Virgin offers unlimited action for a fiver

Sorry folks, but this story is about Virgin Media, which is now offering a Sim-only deal with unlimited texts, unlimited Virgin-to-Virgin calls and 100 minutes of calls to other networks for just £5 a month. At that price, though, the 30-day rolling contract is only open to existing Virgin customers, ie. anyone who already …

[Anonymous Coward]

Truth in advertising nitpick

While I'll agree that some 100 texts per day is a bit of work, saying "unlimited" but really meaning "3000 a month" is not entirely spot on with the truth. Same with having any cap at all on "unlimited" data means it's not quite unlimited after all. Even if it's "average based", "fair use" or some other excuse for not in fact stating just what the cap is. And needless to say, there do exist people who manage more than 3000 texts a month. It's only ten an hour for ten hours a day, after all.

[Robert Carnegie]

That's

One text every six minutes. For ten hours nonstop. Every day of the month.

Or, one every three minutes, for five hours a day, every day.

I suppose it's possible tO do that many and more, if you really like to send texts.

If you send a text to more than 1 person or > 160 characters, does it count as two and more texts... hmm.

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes

I myself average maybe half an sms a month, but if I count IRC and comments on various sites, I might easily run over the 3000 sentences and/or 160*3000 characters again. But anyway.

A little googling suggests numbers from "over half of teens text more than 50 messages a day and one in three manage over 100 a day" to "the average teen sends 3339 messages per month". I'm presuming that this average teen doesn't quite try to fill those 160 characters with prose --as I tend to, cheapskate without an all-you-can-text plan that I am--, but rather sends but a few words per message.

On an unrelated note I recall a silly video pitting two texting teenagers vs. two old hand CW operators. The hams won, of course. So, where's the CW-to-SMS app? and a suitable iKey for your iGadget?

[Arbuthnot Darjeeling]

you

don't have teenage kids, do you?

I do, & 3000+ txts a month is no way unachievable, matey.

3000 is not unlimited.

[IsJustabloke]

I refuse to enoble a simple forum post!

I'm a textaholic and average around 1800 a month, I can see how someone might get to 3000 but to do it regularly I'm not so sure.

[John Riddoch]

Lies...

3000 texts per month is not "unlimited" - they should just advertise it as 3000 free texts a month and it would be fine, but nooo, they have to say unlimited. Gits.

[darren.b]

"unlimited"

So it's not unlimited texts at all. It's limited to 3000 per month.

Yet another blatant lie from Virgin Media.

ISPs, mobilecos and their ilk should be banned from using the word "unlimited" anywhere in their marketing.

[Just Thinking]

Unlimited, again

3000 texts a month is 3000 texts a month. About 100 a day. Quite a lot, but far from unlimited.

How do they keep getting away with this?

[Recaf]

ASA

If you're as fed up with it as I am, complain via http://www.asa.org.uk/

[Shaun 1]

Because it's not technically limited

If it was a 3000 text limit, you can send 3000, then you are cut off

With the unlimited* tarrif, you can send 3000 and then they MIGHT cut you off

*fair use policy applies

[Recaf]

How is 3000 texts 'unlimited'?

Regardless of how tired my fingers might get, unlimited should mean unlimited: if it's 3000 texts, say "3000 texts", I've had enough of all this 'fair use policy' bullsh*t.

[brightemo]

giffgaff

try giffgaff, the mobile network where unlimited really means unlimited.

[Anonymous Coward]

O2 network...

All looked good until I read 'we run our service on the O2 network.'

O2 struggle to run their own service on their own network

[Bill 2]

I am absolutely stunned to be agreeing with this comment

But brightemo is correct - I have been with giffgaff for 3 months now and a £10 "goody bag" every month is all I need. I was with Orange before and managed to get through £30 of credit in a month. Before that it was Voda but they were also way more expensive. I live out in the sticks and reception is not bad - its not great but it equals voda which is the only other alternative out here.

I dont usually endorse anything as I usually manage to find something about any company that I dont like but I have to admit giffgaff deliver the cheapest and in my opinion best service I have had from any operator (they dont have a service centre - you have to post a question on their forum to get any support but it seems to work well - although I have only needed to ask one question so far).

[Anonymous Coward]

Just check the call costs....

.... as soon as you go over that pathetically small 100 minutes of free airtime. I bet they are hitting you for 40p or more per minute. Of course it's next to impossible to find the actual prices on their websites until they sting you on the bill.

[Anonymous Coward]

Not so hidden...

Hm. Not *so* hidden are they? Click the 'choose tariff' button and then follow the 'view our call charges' link.

Was that actually "next to impossible"?

[The BigYin]

Despite the...

..."factual inaccuracies" £5 is quite a sweet deal. Very, very tempting; although I was thinking of getting an HTC...

[Paul Shirley]

no data

You did notice there's no inclusive data? 30p/day if you use even a single byte is far from cheap.

[Anonymous Coward]

Well lets start to do something about it.

http://www.asa.org.uk/Complaints/How-to-complain/Online-Form/Step1.aspx

[Anonymous Coward]

Rubbish

Apart from the fact it is NOT unlimited (grrrr), the virgin network is hopeless and they will cream you if you go over your limit. Fact.

[Velv]

Downvoters

Interesting to see the posts being down voted. They weren't posts with controvesial comments, they were simply pointing out a statement of fact - I'm guessing a VirginMedia monkey has been reading the forum, a point proven by the down vote on this comment :)

I've seen BBC Horizon, I know about Maths:

Finite numbers and Infinity do not live in the same mathematical space

3000 texts and Unlimited texts do not live in the same legal space

[Fluffykins]

OK. I'm not a Vermin customer, but I'll pay £ unlimited per month*

* subject to a fair use policy of 50p

Gits +1

[gautam]

Brilliant

This on the same day OFCOM publishes a damning survey on ISPs unlimted speed/package

and praising Virgins ability to deliver near enough advertised speeds.

Once again, B******S all!

[Anonymous Coward]

only 3000?

That is less than one message every 4 Minutes during a normal working day.

Would be just enough to let the people on twitter know what I am up to.

[Andy Livingstone]

Never again

Not even if they pay me the fiver.

[mark l 2]

unlimited text

Im guessing the 3000 SMS per month limit is to stop the sim card being used in an email to SMS gateway server or similar such device where it could be flooding their network with 1000 of texts per month. But yes they shouldn't call it unlimited if there is a limit. I'm on 3 with their £10 per month contract and i get 3000 text per month which i get no where near the limit and also 3 didnt try and sell it as unlimited texts, they even do a 5000 text per month for £25 quid per month so that would be some serious texting.