SD : TV price rises

[iateallthepies]

With Sky got Sky HD, 2 Sky HD Multirooms, Entertainment +, Movies, Unlimited/Unmanaged Broadband, Phone line Rental all in for £70.39 a month for 12 months.

Good deal I Feel...

No setup fee`s etc, just was straight with em and haggled and got a great deal.

Remember these companies will haggle just be firm

[gadge]

Do the price rises affect all customers or those on bundles?as we just have 3 tivos broadband and phone is from sky.

[paultrademark]

All customers I beleive.

Am glad I called up to negotiate a better deal, happy enough to stay for another 12 months anyway as Sky can't give me the BB I want (yet!)

Might only save a few pound, but it's better than nought

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Superblade7

I've managed to answer my own question by ringing the Indian call centre and speaking to 'Bob' who confirmed that the loyalty discount would remain but I am still subject to the price increase.

This is quite annoying as when I agreed the deal in May 2012, I was considering jumping ship to Sky but the retentions guy told me the price would be guaranteed for two years. Since getting this supposedly guaranteed price, I've had the Sky Sports rise (which they blamed on Sky) and then this new rise in Feb 2013. Whilst I am sure Sky did increase the wholesale price for Sky Sports, if I agree a price with VM that they say is guaranteed for 2 years I expect VM to keep to that but instead I feel I have been deceived and now copped for two price rises.

Like others on here, I have just priced up Sky and I potentially could make a good saving on the channels I require. My current package with VM will rise to £97.74 in Feb. With Sky, I could get a package for £87.75.

I therefore have a dilemma, do I jump to Sky and save £10 a month and gain numerous extra HD channels but only have two tuners and an estimated 10 - 15Mb ADSL broadband? Or do I stick with VM as the services have always been reliable and I would miss TiVo, the third tuner and fibre broadband?

I previously had Sky many years ago before I moved into my current home and always thought their TV service was great. However, when I moved into my current home, it was a VM area and the previous owners had VM so it was an easy choice as the points were already installed.

For those who've recently switched to Sky, is it still a good service and what is their phone / broadband service like?

Cheers

Superblade7

Really depends what you want , my estimate was 6-11 MB and my line is 9mb which for me is more than enough and copes pretty well with On Demand downloads and is totally unlimited. If your line manages 12mb you should see HD On Demand content available in 10-20 seconds. My phone has been problem free so far and the BB connection has been solid also.

[gadge]

Originally Posted by paultrademark

All customers I beleive.

Am glad I called up to negotiate a better deal, happy enough to stay for another 12 months anyway as Sky can't give me the BB I want (yet!)

Might only save a few pound, but it's better than nought

Maybe a phone call is in order as with the 3 tivos on the full package with the 7.50 hd charge comes to 75.00 a month then the sky broadband and phone 28.00 so all in all 103.00 a month and sky wont match it.Dont want to ditch the sky broadband as its been top notch.

[greeninferno]

Originally Posted by Superblade7

I've managed to answer my own question by ringing the Indian call centre and speaking to 'Bob' who confirmed that the loyalty discount would remain but I am still subject to the price increase.

This is quite annoying as when I agreed the deal in May 2012, I was considering jumping ship to Sky but the retentions guy told me the price would be guaranteed for two years. Since getting this supposedly guaranteed price, I've had the Sky Sports rise (which they blamed on Sky) and then this new rise in Feb 2013. Whilst I am sure Sky did increase the wholesale price for Sky Sports, if I agree a price with VM that they say is guaranteed for 2 years I expect VM to keep to that but instead I feel I have been deceived and now copped for two price rises.

Like others on here, I have just priced up Sky and I potentially could make a good saving on the channels I require. My current package with VM will rise to £97.74 in Feb. With Sky, I could get a package for £87.75.

I therefore have a dilemma, do I jump to Sky and save £10 a month and gain numerous extra HD channels but only have two tuners and an estimated 10 - 15Mb ADSL broadband? Or do I stick with VM as the services have always been reliable and I would miss TiVo, the third tuner and fibre broadband?

I previously had Sky many years ago before I moved into my current home and always thought their TV service was great. However, when I moved into my current home, it was a VM area and the previous owners had VM so it was an easy choice as the points were already installed.

For those who've recently switched to Sky, is it still a good service and what is their phone / broadband service like?

Cheers

Superblade7

That's interesting

it says in the small print link in the email they send you.

If you are currently receiving a promotional offer that fixes the price of one or more of your products, this price will not change until the end of the offer period. This date can be found on your bill. If you have other products with Virgin Media outside of this offer, you will receive the increase on those products from 1st February 2013.

[Superblade7]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Really depends what you want , my estimate was 6-11 MB and my line is 9mb which for me is more than enough and copes pretty well with On Demand downloads and is totally unlimited. If your line manages 12mb you should see HD On Demand content available in 10-20 seconds. My phone has been problem free so far and the BB connection has been solid also.

To be honest MM, if I got a reliable 10Mb connection it should be fine as I mainly just use broadband for general browsing and the occasional download although I do realise Sky On Demand had to download stuff. To be fair though I don't use VM On Demand that often as I generally record loads and just watch it when I can. The only thing I can see as an issue is recording clashes as there are a few times when I use all 3 tuners during the week but I guess I could record alternate showings or use On Demand a little more.

Originally Posted by greeninferno

That's interesting

it says in the small print link in the email they send you.

Yeah, it's a bit of a con as they confirmed my £11 loyalty discount would still be valid, just that the base package price would go up!

[Lincsbri]

Well i got my letter this morning and my increase for the top tier has gone from £96.50 a month at the start of the yr. with the increases they have put on over that time i am paying £111.53 and now in feb they putting it up another £4.59.I think with me moving in a few weeks and out of my contract i am going to see what the options Sky have to offer me.Oh and i don,t even have a tivo for that.

[nebudchadnezzar]

considering the amount of channels i actually watch these days, i will be seriously considering downgrading to the m+ basic tv package or maybe just getting freesat. I would only really miss 1 channel, and when they eventually get round to "doubling" my broadband speed i will most likely downgrade that too as it will still be faster than what i have currently. The amount i pay each month compared to what i actually use just doesn't make sense anymore and i could probably save myself like £20 a month at least.
It would be nice to be able to downgrade online the same as you can upgrade without having to phone India in order to do so, and i also think its about time that someone came up with the idea where you can choose individual channels that you want without having to take a package with loads of channels you will never watch

[savvychels]

wow lots to catch up on. I haven't been on the forum in about 3 months or so, and just reading back through this thread I've seen mention of a price increase (not received a snail mail or email about this) and something about a line rental saver?

So - two questions, should I have received info about the price increase by post or email already, or are they still coming out; and second I'm on the top tier VIP (or Premier or whatever they're calling these days) am I entitled to the line rental saver. In the telephone section the last post is September and says no, but I found a post in this thread from someone I think is on the same tier as me who did get it

I have tried doing a search but all it does is throw up this thread and another which are almost 100 pages long but not the actual posts.

thanks in advance.

[Superblade7]

I've been doing a bit of research following my previous posts to see whether to stick with VM or switch to Sky and to try to establish where the price differences are. I've found that it effectively boils down to the Sky Premiums.

If you forget the Sky Premiums and just get a bundle of one STB, all TV channels, HD, line rental, anytime calls and broadband (unlimited with Sky / 30Mb with VM) the bundles come in at £66.40 with VM and £63.75 with Sky (£2.65 more with VM). For £66.90 with VM you can also get an extra STB and 60Mb BB by getting the Premiere Collection with XL Phone (VM does seem to have the advantage if you need additional STBs).

So really on the basic packages there is only a couple of quid difference and with VM you get TiVo, ESPN and fibre BB whereas with Sky you get additional HD channels and Atlantic.

However, it is adding the Sky Premiums to the above that makes a big difference to price. If you add Sky Premiums to the Sky bundle, it would cost an additional £29 per month (including all channels in HD as you already pay the HD charge in the bundle above). However, add Sky Premiums to the VM bundle it will set you back a staggering £39.75 (£32.75 + £7 Premium HD fee). So it is in the Sky Premiums that the large price differential comes.

This has helped me to have a good look at the packages available, compare costs / benefits and I have decide that I am gonna stick with VM but probably look to ditch the Sky Premiums after Xmas.

Sorry for the long ramblings but I've posted this in the hope that it may be of assistance to one or two more on here in deciding on what to do in the current climate of static/reducing income and increasing costs for goods/services.

Regards

Superblade7

[greeninferno]

Originally Posted by Superblade7

I've been doing a bit of research following my previous posts to see whether to stick with VM or switch to Sky and to try to establish where the price differences are. I've found that it effectively boils down to the Sky Premiums.

If you forget the Sky Premiums and just get a bundle of one STB, all TV channels, HD, line rental, anytime calls and broadband (unlimited with Sky / 30Mb with VM) the bundles come in at £66.40 with VM and £63.75 with Sky (£2.65 more with VM). For £66.90 with VM you can also get an extra STB and 60Mb BB by getting the Premiere Collection with XL Phone (VM does seem to have the advantage if you need additional STBs).

So really on the basic packages there is only a couple of quid difference and with VM you get TiVo, ESPN and fibre BB whereas with Sky you get additional HD channels and Atlantic.

However, it is adding the Sky Premiums to the above that makes a big difference to price. If you add Sky Premiums to the Sky bundle, it would cost an additional £29 per month (including all channels in HD as you already pay the HD charge in the bundle above). However, add Sky Premiums to the VM bundle it will set you back a staggering £39.75 (£32.75 + £7 Premium HD fee). So it is in the Sky Premiums that the large price differential comes.

This has helped me to have a good look at the packages available, compare costs / benefits and I have decide that I am gonna stick with VM but probably look to ditch the Sky Premiums after Xmas.

Sorry for the long ramblings but I've posted this in the hope that it may be of assistance to one or two more on here in deciding on what to do in the current climate of static/reducing income and increasing costs for goods/services.

Regards

Superblade7

The best way to play it is if you live in a BT Fibre area is to try and get one of those Sky 50% off offers for the year, then its a no brainer.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by Superblade7

I've been doing a bit of research following my previous posts to see whether to stick with VM or switch to Sky and to try to establish where the price differences are. I've found that it effectively boils down to the Sky Premiums.

I don't have Sky premium channels, so I did my comparison without those included, and Sky still worked out £18 dearer. My comparison did include fiber BB from Sky, because it you don't include that, it is not a true comparison; ADSL is not in the same league as fibre.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by savvychels

So - two questions, should I have received info about the price increase by post or email already, or are they still coming out; and second I'm on the top tier VIP (or Premier or whatever they're calling these days) am I entitled to the line rental saver.

Still coming out and yes - unless you have another offer on your phone line already

[savvychels]

Thanks Ben. Much appreciated as always