MSE News: Sky set to raise prices

skyinsider

I have heard from a former colleague at sky about the price rises. Some rises will happen in terms of their base subscriptions, however, multiroom and HD subs are set to fall or remain the same.

People with Phone, Internet and TV are set to see either no or minimal increases.

Multiroom payments are set to change. there will be one multiroom charge no matter the number of boxes you have.

Retention offers are set to fall, and where deals are offered minimum term contracts will be imposed.

I have heard no specifics, but this is what is being talked about in Osterly.

dc070667

skyinsider wrote: »

I have heard from a former colleague at sky about the price rises. Some rises will happen in terms of their base subscriptions, however, multiroom and HD subs are set to fall or remain the same.

People with Phone, Internet and TV are set to see either no or minimal increases.

Multiroom payments are set to change. there will be one multiroom charge no matter the number of boxes you have.

Retention offers are set to fall, and where deals are offered minimum term contracts will be imposed.

I have heard no specifics, but this is what is being talked about in Osterly.

It is a dangerous game cutting back on retention offers, a lot of people are suffering during this recession, and many are unemployed and no longer have the disposable income to pay for a full Sky subscription or justify the outlay.

It will be interesting watching how this pans out because I know for a fact there are subscription targets set at Sky each month, that’s why you could randomly get a cracking deal by just knowing the right people or visiting the right website at the right time when codes appear.

They use deals to meet their monthly targets, I predict that Virgin Media will be cute and catch a few customers on good deals for the next 12 months; Sky will persevere with this new policy for a while before becoming concerned at losing a lot of customers who were at least paying something to them rather than a competitor.

Someone at Sky has misjudged badly here and Virgin media will capitalize.

Sky have become very greedy and will pay the price for it, most people looking for good deals are not penny pinching, they are genuinely struggling, those that can afford it wouldn’t be bothered about the price

prowla

We've got the basic Sky package along with phone and broadband.
Due to issues with the ADSL broadband service I plan to ditch it and I've already got Virgin's faster cable service in.
Sky gave me free phone line rental for a year in light of my BB issues.
So their increase should be offset by my reduction in their service.

peterphill

Sky have a bad habit of raising the price without telling the customer then when you protest they just say "Well it was in the magazine" - a thick mass of rubbish with any important info tucked well away inside.

My family persuaded me to take their product in the first place completely against my better judgement and I was well pleased to see the back of them.

aldredd

dc070667 wrote: »

a lot of people are suffering during this recession, and many are unemployed and no longer have the disposable income to pay for a full Sky subscription or justify the outlay.

If they're unemployed, I would imagine then a SKY package should be pretty much at the very bottom of their list of concerns. If I became, or thought there was good chance i could become, unemployed - SKY would be the very first thing to go.

Gordon_Hose

aldredd wrote: »

If they're unemployed, I would imagine then a SKY package should be pretty much at the very bottom of their list of concerns. If I became, or thought there was good chance i could become, unemployed - SKY would be the very first thing to go.

You can't just get rid if you're made redundant 3 months into taking one of their packages though.

markdavey

peterphill wrote: »

Sky have a bad habit of raising the price without telling the customer then when you protest they just say "Well it was in the magazine" - a thick mass of rubbish with any important info tucked well away inside.

My family persuaded me to take their product in the first place completely against my better judgement and I was well pleased to see the back of them.

Whilst I don't really want to defend Sky. They do as they are legally required to do with regard to informing people of price rises. The details are not in the magazine but are in the letter that accompanies it (its a separate document, not inside the magazine). Not really their fault people don't read the letter...

Be interesting to see how they inform people now, given most are on electronic delivery for the magazine's 'content.

aldredd

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

You can't just get rid if you're made redundant 3 months into taking one of their packages though.

Yes, correct - but the context of the original post I was quoting was around the retention packages - ie those outside their min contract looking to negotiate a better deal.

Gordon_Hose

aldredd wrote: »

Yes, correct - but the context of the original post I was quoting was around the retention packages - ie those outside their min contract looking to negotiate a better deal.

Sorry, it wasn't obvious

skyinsider

I was on the phone to a friend in the know last night. "The majority of customers will have a negligible rise in cost or remain on their current tariff." Some will see a drop in their subscription.

Wholesale TV is expected to see the greatest rise in costs.

Over the last 8 month Virgin's advertising drive has lost Sky custom. It is expected that subscriber numbers will rise starting in the next 4-10 months as people return from Virgin. The increase in wholesale TV prices means that Virgin will need to rise prises "substantially" or cut channels.

I have paraphrased from a conversation - I take no responsibility for what you do or do not take from this.