Sky vs Virgin (in Brighton area)

KiKi

Hi all

Looking for some opinions, really. I watch literally no TV, but use a lot of Broadband, and need a package to watch F1 this year. (FTR, I'm not considering using a proxy or a dish to pick up RTL with 5 live cover - I want proper UK TV coverage for F1!)


I have two choices:

Sky: £42.50 a month, up to £50 after 6 months. Also £105 Quidco and £50 vouchers.

Virgin (current provider): £50.40 a month. No other incentive.


My dilemma is this: Sky is cheaper, and I get F1 in HD. Good cashback and vouchers so works out at £34 a month over the year. But BB speeds are, according to Sky, 4-9 Mbps for my area. Plus have to organise installation and hate the look of a dish.

Virgin is more expensive, and I have had problems with internet access over the last year (goes down for a couple of days every month or so) - because Brighton is hugely oversubscribed, apparently. Current speed 10Mbps (and I do get pretty much that), and going up to 30Mbps in July. Far easier to stay with Virgin, less hassle.


Which is a better service provider overall? Regardless, I'll be entering a 12 month contract, and I need good BB. But having never experienced Sky, and having experienced probs with Virgin internet (although intermittent, not frequent), not sure which is best to go with.

Is anyone who lives in Brighton with Sky able to tell me what the BB speeds are like?

Thanks to anyone who can help.
KiKi

Buzby

Do you plan to sever the VM connection, including BB? This would be a bad move, as Sky BB is simply the xDSL kludge and will offer lower speeds and higher contention rates. IPTV carries much of the F1 programmes, the only issue is finding them - but forums can point you in the correct direction. I expect I'll be losing Virgin TV, as like you, I don't watch enough to warrant the expense, but BB would be the last thing I would dispense with.

KiKi

Buzby wrote: »

Do you plan to sever the VM connection, including BB? This would be a bad move, as Sky BB is simply the xDSL kludge and will offer lower speeds and higher contention rates. IPTV carries much of the F1 programmes, the only issue is finding them - but forums can point you in the correct direction. I expect I'll be losing Virgin TV, as like you, I don't watch enough to warrant the expense, but BB would be the last thing I would dispense with.

It's definitely either / or - yes. A mix of both providers for TV and BB is more expensive than one single package.

I don't know what IPTV is, I'm afraid - could you please enlighten me? I also don't know what xDSL is, but from the tone of that sentence I'm sensing it's not a good thing.

I'm def swaying towards VM from the BB perspective. I only pay £22 a month at the mo for BB and phone; now I'll have to pay an addition £27 just to watch F1, and only for the races which aren't on the BBC! I do want proper TV coverage as I watch every practice, every quali, every race... Radio 5 live isn't enough for me, and I don't want an interrupted picture on a foreign broadcast.

Thanks for your input.
KiKi