Sky

teddysmum

After a fruitless conversation with foreign BT call centre, I finally decided to leave and take up the Sky offer to O2 broadband customers.

Unable to find an alternative to the 044 number, I decided to join an online 'chat' and ask if there was a means of contact which avoids this....only to find that the online 'chat' was from Asia.

AGGGH.

Is Sky's normal ie phone, customer service UK? Please tell me it is or I may go insane.

The call centre person, who at least didn't insist his name is Dave, suggested he could help, so I asked about the early O2 customer offer of free tv and bb , if one migrates early and takes line rental with calls.

He said I can't have the offer, as I can't provide a code, but said he could give an even better offer...of half price tv !

Erm. How is half price tv better than free tv and bb ? I gave up.

espresso

Why do you feel the need to jump?

Wait until they actually want to migrate you and if you don't get an acceptable retention offer, move then - you will get plenty warning and it may not happen for months.

They obviously want you to take extra services that you don't have however you don't have to and they won't want to lose too many of the customers that they have bought from O2.

teddysmum

With BT phone, I will have to pay the full line rental plus £3.50, for evening and weekend calls (special ongoing offer), unless I sign for 12 months again. Also, BT broadband is expensive and people have not been offered good retention deals.

I used the free O2 number and the kind man put me through to Sky (so didn't need to pay). I got a UK call centre person (who told me all but one of their calls centres is UK or Ireland). She says I can have the free tv and broadband offer and a donation to cover any BT line rental paid up front.

espresso

What is wrong with accepting BT's offer of free evening and weekend calls and taking their line rental saver?

Switching your line rental to Sky is not a good option as you will then need to take a talk package from them as well.

You seem determined to be hooked by Sky!

teddysmum

Sky's line saver is cheaper than BT's, as is their anytime charge, so, for a couple of pounds more than my present BT price, I can have anytime calls. Also, Sky's line rental goes up by £1 in December, so paying for 12 months', now, means I save.

Scrounger

It doesn't seem a bad deal; does that include Sky HD?

What will be the total cost allowing for the 'donation'?

Scrounger

espresso

Obviously not aware of the problems and cost of leaving a Full LLU package in the future.

The line no longer qualifies as a "BT line" that other ISP's require. If you later decide to change, it would not be a seamless switch as you would need to return to a phone supplier which does qualify with their minimum contract terms, with a possible change of your telephone number and a likely loss of broadband for a couple weeks.

Your choice.

chanz4

espresso wrote: »

Obviously not aware of the problems and cost of leaving a Full LLU package in the future.

The line no longer qualifies as a "BT line" that other ISP's require. If you later decide to change, it would not be a seamless switch as you would need to return to a phone supplier which does qualify with their minimum contract terms, with a possible change of your telephone number and a likely loss of broadband for a couple weeks.

Your choice.

If its the same exchange, if its return to donor you wont loose the number. Remember sky is linked in with bt.

Also it wont be down for weeks, all the do is switch the card at the exchange which is max few hours and yes Im ex bt engineer

espresso

chanz4 wrote: »

If its the same exchange, if its return to donor you wont loose the number. Remember sky is linked in with bt.

Also it wont be down for weeks, all the do is switch the card at the exchange which is max few hours and yes Im ex bt engineer

Behind the times ex BT engineer! There are two types of LLU provision. Taking broadband and line rental from Sky uses full MPF LLU and they take complete control of the phone line and the broadband. Sky only rarely use BT WLR when outside of their coverage and have used full MPF LLU unbundling for several years now.

Yes return to donor is usually possible but it has associated minimum cost and contract term e.g. 18 months commitment for BT unlimited broadband or unlimited Infinity.

Some new providers have to supply a new line with a new number when the old number can't be transferred, this would not be convenient for most customers and is likely to add delay to any switch which would otherwise be very simple, quick and straightforward when not a full MPF LLU provision.

Switching from full MPF LLU is not as easy and your options are limited.

teddysmum

Scrounger wrote: »

It doesn't seem a bad deal; does that include Sky HD?

What will be the total cost allowing for the 'donation'?

Scrounger

I haven't asked which tv package, but no HD would not matter as our tv screen is , but I think someone on here did say it was the Entertainment plus pack with HD.

The cost is £119 up front line rental, which saves you from the December increase, and £5 /month for Anytime calls.

The donation, to be discussed, will, I believe, be a refund of notice days beyond their taking the line, which is done much sooner.

chanz4

espresso wrote: »

Behind the times ex BT engineer! There are two types of LLU provision. Taking broadband and line rental from Sky uses full MPF LLU and they take complete control of the phone line and the broadband. Sky only rarely use BT WLR when outside of their coverage and have used full MPF LLU unbundling for several years now.

Yes return to donor is usually possible but it has associated minimum cost and contract term e.g. 18 months commitment for BT unlimited broadband or unlimited Infinity.

Some new providers have to supply a new line with a new number when the old number can't be transferred, this would not be convenient for most customers and is likely to add delay to any switch which would otherwise be very simple, quick and straightforward when not a full MPF LLU provision.

Switching from full MPF LLU is not as easy and your options are limited.

"Yes return to donor is usually possible but it has associated minimum cost and contract term e.g. 18 months commitment for BT unlimited broadband or unlimited Infinity."

You still don't have to take the broadband, just the line on return to donor. Also no matter what provider you switch to you enter into a new contract