Bouncing SKY off against Virgin

wookiemaster

I have been with Sky some years, but recently seeing the bill increase as negotiated deals have slowly disappeared made me re-evaluate costs against content. My bill for SKY inclusive of all content including sport, but no movies and 40 meg F.O.B.B unlimited calls and line rental. The monthly amount was due to be £106 as of September. I have always negotiated deals with SKY since the beginning and in this period of being with SKY (eight years). My bill this month is just under £90.

I call SKY to negotiate, they have none of it for the first time ever with me. They have all the notes on their screen they can see what great deals I have had. So, I cut the service, the whole thing. They say ok. AT this point you have to be prepared to switch and live with it.

So, I took a package with Virgin Media called the Big Kahuna. Yes I would lose F1, but not being an F1 fan these days (used to be fanatical, but thats another topic) and yes I would lose Champions League and not least the Darts, but my bill would shrink down to £48 for six months then £68 for twelve months, inclusive of unlimited calls and line rental plus my BB speed jumps from 40 Meg to 152! I negotiated the £8 unlimited calls down to £5, for those of you who may say £68 is not correct.

So what happens then is the installation date is made and Virgin send Sky a notice to say BB is being switched. SKY quite literally get the notice and take notice. Being a customer of some years and never having missed a bill they want to keep me.

I get a call, in short they slash the bill by 35% across the board and 50% on my BB. My bill now comes to £68 inclusive of HD, Sports, all usual and extra mainstream content but no movies. They try to implement an 18 month contract renewal. I refuse. They back down to 12. I am happy.

I call Virgin to cancel. They offer another £10 off per month rolling for 18 months and an extra Tivo box included. So, Big Kahuna, 152 Meg BB, BT SPorts, ESPN etc land line rental calls unlimited, oh and an extra £100 off so the first two bills are essentially free. Bills would be £38 per month first six months, £58 for the last twelve months. The first £100 is paid for. A very good deal.

Not good enough, because the very reason I have a premium service I want Champions League, Premier League and Darts. Virgin cant give me Champions League in HD, or Darts in HD without paying through my flaring nostrils!

So, in short, be prepared and actually get an installation booked, the other party will know this if you are with them because of the MAC codes and disconnection notice.

Virgin did try to offer me more, but I stopped them short as they were wasting my time. I actually do have a degree of loyalty and I have found Sky to be nothing short of remarkable. The content is brilliant and they have changed two of my favorite sports into something really worth watching.

These companies make vast amounts of profit and throw vast amounts at premier league players who are already vastly over paid. Yes, I am a part of that, but at least I am throwing less. Get clued up, keep money that you do not need to spend.

:footie:

The Wookie.

[Deleted User]

Most people cancelling get a deal without arranging another supplier. You also appear to have deliberately wasted Virgin's time by agreeing to installation etc.