Virgin or Sky Dilema

monday_blues

Hi guys, I have been trying to reduce my outgoings and a big chunk was going to Sky for tv package only at £70 pm (full package including espn and multiroom - but not hd)
(also paying approx. £35 bt per month also for phone)

Approached Virgin and they can do TV, Broadband and telephone package for £54pm including multiroom and espn (but losing sky movies and sports - which is fine we can live with that)

I have paid 50% of the virgin installation fee, which I have argued with them says free installation online, so hoping to get that money back??? Due to get it installed on 25 Feb. Also, they you only pay line rental of something like £20 for first 3 months.

However, on trying to cancel with sky, the retentions team are like british bulldogs and I've been on the phone for one hour tonight with them telling me in essence virgin are rubbish and they will offer me :

Sky : TV including everything we have currently i.e. everything except hd, plus free phone and broadband for a year for monthly £71.25

or, tv including multiroom and espn, no hd, no movies or sports PLUS free phone and broadband for a year for £43.25pm.

I would be grateful to hear anyone's thoughts on what is the best deal and whether i should just bite the bullet and leave sky now, as their deal is only for 12 months, albeit cheaper, or is virgin rubbish and we should stay with sky. I'll tell you, i'm so indecisive about these things now, it is all so confusing.... and, Sky werent for entertaining me when I pled poverty to them...up until i really was genuinely cancelling, now the offers are being made. I wish they had just offered it to me earlier and i wouldnt have approached virgin in the frst place. HELP...what to do????

Thanks, MB xx

Magi74

Two quick thoughts:

Virgin are just as good as Sky. In fact their catch-up TV makes it fairly easier to go without movies/sport if you're on a budget. The installation fee is probably high as they're only giving out Tivo boxes these days (I think?) - although to be fair they are really good.

But if you really wanted to stick with Sky then there may be a cooling off period with the Virgin contract.

Personally I prefer Virgin as catch-up TV is that good! But YMMV and the installation fee may be money you can't afford. Whatever you decide - good luck!

Actually a 3rd point. When we were playing catchup with all of our bills (long story and I'll tell it someday...) Virgin were really helpful and patient as we clawed the bill back to normal. Can't speak for Sky on that front.

MusicalLawyer

Do you NEED Sky / Virgin? If not, why not get a Freeview box?

If you really feel the need to have Sky or Virgin, do you really need multi room? Surely that costs more?

chigley

I am sorry, and flame me all you like, but I thought this forum was all about money saving? I think there should be a sticky for all the people who post their SOAs on here, telling them the first thing to do if they are struggling financially is to ditch any sort of satellite telly - its madness to keep paying these charges when you are short of money!

For the record, I have never had satellite telly, and also live in one of the last areas to go 'digital' so up until late last year, I could not even get Freeview, and now, due to getting a TV signal from a booster transmitter aerial, still only get restricted Freeview transmissions.

Surely you can manage with the TV channels available on Freeview? Is Sky TV a necessity now?

joedenise

We dumped Sky and use freesat, via the Sky box & dish. Just don't get the pay to view channels.

Denise

cottonhead

We have Virgin and I have got the bill down to just £45 a month. Thats for broadband, tv and phone. We have an all inclusive minutes package where you can use 200 mins a month to any number
(including international) and its worked out really well. The Tv package is the basic one but that has plenty of channels and of course you get the catch up service and then if you want to buy the odd film as a treat you can. The reason we chose them is becauae we are not allowed a dish.

downnotout

I would avoid virgin like the plague. They are very pricey with calls a 40 a month all in cost me between 80 and 130 a month so I ditched it. On bt vision now and I pay 45 quid a month for tv Internet and calls.

rising_from_the_ashes

Monday blues .... You will probably get more advice (no offence to anyone on here) on the Phone, Web & TV Board (under Home & Play)..... I'm afraid for a lot of us on DFW, even the basic Sky or Virgin package is out the question whilst we're trying to clear debts etc and to many it seems like an extravagent waste of money ....

neverbefore2011

monday_blues wrote: »

I have paid 50% of the virgin installation fee, which I have argued with them says free installation online

If you registered online, for free installation, why did you allow a 50% payment of a non-existent installation fee?

I tried to cancel my Virgin contract several times, but they gradually reduced the price to zero!

It won't last for ever though - my Freeview is now up and running and good to go

Magi74

Sorry, but the OP has in my opinion taken some unnecessary flak. Whilst the behaviour of trolls on this part of the forum is infinitely work, it's still his/her choice to have Sky/Virgin TV - whilst watching TV all the time is no fun, it can be a cheap form of entertainment...important when you're dealing with all the stresses of a DMP.

Let's remember to treat people how we want to be treated - it's easy to take offense at stuff posted on the Internet.

Ilona

It does seem bonkers to be worrying about which provider to choose for your tv, when there are far more important things to consider like how to get rid of your debt. For goodness sake, just have a freeview box, even better get rid of the tele altogether, no licence to pay, and watch catch up on your computer. Your debt will come down a lot quicker.
Ilona