Why is it so expensive to keep your number with Sky Mobile?

4500

I'm really frustrated that Sky Mobile don't seem to value their loyal customers and don't give them access to the same deals as new customers. I thought there was supposed to be a stop being put to all that.

I've been looking at SIM plans, I'm out of contract and currently paying £14 10GB data, which is actually really expensive compared to other Networks. There are many networks offering 10GB for half that price, and GiffGaff is offering unlimited data for £14. 
But, I want to stick with Sky because I like the piggy bank feature (for those that don't know, Sky mobile lets you store your unused data and it builds up), and as far as I'm aware, no other mobile network offers that. Some will roll your data over to the next month, but it then disappears, I need something that will allow me to store a big chunk of data (example; I've got 102GB in my Sky Piggybank at the moment), or maybe I'm better off going for unlimited... 
I don't really need 10GB a month, though, even for filling up my piggybank, so I wanted to see if dropping my allowance would save me some money. And the answer is, not really... 

On my current SIM, if I go to change data plans, my options are: 
3GB data £10
5GB data £12
10GB data £14

Again, those prices are wildly expensive compared to other networks... 

However, if I was a new customer, my options would be:+
3GB £4
5GB £12
10GB £7
40GB £8
Unlimited £80

I've got 5 year/gold VIP status with Sky, and my app says I can get 50% off on all data plans excluding 100MB plans, my options there are:
3GB £5
5GB £6
10GB £5
Even the 40GB (£9), 50GB(£10), 75GB(£11.50) plans are all less than what I’m paying now, and the unlimited data plan is only a pound more than what I’m paying at the moment!

But, those are all only for new SIM cards, and I don’t want a new SIM card because I don’t want to change my number. It’s not as easy to port over a number to a new SIM on the same network as it is to keep your number when changing networks.
Yes, I could get a PAYG SIM from another Network, port the number over to that, and then port it back over to my new Sky SIM, but that seems like hassle, and would take days to go through that process… and I'd need to do it every 12 months I guess.

Has anyone had any success in having these deals applied to an existing SIM?
What’s even the point in having the VIP status and VIP SIM deals if you can only use them on new SIM cards? Surely nobody wants to be dealing with changing their number every year?

Even if I phone them up and manage to persuade them to give me the £5 deal on my current SIM, I'd still have to phone them up every year to keep getting it applied… and honestly I find Sky Mobile's customer services really hard to deal with, they're rude and pushy.

I'm thinking I may have to forego my data piggybank and change Networks, maybe find a network that will let me change my plan every month and buy the unlimited data plan whenever I need it instead of using my Sky Piggybank.

Woodstok2000

How often do you actually use the piggy bank? Have you ever gone over 15-20gb in a month?

Sussex-Tanzanite

Hiya, yeah I’m in a similar position to yourself. I used to pay £6 a month for my mobile plan with Sky, I’m somewhere in the region of £14 today.

My TV, broadband is also with Sky, and I’m currently out of contact with the majority, last one expiring in December. I’m also a Diamond VIP customer.
I’m usually quite good with most companies. But with Sky I need to be brave, I’m aware I’ve been putting it off for ages, but the calls to Sky make me want to tear my hair out. Last time I renegotiated it took at least 10 hrs of multiple phone calls over two days, as you have to talk to differing depts for each item rather than negotiate your full package. Time and time again they’ve given me a deal, then when I receive the email confirming account changes, there’s a bunch of errors, and then I have to phone them back, can never talk to the same person and then you have to go through everything again.

I actually had to phone them today. They’re sent me an offer via email to get Netflix Free for the next 6 months. I added it online, then I got the email confirmation and it said 4 months. My heart sank as I had to make that call. I then spent ages on the phone with someone that just struggled to understand. Eventually after repeating the issue many times I got them to talk to a manager and get it agree, but they said it will take 7 days to be applied and I said I wanted an email confirming. Again another 7 days. Why so long to fix their error, I know they can do these things instantly.

And Like all Sky plans for broadband, TV, mobile etc, whatever you have, you fix in at one price and then they do 2 yearly increases. And yes your correct, the government did say they would look into these type of pricing plans, but nothing firm has happened yet.

Like yourself, I don’t really want to leave Sky, having my TV, Broadband, Mobile together I hoped would make life simpler.

I need to renegotiate too, still putting it off, and yes it’s frustrating that they offer new customers better deals, I think I’ve been with Sky around 25yrs, but there’s no other alternative in my area for TV. On the plus side, after all the hair pulling I usually come away with a decent deal initially.

My suggestion is do some homework first, find out about plans elsewhere and what you can achieve. Knowledge is power. Then call Sky and try your best to renegotiate. Tell them what you need, what you can achieve with other companies, and be in control. Keep calm, be patient and be polite. It’s a bit of a game the Sky renegotiation. If they don’t offer you what you’re looking for, suggest you might leave. they will often put you through to another dept, it’s basically a retention department to try and persuade you to stay and those folks hold the big cards and can offer even better deals. There does come a point when they can’t be pushed any further and at that point you need to make a decision to stay or go. But Sky as frustrating as they are, they want to retain your business.

Best of luck…likewise I need to take my own advise and make that call.

mta999

I suppose the first question is why do you need 102gb in your piggy bank? Are you planning some massive mobile download in the future? The piggy bank my be clouding your judgement in switching to a cheaper provider with a larger monthly allowance

for example uswitch have 50gb data on O2 (I believe sky use O2) for £8 and 80gb data for £10

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/compare/sim_only_deals/o2/?inset-cookie-banner&utm_accountid=5303720174&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=o2%20sim%20only%20deals&utm_cmpid=16159910308&utm_adgid=132675041265&utm_tgtid=kwd-1717171911045&utm_mt=p&utm_adid=581617235660&utm_dvc=m&utm_ntwk=g&utm_plcmnt=&utm_locphysid=9045629&utm_locintid=&utm_feeditemid=&utm_devicemdl=&utm_plcmnttgt=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16159910308&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI69u-7o-JlwMVE49QBh0EYRjsEAAYAiAAEgL_8_D_BwE

QrizB

I want to stick with Sky because I like the piggy bank feature

A feature that you don't appear to use or need, considering that you've got almost a year's worth of data allowance in the bank at present?

I need something that will allow me to store a big chunk of data

You say you need it; under what circumstances are you going to use 100GB of rolled-up data? How often do you expect that to happen?

I'm thinking I may have to forego my data piggybank and change Networks

You do seem to be fixated on this one feature that you rarely use or need.

And if you genuinely need to have 100GB of data available, your current "piggy bank" arrangement doesn't do that. What if you need 100GB next month, *and* the month after?

What exactly are you saving this data for?

JSmithy45AD

It's been a while since I've been with Sky Mobile but try logging into the MySky app or the Sky website. Go to the mobile section and select your current SIM/phone number. Look for an option that says "Mix" or "Change plan", or whatever they call it nowadays. Select your preferred data plan and see if it applies those 50% deals BEFORE completing the process.

JSmithy45AD

@4500 BTW the matching prices for existing and new customers is for car and house insurance.

Just checked on the app and as a diamond member they're offering me UL data for just a tenner a month, so use that as a negotiation 'line in the sand' and simply go elsewhere if they won't budge. The same applies to @Sussex-Tanzanite for all of your Sky (or otherwise) services.

giraffe69

Las time I switched it was to ID Mobile. I don't use that much data and went for 20gb at £7pm which it still is after 2 years but what you don't use can be carried forward to the next month so I have up to 40gb each month. Roaming in many countries also included. Suits me.

531063

^^^^ as above plus 30gb roaming allowance

QrizB

FWIW I've got an ID Mobile SIM with cashback via https://www.mobiles.co.uk. 50GB/month (with rollover) for £8pm, but if you remember to claim the cashback it's only £36 for 12 months - so equivalent to £3pm.

Mobiles.co.uk is part of the same group as Currys, so it's not some fly-by-night cowboy outfit.

(When I bought mine they has a 24m contract that worked out to be £3pm, but they aren't offering that at present.)

Grumpy_chap

I'm out of contract and currently paying £14 10GB data, which is actually really expensive compared to other Networks. There are many networks offering 10GB for half that price, and GiffGaff is offering unlimited data for £14. 
But, I want to stick with Sky because I like the piggy bank feature 

I have not verified the rates you quote so trust they are correct.

If you went to the offer of "unlimited data for £14" that would seem to allow you to use - effectively - the whole SKY piggy bank every month. Have I midunderstood?