Am sure that on International weekend in the past they used to show literally loads of games?. Apart from England on C4 where are all the other home nation games being shown now?
Am sure that on International weekend in the past they used to show literally loads of games?. Apart from England on C4 where are all the other home nation games being shown now?
There was a load being shown on Viaplay, including the France/Ireland game
Am sure that on International weekend in the past they used to show literally loads of games?. Apart from England on C4 where are all the other home nation games being shown now?
I noticed that. I wanted to watch Malta v Italy but coulldn't find it. I watched Croatia v Wales on the welsh channel, I think S4C.
Anyone got one of the new Sky boxes that use the internet instead of the dish? Thinking of switching as we’ve had a few issues with the Sky Q box and would also like to ditch the dish.
Anyone got one of the new Sky boxes that use the internet instead of the dish? Thinking of switching as we’ve had a few issues with the Sky Q box and would also like to ditch the dish.
My Father in law does, it's OK, but just be aware you don't record anything as such (as no hard drive) like you do with Sky Q, it's juts on demand, so make sure you have the band width so stream the whole time.
Anyone got one of the new Sky boxes that use the internet instead of the dish? Thinking of switching as we’ve had a few issues with the Sky Q box and would also like to ditch the dish.
I had the Sky Puck on a 3 month cheapy-trial that was packaged up with all channels, bells and whistles.
My take was this: The interface / Menu system can look a bit busy and complicated to begin with, but I warmed to it. If you already have accounts with multiple streaming services like I do (AppleTV, Amazon, Disney, Paramount & Netflix), you can search and play all that content in one place right next to all the normal Sky Channels - which is great.
My home internet speed is 70mbs and streaming HD and 4K content was acceptable with no serious lag or artefacting.
I did have some repeated audio sync issues which were often fixed with pausing/un-pausing. I also switched the HDMI to a different socket on the back of my TV which remedied 90% of the lip-sync bother. But not everything. Which was annoying.
When my cheap trial ended I sent it back for a number of reasons:
a) Sky wouldn’t offer me any kind of discounted package. Point blank. These are the stated menu prices. Take it or leave it, a bit like using their NOW TV App. There doesn’t seem to be any negotiating factor like you get with satellite contracts.
b) Having previously lived with SkyQ and VM boxes, not having a HDD is annoying. You’ve lost that safety net for holding content. So for example, you can’t record MOTD and watch at your leisure. ‘Saving/recording’ is really just bookmarking a thumbnail that links to the iPlayer content - so not available immediately after it broadcasts and only available until the host chooses to bury it. Similarly with ITV or C4 content, you’re being linked to their ‘player’ and forced to sit through adverts.
c) Sky Puck can offer a Fastforward function, but you have to pay extra for it. So if you’re used to watching Sky Atlantic shows from HDD recordings to skip all the adverts, you’ll effectively have to pay extra for that ability. Which I resent.
d) You still have to pay extra for HD or 4K. I am disgusted by this. It is offensive. For at least the last 10 years everything we watch on TV has been filmed in 4k or above. Broadcasters effectively create additional work for content providers to downgrade original footage to SD and pump that out as ‘standard’. Then charge extra for HD,UHD as if it was something special. I suppose like everyone else in the world, Sky are ripping the living piss out of their customers for ‘optional extras’ that should be included as standard. They can FoxTrott Oscar.
e) I realised that I actually watch very little content from the Sky Entertainment or Cinema channels anymore. Nearly everything I enjoy is streamed via one of the App accounts in HD/4K with no adverts. The traditional terrestrial channels all have free Apps. I can stop & start NOW TV for the sport & Sky Atlantic channels whenever I choose without being tied to a contract. We’re in a world with more content providers than ever before, and I’d say Sky are over-valuing themselves.
The Sky puck is caught between 2 worlds - but for those living in buildings or areas without satellite dishes it might have a place. For me though, just a clever Menu system isn’t enough to ditch the multiple Apps. If you already have a fully functioning SkyQ setup, then the puck is definitely a downgrade.
Left sky after 23 years. I was quite happy, except the Netflix (ap) would need 'rebooting' every month or so, despite a software update. I was paying £67, for broadband, TV with sports, but no cinema, and no kids tv/Disney...... a major disadvantage when you have 4 young grandchildren. Then this July the annual hike to a whopping £147!
So the usual phone call, and yes they did reduce it to £120, but despite saying I would leave, and phoning back 4 times, only managed to reduce it to £96.
Cancelled it , and had a series of phone calls, offered Sky Glass, for free! but a 4 year contract, then 3 years. Did not want to be tied down for that length of time so said no. Spoke to Virgin as a new customer, got Sky sports, TNT, and Fibre Broadband, phone calls, but do not use it. All for £67 a month, I dropped Netflix,
Virgin delivered the kit, and an engineer came to install, but he forgot to connect up my Hive, and Ring, which was a bit sloppy of him, but sorted that out myself.
Had a minor error message saying that when I fire up the Laptop, that I am not connected to the internet!, but only for a few seconds...... so much for high speed fibre then?
Only the third week so early days, but no big issues, yes I could have bought a 'firestick', but you still have to have broadband. Have to get a new bigger OLED tv in a month or so as the Samsung is getting on a bit.
Yes, I am sure Virgin will put the prices up, but then I will see what sky can do, get new kit, or get the Amazon firestick.... or one of those 'not quite legal' ones.
Loyalty, as far as these companies go, seems to count for bugger all, a pity but just sending the sky box back tommorow, and my 2 mobiles are with them....... they are 'under review...... not that they give a toss, but then nor do I !
Left sky after 23 years. I was quite happy, except the Netflix (ap) would need 'rebooting' every month or so, despite a software update. I was paying £67, for broadband, TV with sports, but no cinema, and no kids tv/Disney...... a major disadvantage when you have 4 young grandchildren. Then this July the annual hike to a whopping £147!
So the usual phone call, and yes they did reduce it to £120, but despite saying I would leave, and phoning back 4 times, only managed to reduce it to £96.
Cancelled it , and had a series of phone calls, offered Sky Glass, for free! but a 4 year contract, then 3 years. Did not want to be tied down for that length of time so said no. Spoke to Virgin as a new customer, got Sky sports, TNT, and Fibre Broadband, phone calls, but do not use it. All for £67 a month, I dropped Netflix,
Virgin delivered the kit, and an engineer came to install, but he forgot to connect up my Hive, and Ring, which was a bit sloppy of him, but sorted that out myself.
Had a minor error message saying that when I fire up the Laptop, that I am not connected to the internet!, but only for a few seconds...... so much for high speed fibre then?
Only the third week so early days, but no big issues, yes I could have bought a 'firestick', but you still have to have broadband. Have to get a new bigger OLED tv in a month or so as the Samsung is getting on a bit.
Yes, I am sure Virgin will put the prices up, but then I will see what sky can do, get new kit, or get the Amazon firestick.... or one of those 'not quite legal' ones.
Loyalty, as far as these companies go, seems to count for bugger all, a pity but just sending the sky box back tommorow, and my 2 mobiles are with them....... they are 'under review...... not that they give a toss, but then nor do I !
Interesting. And I so agree that Sky don't really give a **** about loyalty. But if I was them, I would be asking serious questions about why they are losing such a loyal customer particularly when their customer base must be declining as nobody under 30 would dream of paying for sky.
Just out of interest did you get past the call centre staff and speak to someone in their retention centre? Those guys will always give a better deal than the call centre staff can offer.
Siv in Norfolk, its free as they send you a cardboard box and you have to return the cables and Skybox, and hand set....
Fortune 82nd minute.......Of course, twice with them, spoke to a very reasonable Irish fellow, the first conversation was about the Sky Glass, being given free!.I then had them return my call while I thought about it? . He was pretty philosophical about it to be honest, I had the new deal in writing from Virgin, and as it happened I had the Virgin connection as the previous owner had connection 'flush mounted'. The engineer was here about an hour. I still have the sky dish, I was going to take it down as it is on the flank wall, and despite the fact that Sky are pushing hard to sell you the 'Sky Glass', It is not for me. I do not have cables showing and connectivity is reduced to minimum, as the previous owner of the house had the TV Wall mounted, and re-skimmed the wall's. Yes it is a better quality/ new set, but the Samsung I have is pretty good HD, but as I mentioned I will be replacing that in a couple of weeks, just need my son to help me swap the current set with a new one.... well that is the plan!.
Quite why companies loose customers like this is rather strange, after all it probably cost them a few pence to have an existing customer, but it was them that use this business model....... We will see if Virgin maintain there quality of service, I see they have flogged off there mobile side recently.
Likewise my sky subscription is going up by a bonkers amount after the 18 month deal expires. The Broadband cost is the killer so as SE9 asks 'anyone renewed with a deal'?
Likewise my sky subscription is going up by a bonkers amount after the 18 month deal expires. The Broadband cost is the killer so as SE9 asks 'anyone renewed with a deal'?
Just phone up and tell them you are thinking of leaving.
Don't negotiate with the first person you speak to in the call centre he will offer you a deal, just not a very good one.
INSIST on being put through to the retention section. I'd be amazed if they don't offer you a much better deal.
Likewise my sky subscription is going up by a bonkers amount after the 18 month deal expires. The Broadband cost is the killer so as SE9 asks 'anyone renewed with a deal'?
Just phone up and tell them you are thinking of leaving.
Don't negotiate with the first person you speak to in the call centre he will offer you a deal, just not a very good one.
INSIST on being put through to the retention section. I'd be amazed if they don't offer you a much better deal.
Anybody renewed recently? My current contract is coming to an end soon so interested in the deals that people are seeing.
I was on £64 a month for Sky Q TV only. That was Entertainment, Sky Sports, Cinema, premium Netflix & HD / UHD.
Called a few weeks after contract end date, said not willing to pay that anymore. Got put through to retentions, they couldn't better the deal so cancelled.
Got a call 5 days later from their loyalty department, offered £41 a month for everything I had before plus £50 bill credit.
You can no longer get Sky Q with them as a new customer unless you take broadband so don't be surprised if they push you towards Sky Stream to bring the cost down.
As above. Just cancel and you get a 50% offer by email and / or post within 10 days. Hold your nerve if they don’t play ball when you speak to retentions.
It’s always handy as well to look at what BT might be offering new customers and mention it to retentions they’ll often look up that deal and know you’ve been looking around so will come back with a better similar offer.
My Sky broadband contract runs out next month but I got an email to say they’ll freeze my price (which is heavily discounted) for another 12 months no contract required, can’t argue with that to be fair!
Always interesting to hear the various offers people get.
I went through the usual 18 month contract renewal dance a couple of months ago in the run up to Christmas. Previous contract was £83/month and they wanted to increase it to £113. I called and just told them I wanted to give my 30 days' notice of cancellation. The person came back with an offer of £109/month, which of course I rejected. They said they would transfer me through to cancellations but in fact they transferred me to the retentions group. They offered £91 which I accepted. Am sure if I had held out they would eventually have come lower.
We currently have Sky Q and our package includes Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, Sky Kids (only used when the grandkids visit), HD, Ultra HD, Ultimate TV add-on (which apparently is the code for inclusion of Netflix now), Multiscreen and Paramount. We don't have Sky broadband.
Although there are only two of us in the house most of the time, because of the size of our property we have 4 Sky Q boxes located around the house. As the set up works well for us I imagine we will continue to suck up the increases but fight a rear-guard action every 18 months.
Been with them for 12 years so threatened to sack it off and they managed to cut it all back to £5 less than I was paying beforehand, still not quite the £83 a month the newbies get but it's only a couple of quid more
I don't know Sam but good luck with it. My current broadband with Sky is 100mbs and their first 'offer' was £43pm, double what I pay on the current contract. The best I was ever offered was £35pm for 2 years, nowhere close to the £21.50 I pay at the moment. So I'm on my way out to Vodaphone for a couple of years at £26pm for 150mbs. My current Sky TV deal is for Sky Stream Entertainment + Netflix + Sports at £51pm. Their best offer is to keep it at £51pm for another 2 years. I've cancelled it for the end of November and so far no phone calls looking to keep my TV in the Sky fold so I'm opting for just ordinary tv through my loft aerial. I may go back to Sky Stream after a while...... or may not miss it that much, who knows. I've just looked up what I could get as a new Sky customer......... 150mbs broadband would be £19pm and Sky Stream with Entertainment + Netflix + Sports would be £39pm....... my total as a newbie would be £58 compared to their best offers as an existing customer of £86. Hope you do much better than me.
Following a Sky review I was horrified to see I was currently paying £124. There was stuff I don't use like ultra, maybe cinema, definitely kids. I was on a much better deal and that had included internet which I dropped this year for better elsewhere. This is the breakdown:
Sky signature - £33 Ult add on - £8 Kids - £7 Sports - £33 Sports HD - £2 Cinema - £13 Sky HD - £9 Multi - £15 Ultra HD - £4
Black Friday deals show for 24 months contract and kind of what I was looking for :
Sky stream & entertainment £19 Sports and cinema - £27 Multi - £7.50
I put this to Sky and was offered £106 which was not even close before being passed to retentions where I got offered £89 as their best deal and said Sky Stream isn't as good as signature and that they couldn't offer the deals as they are for new customers. I am now no longer with Sky
Thanks to Sam for bumping this thread, reminded me to sort mine out. Got my BT broadband reduced from £79 to £29, all new tech and upgraded sports package reduced from £25 to £10. Then Sky reduced my monthly by a tenner and added Sky Movies for free. Total saving £75 pm plus extras, and no need to change internet address or lose saved programmes.
Comments
Am sure that on International weekend in the past they used to show literally loads of games?. Apart from England on C4 where are all the other home nation games being shown now?
https://www.rtve.es/deportes/20230328/escocia-espana-directo-fase-clasifcacion-eurocopa-2024/2432882.shtml
My take was this:
The interface / Menu system can look a bit busy and complicated to begin with, but I warmed to it. If you already have accounts with multiple streaming services like I do (AppleTV, Amazon, Disney, Paramount & Netflix), you can search and play all that content in one place right next to all the normal Sky Channels - which is great.
My home internet speed is 70mbs and streaming HD and 4K content was acceptable with no serious lag or artefacting.
When my cheap trial ended I sent it back for a number of reasons:
a) Sky wouldn’t offer me any kind of discounted package. Point blank. These are the stated menu prices. Take it or leave it, a bit like using their NOW TV App. There doesn’t seem to be any negotiating factor like you get with satellite contracts.
b) Having previously lived with SkyQ and VM boxes, not having a HDD is annoying. You’ve lost that safety net for holding content. So for example, you can’t record MOTD and watch at your leisure. ‘Saving/recording’ is really just bookmarking a thumbnail that links to the iPlayer content - so not available immediately after it broadcasts and only available until the host chooses to bury it. Similarly with ITV or C4 content, you’re being linked to their ‘player’ and forced to sit through adverts.
c) Sky Puck can offer a Fastforward function, but you have to pay extra for it. So if you’re used to watching Sky Atlantic shows from HDD recordings to skip all the adverts, you’ll effectively have to pay extra for that ability. Which I resent.
d) You still have to pay extra for HD or 4K. I am disgusted by this. It is offensive. For at least the last 10 years everything we watch on TV has been filmed in 4k or above. Broadcasters effectively create additional work for content providers to downgrade original footage to SD and pump that out as ‘standard’. Then charge extra for HD,UHD as if it was something special. I suppose like everyone else in the world, Sky are ripping the living piss out of their customers for ‘optional extras’ that should be included as standard. They can FoxTrott Oscar.
e) I realised that I actually watch very little content from the Sky Entertainment or Cinema channels anymore. Nearly everything I enjoy is streamed via one of the App accounts in HD/4K with no adverts. The traditional terrestrial channels all have free Apps. I can stop & start NOW TV for the sport & Sky Atlantic channels whenever I choose without being tied to a contract. We’re in a world with more content providers than ever before, and I’d say Sky are over-valuing themselves.
I was quite happy, except the Netflix (ap) would need 'rebooting' every month or so, despite a software update. I was paying £67, for broadband, TV with sports, but no cinema, and no kids tv/Disney...... a major disadvantage when you have 4 young grandchildren. Then this July the annual hike to a whopping £147!
So the usual phone call, and yes they did reduce it to £120, but despite saying I would leave, and phoning back 4 times, only managed to reduce it to £96.
Cancelled it , and had a series of phone calls, offered Sky Glass, for free! but a 4 year contract, then 3 years. Did not want to be tied down for that length of time so said no. Spoke to Virgin as a new customer, got Sky sports, TNT, and Fibre Broadband, phone calls, but do not use it. All for £67 a month, I dropped Netflix,
Virgin delivered the kit, and an engineer came to install, but he forgot to connect up my Hive, and Ring, which was a bit sloppy of him, but sorted that out myself.
Had a minor error message saying that when I fire up the Laptop, that I am not connected to the internet!, but only for a few seconds...... so much for high speed fibre then?
Only the third week so early days, but no big issues, yes I could have bought a 'firestick', but you still have to have broadband. Have to get a new bigger OLED tv in a month or so as the Samsung is getting on a bit.
Yes, I am sure Virgin will put the prices up, but then I will see what sky can do, get new kit, or get the Amazon firestick.... or one of those 'not quite legal' ones.
Loyalty, as far as these companies go, seems to count for bugger all, a pity but just sending the sky box back tommorow, and my 2 mobiles are with them....... they are 'under review...... not that they give a toss, but then nor do I !
Just out of interest did you get past the call centre staff and speak to someone in their retention centre? Those guys will always give a better deal than the call centre staff can offer.
Fortune 82nd minute.......Of course, twice with them, spoke to a very reasonable Irish fellow, the first conversation was about the Sky Glass, being given free!.I then had them return my call while I thought about it? . He was pretty philosophical about it to be honest, I had the new deal in writing from Virgin, and as it happened I had the Virgin connection as the previous owner had connection 'flush mounted'. The engineer was here about an hour. I still have the sky dish, I was going to take it down as it is on the flank wall, and despite the fact that Sky are pushing hard to sell you the 'Sky Glass', It is not for me. I do not have cables showing and connectivity is reduced to minimum, as the previous owner of the house had the TV Wall mounted, and re-skimmed the wall's.
Yes it is a better quality/ new set, but the Samsung I have is pretty good HD, but as I mentioned I will be replacing that in a couple of weeks, just need my son to help me swap the current set with a new one.... well that is the plan!.
Quite why companies loose customers like this is rather strange, after all it probably cost them a few pence to have an existing customer, but it was them that use this business model....... We will see if Virgin maintain there quality of service, I see they have flogged off there mobile side recently.
Don't negotiate with the first person you speak to in the call centre he will offer you a deal, just not a very good one.
INSIST on being put through to the retention section. I'd be amazed if they don't offer you a much better deal.
Called a few weeks after contract end date, said not willing to pay that anymore. Got put through to retentions, they couldn't better the deal so cancelled.
Got a call 5 days later from their loyalty department, offered £41 a month for everything I had before plus £50 bill credit.
You can no longer get Sky Q with them as a new customer unless you take broadband so don't be surprised if they push you towards Sky Stream to bring the cost down.
My Sky broadband contract runs out next month but I got an email to say they’ll freeze my price (which is heavily discounted) for another 12 months no contract required, can’t argue with that to be fair!
I went through the usual 18 month contract renewal dance a couple of months ago in the run up to Christmas. Previous contract was £83/month and they wanted to increase it to £113. I called and just told them I wanted to give my 30 days' notice of cancellation. The person came back with an offer of £109/month, which of course I rejected. They said they would transfer me through to cancellations but in fact they transferred me to the retentions group. They offered £91 which I accepted. Am sure if I had held out they would eventually have come lower.
We currently have Sky Q and our package includes Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, Sky Kids (only used when the grandkids visit), HD, Ultra HD, Ultimate TV add-on (which apparently is the code for inclusion of Netflix now), Multiscreen and Paramount. We don't have Sky broadband.
Although there are only two of us in the house most of the time, because of the size of our property we have 4 Sky Q boxes located around the house. As the set up works well for us I imagine we will continue to suck up the increases but fight a rear-guard action every 18 months.
How's the best way to get them to do me that deal? 😅
My current broadband with Sky is 100mbs and their first 'offer' was £43pm, double what I pay on the current contract. The best I was ever offered was £35pm for 2 years, nowhere close to the £21.50 I pay at the moment. So I'm on my way out to Vodaphone for a couple of years at £26pm for 150mbs.
My current Sky TV deal is for Sky Stream Entertainment + Netflix + Sports at £51pm. Their best offer is to keep it at £51pm for another 2 years. I've cancelled it for the end of November and so far no phone calls looking to keep my TV in the Sky fold so I'm opting for just ordinary tv through my loft aerial. I may go back to Sky Stream after a while...... or may not miss it that much, who knows.
I've just looked up what I could get as a new Sky customer......... 150mbs broadband would be £19pm and Sky Stream with Entertainment + Netflix + Sports would be £39pm....... my total as a newbie would be £58 compared to their best offers as an existing customer of £86.
Hope you do much better than me.
Sky signature - £33
Ult add on - £8
Kids - £7
Sports - £33
Sports HD - £2
Cinema - £13
Sky HD - £9
Multi - £15
Ultra HD - £4
Black Friday deals show for 24 months contract and kind of what I was looking for :
Sky stream & entertainment £19
Sports and cinema - £27
Multi - £7.50
I put this to Sky and was offered £106 which was not even close before being passed to retentions where I got offered £89 as their best deal and said Sky Stream isn't as good as signature and that they couldn't offer the deals as they are for new customers. I am now no longer with Sky