[TV] Finally broken the SKY TV spell

[Rambo]

After 21 years, today I finally said goodbye to SKY TV.

Having chatted to my aerial man and found an easy way to convert the dish to receive Freesat straight into my TV without the need for box, I have saved myself a huge some of money every month/year.

The kids are happy with Disney+ and I just dont see the need to spend a fortune on TV anymore. With current cost of living I am sure many people are following the same route.

Even though its absolutely the right decision, it was still hard to break their spell even up to the last minute where they try to offer stuff to keep you as a customer. For me it just doesn't serve a purpose anymore with so many other options and I really couldn't get them to understand that.

Anyone else made the jump recently? I am sure there probably is another thread on it somewhere but I did a search and could not find one - I am sure a DULLARD will post a link.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

I went aerial about five years ago. I do have Amazon Prime, Netflix AND Disney+ as well, so well covered for something to watch.
For sports there are alternatives

 

[boik]

After 21 years, today I finally said goodbye to SKY TV.

Having chatted to my aerial man and found an easy way to convert the dish to receive Freesat straight into my TV without the need for box, I have saved myself a huge some of money every month/year.

The kids are happy with Disney+ and I just dont see the need to spend a fortune on TV anymore. With current cost of living I am sure many people are following the same route.

Even though its absolutely the right decision, it was still hard to break their spell even up to the last minute where they try to offer stuff to keep you as a customer. For me it just doesn't serve a purpose anymore with so many other options and I really couldn't get them to understand that.

Anyone else made the jump recently? I am sure there probably is another thread on it somewhere but I did a search and could not find one - I am sure a DULLARD will post a link.

You wait. Now that youve left you'll be bombarded with even more offers. They wouldn't do me a decent deal after I'd been a customer since day one, but as soon as I'd left they kept offering me deals that were far better that what I'd been asking for. Everything is geared toward new customers, and if they lure you back you count as a new customer.

 

[banjo]

After 21 years, today I finally said goodbye to SKY TV.

Having chatted to my aerial man and found an easy way to convert the dish to receive Freesat straight into my TV without the need for box, I have saved myself a huge some of money every month/year.

The kids are happy with Disney+ and I just dont see the need to spend a fortune on TV anymore. With current cost of living I am sure many people are following the same route.

Even though its absolutely the right decision, it was still hard to break their spell even up to the last minute where they try to offer stuff to keep you as a customer. For me it just doesn't serve a purpose anymore with so many other options and I really couldn't get them to understand that.

Anyone else made the jump recently? I am sure there probably is another thread on it somewhere but I did a search and could not find one - I am sure a DULLARD will post a link.

Welcome to freedom

 

[southstandandy]

I did a few years ago but even then I was offered a full package of TV free (sports/movies etc) for two years if I agreed to stay for four years.

I declined.

 

[BigBod]

Cut ties with Sky about 8 years ago... it was hard to do at the time. I've just succumbed to Now TV though... Got Sky Sports for £20 a month...

 

[Springal]

I wish I could, but to be fair we do use it quite a lot. Given the investment in a good tv, surround sound with Dolby Atmos etc I can’t bring myself to present a streaming service is a good replacement. Got a few months until my renewal so I’ll see.

Shame Virgin isn’t at my property as I’m pretty stuck

 

[TomandJerry]

Nope, don't have Sky. Couldn't justify the cost.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

After 21 years, today I finally said goodbye to SKY TV.

Having chatted to my aerial man and found an easy way to convert the dish to receive Freesat straight into my TV without the need for box, I have saved myself a huge some of money every month/year.

The kids are happy with Disney+ and I just dont see the need to spend a fortune on TV anymore. With current cost of living I am sure many people are following the same route.

Even though its absolutely the right decision, it was still hard to break their spell even up to the last minute where they try to offer stuff to keep you as a customer. For me it just doesn't serve a purpose anymore with so many other options and I really couldn't get them to understand that.

Anyone else made the jump recently? I am sure there probably is another thread on it somewhere but I did a search and could not find one - I am sure a DULLARD will post a link.

Not Sky but I dumped Virgin TV last month when they tried to put my package up from £99 a month to £147. Got rid of all the TV channels and the landline. Upgraded internet to 1Gb and pay for Netflix and Prime instead. Smart TVs allow us to watch all the main channels as well. The 1Gb costs £50 a month.

 

[Triggaaar]

After 21 years, today I finally said goodbye to SKY TV.

Having chatted to my aerial man and found an easy way to convert the dish to receive Freesat straight into my TV without the need for box, I have saved myself a huge some of money every month/year.

The kids are happy with Disney+ and I just dont see the need to spend a fortune on TV anymore. With current cost of living I am sure many people are following the same route.

Even though its absolutely the right decision, it was still hard to break their spell even up to the last minute where they try to offer stuff to keep you as a customer.

What did they offer you to stay? I've got a date next week with a nice sounding Scottish lady called Aurla

 

[Bulldog]

My Sky is £55 x month. For that I get standard Sky TV, line rental, internet and Netflix.
If I dump them and have to subscribe to Netflix, find another internet provider and pay them, pay the line rental, I wouldn't be any better off would I?

 

[Cotton Socks]

I wish I could, but to be fair we do use it quite a lot. Given the investment in a good tv, surround sound with Dolby Atmos etc I can’t bring myself to present a streaming service is a good replacement. Got a few months until my renewal so I’ll see.

Shame Virgin isn’t at my property as I’m pretty stuck

Ring BT, they're rolling out cable fibre to everyone at the moment.

 

[Bold Seagull]

After 21 years, today I finally said goodbye to SKY TV.

Having chatted to my aerial man and found an easy way to convert the dish to receive Freesat straight into my TV without the need for box, I have saved myself a huge some of money every month/year.

The kids are happy with Disney+ and I just dont see the need to spend a fortune on TV anymore. With current cost of living I am sure many people are following the same route.

Even though its absolutely the right decision, it was still hard to break their spell even up to the last minute where they try to offer stuff to keep you as a customer. For me it just doesn't serve a purpose anymore with so many other options and I really couldn't get them to understand that.

Anyone else made the jump recently? I am sure there probably is another thread on it somewhere but I did a search and could not find one - I am sure a DULLARD will post a link.

Absolutely!

I made the jump pretty much 18months or so ago and ditched my landline too. Just freeview and broadband.

We now rotate TV services for say 3 or 4 months. So might have Netflix for a while, then end that and get Disney. There is normally some protest in the household, but okay it goes for a while, then when it returns it's all exciting again rather than getting bored with the same content. Lots of offers for Disney+ too, so get 3 months through Tesco clubcard, O2 deals etc.

I've also discovered how good some of the hidden content within iPlayer, All4 is etc.

In terms of broadband, I think the sales pitches are all wrong, because generally the Virgin / BT / Sky wifi routers are pretty crap, so doesn't matter whether you're on 50mb BB or 1gb, the wifi around your home could be shite and it won't be the amount of data, it will be the router. My Virgin router is set to modem, as was Sky before that, and that goes into a TP Link Mesh wifi router and I have 3 of those hardwired around the house. Actually, whether it was 67mb Sky BB, or the now 500mb Virgin, the performance has been fine, and that's a household with PS4, Xbox, smart TV, 10 devices probably like Alexa's, phones, iPads etc. all clients on the network. I hardwire as much as I can, so have a network switch as well as the Mesh. This does mean at negotiation time for the Broadband, I don't get caught up in all the sales on the size of the service because I know my home network operates fine whether 60mb or 500mb or more.

 

[Eeyore]

I've got Virgin broadband and basic TV but with Sky and BT Sports for £59 a month total.

It was £69 a month, but I added Premier Sports for one month and when I went to take it off their automated service thought I wanted to leave altogether and offered me £10 off for the rest of the contract.

That's dirt cheap for what it is, so I wonder if there are some opportunities for bartering at present.

Edit: £72 a month at present. Good for folk who like cricket and rugby too.

 

[Official Old Man]

Our lounge was decorated recently, a long 2 week job. During that time we moved the TV into the dining room but only had normal TV plus all internet services. Sport was, of course, sorted. Whilst missing the odd show the only real inconvenience was being unable to fast forward the adverts on ITV X.

 

[Bold Seagull]

My Sky is £55 x month. For that I get standard Sky TV, line rental, internet and Netflix.
If I dump them and have to subscribe to Netflix, find another internet provider and pay them, pay the line rental, I wouldn't be any better off would I?

That's pretty good. I ditched all mine. My broadband is £29 pcm. Netflix is £11, so £40 but I don't have a landland. At first we were reluctant not to have a landline, but I don't miss it at all.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

If you only want Sky sports you can get it with Now for just 20 quid a month (including the Ashes)

 

[Neil]

got a Firestick and pay £45 a year to get all sports and films the lot

 

[Weststander]

I ditched Sky via Virgin a year ago, the catalyst was a huge price hike, 30%.

I got the impression, R4 covered this, that they didn’t give a shit that circa 10% walked. The maths are obvious, they won.

I don’t miss the football at all. I wasn’t a fanatic, but I know there are many nsc’rers who love to watch football 365.

My son introduced me to a reliable football streaming site, which doesn’t require a stick or subscription. I used it last night to watch the 1-6 game.

My entertainment is Amazon Prime. I love it.

 

[papachris]

We get our tv through the internet. As well as all the Estonian channels there are all the US and UK channels, also including all Sky channels, BTW sport etc etc. We pay 10€ per month and have been using it fir years including when we lived in England