MSE News: Sky takes over O2 and Be broadband: What does this mean for customers?

[Deleted User]

General_query wrote: »

Hi, leaving things until the last minute as usual but....

I am a BE Broadband customer for broadband @ £17.99pm

I am a BT customer for landline and voice calls @ £24.50 pm (direct debit amount anyway).

Like a previous poster, BT sent me a letter (which I only just opened too late last night) saying they are now charging me £3.50pm from 1st November for evening and weekend calls - which were previously free. Their line rental is also going up to £15.99pm from January, what a rip off

I despise BT and hate paying so much for line rental when I hardly make any calls. In fact they have suspended this months and next months payments of £24.50 as I am paying too much and am in too much credit with them!

Now, I have a letter from SKY offering me Unlimited Broadband at £15pm, with NO LINE RENTAL, but that includes a charge of £5 for not having SKY TALK and also a charge of £5 for not having SKY TV.

I think they have already set the wheels in motion as the letter says they (SKY) will be taking the £15pm from 1st December instead of it going to BE Broadband, but I haven't signed anything

I don't know what to do, and who to go with. I don't want SKY TV as I just can't afford it. I don't want any TV package from BT either.

Do I sell my soul to the Devil and phone up SKY and ask for a deal on unlimited broadband *AND* line rental, or stay with the devil I know (BT) and see what they offer me please?

Will BE (aka O2>SKY) charge me if I leave them to take broadband with BT? Will BE want their modem back?

Sorry for sounding so clueless and being in a panic - I *AM*

Please advice/help me

Thank you.

You shouldn't get charged if you ask for a MAC to take your bb to BT.

By ringing the O2 0800 number you should be able to get landline, anytime calls and b&b for £15 a month (12m contract) AND a £75 credit making the first 5 mnths free.

Whether the bribe is enough to 'sell your soul to the devil' is a personal thing but it was for me.

You would have to return your BE box if you left for BT but they're not bothered if you switch to Sky.

espresso

General_query wrote: »

Do I sell my soul to the Devil and phone up SKY and ask for a deal on unlimited broadband *AND* line rental, or stay with the devil I know (BT) and see what they offer me please?

Will BE (aka O2>SKY) charge me if I leave them to take broadband with BT? Will BE want their modem back?

Sorry for sounding so clueless and being in a panic - I *AM*

Please advice/help me

Thank you.

It depends if you want to keep your line rental separate or accept a full LLU product with Sky and the implications.

You could possibly ring BT retentions and explain that you have only just seen their letter and they would most probably allow you to keep the free evening and weekend calls and let you pay £141 for line rental saver e.g. £11.75 per month. You may get an acceptable offer if you take BB as well from them.

You will not be charged if you use a MAC to switch from BE/Sky BB and you do not have to return your old BE router - Sky simply don't want them and it would cost them money to dispose of them.

Decisions but only you know what is acceptable to you.

General_query

anactuary wrote: »

By ringing the O2 0800 number you should be able to get landline, anytime calls and b&b for £15 a month (12m contract) AND a £75 credit making the first 5 mnths free.

Many thanks.

What do you mean by ringing the O2 "0800" number? Don't you mean SKY? I though O2 broadband and BE broadband ceases to exist so it is ALL owned by SKY now?

Landline, anytime calls and unlimited broadband for £15pm a month is a steal, and 12 months is fine for a contract. Not very confident on the phone but would love a £75 credit too!

General_query

espresso wrote: »

You could possibly ring BT retentions and explain that you have only just seen their letter and they would most probably allow you to keep the free evening and weekend calls and let you pay £141 for line rental saver e.g. £11.75 per month. You may get an acceptable offer if you take BB as well from them.

Great idea and they may throw back in the free evening and w/e calls. Doubt they can match the all signing all dancing landline, anytime calls and unlimited broadband for £15pm though!

espresso wrote: »

Decisions but only you know what is acceptable to you.

I know, but I am on a debt management plan and am trying to save money everywhere. It doesn't make financial sense while I am currently paying BT £24.50 a month and BE £17.99 a month for separate landline/calls and broadband. That's £42.49 a month, yikes.

:mad:

CosmicTen

According to the Sky.co.uk/o2customers web page, it's possible to remain on the O2 contract, terms, package etc until Spring 2014. They then say after this they will cancel the service.

Does anyone know under what term in the contract they're actually able to do this, to break the O2 contract?

Just interested from a legal point of view.

Apologies if this has already been covered in the thread but it's a long thread now and only just joined in.

Thanks.

espresso

CosmicTen wrote: »

According to the Sky.co.uk/o2customers web page, it's possible to remain on the O2 contract, terms, package etc until Spring 2014. They then say after this they will cancel the service.

Does anyone know under what term in the contract they're actually able to do this, to break the O2 contract?

Just interested from a legal point of view.

Apologies if this has already been covered in the thread but it's a long thread now and only just joined in.

Thanks.

Yes some customers have received their switch to Sky letters and have rung up and asked to be put to the back of the queue. This has been agreed e.g. if they are currently getting their BB free for 12 months switching to Sky now would cost more. Then you would either need to ask for your MAC and switch to another provider or be switched to Sky and accept their terms.

CosmicTen

espresso wrote: »

Yes some customers have received their switch to Sky letters and have rung up and asked to be put to the back of the queue. This has been agreed e.g. if they are currently getting their BB free for 12 months switching to Sky now would cost more. Then you would either need to ask for your MAC and switch to another provider or be switched to Sky and accept their terms.

Thanks but I'm more interested in specifically under what legal terms under the O2 contract, which they have in effect taken on, are they able to cancel the O2 contract when it comes to Spring 2014, which they say you can continue with without any new agreement.

I'm looking for what legal term in the contract are they doing this under.

nickbeee

General_query wrote: »

Their (BT) line rental is also going up to £15.99pm from January, what a rip off

BT will give you a discount for paying in advance. I'm in the process of moving my LL from O2 Home Phone to BT, (first part of the process of getting away from Sky) I paid £141 for 12 months advance rental (equiv £11.75 pm). The E&W or anytime element is still paid monthly by DD though.

I appreciate things may be tight but if you can find £141, even with some interest charges it should still beat the BT price hike.

General_query

Thanks. 12 months upfront for line rental is moneysaving, but it annoys me that doesn't include eve & w/end calls for FREE as it was before.

Why are you moving away from SKY?!?!

Quentin

CosmicTen wrote: »

Thanks but I'm more interested in specifically under what legal terms under the O2 contract, which they have in effect taken on, are they able to cancel the O2 contract when it comes to Spring 2014, which they say you can continue with without any new agreement.

I'm looking for what legal term in the contract are they doing this under.

They aren't cancelling the O2 contract, but have had your O2 contract assigned to them.

Nothing you can do about that.

The o2 equipment is being switched off next year. Nothing you can do about that.

Sky say that if you don't want to join them when they are ready to "migrate" you onto their equipment then you can postpone the migration and remain on O2 equipment (and your O2 terms) till they finally switch it off.

At that time you either transfer to Sky at whatever price they want at the time (though on a rolling contract, not a minimum term contract), or leave and go elsewhere.

Again, nothing you can do about that.