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

jassi_9

the freesatfromsky link posted on the previous page, by paddy, doesnt make any sense. this isnt like sky multiroom, where you can watch two different channels on two different tv's in the same house.

this is like having another box, dish , reciever and card but only allows you to view freeview channels. for £150 , it sounds expensive, considering its just a powerful freeview box . it has 200 channels etc, but nothign worthwile (bbc 3, itv 4 etc etc)

if you had sky downstairs, this freesatfromsky, would not allow you to watch a different channel in a different room (like sky multiroom)

hope this helps

wigwam12

When i moved into my house 4 years ago the equipment/dish had been left by the previous owner.
I am on the full £42 package.

I assume due to the age of the equipment i have lots of problems with "no signal" errors in various channels [esp in cold weather] and have to unplug the box for a while etc. Figured this might be a good time to upgrade to Sky+ anyway.

Anyone offer me any tips on:
#1 either getting them to come round and fix/replace the dish/box (given that it was "my" equipment when i joined and old anyway)
#2 using this issue as a platform for free/cheap sky+ upgrade [assuming they'd change the dish at this time too].

I have not yet called to get a discount as i want to know the possible options for not having channels is bloomin annoying!

equitydealer

Just came to the end of my 3 months half price with Sky after saying that I could not justify the price (Dec). Rang up again this morning saying that I wanted to cancel because of financial reasons and was put through to cancellations and given 25% off for one year.

Also decided to phone NTL (I have 2MB broadband) and told them that Tiscali charge £17.99 for the same service. I did the same thing in Dec and got half price for three months, that ran out today. I was immediately offered £5 off per month for the next six months which is excellent considering that my speed is being upgraded to 10MB free of charge anyway.

Consumer revenge

jockdee

My 3 months half price just ended. phoned up again sayin i was still paying for christmas and wanted to cancel ( never really, just bluffed her thanks to this board! ). offered me another 3 months half price!
excellent. i'll be phoning them back in 3 months time!

BargainHunter_2

I had 2 of the 3 months half price back to back but this time they wouldn't budge on it.
Best I could get was 3 months at 20% off
Guy told me that the 3 months half price should only be given out once

TOBRUK

I have had sky for over 7 years, at first had package with movie channels but then decided it was too much and could not justify spending that much. About 3 years ago I downgraded to the basic package and am paying £21.00 a month - of course I did miss the movie channels but then got used to not having them.
Recently had a new LCD tv which has integrated freeview (it also has CAM slot enabling to get TOP UP - which would cost £7.99 a month) and the picture is so good, I can't tell the difference between sky and freeview - I have to check which one I am watching!

Obviously there are a few more channels with the sky package (not many I would miss - perhaps uk gold, living tv and true movies), but not that many to justify spending £21.00 a month. There are occassionally a couple of gliches when watching freeview, but very little to be a problem. I have been thinking of ditching sky altogether but not sure what to do. If I did get rid, I would still be able to use the sky box (free channels) wouldn't I and record from it? As it is now, I can record from sky (dvd recorder hooked up to sky box) while the same time have the luxury of watching all the freeview channels (before I could only watch analogue channels while recording), so what do I do?

Do I phone them to cancel saying that with top up which would only cost £7.99 month and get most of the channels I get with my basic package with sky for £21.00 a month - do you think they would make me an offer I couldn't refuse?

mummyyummy_2

well after reading everyone elses sucess stories thought i'd try it for myself to see if i could also get a reduced sky package-ive been a customer for 6 years now!!! NO such luck for me im afraid. I phoned and said I was thinking about cancelling unless they could offer me a discount/incentive (because we were thinking of a freeview box). Lady said, "NO, afraid not. Any such promotions would be sent through the post to you" so I said "thats a shame, we've been customers for years but i JUST DONT THINK ITS WORTH THE MONEY ANYMORE" she was till adamant and stood firm...no deal offered to me. If I want to cancel then thats fine. I actually felt like it, just coz she was so matter of fact and abrubt, but kids would kill me....

what now? I want an offer too.....

Hitme

mummyyummy wrote:

well after reading everyone elses sucess stories thought i'd try it for myself to see if i could also get a reduced sky package-ive been a customer for 6 years now!!! NO such luck for me im afraid. I phoned and said I was thinking about cancelling unless they could offer me a discount/incentive (because we were thinking of a freeview box). Lady said, "NO, afraid not. Any such promotions would be sent through the post to you" so I said "thats a shame, we've been customers for years but i JUST DONT THINK ITS WORTH THE MONEY ANYMORE" she was till adamant and stood firm...no deal offered to me. If I want to cancel then thats fine. I actually felt like it, just coz she was so matter of fact and abrubt, but kids would kill me....

what now? I want an offer too.....

In order to get a deal you have to actually say you are going to cancel. You should then get put through to the cancelations department and these are the people who can offer you a deal.

Scrumshie

wigwam12 wrote:

When i moved into my house 4 years ago the equipment/dish had been left by the previous owner.
I am on the full £42 package.

I assume due to the age of the equipment i have lots of problems with "no signal" errors in various channels [esp in cold weather] and have to unplug the box for a while etc. Figured this might be a good time to upgrade to Sky+ anyway.

Anyone offer me any tips on:
#1 either getting them to come round and fix/replace the dish/box (given that it was "my" equipment when i joined and old anyway)
#2 using this issue as a platform for free/cheap sky+ upgrade [assuming they'd change the dish at this time too].

I have not yet called to get a discount as i want to know the possible options for not having channels is bloomin annoying!

If you want to get your equipment repaired for free there is a way.
1. Call to cancel your account - be firm.
2. When asked why you want to cancel. Tell them. The equipment is faulty. Signal errors etc. Not prepared to pay to have it fixed, think that you will go to freeview anyway....etc The cost is around £65. Say you cannotafford it and would rather cancel.
3. The cancellations department are the only department that can offer to repair or replace the equip for free. ( they will try 1/2 price option first... just hold on saying that you cannot afford it etc)

Sky+ is fantastic. Worth every penny.
If you decide to go down this route, again call to cancel. State the reason why is because your equipment is faulty and you are upset that new subscribers can get sky+ for free or £50 whatever the current deal is. ( Look it up on sky website). They should be able to offer you a comparative deal. Sky+ will need an additional cable running into the sky box from the dish, so the sky installer will check all the equip for you and may even supply new dish as part of deal.

mrwibble

Thought I'd post my experiences after following the MSE script to cheap Sky ! Short answer is it worked and I got 6 months 1/2 price - longer answer follows for those wondering what to do

After finding out the 0800 number didn't work anymore I got through to an Indian-accented lady - stated my intention to cancel - blah blah blah - cue Scottish chap - again stated intention to cancel due to high-maintenance baby boy (after getting SWMBO as account holder to confirm identity - screaming baby in background ). Scottish Chap offered me package reduction - as we were on £40odd package with movies, disney etc for 4 years (last 2 with Sky+) and the 2 mix pack @ £15pm fitted our needs (disney will go back when BoyWonder is a little older) - then started on my "still too expensive @ £25" spiel - didn't take too much persuading then to offer 6 months 1/2 price - "if it could be under £20pm till my wife goes back then I might consider staying" worked a charm.

End result for a 12 minute call (about 60p) was £7.50 pm for 2 mix pack plus £10pm Sky+ as well as saving £10pm on a multiroom box we weren't really using at all. Multiroom box now has freeview channels and a £25 video sender from Tesco Extra would allow viewing of Sky+ if no-one was downstairs.

Total saving is £147 over 6 months - will call for next deal then.

Will also try holding out for a free box when my Sky+ box nexts goes phut - just paid £65 to replace a dead 13month old box and it was still an Amstrad not a Pace !!!!!

Just do it !