Digital TV Cost Cutting Article - Discuss What You've Been Offered

theman4359

Just to let you all know, and this is not a hoax - sky is changing it's strategy in the coming weeks. In a short time, a couple of months, Sky will no longer be offering ANY subscription offers. They claim it's to get rid of "offer riders". Those already on offers will obviously have their offers honoured but from about november, there will be no subscription offers for existing customers.

Hardware (sky+ etc) offers WILL still exist but expect them to come with non subsidised 12 month contracts.

MOG_3

Recently I received offers in the post for 6 months membership at half price if I re-subscribe to Sky. A condition was that if I cancel within 6 months I would be charged the full 6 months subscription.

A few days later I had two phone calls from Sky with a similar offer but was told there was no contract and that I could change package or cancel at any time without penalty. The people phoning seemed unaware of the different terms in the leaflets sent out by post.

Because this differed from the written offer I asked for confirmation of in writing before I agreed to re-subscribe. I was told that this would be sent (I spoke to a supervisor on the second occasion). Needless to say I never received anything so I contacted Sky about it.

They replied (eventually) saying “Having looked in to this for you, I can confirm that any written documentation that you have received will have the correct terms and conditions printed on it. Please be assured that the other information you have advised me of will be taken up with the relevant operator.”

Considering that I was phoned twice and during the second phone call the person calling me passed me on to her supervisor and that all three people told me there was no contract (differing from the written offer) it appears that there was a deliberate policy to mislead me and, most probably, others too and that I could have been fraudulently enticed into a contract.
Have any others had similar experiences?

theman4359

surfnlurk wrote:

Sky are/will be doing cheap/free broadband as long as you pay about £15 or more for any tv subsciption package. They also do Skytalk for free/cheap calls, but you would probably be better off using 1899.com for landline calls and "cheapchat" (dial 08445991348 then mobile number) for mobiles, you still pay line rental to BT though.

Best to check on the broadband board, and the telephones board for more complete details.

When / if you phone sky to ask about broadband make SURE the broadband package for free IS available in your area! If it's someone in the shopping center etc the chances are they don't have a clue if it's available or not because they can't check. Unfortunately though, if they sign you up, sky won't be able to connect you so you'll have no choice but to wait or cancel.

Another Loads of people have cancelled their cable subscriptions because the people at sky/easynet can't check the availability till you have a bt line only to be told, once they get the bt line, that broadband isn't available.

My advice would be to give them someone elses number to check with that does have a bt line and stays as close to you as possible (same street if poss) but tell them NOT TO ADD IT TO THEIR FILES...I'm told this is possible.

Don't be suckered in! Make sure you KNOW.

art200380

I am considering getting sky - well actually I know I am going to get it - and I am just waiting for the best deal as I'll have to tie in for 12 months. I want the 4 mix plus sports which is around £36/mth. 2 questions I was hoping you could help me with;

1) The current offer is half price for 3mths then full for 9 - this runs till the end of October - does anyone know the deal from 1 Nov 06?
2) I would also take Sky + however don't want to pay the full £99 + £60 - I've seen people mentioning that they were offered it for half price - how do I go about getting this? would they offer half price to a new customer?

tin

MOG wrote:

Considering that I was phoned twice and during the second phone call the person calling me passed me on to her supervisor and that all three people told me there was no contract (differing from the written offer) it appears that there was a deliberate policy to mislead me and, most probably, others too and that I could have been fraudulently enticed into a contract.
Have any others had similar experiences?

I've just had the the same thing, but different bits and peices missed out of the T&Cs - the main thing being that I'd get a new Sky+ box - Sky want to give me a 2nd hand one.

Sky's response? "I'm sure our agent explained this to you at the time"! - I'm sure they didn't!

Interestingly they sounded desperate to get teh kit installed ASAP - which would have been before any of the paperwork came through. Unfrotunately I could not stay in any day until about 2 1/2 weeks after they phoned - I am now very glad of that as it gave me time to realise what they were doing and sort it out.

Thing is they dont send you a contract. If you ended your original sky contract (in accordance with T&C 1 months notice ENDS the contract) surely that contract is over, and you need a new one to sign. I take it I actually have no contract as yet with them, until they send me one to sign.

However just in case (I know Sky's contractual wranglings VERY well having subbed on and off since the Analogue days). I sent them a letter, recorded, to which they've since responded, saying send me a new contract or take this as notice to cancel. They haven't sent a new contract, but they didn't take the notice to cancel. They since sent me an invoice - they want money they won't be getting and they can BRING IT ON :beer: :T

I think you'd be within your rights to say you were told bla bla - confirm or take notice to cancel. One registered letter will do this, unless it's been a long while since you agreed to re-subscribe.

p1an0player

MOG wrote:

Recently I received offers in the post for 6 months membership at half price if I re-subscribe to Sky. A condition was that if I cancel within 6 months I would be charged the full 6 months subscription.

Considering that I was phoned twice and during the second phone call the person calling me passed me on to her supervisor and that all three people told me there was no contract (differing from the written offer) it appears that there was a deliberate policy to mislead me and, most probably, others too and that I could have been fraudulently enticed into a contract.
Have any others had similar experiences?

Not particularly wishing to stick up for Sky, but actually 6 months half price is a good offer, especially with no tie-in beyond the 6 months. In reality I'm not sure there are many situations when anyone would want to cancel such an offer.

I suspect that the T&Cs of the written offer differed from those of the telephone offer, rather than this being a deliberate attempt to mislead. To take up the written offer, maybe you would have had to quote a code.

Unfortunately Sky expects its customers to fit into its own procedures and call centre scripts, if you don't you may as well be talking to a wall. I'm not surprised that they couldn't manage to send out written T&Cs of the telephone offer, this is "outside the box". But still, 6 months half price is an offer worth grabbing especially as it seems offers will be ending soon.

firework

art200380 wrote:

I am considering getting sky - well actually I know I am going to get it - and I am just waiting for the best deal as I'll have to tie in for 12 months. I want the 4 mix plus sports which is around £36/mth. 2 questions I was hoping you could help me with;

1) The current offer is half price for 3mths then full for 9 - this runs till the end of October - does anyone know the deal from 1 Nov 06?
2) I would also take Sky + however don't want to pay the full £99 + £60 - I've seen people mentioning that they were offered it for half price - how do I go about getting this? would they offer half price to a new customer?

i just signed up to sky+ last week. was an existing customer - then moved house and had it switched off. rang up as a new customer and was offered it for £49 plus £60 installation (£109 total). i am taking the movies plus kids package so have no monthly subscription for the sky+. wondered if i could get a better deal as an existing customer so rang the next night to try, told them i'd moved and that I was told when i was ready to come back just to ring and they would sort me a good deal (this bit is actually true!). The operator siad no problem and proceeded to tell me it would cost me £99 plus £60 installation !!! I said - "but I know of a friend who has just joined and is getting it for £109", and was told "yeah well, £99 plus £60 is the best we can do for you" I told them it was too expensive, and was offered nothing else, so I said I would go with NTL or freeview. I put the phone down waited 5 minutes, rang back and told a different guy, " I had phoned the other night and was offered sky+ for £49 plus £60 installation and I would like to take it up". He said - Yeah, no problem, processed it in ten minutes flat and we are getting hooked up tomorrow.

My advice... ring 'em up, tell them you were offered £49 + £60 (or £49 + £30 if you are feeling brave / cheeky enough ) and tell them you'd love to sign up to it!!!

They can only say no, and you can always hang up before they get your details!

theman4359

I'd watch out when you've been a subscriber before trying to get new customer offers. Your details will be there on the system (in accordiance with their DTH IDC Agreement) and chances are they are doing a "re-instate" offer for you rather than a new customer offer.

The re-instate offers tend to be better than new customer ones anyway having read through this site. I know that if an 'old' subscriber phones up and tries to get a new customer offer, the agents will usually try and just fobb you off.

6 Months half price is a good offer and it's one that's going soon.

If you want a new / refurb box make sure and say that on the call. If it's a refurb box offer then chances are you won't get it on a new box. Infact, sometimes the agents won't even know if it's new or refurb!

ukbungee69

Have got £11 phone rental , £5.50 TV (basic package - essential?) and 17.99 broadband 2MB with telewest, after reading this site 6 months ago threatened to cancel TV and got TV for free for 6 months. Phoned back yesterday to cancel, got put through to customer relations was offered free TV for life as long as I have the phone rental. Asked if they could do anything with my broadband price and was offered same speed for 9.99 for 6months (no tie ins). So with little effort I've saved £80 over the next 6 months.
As I haven't got a BT line and would incurr charges to change to another provider I'm a pretty happy bunny (I suspect in 6 months time, I could probably wangle another deal on the broadband).:rotfl:

freegenie

Well, I got up the courage and wrote a very assertive but eloquent email to Telewest, and managed to get an outcome we are thrilled with.

We were gettin 2 meg Broadband, Essential TV Package, and Free Weekends only, for £35.00.

After lots and LOTS of bargaining back and forth, we are now getting:

- SUPREME TV
- Free talk weekends AND EVENINGS
- GO INTERNATIONAL (I'm Aussie)
- same broadband

for the same price! (It works out to be worth about £47.50 pm, but he's applied a £12.50 rolling credit to the account, PLUS he has given us a free month!)

We are really happy... and the service this time was lovely.

(FYI one of the main basis-es of my complaint was the fact that when we signed up we were only told about the £35 family deal, they WITHHELD the 3 for £30 option from us over the phone and I found it on the net the following week! Grrr! AND they didn't connect within 7 days as promised, AND when I rang up to complain the tech. department said to me, and I QUOTE, :
The Sales team will say ANYTHING to get a sale). We've had 2 TV issues and one broadband issue in 2 months, so we really did have genuine reason to complain).

But still, very pleased, thanks all for inspiration!