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

markdigi

faisalpak wrote: »

I threatened to cancel by calling 01506 831006. Got to Indian call centre who asked few questions about why I am leaving and then transferred me to UK.

Note: I have been with Sky for 13 months and have Sky 2 mix, Broadband Base and Talk Unlimited package. (£22/month)

I was offered £30 Sky+ box with free installation. I tried to get it down to Free, but that was his "final" offer. The he told me that if I switch my Line Rental from BT to them, he is willing to give me 6 months free line rental, saving me £60 (plus £0.5 x 12 = £6 from BT).

Overall = Free Sky+ with £36.:j

Hi everyone, thought I'd post another success story for my fellow moneysavingexperts.

Like faisalpak here I called 01506 831006 and got through to an Indian call centre, took details of why I wanted to cancel sky (only threatening to cancel and not actually canceling mind). Said things like current box is unreliable, cuts out every now and again, is slow etc.

Was put on hold for a while whilst transfered to a Scotish call centre and spoke to a very helpful man named Scott. Told him the same story about the "troubles" he understood completly, mentioned wanted Sky+ to fix it but was too expensive (quoted about £125 for a box and £60 install).

After understanding my gripes and reading my account info noticed I had been a loyal customer (been with them a few years now). And didn't want to lose my service. I was then offered Sky+ at £50 for a box and £30 install. Thought this was a bit much and said could only really afford amount of the install or equivilant to my monthly subscription fee (about £30). Said "ok I think I can offer you the box at £30 with a free install, sound good?"

Thought "wow, ok I think I can do that" and went through with it, didnt want to try pushing it any further than what others on the forum seem to get success with.

So summary: Sky+ box £30 and a free install. Same offer as a new customer, happy :rotfl:

N.B. It helps when you are friendly with the call centre, joking, chatty etc. (especially UK ones), bare in mind they probly have had to deal with other customers and it helps if you stand out as delightful rather than being rude or uncooperative, often they can simpithise with you're issue and will offer you what they can (within reason) to stay as a loyal customer.

footyfan

Graz_Alarm wrote: »

First post from a newbie - hi everyone! I am an existing Sky customer. Yesterday I called the standard Sky Customer Services number, to see if they would give me a deal to upgrade from Sky+ to Sky HD. The person I spoke to said there were no deals available to existing customers, and my only option was to pay £150 for the box, and £60 for installation. I threatened to leave, but still got nowhere.

Then I phoned 01506 421825 and took option 1 > 4> 5> 3> 4.

Got through to the Scottish call centre. Said exactly the same spiel. The nice chap then said - We do have some deals, have you seen some details somewhere on the Internet? I said I had seen "Sky HD Upgrade Offer" for £75 for the box, and £30 for installation. He said "that's the one!".

He booked it for me there and then, and they are coming on Friday to do the installation! Half price!! :T

So the deals definitely are there for the taking if you speak to the right person.

Also noticed in Curry's today - they are doing the same offer instore for new AND existing customers, so if you don't have any luck on the phone, try Currys.

Hope that helps someone.

Cheers,

Graz.

Cheers Graz
Followed your instructions (01506 421825 etc) asked about the HD for £75 + £30 installation offer and got the same deal.:D

Kippsy

Hello,

I'm about to move house (moving out of living with bloke)... very excited but need tv/ phone / broadband package... Has anyone heard of Freeview +? And what about free sat? Can't see the point in paying out for sky and I probably wont go through the hassle of getting sky+ opting for a DVDR player doo dah.

Looking at the website free sat looks pretty cool, flat is in Finchley so coverage unlikely to be an issue.

Thanks.
sorry if this isn't in the right place...

BexTech

Kippsy wrote: »

Hello,

I'm about to move house (moving out of living with bloke)... very excited but need tv/ phone / broadband package... Has anyone heard of Freeview +? And what about free sat? Can't see the point in paying out for sky and I probably wont go through the hassle of getting sky+ opting for a DVDR player doo dah.

Looking at the website free sat looks pretty cool, flat is in Finchley so coverage unlikely to be an issue.

Thanks.
sorry if this isn't in the right place...

Freeview+ is a Freeview box with built-in Hard Disk Drive, so you can record programmes direct onto the HDD usually by simply highlighting the programme from the EPG (electronic programme guide).

There's Freesat and Freesat from Sky.

They both point towards the same SES Astra 2 and Eutelsat Eurobird satellites and can both pick up the same (FTA) Free To Air channels, they just differ in their EPG and their Interactive software. There are a couple of channels that are FTV (Free To View) - that is there is no charge for them, but need a viewing card and a box capable of decrypting the signal - these channels are encrypted in NDS which is a system that is own by Sky's owners and therefore only Sky digiboxes can legally decrypt those. Some of the FTA channels haven't yet paid the BBC/ITV Freesat service to be listed on their EPG (however they can be added manually - EU requirement that any FTA channel can not be blocked and must have a way of accessing it). Trust BBC/ITV to follow Sky and go down the proprietry route for the EPG instead of using an open EPG system. With a Sky box if you later decide to subscribe you can.

There will be a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) for the BBC/ITV Freesat system where you will be able to record onto the HDD and there will be no recording fee which there currently is with Sky if you don't subscribe to the minimum package.

For £75 you can get Sky Pay Once Watch Forever. This includes the box, dish, lnb, cabling, viewing card, install and 4 months viewing to 4 mixes (of your choice) you need to call in with at least 30 days notice to tell them you no longer want to have the paid for channels and your service will then turn into a Freesat From Sky system. £75 is better than paying £150 and you get 4 months subscription too!

Kippsy

Fabo tastic... it looked a little too good to be true so I thought I must be mad! Thank you! :-D

BexTech

Kippsy wrote: »

Fabo tastic... it looked a little too good to be true so I thought I must be mad! Thank you! :-D

Freesat is good if you want satellite either standard definition or High Definition (though only 3 FTA HD channels at the moment - still you can watch the SD ones up-scaled) and don't want to line Sky's pockets.

You do have to buy the box and then pay for the install - the retailer may arrange an install or you could arrange with an independent install just like the good old analogue satellite days, likely to get a cheaper price - might even sell you the box too.

With the BBC/ITV Freesat system there will be more channels added to the EPG over time, they've been adding them fairly regulary - they can only do so once the channel has paid their EPG fee. Though there maybe some wait for the Channel 5 channels to be added and you won't see Sky Three.

Still for £75 (10% off if you can find some Dixon's codes) you can get a Sky box and installation etc.

Should be no problem with reception of satellite unless you have a mountain a couple of metres from your flat or trees extremely close to where the dish would go.

Peartree

What's going on for new for new customers at the moment?

I gave up Sky over a year ago (following a completely futile threatening to quit to get Sky+ exercise) and, with freeview and a freeview recorder I must say I haven't really missed it. However, with a good deal that costs no more than my current options I might go back to Sky or to Virgin.

I've got TalkTalk for my broadband and weekend/evening calls and line rental at the moment for c£17. Never had a day's trouble with the broadband. If I could get the same with some extra channels I'd think about signing up but if, and only if, I had the same trouble free broadband. I know I could ask the guys on the technical board about this but all the techies get on board and discuss details about broadband performance in situations that are way, way beyond my day to day surfing needs!

Is Sky offering anything better than I'm getting at the moment and is the broadband performance trouble free? I've also been offered a deal on Virgin through the post which is pretty much the same price as I'm paying but plus cable TV package M. I've looked at this package and, I might be dumb, but can't really see what it is offering above what I get on freeview. Am I wrong on this and what is the performance like on broadband?

Any info welcome...

FannyHill

If you are with Sky subscription and then leave and go back a few years later are you a new customer entitled to new deals or a returning customer ?

billsavings

BexTech wrote: »

For £75 you can get Sky Pay Once Watch Forever. This includes the box, dish, lnb, cabling, viewing card, install and 4 months viewing to 4 mixes (of your choice) you need to call in with at least 30 days notice to tell them you no longer want to have the paid for channels and your service will then turn into a Freesat From Sky system. £75 is better than paying £150 and you get 4 months subscription too!

1000 extra Tesco Points at the moment if you order it from Tesco Direct.

Seh1985

hi dont know if this is the right place to post this but sky have sent me two vouchers so if i reccomend a friend (has to be brand new customer) to sky they get a free sky+ box or half price hd box plus we both get £50 m&s vouchers so if anyone is interested message me or if im posting in the wrong place can someone point me in the right direction only valid til 16th sept so be quick!