Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

I was just thinking that SKY currently offer their HD Pack for £10.25 a month. SKY give you a free HD box without a HD activation fee. If you take the service for 12 months your shelling out £123.00 for just HD.

Virgin offer HD free however if you want HD you have to pay a £49.00 HD activation fee. Then if you want the SKY Premium channels you are £7.00 per month thereafter. Over a year your shelling out £133.00 for just HD. £10.00 more than SKY.

I know in terms of a like for like overall TV package Virgin are about £4.25 per month cheaper than SKY however I'm just comparing the HD elements of both companies packages.

Virgin aren't doing too badly out of HD. It seems they are front loading their costs to keep their HD looking "free".

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

How much extra does ESPN HD cost on Sky compared to Virgin XL?

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Yes but in regards to this:

1- If you carry on with sky in the second year you will pay £123.

2- If you stay with VM and stay on the same pack ( XL ) you will only pay £84.

So in the second year if you stay with VM you will save £39 do i think that the front loading of the charge is worth it, as it is worth it in the long run.
Just my thought:erm:

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

God I hate these threads let's bash Sky let's look at every possible scenario , it's simple really Sky charge for HD but in some cases Sky can still be cheaper but in other situations VM can be, it really depends what you want.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

£9.00 per month however for this price SKY gives you both ESPN HD and ESPN America HD.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Firstly, it doesn't seem to be a Sky-bashing thread. It's just comparing what's available and at what price.

Secondly, if you hate them then it's quite simple, don't click on them.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Totally agree. Over a 12 month period SKY edge it for value. Over 24 months Virgin are the winners by a saving of £29.00.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Hard to judge over 24 months most companies give you retention deals after 12 months if you consider leaving.

---------- Post added at 21:35 ---------- Previous post was at 21:34 ----------

I'm not having a go at Chad , but they are pointless because what works for one person , may not work for another.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

I'll keep that in mind for when my latest contract runs out in September.

I'll be asking for 1 free Tivo and an upgrade to 100Mb or our old chum Rupert Murdoch and the boys will be getting a call from me looking for a bin lid for the side of my house:erm::D

Seriously though it was a price comparison website which brought this to my attention. I was surprised how much Virgin customers actually pay for HD in the initial 12 months if they take SKY Sports & Movies in HD.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

That is why i posted that it is trying to balance out the facts that you have put and to add substance to the thread as well.

Yes we know this but how many customers call and get these deals if they are not in the know about them?

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

I always make an annual call it's suprising what these firms offer , Sky are giving months and months of free HD sub , I've lots of friends on 6 months free HD sub and some with sports and movies at Half price.

---------- Post added at 21:49 ---------- Previous post was at 21:46 ----------

What you need to do mate is work out what your requirements are Ie BB , Phone , television channels and then price both companies up.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Don't forget the £20 self install or £30 manned install fee on top of the £49 too

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

You definitely need to work it out for you personally. For me, sky would be much more expensive because I have 2 HD boxes, and no premium channels. So, that's roughly 20 pounds P/M extra for sky as against 6.50 for VM, by just adding a second HD box.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

IMO its not really worth coming to VM for people who want more than just the basic pay tv HD as we have to pay £7 for Sky premium which is a reduced set of HD channels anyway. Might as well avoid the HD activation fee, pay £3.25 extra a month and get all premium HD channels and also more basic HD channels.

This off course assumes HD is the priority for the customer. I personally wouldn't go to Sky unless I absolutely had to..

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Also a VM sky premium HD subscriber with TIVO would pay 7.00 for sky premium hd and 3.00 for TiVo making it really not worthwhile if HD is your priority. 2 Sky Sports HD channels on VM compared to 4 on Sky , MGM HD , sky classics HD and Disney cinemagic HD available to sky movie/hd subscribers on sky only.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

This debate is only really relevant for those who want the premium movie/sport channels in HD which I don't, so very happy with XL TV and HD channels available and certainly cheaper than Sky.

Some people may want every HD channel available and there are a few channels I would prefer to see coming available on VM, but nothing so big that I would ever contemplate moving to Sky.

That £3 Tivo charge has nothing to do about HD choice, just buy a V+ or wait until the cheaper Tivo box comes out where I suspect that £3 may be very little or nothing, but there is another thread if you want to discuss that.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

I've just gone HD..as I bought a new TV..I have to say as I already has XL TV all I have to pay was the activation/installation fees of£69.For that I get 17 HD channels and I do not pay any monthly fee.
Seems like a fair deal especially as I only pay that activation fee ONCE and if anything happens to the V+HD box VM will replace it(provided I'm not responsible for any damage to it)free of charge.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

I do expect the HD count to increase this year, so XL customers should have 20-25 HD channels by the end of this year I guess, purely my guess on the number but gut feeling of where we will end up at.

The drive towards on demand HD also adds another dimension to this discussion. Say for example, VM can establish higher volume of HD movies through further agreements (using Tivo Internet link?), then who needs Sky Movies as an example. Sports though will always be a unque for Sky, they will defend that no matter what against other routes to access Sport HD.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Agreed Maggy J, as Perfect Choice has stated if you just want the channels offered as part of the XL pack VM is a really good choice as after the activation there are no other monthly fees for the HD channels besides the XL sub.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Once you get past the first year, you don't even think of a HD charge at all since HD provision is part of the XL fee and you don't get hit on the monthly subscriptions if you decide to have a 2nd box as well.

The situation is different if you want the Sky movie/sport HD channels where financials are closer so down to personal choice then.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

...but let's not forget that the Virgin Media charging for Sky Premiums, both HD and SD, is pretty much dictated by Sky.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Sky also offer over 50 HD channels so if it is HD that you want then Sky lead the way.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Probably with plenty more to come over the year.

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

what like?

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.p...wo-hd-channels

Disney Channel has been rumoured , Sky Living it HD , Racing Uk HD (sub needed for this)

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

cheers

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

I work for SKY so it may sound I am a little biased but before working for sky I was with Virgin Media, they always charge quite alot weren't with them when they had HD, but the HD box with SKY is fab :), if you didn't want to pay for HD (£10.25 per month, for 12 months) get a MR (multi room subscription and it will be free ;) )
SKY Always add more HD Channels too, dependent on contracts with company's but they got more choice than VM!... your choice

*this is from a personal view not a company's lol!

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

:welcome: to the forum :waving:

Won't you get in to trouble advising customers that? :D

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

Thanks, it was merely a personal opinion,
however i do think VM for catchup is brilliant :)

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

No worries :)

Out of interest, how does that work? Is it just a deal if you get multi-room?

Re: Is HD on with Virgin more expensive than SKY?
 

No problems, yeah something like that does depend on the sales agent though lol ;)
I have heard as-well though that you can get 12 months free with tesco clubcard points too so that maybe something to look at :)