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

macca64

To answer question 2 - yes you will be able to get the 3 for £30 deal as an existing customer, I have been offered this, a flyer arrived through the post.

For question 3 - Check the Telewest site, as they have channel listings for the different packages.

HTH

Old_Portonian wrote:

I'm curently with Telewest, paying £62 for Essential TV, Telephone and 2meg roadband and Sky movies. I'm moving next month and will probably stick with Telewest but will be looking to reduce the package to Basic TV, phone and 2meg broadband.

I'm prepared to haggle and threaten to cancel if need be to get a new deal.

Does anybody know:

1. Am I likely to be able to get free installation?

2. Am I likely to be able to score their 3 for £30 bundle as an existing customer?

3. Off-topic, but does anyone know if it's possible to get British Eurosport without having to sign up to a higher level of service? I don't want to end up paying for channels I'm NEVER going to watch. We've also considered going for a freeview box of some sort, but I don't think you can get Eurosport for free any more. The new house also has a satellite dish already so I suppose some kind of hybrid set up might be possible: Frankly I find all the options extremely confusing. Hopefully somebody can enlighten me!!

Many thanks

Old Portonian.

isayoldchap

macca64 wrote:

To answer question 2 - yes you will be able to get the 3 for £30 deal as an existing customer, I have been offered this, a flyer arrived through the post.

For question 3 - Check the Telewest site, as they have channel listings for the different packages.

HTH

Ask them for the £9.99 broadband deal for 6 mths,£11.00 line rental as usual
and no charge for the basic tv which they upgrade to give you extra channels.Works for me as an existing customer from 24/08

They did need to amend my bill as they had forgotten about the free tv but all sorted as it was noted on their files(and I guess recordings)

moni72

theman4359 wrote:

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!

I was told by a local SKY dealer that they can't track you at all, albeit they say they will. They certainly didn't know I was a previous customer when I cancelled at my old address. moved and subscribed as a new customer. How would they track you effectively? They would need a pretty clever database would they not? How do they know you're not just another person with the same name???? I think you'd be pretty safe to subscribe as a new customer if you were going to benefit.

Arandorastar

Having failed to get through to Sky on their 0870 number or via the website for days to upgrade to HDTV I got through immediately on the Free Phone No. posted above (wished I'd looked here earlier, it would have saved me lots of time and money!). I was ready for an argument as the Sky Retailer who installed our Sky+ told me that I would have to pay £299 for the box +£10 per month extra subscription + £60 installation unless I tool out Multiroom for another £10 a month. When I said that I already had Multiroom from upgrading to Sky+, he said Hard Luck, you'll have to pay the £60 installation, Sky are giving nothing away, especially with HD as they are struggling to install before Xmas. I asked about setting up a new subscription in my name (current is in the wife's) but as I'd previously been a Sky customer it wouldn't matter. Anyway, most I would get would be free installation so long as I took out ANOTHER Multiroom.....
Got through to HD, Sales, Existing Customer straightaway, asked what cost was and was told £299 +£10 +Free installation even though I had multi room. Didn't need to ask! But I did, for more but, not unexpectedly, that was it.
Oh, yes, installation is next Tuesday - less than a week!

jcocker

Just put the phone down after spending half an hour on the phone to Sky looking for a deal for Sky+.

I have several very tall trees around the house that block all reception when using a standard installation (Sky were here a few months ago and confirmed that). I contacted a local firm who managed to find a solution - we have a large garden and they found a point where a tall mast could be erected (they used testing equipment to confirm that there will be reception). The price? £250 inc the dish and cabling.

I spoke to Sky earlier, and tried to make them contribute somehow towards the cost of the dish/mast as it will save them the cost of the dish and the installation.

Despite mentioning that I could go with cable without incurring the extra cost, they were not prepared to offer anything beyond £50 discount on the Sky+ box and 3 months half price on the subscription. This, I mentioned to them is what they offer everyone anyway...

All I was looking for was something along the lines of half price subscription for at least 6 months, or similar.

I would rather go with Sky (but don't tell them that...) - any idea how to twist their arm a little harder? Is it worth waiting until after the new year? I am in no great rush.

TIA.

Dranny

Just called the 0800 number above to cancel my Sky+.

Got thru very fast, and the lady on the other end cancelled me there and then (30 days pending).

I've just moved house, so was on 75p a month just to keep my account alive, so was kind of looking for a nice sweetener to stay.

lol - she just said "fine" when I said its a bit too much to justify after moving to a new property, semi hoping for a half price offer with free installation, but obviously its not to be.

You live and learn....

Dranny

lizhog10

We have been having problems with our box, having totally lost sky 1 and channel 5. Rang up on the 0870 number several times, once waiting 40 minutes without speaking to a human being. Finally got through this morning, they tried to solve the problem and then offered to send someone out at £69. Husband told them to shove it, they then offered £32, again told to shove it as NTL is the same price with no repair charges. Finally offered to come out for free to sort the problem out. Sounds like this is probably the best offer we were likely to get, having read the above. Wanted this sorted out before we consider Sky broadband for £5 a month - anyone had this? Is it any good. Haven't done it yet as I believe we have to agree to stay with Sky telly as well, so wanted to sort out the telly problem first.

stevief33

Having read many of the posts in this thread I phoned sky today hoping to be offered a discount on my package if I threatened to cancel. All I was offered was an alternative package of £34, down from my current £40.50.

I thought this was pretty poor and decided to try to call their bluff by pressing ahead with the cancellation. Well.......it turns out that they called my bluff instead and my sky viewing will come to an end on 5 Dec. What options are now open to me and is it likely that I'll be offered a discounted package before I'm cut off - or will it be up to me to contact them to try again nearer the time?

Any advice from others who have gone through this process would be appreciated.

Arandorastar

I think the game's up. It's pretty obvious that Sky has adopted a "go ahead and cancel, see if we care" policy. It was nice while it lasted! I'm surprised the "deals" went on for so long!

minnietheminx_2

I say sit tight and see what happens.

Today is the last day of Sky before our cancellation goes through. I know there is currently a Christmas marketing drive for new customers, but come January some offers might appear. If there aren't? Well, that's Sky's loss.

I'm not too fussed. I'm sure we can suffer on without it for a bit and save some money at the same time. The picture keeps on breaking up with wind/rain anyhow. Can't face another winter of interference. Makes me wonder what we were paying for in the first place! We've been on the top package for years and haven't exactly been rewarded for our loyalty.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=480987