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

k-hkr

I had exactly the same problem with Sky+ box, except you have done well to get 3 yrs out of one as we have had 3 in 18 months.
I rang cancellations to get an offer and complained about quality of boxes and messing we`d had. They said we could have free service call but could not give any discount now cos could only give out one offer at a time but to get box sorted and ring back in few weeks. I have been told that the Amstrad boxes are crap and you want a Thompson box so I insisted on one of them. Still need to ring to get discount, especially now it`s gone up again.... all them grossly overpaid and overrated footy players were paying for.

willja_2

Word of warning... Check to make sure you get what Sky say they are giving you. I got promised 3 months half price back in March and my bills have been £38.03 in April, £21.25 in May, £32.58 in June and the latest is £42.50! Just about to call and give them hell.

BargainHunter_2

Agree with willja
Have been promised lower price deals that did not seem to tally up by bank statement
Cannot check via sky box interactive services as advised by sky as doesn't work
always check -I know I am

Mr_Average_3

Its all gone pear shaped!! The Sky box wiped my hard drive again today. I rang this evening and got the "It'll cost £65.00 for a call out" routine. Told them I wasn't interested and to put me through to cancelations. After spending the best part of ten minutes on the phone spoke to a nice gent and told him that I wanted to cancel because, a) I was fed up with the box not working and was not paying £65.00 for a call out and secondly b) I was a loyal subscriber for many years, paying £500.00 a year and was fed up of mail drops telling me how new customers were getting it half price etc.etc. The guy puts me on hold for another five minutes while he "speaks to his manager", he eventually comes back with the offer of a free call out, I held out for more, repeating the "I'm fed up paying full price etc." and if that's the best they can do for a loyal customer etc. etc. I'll cancel. He then states they are offering me a free call out/repair in a tone of voice as though they are doing me a favour and I should be grateful!! So...I told him to cancel the subscription if they weren't willing to budge. So he cancelled my subscription!!! The wife and kids are now threatening suicide and the dog has got company in his kennel tonight. What now??

BargainHunter_2

Don't panic. Either phone back and speak to someone else tomorrow/in a couple of days
OR
bide your time and wait- within your 30 days notice period U will be called to offer U a deal-and if by chance U aren't then cancel your notice at 28 days and take the free service call!!

Lady_Inversneckie

Hi Mr Average,

I also have Sky+ which began to give me problems - failed recordings, going into stand by for no reason. I have always been irratated by the fact that I had to have a premium package to avoid the £10 monthly charge for using sky+. I have also become tired of them repeating films and not offering many new films to watch. Alot of programmes are repeated again & again.

I decided to buy a PVR with a built in freeview, it cost £289 but I now have a 250gb hard drive where as I think Sky was 80gb. I cancelled Sky via email as I didn't want to talk to them. I wanted to see how I got on without them and as I am a Soap/Drama fan, I'm not really missing them and am happy with the freeview channels at least it has E4 - free.

I gave my notice to Sky at the end of May and they replied to say they were sorry to loose my custom and the cut of date would be 25th June 06. On the 23rd June, Sky telephoned to offer me 6 months of the full package at half price. I declined.

I want to (A) Discipline myself, have a few free months not paying to recuporate the outlay of the PVR. (B) Perhaps have Sky back for the winter months at half price I hope.

I still have the Sky box plugged in, I really use it for the "TV Programme Guide", I do have one with the PVR but it is rubbish.

Once Sky do cut you off, you still get their version of the free channels but you cannot use your Sky+. You may have programmes that you have recorded but not watched yet, they wont allow you to watch these after the 30 days and of course you cannot record, or pause etc.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, perhaps someone from Sky will call you back and make you a better offer.

Good Luck


Amanda

theloft

I went through the routine of cancellation, due to poor reception (picture break-up, sound freezing etc) during windy or stormy weather etc. They offered free service call out but despite my initial refusla that's all I got. I have now had 3 free service call-outs, 1st one the engr. changed my Pace Box for a refurb one, this locked up on stand-by. 2nd one changed box to a
Panasonic, next time there was a storm - same old problem. 3rd call-out was not from a sub-contractor but a real SKY engr. He checked the aerial and said it had been set=up incorrectly from the word go, the unit in the middle of the dish LDB or something was on 1 and should be on 3!
Changed this part for a newer version. So far so good but haven't had a storm since ! Will wait another month and use the same procedure to get a deal!

Lady_Inversneckie

I'm amazed, as per previous post, I gave 30 days notice, Sky offered 6 months 1/2 price on full package or any package on the 28th day. They have phoned today I have only been without them for about 14 days and they have offered again the 6 month deal.

I told the lady again, I am fed up with the repeats, the lack of new films, the expensive monthly charge and a Sky+ Machine that plays up all the time. She tried for 10 mins to persuade me but she wasn't sucessfull. She asked could she call me in a few days and I said no. She wanted to know if I still had the box, was it still plugged in and used. I told her yes. I advised her I needed a break from Sky and she told me that this offer may not be around when I perhaps phone up to rejoin. I said I would take my chances.

I have to say it has only been 14 days but I dont miss the payment channels.

More to life than Sky eh?

Cheers

Mr_Average_3

It's early days yet so I'll just see if they contact me within the cancelation period. If they do, and it was a good deal, I must admit one half of me would be tempted to take them up on it as my kids and wife will never forgive me! However, the other half would like to do without Sky just to see if I could survive! ( We ought to set up a Skyaholics Anonymous ). Seeing as the hard disc in my Sky+ box will no longer record, if I do eventually get disconnected, will I still receive some channels? and could I hook up a PVR to record these channels?

Hey_Dude

Whilst this thread has saved me money my hand was forced this weekend....

My Philips (yah boo) DVD Recorder blew up - replaced on Sunday with a Panasonic (hurrah) Recorder that has integrated Freeview.

To my delight it seems to pick up all the digitial channels already - so phoned today to cancel Sky - currently on £26 month package.

Was eventually offered £15.75 (same package) for 12 months.

Then £7.50 (same package) for 6 months.

I still cancelled - but the Sky current 'bottom line' may be of use to you good Dudes!

Duder