Sky TV retention deals ( post your haggling successes )

flyBobfly

Sky customer for 30+ years bar a break when I moved to a flat and we couldn't get any thing til about 4 years later, so 21 years continuously. I moved from SkyQ to Stream because we had to pay "rental" to our landlord for the satellite dish. I had Sky Ultimate + Ad Skipping. I didn't renew when my contract ended a while ago as I was thinking of getting an Aura or Manhattan device. Suddenly my subscription was going to hit £44. Called to cancel and was offered £3 off. New customers would pay £30 for the same package. I had Disney+ via a deal site for only £50 for a year, and it's the ad free version.

I was expecting a call back, an email, something in my account over the next 31 days. Nothing. The service ended last week and I'm waiting for the box to post the puck back.

In the meantime I upgraded my Amazon Firestick to their fastest one. I'm now used to the interface and I prefer not getting the big splash screen Sky forced on everyone. I can get all the programs I used to watch on Sky via here, plus more like Pluto, Rakutan (free video rental from Vitality Health) and MarqueTV. If I want I could subscribe to ITVx+ and All4+ to skip ads. If I want anything that is only on Sky, I'll activate Now for a month and binge watch those shows. The one annoying thing is the delay between live broadcasts and the Firestick. I was watching the Eurovision semifinals and final while text a mate in Australia and he was getting to see things before me. Turned over to my TV signal and it felt like it was 45 seconds to a minute behind. I may look at a Freely box to see if they have less of a lag.

So I'll be interested to see if Sky come back, but it will have to a really good offer to rejoin. I did use the free cinema screenings a couple of times and other items in their freebie package, but I think I will save money by not subscribing with Sky again. I've unconnected my apps from the puck and reset it to factory settings now. Just waiting for the box to send it back!

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82005402#Comment_82005402

The delay on the Firestick would have been the same on the Sky Stream box, it's the nature of the beast I'm afraid and Freely (which is through the internet as well, not that you get much if any sport there) will be no different. Mute your phone and don't look at it ;)

brewerdave

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82005402#Comment_82005402

Thought the Stream puck was " yours" - do Sky actually reuse them for new customers ?

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82005835#Comment_82005835

They're 'loaned' only and have to go back once the service is finished. They get refurbished and reused I beleive.

flyBobfly

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82005835#Comment_82005835

Interesting point. Before I cancelled, I went through my sky account and it under equipment it said "customers own". On my cancellation call they told me they would send a box to send it back, but I'm still waiting. We'll see. Perhaps they're hoping I'll cave and call in and they will reactivate it. As each day passes, the more I get comfortable with my Amazon Firestick. I also discovered my 14 year old tv can record live TV onto as USB stick. This is only the Freesat channels of course, and not via the Firestick.

Detail_Merchant

When Sky first launched Sky Stream (October 2022) they did sell the pucks to customers, but they changed to loaning them instead (and requiring them to be sent back when stopping Sky TV) at the end of February 2023.

KneadtheDough

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82006647#Comment_82006647

"I also discovered my 14 year old tv can record live TV onto as USB stick. This is only the Freesat channels of course"

How did you do that, please? (My 'smart' TV is roughly the same age…)

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82006732#Comment_82006732

Not all Smart TVs are equal so we'd have to know the make & model of yours. Be aware that this usually means recording the channel being watched and frequently without any schedulling. It's generally of no use whatsoever.

Mr_Benn

Be very careful when adding something like Sky Cinema, as the Sky droids are prone to renew your whole contract. I had this earlier this year, when I just wanted Sky Cinema for 1 month, and specifically stated that. It was a nightmare trying to get all my existing discounts back. They basically told me first that they couldnt reverse anything and I was stuck with a new 2 year contract . Next time I will just NowTV if I want Cinema for a month.

KneadtheDough

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82006793#Comment_82006793

Ah, not as old as I thought — just over 6.5 years old:

Samsung UE40MU6120 HDR 4K Ultra HD Smart TV, 40" with TVPlus