Sky alternatives

[Jimmy Glass is an Alien]

Recently I got a bit hacked off that sky seem to offer decent offers for new customers, but nothing to existing customers. I called and asked if I can have a new customer offer, as the benefits would be tieing me down for another 12 months, no need to send an engineer or supply me with a new box. Sky unsurprisingly didn't see it this way so I gave my 31 days notice to cancel my contract. Reading other forums, I've heard tales of them calling with 50% off for 12 months etc, but so far nothing.

I'm looking for a similar service but I can't get Virgin in my area. The only stipulations are that I'd like Sky Atlantic, but I have a feeling this is exclusive to sky and I'd like to continue to use the pvr functions. Any suggestions?

[jonbd]

Quite a few people seem to have had an offer of 50% off when logging into their My Sky accounts after the end of their subscription, in the offers section. Might be worth waiting to see if that pops up for you.

[joteddyred]

Did you actually go through to the cancellations department?

I had the same gripe and rang a few times trying to get some money off, but they offered me next to nothing.  It wasn't until I actually went through to the cancellations department that they suddenly offered some reasonable discounts.  I do think it depends on who you speak to though and how helpful they're prepared to be.

Sky Atlantic is exclusive to sky, it's not offered as an add on through other providers.

[RobertT]

Will depend on where they are against targets, what package you've got etc.  It's a fair chance they'll know whether you have alternative providers, but always worth dropping in the name of the potential company about to get your custom.  A modicum of research goes a long way, otherwise they think you'll just stick or worse still, just not profitable enough to keep around :-)

[4D]

Freesat? I don't watch enough tv to warrant paying more than my tv licence, but I also come from the era of only having three channels, that closed down around 11.30.

[Arriba]

If you want to keep sky but want to get money off go down the cancellation route. Say you'll cancel in the hope they offer you dosh off. If they don't offer much then say you'll think about it, ring a day or two later and hope the next person you talk to is more generous. It works. I've had to work hard to get a discount on occasion and other times it's been easy.

[Samdy Gray]

Freeview + Netflix suits me just fine. I'm now accustomed to watching TV when it suits me, rather than when it's scheduled.

If there's anything I really want to watch on Sky Sports I'll buy a day pass.

[Batch]

Just to add my 50% offer came via phone a week or two after actually starting the cancellation process. Some people got this kind of offer after the package switched off.

I got this in December, I was on a legacy HD pack that had the F1 channel in it , but no sports/movies, so was on a relatively low package. I had however been with Sky for 14 years. No idea if such things are taken into account.

One thing, log into mysky and as well as checking to see if there is an offer (I never saw one on this method), also check that you have you marketing preferences ticked allowing Sky to contact you.

Hope something comes soon.

[suttonred]

Freesat? I don't watch enough tv to warrant paying more than my tv licence, but I also come from the era of only having three channels, that closed down around 11.30.

Freeview + Netflix suits me just fine. I'm now accustomed to watching TV when it suits me, rather than when it's scheduled.

If there's anything I really want to watch on Sky Sports I'll buy a day pass.

Sainsbury's are currently doing 15 cans carling for £12 and you also get a 24 hour sky sports pass, I got a real bargain of 30 cans for £19 and 2 passes for the upcoming games.

[@mwooly63]

I'm looking for a similar service but I can't get Virgin in my area. The only stipulations are that I'd like Sky Atlantic,

AFAIK apart from having sky the only way to get sky Atlantic is to use Now TV  which is part of sky anyway I believe

[tans]

Get a skybox f5 and buy the channel list, my mate has one (all sky channels). 90 quid a year, proboably illegal mind

[ronnie21]

Just done a deal with Virgin, told them I was cancelling and got £30 a month off, my deal included everything - broadband, phone etc.  Now I will get charged for calling mobile numbers from my home phone, but as herself and myself have enough free minutes on our phone packages that was no hardship.  I did start off the conversation with an offshore call centre but when I insisted I was cancelling I got re-routed to a UK one!!

[Batch]

Sainsbury's are currently doing 15 cans carling for £12 and you also get a 24 hour sky sports pass, I got a real bargain of 30 cans for £19 and 2 passes for the upcoming games.

I'd rather pay the £3 off eBay and not have to drink Carling!

[Samdy Gray]

I'd rather pay the £3 off eBay and not have to drink Carling!

[Arriba]

What's wrong with carling? Pours great into a glass from a can. Better than most lagers do. Easily the best of the regular lagers imo.