Switching from Sky&BT to Virgin

[LincolnHearts]

Just wondered if anyone on P&B has done this. Had Virgin knock on the front door and phone up recently and they seem to be offering quite a decent deal.

Nothing wrong with what services we're getting from Sky (approx £73 pm) and BT (phone, BT vision, Infinity.....approx £70 pm)

Explained to the bloke on the phone that we were tied to BT until August because we had to agree to a new 12 month contract to get our 'free' BT sport, but he told us it was no problem as Virgin would pay any charges billed to us by BT for leaving before August.

Sky TV can gtf with a months notice, so no problem there, It's just we could go to getting all our TV, phone and Broadband from Virgin for approx £100 pm (£60 for the first 6 months) which would be a decent saving.

If anyone has had any good or bad experiences regarding switching, or any monster connection or installation/hidden costs, I'd be grateful for any pointers.

[Homer Thompson]

Presumably, you'll lose BT Vision? Does Virgins £100 include all the BT Sports channels?

[Rugster]

In my experience Virgin are excellent. I switched from BT to Sky for everything recently and it was piss easy. Sky took care of everything, I didn't even have to contact BT to cancel. Presumably Virgin would do the same.

Good point on the BT Sport though.

[LincolnHearts]

Presumably, you'll lose BT Vision? Does Virgins £100 include all the BT Sports channels?

Includes all the channels EXCEPT Sky Atlantic and you get two boxes.

[LincolnHearts]

In my experience Virgin are excellent. I switched from BT to Sky for everything recently and it was piss easy. Sky took care of everything, I didn't even have to contact BT to cancel. Presumably Virgin would do the same.

Good point on the BT Sport though.

Was your contract up with BT Rugster?

[Rugster]

Was your contract up with BT Rugster?

There were two months left I'm sure. BT said if I kept BT Sport (which I was going to do anyway) they would waive it.

[54_and_counting]

i much prefer virginmedia for 2 simple reasons

1) none of this "weather fucked my sky dish" nonsense (yes i know cables can get fucked, but nowhere near as often)

2) no charges to come out and fix your equipment if it is broken

Virgin has great broadband, BT infinity is obviously good as well, and for the sake of sky atlantic, i certainly wouldnt pick skys TV over virgins anyday of the week

[pandarilla]

I'm up to £110 pm (sky sports, v+ deal with BT sports, 2 boxes and broadband) but it was down at about £60/70 pm 18 months ago when I phoned to cancel and move to sky.

It's fucking exhausting.

I tried to speak to the billing dept folk tonight and get a decent deal but they can only offer me savings of a tenner or so. Now I need to phone sky and go through the whole cancellation process just to get the bill down to 70 or 80 quid.

The business model is borderline criminal.

[pandarilla]

I'm up to £110 pm (sky sports, v+ deal with BT sports, 2 boxes and broadband) but it was down at about £60/70 pm 18 months ago when I phoned to cancel and move to sky.

It's fucking exhausting.

I tried to speak to the billing dept folk tonight and get a decent deal but they can only offer me savings of a tenner or so. Now I need to phone sky and go through the whole cancellation process just to get the bill down to 70 or 80 quid.

The business model is borderline criminal.

 

That's me just got this shit sorted as phoning these companies is as about appealing as anal warts.

 

I'm sticking with Virgin - 67 p.m. for the V+ with added Sky Sports, phone and broadband.  It's saving me 50 quid p.m. on what I've been paying since March but it's only a 12 month deal so no doubt I'll have to go though it all again.

 

Does anyone know if Sky look after long term customers any better.  Virgin seems to force you to leave before offering the good deals.  It pisses me right off.

 

And is there any ways to avoid the back and forth phone-calls which are horribly awkward?  Cancelling a newly-set-up Sky order is awful.  It's outsourced and those guys are desperate to keep you from cancelling.

[strichener]

That's me just got this shit sorted as phoning these companies is as about appealing as anal warts.

 

I'm sticking with Virgin - 67 p.m. for the V+ with added Sky Sports, phone and broadband.  It's saving me 50 quid p.m. on what I've been paying since March but it's only a 12 month deal so no doubt I'll have to go though it all again.

 

Does anyone know if Sky look after long term customers any better.  Virgin seems to force you to leave before offering the good deals.  It pisses me right off.

 

And is there any ways to avoid the back and forth phone-calls which are horribly awkward?  Cancelling a newly-set-up Sky order is awful.  It's outsourced and those guys are desperate to keep you from cancelling.

Sky do the exact same.  Best offers are usually only available to new customers.

[LincolnHearts]

I know a few people who have been given a 'reduced' price by Sky when they have contacted them to cancel. We got a letter hitting the doormat last week telling us about a price rise. They can go and fling pish at themselves. Will be calling up in the morning to sack Sky Sports and Sky Movies.

Not a film type of punter myself, but the wife & kids seem happy enough with Netflix which they can get on the PS4 and the phones. Only costs £8.99 a month.

As in the OP, I was toying with switching to Virgin, but a combo of no Sky Atlantic for the wife and not brilliant gaming speeds (in this area according to a few locals) for the kids put the kybosh on it.

Not that arsed about Sky Sports either. I've got as much chance of seeing a non arse-cheek game on the BT Vision box and I purchased one of those KODI boxes which a mate at work has put all the links for the sports channels on.

I can't believe how much we've been paying for Sky.

[54_and_counting]

As in the OP, I was toying with switching to Virgin, but a combo of no Sky Atlantic for the wife and not brilliant gaming speeds (in this area according to a few locals) for the kids put the kybosh on it.

Not that arsed about Sky Sports either. I've got as much chance of seeing a non arse-cheek game on the BT Vision box and I purchased one of those KODI boxes which a mate at work has put all the links for the sports channels on.

I can't believe how much we've been paying for Sky.

 

if you have a box with kodi then tell the she devil to f**k sky atlantic and use kodi

[John Lambies Doos]

In my opinion anyone who pays for sky movies is off their head if they have a kodi box.

Sports streams can be very good or bang average but Imo movies are just as good through kodi and a lot more up to date... ie watched angry birds with the kids yesterday and then x men apocalypse... superb picture

[Ludo*1]

I wouldn't touch Sky with a barge pole. BT usually have quite a large fee to pay for connection etc, but they're miles cheaper these days when you factor in what you get for free essentially with the sport. If you want to pay a bit extra, obviously Virgin then.

[LincolnHearts]

I wouldn't touch Sky with a barge pole. BT usually have quite a large fee to pay for connection etc, but they're miles cheaper these days when you factor in what you get for free essentially with the sport. If you want to pay a bit extra, obviously Virgin then.

I honestly think BT Sport is very good.

I probably watched more games on there than on Sky last season. 

[LincolnHearts]

if you have a box with kodi then tell the she devil to f**k sky atlantic and use kodi

I will give you her contact details and YOU can tell her 

[LincolnHearts]

In my opinion anyone who pays for sky movies is off their head if they have a kodi box.

Sports streams can be very good or bang average but Imo movies are just as good through kodi and a lot more up to date... ie watched angry birds with the kids yesterday and then x men apocalypse... superb picture

Good shout regarding the picture quality. I watched that 'London has fallen' film one night last week. Excellent quality.

[Ludo*1]

I honestly think BT Sport is very good.

I probably watched more games on there than on Sky last season.

Undoubtedly. It has Scottish Premiership almost half of the Premier League and all the Champions League and the Europa League. You've also got all the UFC as well.

Bt Sport pisses all over Sky in terms of content.

[Homer Thompson]

I wouldn't touch Sky with a barge pole. BT usually have quite a large fee to pay for connection etc, but they're miles cheaper these days when you factor in what you get for free essentially with the sport. If you want to pay a bit extra, obviously Virgin then.

Only "obviously" if you can actually get it :/

Undoubtedly. It has Scottish Premiership almost half of the Premier League and all the Champions League and the Europa League. You've also got all the UFC as well.

Bt Sport pisses all over Sky in terms of content.

The European games aren't free though. Personally, I'd rather pay sky and watch EPL games at decent times than pay BT for European games I couldn't care less about.

[The Ginger Prince]

I'm with virgin and the content pisses all over Sky. Have all the channels and another box for £67 a month. The only thing i dislike is the TiVo interface (much prefer sky) but i can live with it. 200mb internet speed is fucking ace as well.