With both Sky & VM, trying to reduce costs due to circumstances changing...

sheff71

Currently we have Sky TV (including movies & full sports, 1 HD package and multiroom) coming out at £72.50 a month, and Virgin 20mb BB and XL phone regularly coming in over £60 (sometimes much higher recently with calling mobiles from it).

My dad passed away this week, and as both bills came out of his bank account (joint with my mum), and she won't be able to afford such bills in future, we're intending to cancel both as they are, and me to take out a new account in my name (I live there also).

We've been with both for a number of years, so there shouldn't be any issues with cancelling either, should there? Particularly in the circumstances.

Also, we're trying to reduce costs a lot, but it's been a long time since we had cable tv (it was Telewest back in the day, and was a massive let down compared to Sky back then), and looking at the list of channels even on the largest VM tv pack (165 channels), it's significantly less than on Sky... but what are the main channels it lacks compared to Sky?

I know my mum likes watching some of the naff films on the likes of movies24, movies for men (!) true movies and Syfy - basically fantasy or disaster movies! - but we're prepared to cancel the expensive Sky movie package, but want to keep Sky Sports (you do get Sky Sports News on VM?). Some of those lesser channels don't appear to be on Virgin.

We have SKyHD+ and an old Sky+ box currently with multiroom, so would want to retain the equivalent at least - and of course the Virgin broadband is impressive... not sure if the phone is that good though.

Basically, would it make financial sense to bring all three services (internet, tv, phone) under one company, or are there plenty of savings to be had just retaining Sky TV and VM internet/phone?

Any advice appreciated, i've always understood Virgin broadband to be far superior, and Sky TV to be better - not sure on phones though (but would seem daft having VM broadband and not phone?).

I do know someone who has a standard Sky TV, unlimited phone and top internet package that comes in at under £50 a month, but think they were lucky getting that when moving house?

brettcta

under any circumstances, £60/month is expensive for phone & bb

sky's top packages for phone & bb would cost a maximum of £23.75 (provided you're not put onto connect) before any additional charges (chargeable calls)

£11.25 line rental
£5 Talk Unlimited
£7.50 bb unlimited (upto 20mb/s)