapps.

 

I have used the NowTV broadband checker and spoke to an agent via the webchat and they told me that's what I could get - I'm just wondering if that is necessarily accurate. The guys at Virgin told me that they would just be saying that and can't prove it (perhaps simply in an attempt to keep my custom)

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User

 

Unfortunately i can't comment on the NowTV Fab Fibre Service, being a long term BT customer where in general i am happy with them apart from their costs keeps creeping up.

 

I do understand your concerns, where i too think about changing my Fibre Broadband supplier to save money, where i never have the courage to go through with it because i keep telling myself "what if the speeds are no where near what i have been getting from BT which i am happy with". 

 

Virgin Fibre is not available around our way, but i have heard good things about their superfast reliable internet speed, though their prices seem a little toppy to me.

 

Hopefully forum members on here who have switched from Virgin to NowTV can offer their experience when switching and if they have noticed a big difference in their internet speed reduction compared to what the NowTV broadband checker tool results gave them before signing up to the NowTV Fab Fibre Service.

 

Also, have you tried a different broadband checker tool from the internet (different to the one Virgin or NowTV directed you too) to see how their results compared ? 

 

Obviously my post is not intend to sway your decision in anyway and i suppose everybodies experience with ISP speeds will vary and be different depending on their circumstances.

 

4268
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User I am in similar situation to you Virgin is very quick. However I can only get under 5mbps via BT open reach. I changed from Sky telephone/broadband to Virgin due to lack of speed and fact I wanted extra channels. What you could do is cut back Virgin to just broadband and then use Now and freeview.
Please take a moment to click thanks or marked as solution if this answered your question. I am a community contributor and pop on when I can.
schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User

 

I think @4268 post makes good logical sense, where if you are happy with the Virgin Fibre internet speed offered and you are worried with the uncertainty with the NowTV Fab Fibre speed promised.

 

Then why don't you try to re negotiate your Virgin Package with their Retentions Dept or reduce your Virgin Package to the bare minimum with the same fibre internet speed and source your TV content elsewhere such has NowTV passes or even cheaper buying NowTV Vouchers.

Andy
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User

Your fibre speed with NOW TV will depend on distance to cabinet not distance to exchange. Having said that as towns grow you'll be surprised how they get wired up so its not necessarily the nearest roadside cabinet to you that connects to your house (I'm connected to a cab about half a mile away, despite their being a cab eight houses down, NOW TV give me fibre at around 40Mbps).

 

Cant really say who is telling you lies or stretching the truth, NOW TV should know what the estimated speed range is for your location though. Wouldn't take any notice of the website Virgin direct you to, that's simply a record of people who conduct speed tests on the third party site, it doesn't even distinguish between ADSL and fibre, and people only tend to use speed test websites when there's a problem anyway!

 

However some good suggestions re negotiate with Virgin if you're not sure you want to switch. I used to regularly pay half price with Sky by keep ringing them up. Tell them you're tempted by the NOW TV offer because they offer X, Y and Z for £XX and ask if they can match and if not how close can they get.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Thanks all. We did ask about just having the broadband with Virgin but our house is on the market and Virgin isn't available in the area we're hoping to move to so that's not an option.

Looks like we'll give the Now TV combo a go as we'll have to leave Virgin when we move anyway. I do think Virgin were probably stretching the truth trying to scare us into staying though but as long as we can stream then I'm not too bothered on the actual speed. I'm supposed to have 200mb with Virgin but that entirely depends on the time of day and day of the week seemingly. For example I'm currently getting 12mb right now so as long as it's better than that I'll be happy.

Final question, are there any usage limits with the Super fibre package? It does say unlimited but just wondering if there is anything in the terms and conditions
Tony-D
NOW Team Member
NOW Team Member

@Anonymous User wrote:
Thanks all. We did ask about just having the broadband with Virgin but our house is on the market and Virgin isn't available in the area we're hoping to move to so that's not an option.

Looks like we'll give the Now TV combo a go as we'll have to leave Virgin when we move anyway. I do think Virgin were probably stretching the truth trying to scare us into staying though but as long as we can stream then I'm not too bothered on the actual speed. I'm supposed to have 200mb with Virgin but that entirely depends on the time of day and day of the week seemingly. For example I'm currently getting 12mb right now so as long as it's better than that I'll be happy.

Final question, are there any usage limits with the Super fibre package? It does say unlimited but just wondering if there is anything in the terms and conditions

@Anonymous User Sorry i am only getting onto the forum now. With your last question, we do have ts and cs. But we mean, say you were downloading a Petabyte of data a month, as in 1000TB we would have to do something. I don't even know if that's mathmatically possible based on an 80mb connection though. As with all your previous questions, our speed tool is based off the OpenReach Database so safe to say that you'll get the speeds we tell you at the point of sale. Any more questions, ask away 🙂

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User

 

Wow, I wouldn't be happy if my ISP quoted me 200 Mb where during peak periods i was only getting 12 Mb max Smiley Mad