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

Minerva69

Haven't had time to read all the messages, so sorry if this has already been posted. Got a call from Sky out of the blue today, offering me a free HD box with free installation, plus the HD subscription free for 6 months (£10 thereafter). They said it was because I was a long-term customer. We don't have an HD television so I had to decline unfortunately, but it seemed like a good offer to me.

flyforfun

A friend of mine gave me his Sky+ HD box recently as I just had the digibox one from several years ago, ie before Sky+. I had to call Sky to register the card to the box and also because I only have 1 cable coming from the dish to the box, to do some magic so it would work (I live in a high rise block and have to pay a service company £90 per year extra to access the dish, and if I had two lines, that would be £130 per annum - not worth it).

Sky had recently sent me an offer of 2 months FREE movies. I've been recording like mad and rang up 31 days prior to my free time ending (as per their T&CS) to cancel. I've noticed far too many movies repeating during this time. What I might do in future is like what I'm doing now, switch on for a month or two, burn movies (I transfer the movies to a sepearate PVR so that when the subscription ends, I can still watch them) and cancel.

I've got around 50 movies recorded that will probably take me a year to watch at the rate I watch movies!!

Also, I started getting calls from them "with some special offers" to upgrade to HD, but when I tell them I haven't got a HD TV and don't intend to get one, they get annoyed. And suddenly there are no more special offers for me!! Funny how they never called when I had the ordinary box!:D

blackfritz

Mickyp wrote: »

I don't think I'll miss the movies and the sport, but I think I'll miss the HD, but it's not worth paying £10 a month just for Sky1 HD! I can see me getting all the channels back within the next month or so, offer or not!

Cancelled my HD subscription in September, after trying to get a better offer from them, and them not coming up with anything. Through the post last week received a letter offering free HD for 6 months, if I signed up for the HD pack for 12 months. Now have HD again for just over a fiver a month.

Mickyp

blackfritz wrote: »

Cancelled my HD subscription in September, after trying to get a better offer from them, and them not coming up with anything. Through the post last week received a letter offering free HD for 6 months, if I signed up for the HD pack for 12 months. Now have HD again for just over a fiver a month.

That sounds good to me, I'll wait and hope they make me the same offer!

...which I think they probably will!

Arfhurdaly

Was paying £70 per month (sky world, multiroom, espn). Got 50% off skyworld for 6 months. Bringing my bill down to £45 a month.

moneypenny2k

Minerva69 wrote: »

Haven't had time to read all the messages, so sorry if this has already been posted. Got a call from Sky out of the blue today, offering me a free HD box with free installation, plus the HD subscription free for 6 months (£10 thereafter). They said it was because I was a long-term customer. We don't have an HD television so I had to decline unfortunately, but it seemed like a good offer to me.

Offered me the same when I rang to say I wanted to go to HD and was looking at BT Vision as I wanted to cancel my blockbusters membership as well and wanted some films. They did a channel audit and suggested I lose £2 worth of the entertainment package and take 1 of their 2 movie channels. That way I only pay £6 more per month plus the HD charge for 6 months. After that I can cancel the HD sub and still get some HD channels via the freeview.

You also get the sky any-time foc as well, but as that basically comes through the net you need unlimited broadband which I already had anyhow.:D

Happy little bunny now, zero up front outlay, cost me an extra £142 pa. Though I save £155.88 on blockbuster rental so all together a little better off over the year. :beer:

wolfers

I currently have Sky+ HD with one mix and pay £29 a month.

If I cancel the HD and mix and just pay for the recording facility, will I not basically be getting what I have now but for £10 a month and not £29? All I really want to watch is BBC1 HD, C4 HD, ITV HD, BBC2 and maybe some other random channels.

Will I still get the HD version of the Sky EPG?

If I'm right, it seems too good to be true and I can't understand why everyone doesn't do it!

nandrews

Wolfers,
I cancelled my Sky subs in November after their 'alignment' of HD channels, which left me with 75% less channels than before and still paying the same subs!
I now just have the box and receive the BBC HD BBC1 HD and ITV1 HD chennels plus the other SD channels.
The EPG doesn't 'work' as the programme details don't show. Nor will you be able to select the channel from the EPG But when you are watching a prog, the info button works for the current programme. Anything stored under the blue button 'favourites' works too.

Ask if you need to know more.

Nigel

wolfers

Thank you, Nigel.

So if I pay the £10 for recording, the EPG will presumably work and I'll basically get the same as I get now for a third of the price?

nandrews

I wouldn't like to guess on what the £10 will buy.
After the way Sky have treated me I'd be inclined to check every detail with them!
You could still operate the record manually by pressing the R button each time. But if you expect the function to allow setting future recordings then you will need a filled EPG.

Nigel