falkster

After months of poor broadband connection.....just slowing down for no reason and several channels flickering which spread to more and more channels.....getting no joy from ringing them up to sort we finally threw in the towel and signed upto Sky yesterday.
There are probably arguements for and against but when we saw the package we will be getting coupled with the experiences friends and family have had with sky it looks like the better option. Much cheaper for a better package and HD.

FlightMan

Good luck in the rain.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Out of the frying pan into the fire.

I just wish the market wasn't totally consumed by both of these p**s poor media providers and there was more providers giving us a comparable and competetive choice (especially with satellite and HD).

falkster

I expect there will be bad points with Sky Ali but having had a very poor year with Virgin plus the fact that they dont sort it when you phone or even answer the phone its got to be worth giving Sky a go.....none of my friends have a bad word to say about Sky.

moff1888

We have had some heavy rain here in the last couple of days and my sky has been fine, in fact in all the time we have had it the reception has never been bad come rain or shine.

EddScott

We are on our 7th Sky HD box since Christmas and the current one isn't exactly faultless but I can't cope with the stress of ringing Sky.

The subs are going up in September as well so when our contract runs out in November if Sky don't offer me some bribe to stay that I would be silly to pass up I'm cancelling.

Freesat HD will be my first choice. BT Vision is apparently not bad either.

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

I've just had 2 weeks of no sky tv due to the new viewing card, they even scrambled channel 5! I was on the phone to them every night for an average of half an hour minimum. I eventually got hold of someone who knew what to do(British), replace the viewing card, they gave me a free months tv for my troubles. The level of service is **** poor, if I wasn't moving next month I would have cancelled the lot, telephone and broadband.

The Zohan

^^^^^^^^^^yup!

Leslie

Are there any worthwhile HD channels available on Freesat?

Les

FlightMan

freesat - Channels - With freesat, it's access all areas

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Never had any weather issue myself either, except when the LNB was dying, or when the recievers were on their last legs too (both of them). Thats ignoreing any "lazy" installs with a dish halfway up the wall shadowed by everything around it.

The issues I have is getting the above fixed without inccuring the excessive call out charges or any goodwill for being a long term customer. On the basis they provided and installed the equipment, and its in their best insterest to ensure that I can continue to recieve their services. Afterall, if it malfunctions, I can't use it and therefore my choice is to either pay up to fix it or cancel the subs.

Thus my switch from Telewast (as it was back then) to Sky then back to Virgin. It was cheaper to do that than sort out new boxes (ignoring second hand ebay stuff and messing about up ladders doing it DIY etc).

Virgin is free to get stuff fixed when it messes up - admittedly it does take some (or maybe alot ) of phoning to get it sorted. Thus far this has included a new cable down the drive, sorting an issue with the green box at the end of the road affecting my upstream signal, replacing the modem and the second set top box for later more current items (as a note the Samsung branded boxes are far far far far better than the old pace units; instant response from the remote, no crashes and doesn't overheat ). The only thing it costs is time (I even got credited for the days suffered without service). I'd hate to think what that would cost if it was Sky running the show - who would happily charge to send out a bod to diagnose and fix eqiupment.

Of course with Sky, you can sort equipment yourself like in the unencrypted analogue days. But when they dumb-down the whole UK satelite industry and restrict the choice of equipment support so that the only off-the-shelf "plug and play" solution is only with Sky affilated recievers, which inccidentally don't want to work with other satellites (I know there are ways round this, but its hardly plain sailing on a domentic level), its hardly consumer choice (you either have it or you don't). Fine, if they give it me for free or massively subsidised (which they do for new customers), but as a existing customer I'll be damned if I'm going to pay to maintain or repair it. It should be like my mobile phone contract - I have never paid for a repair or replacement of my phone, no matter how old it is.

I have no loyalty for either company. So after a few more years, I might get tired of Virgin, and take up any of Sky's nicely discounted offers for "new" customers, and no doubt switch back again a few years later when something breaks.

sarasquares

iTrader: (1)

I am still hovering in the flames. I desperately want to leave Virgin but.....

I cant decide what to do

One of the good things about the phone service from BT is that you can call 08.. numbers free for an extra £5

Tidgy

have to say i only ever have an issue with any of my services from virgin perhaps once every 2-3 months, and thats normaly with the tv v+ box and a reset sorts it out.

i've never noticed the broadband go down in the whole 2 years i've had it, speeds always been pretty good (max internet). im actualy looking at the new 50mb a sec, but its not in my area yet

urban

iTrader: (1)

No basically.

Look it up for yourself Les.

austinwrx

had a virgin box for at least 2 years now.

all faultless service. non of this box breaking down sky nonsense.

on 10mb broadband now- which could be better- but I live so far out in the country I'm amazed we get it (i.e actually cabled) and I suspect we're at the end of the exchange.
sure it would be better in a city/town etc.

Snazy

Rarely get weather issues with my Sky, frustrating when you do, but usually only half hour maximum.
Personally I cant really fault them. Even when I dropped channels etc they were helpful as can be, and polite etc.

I have the free Sky BB package, but use my Orange BB package instead, the Sky one runs in the other room and is always there if I work in that room.

Good luck with the Sky mate, hope its plain sailing.
Thinking about changing my boxes here soon, out of contract now.

FlightMan

I think it's all down to luck. Had Virgin for years, NTL before that. Can't ever remember a problem and thats with TV, phone and BB services.

24Meg BB is lovely, cant wait for the 50Meg service.

EddScott

Having looked at it probably not. Still I'm not overly bothered about HD TV. If what I'm watching has an HD version I'll watch that but its not worth paying the Sky subs just for HD content.

We have the basic mix plus HD plus 1 multiroom so I think our Sky is about £40. If I added another room to that and movies it would bump it over £60. TV isn't worth £60 a month.

At the very least, I'll cancel the multiroom and have freeview boxes in the bedrooms.

bigsinky

unlucky mate. the 50 meg is very fast. no download limited and no traffic shaping. how does an 800MB divx file in 2 minutes grab ya!!! the 50Mbit is going down to about £30pm from 1 september. the 50Mbit rollout is due to be completed soon so you shouldn't have too long to wait.

Ant

So is our sub going down to £30 aswell?

bigsinky

yes mate. prices reductions will be reflected in your september bill

Jamescsti

Been with Virgin for just over 12 months, just waiting now for an engineer to come and install my V+ HD service, no fault but i'm upgrading from the standard box, which has been pretty much faultless, when it has had a fault i find just unplugging it and rebooting it sorts it out.

EdScott I wouldn't touch BT tv, my parents have it and they hate it, it seems full of faults and they are getting rid very soon, BT customer support has been terrible for it

EddScott

That was my biggest put off with BT - customer services.

We haven't got cable so Virgin is out. Its either Sky or Freeview.

I may just cut down to the very basic Sky and put freeview boxes in the other rooms. Our bedroom TV has freeview built in so its just the nippers room but she doesn't watch to much TV (odd for a kid)

Without a subscription you can still receive some HD channels apparently?