What's your TV package (I'm beginning to think I screwed up)

[Bob The Badger]

I was so out of touch with TV over here after being out of the country for 15 years I just got what I previously had before I left minus Sky Sports.

I was reluctant to sign up for 18-months, but as I wanted Sky broadband (few choices around here that were as fast) and it worked out the cheapest when I bundled Netflix for £4 extra, I went for it.

I'm currently paying £72 per month  for the Sky basic, the best internet they do around here and Netflix

Customer service is about 75% utter horror show and 25% brilliant depending on who you get, but I'm finding I hardly watch anything on Sky, it's all iPlayer, Netflix and Amazon.

Plus I've got back into sport with the Olympics and I want to watch the Ryder Cup and the NFL, but it's an extra £25 (as an unspecial special offer) and I have to sign up for 18 months with it when I'm already 6 months in.

I'm not arsed about the Premier League and I can get the NFL package and then stream to my TV, but that means the Sky games are blacked out and I'm thinking the Rams may be on a few times.

I dunno, I think it was better with 3 channels and my dad dickling about with a coat hanger behind the TV trying to get a signal.

Anybody got any suggestions or want to share what you have and what you pay?

[RoyMac5]

21 minutes ago, Bob The Badger said:

Anybody got any suggestions or want to share what you have and what you pay?

Just about to start the haggling process again with Sky. 18 months runs out mid-Sept and you have to give them 30 days notice for the tv. The BB is different I think if you move the ISP does all the arranging and takes about 14 days. Never cancel your BB, just arrange a new provider (well that is how it is with a landline).

I'm just finishing a deal off, it's paid in advance so the BB already show some of the price increase. But mid-level fibre and anytime talk package was £25 increasing to £26/month with their 'mid-contract' price rise (there always is one!). Ultimate is Netflix multi-account with UHD. 

Look through the MSE thread on what prices people haggling their contract to - it can be a long process, they like to 'chat' and never normally make the best offer early. Usually you have to go through to the 'retentions dept' and cancel your subscription to later on - maybe before your contract ends (in the 30 day notice) or sometimes after you've left - often by the 'winback team'.

As with all things Sky these things are fluid and it depends what offers are on and who you speak with.

Sky TV retention deals ( post your haggling successes )  MoneySavingExpert Forum

Edited August 2, 2021 by RoyMac5

[Wolfie]

I pay £99/month for Virgin Media:

• 600Mb broadband
• All SKY channels (except Atlantic I think)
• Sky Sports
• Sky Movies
• BT Sports
• Free unlimited mobile SIM card. Very handy.
• Landline (exclusively for calls from my mum)

I think this was a 12 month offer and it goes up to about £130 in Jan 22.

Customer service online is good. Horrific on the phone (Indian call centres "Hi, it's Dave from Delhi" - I kid you not).

They also text me every single month (usually from a random mobile number) claiming there's a problem with my bank details and I need to re-enter them. This isn't a scam. It's actually Virgin, cos I've checked with them. My payments always go through OK but it doesn't stop them telling me every month that I'm about to lose my services.

 

I then have Amazon Prime Video as an extra but have no intention of signing up to Netflix, Disney+ etc etc

[Bob The Badger]

5 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Just about to start the haggling process again with Sky. 18 months runs out mid-Sept and you have to give them 30 days notice for the tv. The BB is different I think if you move the ISP does all the arranging and takes about 14 days. Never cancel your BB, just arrange a new provider (well that is how it is with a landline).

I'm just finishing a deal off, it's paid in advance so the BB already show some of the price increase. But mid-level fibre and anytime talk package was £25 increasing to £26/month with their 'mid-contract' price rise (there always is one!). Ultimate is Netflix multi-account with UHD. 

Look through the MSE thread on what prices people haggling their contract to - it can be a long process, they like to 'chat' and never normally make the best offer early. Usually you have to go through to the 'retentions dept' and cancel your subscription to later on - maybe before your contract ends (in the 30 day notice) or sometimes after you've left - often by the 'winback team'.

As with all things Sky these things are fluid and it depends what offers are on and who you speak with.

Sky TV retention deals ( post your haggling successes )  MoneySavingExpert Forum

Thanks, I shall take a look but not sure I can do any haggling with 12 months to go. I used to haggle with DirecTv every year, always ending up going through to the retentions department and always ending up getting the NFL Sunday Ticket for free and usually a movie channel.

It was an utter ballache and I was, for reasons best known to myself, presuming it wasn't the case here.

I may call in and see if I can haggle over SS. You look to have a great deal (at least compared to me), but I love the way they hit you for HD three times.

[Bob The Badger]

6 minutes ago, Wolfie said:

I pay £99/month for Virgin Media:

• 600Mb broadband
• All SKY channels (except Atlantic I think)
• Sky Sports
• Sky Movies
• BT Sports
• Free unlimited mobile SIM card. Very handy.
• Landline (exclusively for calls from my mum)

I think this was a 12 month offer and it goes up to about £130 in Jan 22.

Customer service online is good. Horrific on the phone (Indian call centres "Hi, it's Dave from Delhi" - I kid you not).

They also text me every single month (usually from a random mobile number) claiming there's a problem with my bank details and I need to re-enter them. This isn't a scam. It's actually Virgin, cos I've checked with them. My payments always go through OK but it doesn't stop them telling me every month that I'm about to lose my services.

 

I then have Amazon Prime Video as an extra but have no intention of signing up to Netflix, Disney+ etc etc

I had 1GB up and download fibre optic in the US. I could upload a 2-hour Zoom meeting in about 5 seconds. I know have 35 Mbs and it takes about half an hour. 

[ramsbottom]

I'm currently paying just over £60 for Basic Sky HD, Boxsets, Broadband & line rental (even though I haven't made a call from our home phone in 4 years).

I get round the Sports by using my Mum's log in on Sky Go, and watching all the channels on either my ipad or PC for nowt.  Plus you get Sky Sports Mix for free on the basic and the Sunday night Redzone coverage is great.

Edited August 2, 2021 by ramsbottom

[ariotofmyown]

I stay away from any contracts if possible.

Pay separately for Netflix, Disney, Amazon Prime and Now TV Drama one. Think that works out about 30 quid total, and my parents use my Now TV and Netflix too.

Also on a pay monthly Now TV Sports package for £25 quid. It's mainly for my dad though and he gives me the cash for this.

Think my broadband is about £25 quid on EE. 

As you said @Bob The Badger, loads of the best TV is on the different streaming sites, so I'm not really sure what the point of the big package are really.

With Now TV Sport, you can also get day or week passes when Derby are on. Or even a Month if we on a couple of times. That is what I used before getting for my dad. Definitely try to share subscriptions with other people too.

[RoyMac5]

17 minutes ago, Bob The Badger said:

Thanks, I shall take a look but not sure I can do any haggling with 12 months to go. I used to haggle with DirecTv every year, always ending up going through to the retentions department and always ending up getting the NFL Sunday Ticket for free and usually a movie channel.

It was an utter ballache and I was, for reasons best known to myself, presuming it wasn't the case here.

I may call in and see if I can haggle over SS. You look to have a great deal (at least compared to me), but I love the way they hit you for HD three times.

You might be able to haggle - it depends what part of your package is under contract - when I check my deal through mySky account it shows that only Signature and Sports are/were 18 month deals. All the others are 30 day rolling contracts. 

So you might be able to say you no longer want parts of it because you can't afford it or can they offer you a new package deal. I doubt it if you're part way through but try cancelling some of it and see where it gets you?

The HD bits are particularly annoying - I mean who watches SD out of choice on the modern tv?! But when the mid-term increases were announced then HD was one of the three, the other two being Signature and Sports. So they each went up £1/month, so probably just another way to get more money!

I feel more able to go cold turkey with Sky now RamsTV are showing games, although as we're in the countryside there are limited choices. Our BB is only by certain providers Plusnet are one, who often have reasonable deals - their deal for BT Sport via Sky is sometimes (well when I last had it about 2 years ago) half-price, although again I rang up and haggled. (Plusnet I assume can offer cheap BT Sports as they are part of BT?)

Edited August 2, 2021 by RoyMac5

[Day]

Need to go have a chat with them, pretend I’m leaving next month.

 

[Coneheadjohn]

Always try to get half price at renewal on Sky and BT.

I think Sky Q ,every channel with Netflix should have been £100+ and we got it for £67.

The lads all have a mini box so I take it as good value because it gets serious use and occasionally I get some peace.

BT has always been about the best of an underwhelming bunch for internet.

I think 4k Sport is about £15 a month on top of the internet and 4 mobile sims.

I always go to cancel,try for cash back,vouchers and offers.

I’m as tight as a gnats chuff though.

 

[Coneheadjohn]

5 minutes ago, David said:

Need to go have a chat with them, pretend I’m leaving next month.

 

[BaaLocks]

Seperate fibre broadband and unlimited landline via BT for about £50 a month. Everything else I pay as need - if there's a lot of sport on (e.g Open and Lions series) I buy a Now month pass for sports for £25. If only one Derby game / event that month get the 24 hour pass and stay up till 3am watching golf. Probably pay £10 a month on average across the year. £10 for Netllix, also have Amazon Prime but not for the TV, that's a Brucie bonus. Smart TV in one room and BT Box in another to access iPlayer. Probably about as bare bones as you can get but it works for us.

[Pearl Ram]

57 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Just about to start the haggling process again with Sky. 18 months runs out mid-Sept and you have to give them 30 days notice for the tv. The BB is different I think if you move the ISP does all the arranging and takes about 14 days. Never cancel your BB, just arrange a new provider (well that is how it is with a landline).

I'm just finishing a deal off, it's paid in advance so the BB already show some of the price increase. But mid-level fibre and anytime talk package was £25 increasing to £26/month with their 'mid-contract' price rise (there always is one!). Ultimate is Netflix multi-account with UHD. 

Look through the MSE thread on what prices people haggling their contract to - it can be a long process, they like to 'chat' and never normally make the best offer early. Usually you have to go through to the 'retentions dept' and cancel your subscription to later on - maybe before your contract ends (in the 30 day notice) or sometimes after you've left - often by the 'winback team'.

As with all things Sky these things are fluid and it depends what offers are on and who you speak with.

Sky TV retention deals ( post your haggling successes )  MoneySavingExpert Forum

Roy, I’m gutted, how the fu..Dickens did you get the complete SkySports package for 8 quid ?

[RoyMac5]

8 minutes ago, Pearl Ram said:

Roy, I’m gutted, how the fu..Dickens did you get the complete SkySports package for 8 quid ?

Well you know... ? But really it's £11/month - you have to add in the HD/UHD.

That's why we have Sky on 18 months contracts, 12 months prior to that. Been with them, except for a break when I actually had to go through with the 'I'm leaving' door slam, for about 17 years. Don't think we've paid full price for more than a couple of years early on. Most times we manage about 40-50% off.

You have to haggle, plus have a good idea of the deals other people are getting - hence the link above to MSE forum. But there are other forums where people post their deals. When you ring them up - get through to retentions by saying you're cancelling, I always say I'm short of money. Then be prepared to chat with them for ages, then turn down offers - as you know what the good deals are. Then maybe try via chat or FB Messenger etc. It's a real pain, but as it's an 18 month deal it's usually well worth it. If they try to slap on an admin charge tell them you want it credited back to your account (they can). Just be aware of mid-contract price rises, they are in the T&Cs and I think are upto 10% of the contracted deals - hence last time there was a £1/month increase on some.

You will also probably only get the best deals if you cancel your Sky package (at the end of your contract obvs). You don't have to go through with it, if you get cold feet you ring them up and say you want to stay. Even if you quit them you're reconnected in 'minutes' if you sign back with them.

Edited August 2, 2021 by RoyMac5

[Mostyn6]

57 minutes ago, David said:

Need to go have a chat with them, pretend I’m leaving next month.

 

Mate. Not sure what you’re getting for that price that I’m not! 

[Day]

1 minute ago, Mostyn6 said:

Mate. Not sure what you’re getting for that price that I’m not! 

Almost near the end of the contract so I can renegotiate with them 

[Pearl Ram]

‘kinell...now Mostyn’s showing me he gets the complete SkySports package for 4 quid...I can’t bear it

                                           

[RoyMac5]

2 minutes ago, Pearl Ram said:

‘kinell...now Mostyn’s showing me he gets the complete SkySports package for 4 quid...I can’t bear it

                                           

Lol. ? But he pays more for other parts of the package - that's often the case. No way would you get it for that price as a stand alone, well you have to have Signature to start with I think.

[Pearl Ram]

Just now, RoyMac5 said:

Lol. ? But he pays more for other parts of the package - that's often the case. No way would you get it for that price as a stand alone, well you have to have Signature to start with I think.

Yeah, signature’s a standard pack you must have. I read on digital spy it’s because it subsidises the sports channels. Not saying that’s gospel, just what I read. SkySports have been laying quite a few staff off apparently, not doing too well by all accounts. ?‍♂️

[Bob The Badger]

I'd forgotten I have an extra Q box and ultra HD so I'm not utterly suicidal like I would be if I was @David ?