My best alternative to Sky Package

At the moment I have Sky TV,Broadband and phone and my monthly package is costing me around £100 of which the greatest part is the Tv cost.

This includes the cost of Sky Sport and the fact that I have and need 2 independent TVs to give the choice of watching Sky programmes.

One of the televisions is a smart TV and I am prepared to replace the other TV if necessary with another smart tv

My broadband speed is only around 2 to 3 mb and I understand this is not likely to change in the near future.

We cannot get Virgin

However I understand that we can now get BT infinity.

What we want is

1) continued independence of the 2 TVs.

2)recording facility to Hard drive similar to sky

3) some football and sport but not any particular matches

I do use the Internet for surfing but rarely download films.

Sometimes download music via Spotify and I tunes.

I have just been notified by Sky that my subscription will go up again and rather than issue threats to cancel...again ,is it time for me to make a change.

There seems to be some good deals on BT infinity for a period.

Is this the way to go.

Any knowledgable advice would be very welcome.

Are you sure you can BT Infinity? I don't know about it but just checked here and it says something about fibre optic broadband.

BT Infinity is a new broadband product that uses the latest fibre optic technology to provide a much faster and more powerful internet connection.

Is BT Sport free with their (BT) telephone and broadband? Would that not be worth looking at? With Plusnet it is £5.99 per month.

Is it worth looking to see if you could get the bill down a bit by changing telephone and broadband provider? I don't know the current Sky prices but when I last checked it wasn't a particularly good deal.

Your best alternative is to say NO to subscription TV, get used to just having Freeview (which still has too many channels) and spend 20 quid a month going to a pub to watch that game. (whatever that game might be) and 350 quid on a season ticket (you can't beat live footie).

Then sign up to a low cost ADSL provider (you don't sound like you need fibre AT ALL). And you will be fine and save 50 quid a month.

Thanks for the replies.

Ccit.....been on the BT website ,put in postcode details and it does confirm availability on our house.

Tzijlstra.... I suspect you are pretty much right in what you say,as I am not big telly watcher ,or Internet user/downloader.

I'm afraid my season ticket got cashed in 4 seasons ago ,and I've not really missed that either.

Usually the best bet is to threaten to cancel Sky completely, be willing to do it and go through to the cancellations department. They are almost guaranteed to offer you something MUCH cheaper rather than risk losing you as a customer.

I agree. Cancel. Stick it out for three months and watch the offers roll in.

By the time you've been cancelled for six months, you will be offered a year of the top package for £20 per month. Make sure that you keep your box though, they won't give you a new one.

Cancel, sell the TV or use it for something else. Whatever you do don't bother with BT's TV package, it's even more worthless.

Use this checker to see if there are any alternatives to BT that also provide fibre... http://www.comparebroadband.co.uk/home-broadband/ Sky can do fibre too, in some places.

If you can get fibre the your speed should improve substantially but you said in your post that the 2 to 3MB speed was not expected to improve. However, I agree with the others - cancel Sky altogether and try to find a cheaper telephone and broadband package. From what you say of your viewing habits you don't need it anyway.

At the moment I have Sky TV,Broadband and phone and my monthly package is costing me around £100 of which the greatest part is the Tv cost.

This includes the cost of Sky Sport and the fact that I have and need 2 independent TVs to give the choice of watching Sky programmes.

One of the televisions is a smart TV and I am prepared to replace the other TV if necessary with another smart tv

My broadband speed is only around 2 to 3 mb and I understand this is not likely to change in the near future.

We cannot get Virgin

However I understand that we can now get BT infinity.

What we want is

1) continued independence of the 2 TVs.

2)recording facility to Hard drive similar to sky

3) some football and sport but not any particular matches

 

I do use the Internet for surfing but rarely download films.

Sometimes download music via Spotify and I tunes.

 

I have just been notified by Sky that my subscription will go up again and rather than issue threats to cancel...again ,is it time for me to make a change.

There seems to be some good deals on BT infinity for a period.

Is this the way to go.

Any knowledgable advice would be very welcome.

Don't threaten actually cancel. It takes 31 days notice before your Service ends, during which time they'll call you with an offer.

You are going to have to cancel anyway so it's no extra hassle.

A mate recently noticed his bill was approaching 100 a month, cancelled, and they rang back with a massive discount - 45 a month for the next year for the same package.

If they can't do that get a free sat or free view recorder box - will cost about £200 but there are would be no subscription to pay.

Expect to pay about 20 to 30 a month for phone and internet, more for infinity. Beware short term offers that jump up after 3 months, or at least be aware that will happen.

I was online with Sky chat this afternoon as my box has started missing end of programmes and am looking for a new TV, most new TVs don't have scart so my box will be no use. Wanted me to upgrade my package by £5 a month or pay £199 for HD box. I said I know of people who wanted to cancel and were offered a new box installed and reduced payments to which he said we can't do that. What is Virgin media like compared to Sky, I only want TV no phone or BB.

Ignore the Virgin Media just checked can't get it.

Why can't you use your box. Doesn't it have connections for cables to connect it.. Sky boxes can still be used for freesat and go second hand for next to nothing but they can't record unless you paying. Some freesat boxes can and a lot of cheaper 1s can if used with a USB memory.

---------- Post added 20-10-2014 at 17:55 ----------

Plus HD boxes.get sold for next to nothing. Older 1s I used to take hard disks out to use in comp but ive heard they've stopped you doing that now

Question is: Do you actually subscribe to Sky TV channels? If you don't, ditch them and get Plusnet, or if you want a TV box get TalkTalk with their Youview box.