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Freesat from Sky - subtle rip-off
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filmbenwilliams
Posts: 1 Newbie
Have just had a glorious four month trial of Sky TV off the back of a Freesat from Sky installation. We've now finished the trial, and are on regular Freesat from Sky service.
We had thought that this would just be what it supposedly is - Freeview, only over Sky. We've discovered, though, that there is one crucial, baffling exception.
We no longer receive Sky Sports News! It's free on Freeview, and, though admittedly a bit of an advert for the other Sky Sports channels, is a vital part of our viewing that we thought, naturally, we'd get for free from Sky.
But no. It turns out that Sky Sports News is only available to Sky customers as part of their 'News' package. So, though it's free on Freeview, you have to pay £1 a month extra to get it, and a list of other news channels.
For anyone who doesn't watch Sky Sports News I'm sure this will appear a relatively minor issue, but it's not for us. Not only is it annoying, but we feel like we've been shafted by Sky. Freeview reception in our area is ropey, so Sky appeared to be a bit of a saviour - and we believed their hype, until now.
I've spoken to Sky, and though their call centre people and cancellation dept. agree that it's a very weird disparity, there's nothing they can do - granting us access to SPN will automatically incur the £1 a month charge, which I'm loathe to pay on principle.
Anyone else noticed other such shortfalls between Freeview and Sky??
We had thought that this would just be what it supposedly is - Freeview, only over Sky. We've discovered, though, that there is one crucial, baffling exception.
We no longer receive Sky Sports News! It's free on Freeview, and, though admittedly a bit of an advert for the other Sky Sports channels, is a vital part of our viewing that we thought, naturally, we'd get for free from Sky.
But no. It turns out that Sky Sports News is only available to Sky customers as part of their 'News' package. So, though it's free on Freeview, you have to pay £1 a month extra to get it, and a list of other news channels.
For anyone who doesn't watch Sky Sports News I'm sure this will appear a relatively minor issue, but it's not for us. Not only is it annoying, but we feel like we've been shafted by Sky. Freeview reception in our area is ropey, so Sky appeared to be a bit of a saviour - and we believed their hype, until now.
I've spoken to Sky, and though their call centre people and cancellation dept. agree that it's a very weird disparity, there's nothing they can do - granting us access to SPN will automatically incur the £1 a month charge, which I'm loathe to pay on principle.
Anyone else noticed other such shortfalls between Freeview and Sky??
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Comments
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Based upon information from the following website...
http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/2007/08/02/freesat-vs-freeview/
These channels are not available on Freesat but are available on freeview...
Sky Sports News
E4
E4 +1
More 4
More 4 +1
ftn
UKTV History
abc1
The Hits
TMF
It doesn't look like the website has been updated for a while and so may be a little out of date.0 -
It's a rights issue sadly- mainly to do with the fact that satellite tv can be picked up around Europe and FTA coverage may impede on certain rights.0
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I don't think you can rightly call it a rip-off.
This disparagy has always been there and as unfair and strange though it is, the channel line-up is available from their website.Dave. :wave:0 -
filmbenwilliams wrote: »
We had thought that this would just be what it supposedly is - Freeview, only over Sky. We've discovered, though, that there is one crucial, baffling exception.
To be fair to Sky, the fact that you confused Freeview with Freesat is not really their fault0 -
epsilondraconis wrote: »Based upon information from the following website...
http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/2007/08/02/freesat-vs-freeview/
These channels are not available on Freesat but are available on freeview...
Sky Sports News
E4
E4 +1
More 4
More 4 +1
ftn
UKTV History
abc1
The Hits
TMF
It doesn't look like the website has been updated for a while and so may be a little out of date.
It IS out of date:
More 4 ( & +1 ) and E4 ( & +1 ) are now FTA. Dunno about the others, except SSN, which has always been encrypted on satellite.
However, if the OP can get it for just £1 without having to take a subscription from Sky then they should consider it especially if they have poor Freeview reception. I would be more concerned tho that I'd never heard of Sky making such an offer and suspect they would be stung for a basic subscription for 12 months plus £1 for the news pack...0 -
Is Setanta Sports News on Freesat? I think you get it for free on Sky...0
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I doubt the OP could get SSN for £1 in total/month, TV viewing packs start at £16.50 so if they took the news/events pack it would be £16.50, you can add the other 5 packs at £1/month each up to £21.50, so although the packs are a £1 each its only after you have paid £16.50 to get the first one ,0
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