when to negotiate with Sky?

abundantia

Hi, my discount with Sky runs out on the 15th of November so this coming Thursday I could call to cancel and try to get a discount (I believe it's a 30 day notice period).

For the past 12 months I've been paying about £45 per month for the following services: half price TV (Family bundle £18), unlimited broadband (£0), and Sky Talk Anytime International (£10), plus line rental £16.40.

Ideally I'd like to keep the unlimited broadband and the Intl phone bundle as I do a lot of calling in Europe and North America, but drop TV altogether.

Looks like Sky is increasing costs for line rental to £17.40 and for Talk International to £12 from 1 Dec. Unlimited broadband is £7.50 if paid in full. So worst case scenario total cost would be £36.90. However, I would like to haggle and get a discount.

Now, I don't want to leave Sky, just tell them I want to leave just to get the discount. I don't want TV either, I have Amazon Prime and I'm fine with just that and Freeview.

When is it best to try and negotiate a discount? Call and cancel the TV service first, and then call back in a couple of days to try to get a discount on the broadband?

OR is it better call on the 15th of October and say I want to cancel all services, and try to get the broadband discount at that time?


Also in terms of discount, any chance to get the broadband free for one year? So I would only pay for line rental and the Intl phone package? That would be £29.4 total. If I switch to TalkTalk it would be much cheaper as their unlimited broadband is free for 18 months and they have a half price offer on their anytime minutes boost, but... I don't want to go back to TalkTalk, their customer service is appalling and it looks like I won't be able to keep my phone number if I do move.

The only other alternative* would be EE and that's still cheaper than Sky, but I don't know anything about EE and I need solid reliable broadband and phone as I work from home several days per week. No other provider offers an International all inclusive phone bundle with the country mix that I need.

Thank you.

bacono

I don't have a definitive answer to your question, but as a long time Sky customer (TV, phone, broadband) who has tried a few different haggles over the years I have come to the conclusion that it depends on who you speak to when you get put through to retentions, which is of course luck of the draw.


I've had free broadband, a bigger capacity Sky box, half-price Movies and numerous phone discounts when I've been in no position to expect them, just ringing for a whinge mid-contract, yet when I've been at the end of contract and threatening to not renew I've had nothing.


If I was you I'd do the first option you mentioned, that way they'll know you're as good as your word for cancelling and might do more to keep you.

jem16

abundantia wrote: »

When is it best to try and negotiate a discount? Call and cancel the TV service first, and then call back in a couple of days to try to get a discount on the broadband?

Cancel the TV first - that is 30 days notice. The LR/BB is only 14 days so that could wait a bit as if you leave now you're throwing away part of your BB offer that you currently have.

Wait until you get an offer for the TV and then you can negotiate the LR/BB.

Also in terms of discount, any chance to get the broadband free for one year?

Probably the most likely as that is what new customers are being offered.

No other provider offers an International all inclusive phone bundle with the country mix that I need.

Thank you.

You would be cheaper using something like Call18185 for your international calls. Which country are you calling?

abundantia

Thanks!

It's a mix of countries from Europe (WE and EE countries) and North America. I also need unlimited local calls as I do conference calling for work. Employer won't pay for cost of the calls as it's my choice to WFH.

teddysmum

Give 31 days' notice to be safe.


The call centre lady who signed me up said it was a month, but she advised 31 days, as month's vary in length.

teddysmum

The 14 days over phone/bb is confusing.


I was under the impression that it was 14 days, but when I cancelled tv, this time,I said I wasn't interested in the tv offer, but may consider when I renegotiated phone/bb in a couple of weeks' time, as they only need 14 days' notice and I have free line rental.


I was told that they also need a month's notice , but that transfers usually take place after about 14 days. (I'm assuming they mean that they will charge for a month, even though you are gone after two weeks).


I've left phone/bb to 10 days left, as if I stay I don't waste free days,though I'm gambolling on paying full price for some time, if I go.


I really must make that call, but hate doing so.

jem16

teddysmum wrote: »

I was under the impression that it was 14 days, but when I cancelled tv, this time,I said I wasn't interested in the tv offer, but may consider when I renegotiated phone/bb in a couple of weeks' time, as they only need 14 days' notice and I have free line rental.

yes I would agree that it is confusing.

I phoned to discuss my parents LR/BB last year when their free LR deal was coming to an end. Phoned just as it got into the last month but they could only apply a new offer by cancelling the current one. So really wasting one month's free LR.

abundantia

Thanks. I decided to call and cancel TV on the 15th of October, that's 31 days notice.

So for broadband and phone it's only 14 days notice? I'm now confused. That would mean I have to call back 1st of Nov or smth like that? to try and get a discount on the broadband/LR/talk package.

abundantia

Called today to disconnect TV (I was on half price TV plus Sky Talk Intl and free unlimited broadband). I told them I was considering to leave Sky altogether - so move both broadband and phone in two weeks from now.

I had them remove the TV completely and got free unlimited broadband for 12 months, and will only be paying for line rental (£17.40) and Sky Talk Intl Extra (£10 until December, £12 from December). TalkTalk or EE would have been slightly cheaper for the same package but I hate TalkTalk and not convinced by EE so I'm content with the result, and the fact that I don't have to call again.

Not sure if I could have done better with Sky, I'm not a good negotiator :-)

I will probably miss Sky Arts but other than that we should be fine with the Freeview channels and Amazon Prime.

jem16

abundantia wrote: »

Not sure if I could have done better with Sky, I'm not a good negotiator :-)

Possibly could have done better if you waited until offers started appearing for the TV but a £10pm discount isn't bad.

abundantia

You mean TV offers? I don't want to pay anything for TV anymore, except for the TV license.