I use SKY for my tv, and BT for my broadband. I was recently going to move the broadband to SKY, to save a bit of cash and have it all with one supplier, but BT convinced me to re-contract with them for another 12 months - only because they promised me "free access to BT Sports, with all champions league matches, etc...."

Now they have just announced that SKY tv customers will have to pay £5 a month to get all matches - if I had known this in advance, I wouldn't have re-contracted. Do you think I now have a case to cancel my BT Broadband contract?

Did you get that "promise" in writing?

If not then you have not got a leg to stand on I'm afraid.

Bt sport lite is free - u get bt sports 1 only which just has the pl on it

£5pm is for bt sport Europe - where all the champ league is

Yes I get that the £5 is for European football. My point is that I was sold BT Broadband on the basis that European football would be free to me also....

Unfortunately, I didn't get that in writing though so as Radiogram says, I probably don't have a leg to stand on. I'll remember it when it comes to renewing next year though

Problem is that people who watch content on BT Sports 2 and ESPN are losing out. When I signed up to BT it was on the understanding that BTS 1, 2 and ESPN would be 'free'. Wouldn't this be a breach of contract on their side?

It was "free while in a contract" wasn't it? So when your contract ends, they can do what they like. It was always "half price" (£6.75 IIRC) for BT broadband users not in contract, and of course that can be changed at any time.

If they raise prices during a fixed term contract by more than what the T&Cs allowed when you signed up, they will allow you to end your contract without penalty. I seem to recall that BT are pretty generous with this, compared to Sky's "up to 10%" condition.

I've just received an e-mail from BT about this.

Tonight, I'm going to tell them where they can stick the BT Sports package and as my Broadband contact is up for renewal at the beginning of July, might even do some research on alternative broadband before I tell them where to stick their package.

Some very odd posts on here, don't like BT fine, don't be a customer, BT have the rights to show Champions League , it has no impact on what current BT customers receive , so BT Sport 1 and 2 and ESPN on the same terms you had, so why does this now fire up the blood of Some BT customers who post on here ? , no one is being forced to pay the £5, the OP could have a case if he was told specifically if you re contract with BT broadband you will get champions league for free but it's a big 'if' they said it, and the OP didn't get them to confirm it in say an email or letter,
since the PL rights deal was done it's been widely accepted that BT having paid lots of money for the rights would charge a fee, and if you are a BT TV customer it is free anyway...but in response to the OP do you have a case to cancel penalty free, no, unless you can prove you were mis-led but as you were going to Sky , and they don't have PL and on your current BT terms you won't have PL football, so in what way are you disadvantaged ?
You get what you always had , for the same price you previously paid, and if you don't want to pay the £5 ( or get BTTV ) you can always go to the pub to watch

Not true...up until now BT customers could watch European games for free on ITV (and even more if they have a sky sub). From now on, they cannot watch a single European game without having to pay extra.


It's not a big 'if' (are you deliberately being antagonistic?) - the sales advisor definitely said it - it was the only reason I didn't switch to sky.
No, I didn't get it in writing - let's be honest, who does insist on that sort of thing? In hindsight, I should have, but that's easy to say now.


I'm disadvantaged because had I moved my broadband to Sky, I would have saved money by consolidating. I sacrificed that saving based on the promise that I get free European football.

Fortunately BT haven't adopted the stance you've taken (i.e. prove your accusation or stop moaning) and have said they will review the recording of the call.

The reason people are annoyed is that that's not true. Only BTS 1 will now be free. BTS 2 and ESPN (along with BT Europe) will now be part of the paid for package. So yes I'm annoyed, because I'm losing two thirds of the channels I receive now.

This is what I had in an email for BT when I renewed my broadband contract late last year.

"Your BT Sport discount
Thanks for renewing your BT Broadband contract to get BT Sport for free.

Your new 12 month contract will start on 04-Dec-2014.

If you cancel your BT Sport Pack subscription and then sign up again later you'll need to agree to a new BT Broadband contract, with a minimum term of at least 12 months, to get BT Sport for free."

Looking at BT Sport, the Sport Pack now includes BT Sport Europe so as per my agreement with them I should get this as it doesn't state anything about BT Sport Lite.

Well I'll hold my hands up, if BT have enticed people to take/renew their broadband with the offer of 'free' BTSport 1,2 and ESPN , then remove 2/3rds and say you have to pay for that (even if it includes CL football ) then it smacks of sharp practice , and you should be able to leave BTB penalty free, I naively presumed no respectable company would treat their customers this way, and that a 'new' channel would be added to the line up and that's what the £5/month was for, silly me

I spoke with BT this morning - they said that even though the sales advisor suggested I'd get European football for free if I renewed my broadband, their terms and conditions state that things/prices can change at anytime, etc... I can't actually find the terms and conditions to check this, but can't be bothered either....! I'll just wait until next year then switch it all to Sky

It is a bit of a jip, i get the BT Sport pack (BTS1, 2 and EPSN) for free as i am a BT Broadband customer. They announced the new European channel, and want to charge £5 extra for it. When Sky launch a new channel, they don't hike the price up to accomodate this (ok, they do on a yearly basis but overall across all packs)

I don't understand why BT couldn't throw in this channel for existing customers for free, but charge for new subs.

Because they need to earn well over a billion pounds in the next few years just to break even on the Champions League alone. When you factor in their Premier League spend and everything else they broadcast on their sports channels, they must be spending an absolute fortune in their losing battle with Sky. With BT everyone pays for their gross overspend on football rights.

Expect:
- Line rental to jump well above inflation - again.
- Price increases on various telephone services, calls, and add-ons.
- Price hikes on broadband services.

They have changed the packs BT Broadband customers will only get BT Sport Lite now, which is just BT Sport 1, you will lose 2 & ESPN which will go into the new Sport Pack with the European channel...so you are losing 2 channels, unless you pay the £5.00.

I've had the email, don't want to pay - I'm not worried about European football, but you have to opt out otherwise they will automatically charge you from August.

But they don't make it easy to opt out, looks like you have to go through a menu, put in a new order and they make it difficult so that you might click on the wrong button and agree to new charges.

Can I clear something up?

Is this extra charge only if you view bt sports through the sky platform?

Does it affect bb customers who stream content to phone/tablet ?

I can't find on bt where I unsub from the 5 quid charge for the Europe stuff but keep my original free bt1 and 2

I've not had this email yet and can't find how I downgrade to bt lite. Everything I go through just says I already receive bt sports or else says ill get bt europe automatically and don't need to do a thing. Just can't unsub from this charge. Guess I'll need to find a phone number.

My email was sent to my BT email account...I don't use this, and they have my email address I do use, but they didn't send it to that one, but my BT one instead.

BT Sport Lite is just BT Sport 1, if you want the other channels it will be £5 per month and an additional £4 per month if you want it in HD.

Be careful when downgrading, as it will automatically assume you are renewing for a new 12 month contract, apparently there is a box to tick, to say you don't want to renew your contract.

The full BT Sport pack is now only going to be free for BT TV customers and that is what they are pushing...which does work out cheaper if you go for the most basic package which just has a one off £35 activation fee at the moment, but I don't trust a word this company says now, how long will they give it free for those TV customers who don't pay a subscription.

As im only about 8 weeks in to a new BT TV contract due to upgrading to the entertainment max package at the end of April when I had to take out a new 12 months contact I will be getting all the BT sport channels for free.
Im sure my Infinity 2 contract ends at the start of March though as I had renewed my Infinity on 1st March I think it was for 12 months. I had also renewed my BT TV at some time but then upgraded my BT TV at the end of April when the new TV packages came out and I had to take a new 12 months BT TV contract.

Darren

Wouldn't trust a word this company says, that's what they told those renewing their broadband contracts...yes you will get it free, but for how long?

The only email I got was notice of my bill and at bottom it says changes to bt sport. We now give 30 days notice of terms and conditions instead of 40

Ok given them a call. Turns out I was out of contract. However they've offered me a 1 yr contract with 1 year discount on infinity 1. So getting infinity 1 unlimited for 17 quid with free activation. Plus says they've put me on sports lite.
I'll give this a go.

I actually get my bt sports through virgin xl anyway, so just need to see if any deal is done there

Yeah of course Sky give their footy away for free

Would any business pay hundreds of millions for something and not want to benefit