freeview vs virgin media (telewest)

Kellm9

silverbirch wrote:

sky one has disappeared from my virgin media today. No point in keeping it if i can't watch 24, rescue me, nip tuck, lost

I've fancied sky + for a while, my brother has it and its far superior to the virgin replay option, i can't even get into that most time, just get the 'please try later' message.

Just need to decide whether to keep my phone and broadband with virgin or go to the hassle of getting a bt line put in and cancel the lot. (just looked and i still have a cable running to the house from the bt pole in the street so may not be a hassle anyway)

Does anyone know what sort of usage 40gb broadband is as thats the sky deal but i'm unlimited at the moment?

Hi Silverbirch,

I agree with the Sky one comments. I'm a Stargate, Stargate Atlantis and Battlestar Gallactica fan, all of which are on Sky one. The only other thing I watch regularly is Prison Break which is on 5 so no probs with that.

Virgin Replay is not the equivalent to Sky +. IMHO the Virgin equivalent is far superior to Sky +. It is able to do all the sky + things and more. It can simultaneously record two different channels and watch a third, pause, rewind etc etc. Sky + can only do one. I'm an ex Telewest now Virgin customer (for now). I think the Virgin product is called Virgin +. The replay thing is an additional product that Sky do not do at all.

(edit --- I've just been on the SKY website, it looks like the new Sky + box can record two channels at the same time, it does cost £99 though. The Virgin + box is free and does Hi def, the SKy HD box is £299. Oh decisions decisions) (edit 2 --- Chatting at work today, you can record two but cannot watch a third, so not as good as V+.)

The only thing keeping me with Virgin at the is this Virgin + which after having both is far superior to Sky +.

The Virgin Central is old hat, i've had it through Teleport for nearly a year. It does annoy me that Virgin whoop about it's launch and it's been available for months and months.

I've got my home phone, Cable TV and broadband. I know I can get it cheaper, Sky are doing all three for £26, i'm paying £25 a month just for the broadband.

So now I have to decide is the Virgin + more valuable to me or is Sky one ?

Cheers
Kellm9

Kellm9

consnmattsmom wrote:

Hi

Not sure if I am posting in correct place but we are trying to cut back and was considering changng from Virgin to Freeview.

It would be helpful to hear experiences with freeview and is there a way we can pay extra and get sky sports channels via freeview?

Thanks

I am thinking of ditching Virgin now Sky one has gone. My TV has freeview built in and I struggle to see the difference in channels. So I too am thinking of just using my Freeview channels. At the moment Sky news and Sky sports news is still available on Freeview. My OH can't do without the news channel

C_Ronaldo

i wouldnt ditch virgin altogether and then move to sky, id stay with virgin, get their freeview service and when the channels are back move back to your original package

odowdchr

Sky are also trying to remove their "free" channels from Freeview in the summer. Bear that in mind if you're getting Freeview to get Sky News, Travel etc...

You could just get the V+ box and stick with a basic TV package...they're virtually giving it away at the moment and as Kellm9 says, it's far superior to Sky+.
You pay a rental for the box so it's fixed for free if anything goes wrong, unlike Sky where you buy the box up front, then pay for it's repair once the guarantee is up (unless this argument forces Sky to re-evaulate their value)
The updated Teleport stuff, while still very new, looks really good and all "on demand" stuff is free for 3 months at the moment.
That's where the cable technology will beat satellite eventually.

ifstar

Best thing to do it look at your package and try and find an equivalent on Sky/BT for tv/phone/internet and work out the cost of both. If you can then do the costs over a year (or 18 months if there are special deals on Sky/BT) and write down the figures - work out what you would be paying for the same period with Virgin and write these down.
Phone Virgin and tell them you are considering moving and they will pass you on to the disconnections (customer retentions) department and give them the figures and highlight the difference between them.

You could mention that the Sky + box is something that is attracting you to them and they might chuck in a V+ box (which is better than Sky + and Sky HD boxes) for free.

I did this and saved £240 a year for the exactly the same services I was already on.

november

odowdchr wrote:

You could just get the V+ box and stick with a basic TV package...they're virtually giving it away at the moment and as Kellm9 says, it's far superior to Sky+.

We were Telewest so still have our Telewest box. I've looked up the V+ box on Virgin's website and it would cost us an additional £10 month. Hardly 'giving it away' as that would make £30.50 in total :eek: (again according to website - I don't have a bill in front of me)

Am I missing something? I was thinking of going to Freeview but DD apparently needs her music channels :rolleyes: DS doesn't care anymore I don't think as he's just lost access to Stargate and Simpsons.

ifstar

They are practically giving it away as their customer relations team are doing everything in their power to keep existing subscribers but you need to speak to them.

RainbowsInTheSpray

To add the basic Virgin cable tv deal to my existing Telewest/NTL broadband + phone package would cost me an extra £1 per month, they tell me.

Considering that to go digital otherwise would mean putting in satellite stuff or paying for an aerial upgrade costing £200+, you can guess that I'm taking them up on this.

november

RainbowsInTheSpray wrote:

Considering that to go digital otherwise would mean putting in satellite stuff or paying for an aerial upgrade costing £200+, you can guess that I'm taking them up on this.

Hummmmmmm good point. We don't even have an aerial downstairs only a loft aerial which reaches into DD's bedroom.

I always thought Sky was far more expensive than what was Telewest though but I will look into it as ifstar says and give Virgin a ring. We aren't currently on any special offer as long term Telewest customers and personally I hardly ever watch the tv anyway so of those that do (DD & DS) I have 50% who don't care as long as we retain the cable and 100% who would prefer to switch to Sky :rolleyes:

ifstar

It doesn't hurt to give it a try, and there is always a chance that a deal will be worked out between Virgin and Sky a little further down the line as it is in the intrests of both of them to do so. If you do stick with Virgin and manage to get a reduced rate then the channels come back then you will be laughing.