Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja (Post 34459714)

Boring rambles aside, Sky do require me to take the TV service for that deal, also virgin required i take the TV service for the 30 quid deal (as i pointed out).

I was always going to go with TV via Sky, i didnt even look at the VM option on that one as it didnt interest me. What did interest me was Phone + BB from VM, and I compared it against the cost to me of the same service from BT / Sky.

You been drinking?

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja (Post 34459729)

Wow, somebody got a PS3 for christmas...

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja (Post 34459538)

Im moving home soon and after speaking with BT they told me there would be a 125 quid charge for activating the new house as the existing owners have had another provider for some time and as such it needs an engineer. I thought this was strange as the current owner had a phone so i asked them why BT were telling me they needed an engineer.

It turns out that they have Virgin for phone and Broadband services and dont have BT. This kind of scuppered my plans for the full Sky service (TV, SKy Talk Phone and Sky Broadband) but i thought i would just go with Virgin for the BB and the Phone seeing as the equipment was already there and they could get me running on day 1. (Sky TV was going with me though as they already have a dish up.)

Ok, i thought lets see what Virgin offer, so i phone up and get told that they can do 4mb BB and phone (Evening and Weekend call free package) for 25 quid or 20mb BB and phone (Evening and Weekend call free package) for 30 quid (inlcuding free TV which apparently the 4mb package did not).

I asked if i could remove the TV part from the 30 quid package as i wouldnt be needing it, "no" was the (polite) answer, however i was told i didnt need to actually use it, it was essentially a freebie apparently. There was also a mention of a one off 30 quid install price which he sounded like he would drop as i asked why i would need an engineer as there is already a line installed.

But im still thinking, BT line rental 11 quid a month, (albeit with 125 quid install charge) and then SKy BB Max for a further 10 quid a month (16 meg) and then Sky Talk which gives Unlimited calls at anytime to any uk landline AND to 10 international destinations for an extra 5 quid a month - total of 26 quid a month compared with the 30 quid package here.

Cheaper in the long run, but more expensive in the short term.

The other things that were running through my head were that Virgin could, apparently, have me up and running on day one when i move in. BT could also (for the phone), but Sky BB would take - well - they say 5 days but....:D

However, on balance, BT were cheaper and the call package from Sky was better, also with Virgin being Traffic shaped and Proxied i decided to go with the BT / Sky package again and pay the install charge for the long term gain.

So i phoned up BT to arrange and they let me know that they have an offer on at the moment where if I agrreed to take 18 Month line rental fromthem they would half the install charge to 62 quid - Deal!

So all in, VM just lost a potential customer due to their over-expensive BB offering and no "mid tier" package.

Not exactly great competition if they cant provide a cheaper service when a competitior is charging a big install charge. :td:

Originally Posted by ezzie_uk (Post 34459850)

Dont forget Skys activation fee of £30, and then at least £17 for basic TV every month, so your looking at basically:

SKY:
TV £17
BB £10
Phone £5
Line rental £11

£43 a month, plus £125 install (or £62),
and £30 activation

Virgin:
TV £Free
BB £25
Phone £5.45
Line Rental £Free

£30 a month, £30 install fee

Then you've got the pro's and cons of ADSL over fibre optic cable, even if you live next door to the exchange it still wont help during busy period when everyone in your street is on the net at the same time.

Originally Posted by foreverwar (Post 34460095)

Or you could have gone for this VM package
Linky
2Mb BB and Phone with unlimited weekend calls - £15.50, £30 install charge.

Originally Posted by colin-bennett (Post 34461763)

The same on Sky (with a 3GB limit admittedly) would cost just £11 plus install.


You have to take SKY tv package to get this.
In my view you have to look at your total monthly charges and they will not be £11.00 to get SKY BBI

Originally Posted by Shaun (Post 34459661)

BT are getting a bit cautious over the install charge since Openreach took over.

Generally if there's been a line there before they'll do it for free but it's down to the install engineer on the day if they make a charge. I'd go with BT and chance it - it's more than likely they won't charge. I've had several family members told there will be a charge of £125 and it's never appeared. If there's still a box on the wall and the engineer just switches it on you'll be fine.

Originally Posted by Druchii (Post 34459552)

That's very true, until Docsis 3 is rolled out when in theory everything should be ok.

They do seem evenly matched though, how's Sky for download limits?

Originally Posted by PS1 (Post 34465128)

no its not.You WILL get an installation charge wether everything is in situ or not.

Originally Posted by Shaun (Post 34465467)

That's just not true.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/34108103-post5.html