Help re: Sky TV / Virgin Media please!!!!

[bambikate]

Hi,

Wondering if anyone can help please? Sorry it's so long!

Our Sky Box is broken (It says "No satellite signal is being received") so phoned Sky and they ran a test and apparantly it's broken. Anyway they said it will cost £65 call out for someone to change the box to a reconditioned one and get it working but the guy said u might as well upgrade to Sky Plus.

So I went through to the sales team and the cheapest offer was for Sky+HD including installation was £79 plus an extra £9.98 a month on top of the £22 we already pay They've "registered my interest" in an HD box as they are so "in demand" and said it could be up to 2 weeks!!! With no TV!!! Whilst I am paying £22 a month for staring at a blank screen!!!! Grrr!!!!

Was thinking of moving to Virgin Media for broadband, tv and phone package HD+ anyone have any experience of Virgin TV? All three including line rental would only be £33 as opposed to the £55 we pay now.

Also can I leave Sky straight away without notice - I'm not very happy with them, been with them since 2005. They offer better deals to new customers!!!!!!

Kate x x

 

[Always&4ever]

Its very hard to leave sky believe me I know, and we had so much trouble with Virgin Media that we ended up going back to sky. I wouldn't recommend VM but I'm sure others have had them without any probs just be careful x

 

[Blah11]

I have VM and have been happy with it We pay £46 inc line rental for the biggest TV package and V+HD and medium phone and broadband.

 

[Panda_Ally]

Sky s very hard to leave but threaten it and they might get u a real good deal.

In my experience its cheaper to get a reeview box then broadbrand and phone separate!!

Atleast u got BnB to keep u company for 2 weeks!!

 

[marley2580]

We got a Sky + box for £50 plus free line rental for a year when we phoned them up and told them we wanted to leave. We had discovered that with what we were paying them for the phone, tv and internet, we could have just got all 3 from BT for practically the same price.

 

[Twiglet]

My OH's mum has had to have 2 new sky boxes...they tried to charge her each time but she threatened to leave and they "worked out an exclusive deal for her"

When the same happened to us we threatened to leave and got the same "exclusive deal" namely we didnt have to pay for our new box.

 

[Blah11]

Its 10 times more expensive for a business to sign a new customer than to keep an exsisting one! Use it to your advantage X

 

[Kiddo]

We had nothing but bother when we had Virgin Media. So much so that when they asked why we wanted to cancel the contract they didn't even try and talk us out of it.

 

[CARTER157]

my oh threatened to leave sky for virgin and we got an upgrade to sky plus..... when the bill came...................no charge

 

[jenny873]

Been with virgin media for years, since it was telewest, and ntl before that lol! never had a problem, broadband super fast and im on the lowest speed lol! also i think theyve got a offer on 25 quid for tv phone and internet, including line rental, phone up and ask, act as if ur not sure wether to change to them or not, and they will offer you something even better x

 

[XKatX]

OMG, I've got this message today!! We don't pay for ours though (freeview), so sounds like we're stuffed really! why does it happen while I'm on unpaid mat leave!!

God knows what we'll do now then.

 

[Vici]

Sadly Bambikate the money you pay is for the Sky and nothing to do with the box which is only guaranteed for 1 yr. Once that yr is up, that box is your business. If you haven't ever upgraded your Sky since being with them (effectivly signing a new contract) then you should be able to cancel straight away, leaving it open for them to try and keep you! 9 times out of 10 they will offer you something to keep you.

One thing I will say is double check you have cable in your area (not sure where you live) as cable companies will sell to anyone and then only tell you you can't have it due to cabling at the last min! I'm actually a telephone and ADSL engineer for BT Openreach and its frightening how many customers cancel packages to go to cable and a few days later i'm reconnecting their phone/Sky lines

 

[lollylou1]

i am with virgin and have TV, with the record box, i have my braodband and my phone line too, i had a few technical problems to begin with but they sorted they straight away and as good will gesture creditted my account.

i have been very happy with them since

Lou
xxx

 

[bambikate]

Thank u so much for all of your replies ladies. I think I will threaten them to leave, they've got me over a barrel otherwise TBH. Could just pick up a freeview box for now if they call my bluff and let me leave! lol

Kat - ours has come up with that message before and then worked again afterwards so make sure it's def broken before you do anything about it xxxxxxx