Look out look out there's a channel stealer about

Bigron_2

I have just received an email from Sky offering me 3d TV at a huge price but underneath is the sting:

They are "aligning" HD chammels to the package you are signed up for ie if you do not have Variety you will lose Sky1 HD and so on, unless that is you contact them on the number attached which is 08442 41 41 41.

Now having spent 20 minutes finding someone who knew anything about the email I am assured that I will keep the channels for as long as I am on my initial contract term, in this case to May 2011. I think this is the classic case of inertia marketing and suspect if I had not rung I would have l;ost the channels and been told " well you had the chance to contact us" later on.

The helpful "alignment" is due on 5 October, can I suggest anyone on HD calls and gives them some stick, this is a classic even from Sky.:mad:

nomoneytoday

It's always been that way. Film subs give HD films, Sport subs gives HD sports, News and BBC/ITV are free

Pokerlad

nomoneytoday wrote: »

It's always been that way. Film subs give HD films, Sport subs gives HD sports, News and BBC/ITV are free

Although for premium channels (films and sports) you needed the relevant SD pack, for all other channels the HD Pack was sufficient to get the HD channel whether you had the relevant SD pack or not i.e. Sky News HD even if you didnt have the News & Events Pack and couldnt get Sky News SD.

dazzer68

nomoneytoday wrote: »

It's always been that way. Film subs give HD films, Sport subs gives HD sports, News and BBC/ITV are free

not always been that way im on the minimum pachage with sky plus the hd pack, i dont get the knowledge pack, but i can get the HD version ie nat geo hd and discoveryhd! so this change is important for new sky hd customers as they will lose a few channels unless they contact sky.

w81

nomoneytoday wrote: »

It's always been that way. Film subs give HD films, Sport subs gives HD sports, News and BBC/ITV are free

Yep, not so. On the back of my terms and conditions booklet it lists the Entertainment channels saying "Available to all customers who take HD Pack", included in this list is Discovery HD and Nat Geo HD. These two channels I am very annoyed about losing while in my minimum contract term. It also details Sports and Movie channels ("only available to customers with those packs")

Ringing up Sky tonight, one guy didn't know about this email. One lady said quite smirkily that it won't effect me as "no you've never had those channels" (I started doubting myself, but checked after the call and I do still have them). Third guy said that I'll have to pay £1 extra per month to keep Discovery. I said not happy as email implies that whilst in minimum contract term if I call them they can be reinstated for life of contract. I made a point that I did not think it fair if I lose them as these were part of the package when signed up. He said that they weren't and he's not sure why I have them, he implied it must have been a free gift for a month that hasn't been taken off yet.

After call looked at contract, on page 2 it says: If we change any premium bonus channel in your Option or any Channel in your chosen pack into a channel which you would normally have to pay extra to get, you'll continue to get that channel as part of your Option at no extra cost until the end of your Minimum Term.

So pretty annoyed that Sky have forgotten that they used to offer Discovery under the HD pack regardless of subscription to Knowledge pack, and that they would be deceitful of this to a customer. I may consider this when thinking about renewing contract.

Any suggestions on raising a complaint?

dazzer68

rang sky who didnt have a clue what was going on, she said my sub is going up in september by a £1 which i said i wasnt happy about, as thats not whats even telling me on the email so i wouldnt know unless i had rung.
she made a note on my account that i had rang regarding the email, but she couldnt actaully do anything as she didnt have the email.
bizarre!
below is the but from the email.

We also wanted to let you know that on or around the 5th October 2010, we are changing the way we offer our HD channels by aligning them to your Sky TV subscription. For example, to enjoy great HD dramas on Sky1 HD, you would need to have the Variety Pack which includes Sky1; and you'll need the Knowledge Pack to watch those beautiful HD documentaries on National Geographic HD and Discovery HD. Whilst you are within your minimum contract term, you can keep the additional HD channels which you currently have access to if you contact us.