Upgrading to Sky+ on the cheap

piggybankrupt

I'm looking at having sky+ in my living room and using existing box in bedroom under multiroom. I don't have a phone line in a suitable place for the sky+ box in the living room, and don't want to run wires along skirting etc, but I do where the spare box will be in the bedroom. When I asked sky if the phone line will be ok just on the ordinary box and not the sky+ she said it needs to be with the sky+ box because otherwise you can't use some features like ffwd tv/ pause live tv etc Is this true? I don't want the expense of putting in new phone socket if I don't need to when I have one in the bedroom next to where the second box will be. Someone said they police the phone conection for multiroom - how/why . Leaflet for sky+ offer says "Sky+ box must be connected to a fixed telephone line for 12 months" - surely this would be permenantly if it was really required for the sky+ features to work? Any help appreciated!

home_alone

Omertron wrote: »

If you actually booked the disconnection (there's 30 days notice remember) the usual policy in these cases is to offer some sort of retention deal to keep you, it may not be what you wanted, but will probably save you money.

Keep in mind that they would much rather keep you than lose your money. If all else fails and they don't call/write to you then you can cancel the disconnection whenever you like, but I'd wait it out for a week or two

When I cancelled back in August all I got during the 30 days was offers that were already in the press nothing new. I have had more calls from them just lately asking me how they could get me back, still nothing new. If you notice in the press and the TV adverts, Sky are really trying hard must be costing them a fortune. I will wait until the HD gets cheaper (£199 at the moment for me) and no subs, reckon next spring/summer, just a hunch.

gary

sparkzilla

Just rang Sky and got a box and installation for £49.

I explained that i was at a friends last night and i was impressed with virgin media as it let you rewind and fast forward TV. The sky rep then said the installation was £130 for that service so i explained i had a recommend a friend offer that my mate could use and this cost would be waived. Hey presto the sky guy offered sky+ for £49 and installation in 2 days.

Thanks guys

Raver2k7

I did it!!!! after lots of determination and complaining to sky (as they never did call me back, as i explained they said they would in an earlier thread)! Called up and sent a letter in, and on thursday last week they called me and booked an installation for last sunday! Got SKY+ box with free installation for £49! Yippeee!!!!1 xx

jackieb

It makes me so mad that there's such an inconsitancy in Sky offering the deals. I tried to get my parents Sky+ cheaper but it was like talking to a brick wall. I got through to cancellations and said they wanted to cancel. They were in their mid-70s and I told them they'd been with Sky constantly since 1990. No joy at all. I told them I knew of people getting it for £49. I ended up paying £99+£30 installation. They got it installed on Monday. They didn't even get a new dish as their one was only 2 years old. I think they should have had a cheaper install if they didn't get a new dish!

Raver2k7

jackieb wrote: »

It makes me so mad that there's such an inconsitancy in Sky offering the deals. I tried to get my parents Sky+ cheaper but it was like talking to a brick wall. I got through to cancellations and said they wanted to cancel. They were in their mid-70s and I told them they'd been with Sky constantly since 1990. No joy at all. I told them I knew of people getting it for £49. I ended up paying £99+£30 installation. They got it installed on Monday. They didn't even get a new dish as their one was only 2 years old. I think they should have had a cheaper install if they didn't get a new dish!

I completely agree. they werent gonna give me mine. i had to write a letter in the end, so they could listen to the original call, where the guy made me the offer!! it took about 3 hrs of calls (passed from pillar to post, then getting cut off lots of times!) and a letter. the guy came to install it sunday, was over 2 hrs late and didnt even give an apology!

erimus

I rang Sky yesterday and used the same line as Sparkzilla. Got the offer of Sky+ for £49 inc. installation almost instantly (after I'd blagged the Sky rep's bit about Virgin charging me £150 for installation).

My father-in-law, whose been with Sky much longer than I have, rang them a few weeks ago to ask what deal they could offer him, as a loyal customer, to upgrade to Sky+. All they offered him was the box for £99 but waived the £30 installation fee.

I think the key must be to sound convincing that you actually want to cancel in the first place, so that they can 'talk you round', rather than that you're fishing for a deal. When I got through to customer services I didn't even start a debate with them, just asked to speak to someone about cancelling contract.

Now's probably a good time to do this because, with the recent price rises, they probably expect a few people to reconsider their position. Obviously helps if you've got a convincing back-up plan, such as the Virgin Media line, so thanks to Sparkzilla for that one!

Whatever happens, you do end up on the phone to them for ages while you get transferred, and they'll try and flog you all sorts of other products. Therefore, definitely use one of the 01506 numbers rather than the 0870 rip-off one.

jackieb

We don't get Virgin here so we can't use that as a bargaining tool. We can't even get Freeview here. We don't even get Channel 5 on analogue!

vix2000

Can the £49 be done on a new install?

stasis

Thanks to the advice found here I just got the £49 offer as well. I had to jump through the hoops from customers services => sales => cancellations trying to get me to go for multiroom, phone, broadband etc. but stay strong and they will give in :-)

I used the BT Vision comparison as they are giving their boxes away.

Got it installed today and love it already!
Thanks all you MSE's!