Sky options - advice please

[LJ sxi-nav]

I'm Looking at getting Sky.
They advertise free broadband and free phone calls when taking out sky TV. I really want sky+HD with all 6 entertainment mixes. This should cost £32 per month. I already pay about £17 pm for broadband, and £10 for top-up TV. I wanted to stop these, pay the extra £5 to sky and get the whole package.

Typically, my phone line doesn't support the sky base broadband that would be free, but they will let me have sky connect for an extra £17pm They reckon I'm in the 30% area of the UK not in a Sky broadband area (so how can I get sky connect!!)

I really only wanted to spend £32pm, but factoring in the extra cost it is £49pm. After doing a live chat from the website (great idea!), They have offered to bring the package price to £42pm, but this is still £10pm more than I wanted.

3 Questions:

1 - Does anyone have sky connect, if so is it a good service?
2 - Do you think I could get them to offer an even better price
3 - Any other suggestions for getting a 2MB (all my line supports) broadband service dirt cheap (preferably free)

[JKB89]

Hey.
I had looked in to getting Sky Multiroom, as we have Sky downstairs, and think everything will end up being switched to Sky.

I know the line rental is changed from £11 on BT to £10 with Sky.

And if i have any advice, it's steer clear of the movies! Much better renting / buying because there is a massive price increase for them - and its not really worth it IMO.

HTH


Edit : Also, would stick with you broadband (if its going to be the same price as the connect - just to save hastle until you can get free Sky!)

[Caterman]

I've just gone from Tiscali to Talk Talk as i was only getting 0.5 Mb when they said i could get 2Mb. I now get a nice 6Mb

I have opted for their BB/line rental/phone calls package for £20.99 mth. http://www.talktalk.co.uk/products/broadband

Sky HD, personally i would not pay the extra £10 mth as there just aren't enough programmes to justify it I have just had a 3 month discount from them as i've been with them since 1989 and was going to reduce my package to the basic when they offered the same as i'm on now (everything except movies) for £25 mth

Have a look here and compare the differences in reliability/speed/dervice etc. http://www.thinkbroadband.com/

[LJ sxi-nav]

thanks for advice guys.

And if i have any advice, it's steer clear of the movies! Much better renting / buying because there is a massive price increase for them - and its not really worth it IMO.

Yeah - not fussed on movies or sports channels, too expensive. Already do DVD rental for films we want to watch

I've just gone from Tiscali to Talk Talk as i was only getting 0.5 Mb when they said i could get 2Mb. I now get a nice 6Mb

I have opted for their BB/line rental/phone calls package for £20.99 mth. http://www.talktalk.co.uk/products/broadband

hmm - a quick shop around I can get 'upto' 8MB BB (i'll only get 2MB), unlimited download, weekend calls and line rental for £14.99 with tiscali (i've found the service to be OK), or similar product for £16.99 from talk talk. As I'm saving £11 BT line rental, BB works out to be £3.99 from tiscali

Sky HD, personally i would not pay the extra £10 mth as there just aren't enough programmes to justify it

See what you are saying, but there will be more and more content as time goes on; and as I've just ordered a new 1080p 37" telly, it'd be rude not to make at least some use of it!



So I might opt for sky+HD TV, and a telco/isp provider for line rental/broadband/calls all in one. Will still ring sky and see what else they might offer a new customer. I could even go and visit the sales guys who set-up in shopping centres, they might offer good incentives!

[JKB89]

hmm - a quick shop around I can get 'upto' 8MB BB (i'll only get 2MB), unlimited download, weekend calls and line rental for £14.99 with tiscali

Upto means whatever your line is limited to, if you've been getting 2 meg, then you should still get 2 meg unless they change the lines/upgrade.


As for HD it's really not worth it unless you're on TV screens upwards of 42" or alternatively using data projectors to watch TV.

You may notice a small change but it really isnt worth it unless you have a giant TV - At first you may notice a change, just because you want to

HTH

[LJ sxi-nav]

Upto means whatever your line is limited to, if you've been getting 2 meg, then you should still get 2 meg unless they change the lines/upgrade.

yeah I know about there 'up-to' marketing (hence my quote marks). The exchange I'm connected to is in the next village so my line will only support about 2MB (on a good day)

i wouldn't touch tiscali there the worst rated isp in nearly all polls.

Which is why i broke my 12 month contract after 8 months

They are absolutely awful at customer service and the BB speed was pants too

I've found the service from tiscali to be reliable so far. When I first moved in, line tests told me I'd get 1MB at best (BT said 512kbs!); when connected I found I had over 1MB. the exchange must have been upgraded since, as it is now closer to 2MB.

I agree that customer service is awful, but apart from moving house (which admittedly was a nightmare with tiscali) the internet is always on. Tiscali did automatically refund me some money for the bad experience/lack of service though.

[67688c]

Very few people actually end up with Sky's Free broadband, almost everyone is told its not available in their area.... same old story. TBH I dont know anyone who actually gets all 3 basic services for just £17.

They will however negotiate and come down on their Broadband Connect charge which is normally £17, I pay £10 for mine and most of the time it works well at the full 8-mbps

Make sure you will use that MultiRoom if you decide to pay the extra Tenna, I have the multiroom myself, but are finding that I am now rarely using it. I bought a extra Sky+ box off Ebay to give me Sky+ in both rooms. I shall switch my phone over to Sky once the BT contract for the phone finishes in December. BTW make sure your contracts with BT for phone and Broadband has run its term otherwise BT WILL charge you the rental for the remaining months.

[deanos]

Beware tht Sky's call charges are very expensive, also if you go through Quidco there is £70 cashback http://www.quidco.com/sky/

We currently have 24/7 free calls, line rental, mobile calls at 7.5ppm,200 text messages, caller display and free 1571 for £15.45 a month from BT which i think is good value.

We also have Sky HD, and we get the top package half price for 12 months

There are loads of choice on SkyHD , there are 22 channels to watch in HD

[yorkshireborn]

i wouldn't touch tiscali there the worst rated isp in nearly all polls.


try 02 they seem to come out on top in polls

if your mobiles on orange the u get free internet.

[Caterman]

Which is why i broke my 12 month contract after 8 months

They are absolutely awful at customer service and the BB speed was pants too

Now i'm with Talk Talk i'm much happier Just done a speedtest on my 2Mb service