I can live with it on Sky thankfully because my neighbours tend to watch mainly Arsenal and Chelsea games. But I sure as hell am not watching on Now TV when I'll hear cheers for the goal anywhere from 60 to 120 seconds before I see it. It takes away all the excitement and suspense. And as a gambling man who keeps an app open to monitor odds, it's absolutely impossible because you'll see the goal on the betting side in the same way I hear the cheers from neighbours.

I'm just sick of the trolling on here about Sky pricing and people constantly suggesting us Sky customers are being ripped off. Something has to be done about it by the mods.

Now TV might be from Sky, but it's a separate online service. It's nothing to do with the "satellite" category where the Sky forum lives. I really think mods should tell people who want to discuss Now TV to use the online entertainment forum where there are already Now TV threads. And leave us real Sky customers alone with their endless barbs about pricing.

As long as Sky offers 35, 50, 60% discounts and cash back, it's pretty fair to say that Sky IS trying to rip people off. Not sure even the mods could disagree with that.

Now TV is also discounted, either by buying vouchers in shops, a whole new box or cancelling any plan and being offered a discount there and then.

It's a business model that seems to work for Sky, but frankly I'm amazed that once anyone knows there are such discounts and methods to save money that you think it's wrong for them to take advantage.

Sky has the power to stop all such discounted dead right now. This minute. It doesn't choose to do that, pure and simple. Of course, its rivals generally do the same thing (I think Amazon and Netflix being exceptions to the rule). Virgin discounts. I'm sure BT does. EE does. TalkTalk probably does...

As a nation, we weren't very good at haggling years ago. Now people expect to do it, and companies have factored that in to the pricing. Rather like furniture, you now get ridiculous retail prices that are there as a starting bid. Of course, some people actually pay the full price in total ignorance, but that's changing. Sky has perhaps got a bit carried away now that it offers 60% discounts, and in some cases, even more.

Is it any wonder that Sky has noticed people are trying to blag it? As I always said, if Sky doesn't think you're serious, just follow through. You'll be without TV for a couple of days at most, so I doubt anyone is that addicted that they couldn't survive a day or two without TV.

Now TV will often be relevant during a converstaion about Sky, because it's a means of selling Sky content at a different price point. There's a reason why Sky want to maintain the separation and a reason why consumers don't have to follow Sky's wishes.

This isn't a Sky appreciation thread, and it's better for open discussion, rather than exclusive to "real Sky customers", however, you define that.

Absolutely, and all providers choose how to manage customer relationships and churn (cancellations), even if it is- such as Amazon and Netflix- that price reductions on cancellations isn't viable to the business model.

My experience is primarily of Sky & BT.

Sky have always tended to be reactionary- withholding their best offers until customers are close to or through the "exit door". Consequently, the discounts needed to retain customers tend to be larger by the time that Sky have reacted.

BT have tended to be more proactive, in my experience, and have offered discounts & incentives at an earlier stage of contact to maintain satisfaction. Consequently, their level of discounting at cancellation appears to be shallower than Sky's, as they make more effort, instead, to satisfy good customers, before they consider cancelling.

There are other differences, of course- Sky are trying to hold a much larger share of the pay-tv market- around 65%- I believe. If they wished to maintain full prices, then they'd inevitably have to accept a smaller market-share, in my opinion.
Last edited by gs1 : 30-07-2016 at 12:20

Because

A) I would love to be a Sky subscriber and so would both my housemates, but we honestly can't justify the stupid price increases.

B) As mentioned Now TV is Sky, a service offered by Sky to view their channels without a satellite dish which not everybody can have.

C) If you want me to 'leave you / us alone' please feel free to report me and my hatred of Sky posts to the mods. If they feel I am breaking the terms of use they will no doubt either warn me or ban me.

In the mean time I will continue to offer criticism of Sky and the way they operate. Finally, I want to be a subscriber again and now I'm back in full time employment am seriously considering taking a package.

50% of sky package and £50 credit is the going rate for discount.

Phone up and cancel so you activate your 31 day cancelation period and by the time you hang up the phone you will see offers in the sky service app.

Failing that go on to live chat "coming back to sky" https://secure.sky.com/mysky-extras/coming-back-to-sky and tell them you have received a flyer offering 50% of sky package and £50 credit on a month to month contract.

Roberts Ya Fathers Brother

BT regularly discount their broadband services to at or below cost price (based on the BT wholesale price lists ). Last time, I didn't even ask for a discount, just phoned up to renew the contract to keep BT Sport and they discounted the ADSL broadband to £5 a month.

I think BT are offering slightly smaller discounts, but to a larger section of their customer base, so are probably giving the same or more discounts in total than Sky.

Be interesting to see if BT continue these discounts once Openreach are forced to become more isolated from the rest of the BT group.

You seriously live(d) in a thin-walled building where many of your neighbours all had 'full fat" Sky Sports and were loud enough to spoil games you were watching on Now TV or SKY HD? If that's not a first world problem, I don't know what is! 😄

Aurichie does have a point that there are numerous Now TV threads in the Online Entertainment forum, not that I think discussing the OTT service here is necessarily wrong, as at the end of the day, it is still a Sky television service. I think Aurichie's problems of seconds-delays and loud football fanatic neighbours is an issue that doesn't affect the majority of people and shouldn't affect most people's judgement when it comes to deciding which method of receiving pay-sports is right for your household.

Yes, when BT emailed me about recent price increases they included a personalised offer, which for me was Unlimited Infinity 1 for £10/month. So their price rises were actually a reduction for me, as long as I signed up for 12 months. Pretty good I thought, especially as I didn't even have to ask (although I would have done if they hadn't got in first).

Anyone had any decent phone/broadband retention deals? My free broadband offer is up and I'm considering moving to BT for the free sport but I'm very happy with the sky service and would rather stay.

If you want live coverage Sky is the way to go. If you don't care if your coverage is delayed by 1-2 minutes and subject to the reliability of your internet connection then Now TV can be a good option.

I was watching MLS last night on Sky and the pictures were 2 minutes and 3 seconds behind while watching simultaneously on the Now TV stream (I have access to an account). That is horrendous!

My sky app still only showing 35% discount, sky goes of in 5 days, not to worry, ive jumped ship, someone pointed me in the direction of a nice freesat+ smart box, gets me everything i need for the one off payment, and i can watch all my recordings on my humax freeview box in the bedroom, or on any connected device in my house.

Have you checked interactive on your box?

My sky service app shows the 35% offer, but interactive has an offer for 50% off for a year.

I currently have 33% off any package, with no contract, and I'm able to add/remove channels & still get the 33% off for the next 3.5 years (the deal was for 5 years, and I signed up to it 18 months ago).

Not sure whether or not to cancel, and try to get the 50% deal for 12 months then re-negotiate every 12 months or stick with what I have...

MIne is showing the same. Although it does specify it is for people who have left Sky in the previous 12 months and it excludes the Sports HD subscription.

I might just go for this.

Given Sky are scaling back the discounting I think you'd be crazy to cancel your current deal.

I think he'd be okay to try. Following through with a cancellation doesn't exactly do any harm. You don't lose your recordings (well you do, but you get them back when you reconnect) and I am sure that you won't miss that much in the day or two before Sky is begging you to come back.

Unless TV is your life, and these days anyone who is that into TV that their life would end is probably not just a Sky customer anyway.

How do you connect your humax box to other devices?

I see sky are now offering their 25gb fibre package free, forever, for Sky sports customers. They're also offering the unlimited deal at £10 permanently. Of course the deal is plus line rental but it's not bad for those who want sports and fibre I guess.

The offer was in the My Sky section.

He'd be crazy to stick with such a poor deal IMO. I got offered 60% off instantly when cancelling. Getting 50-60% off isn't hard.

Just got £10 off line rental and £10 off fibre, £50 account credit.

You do have to remember that certain posters have recommend taking the first deal offered before. Apparently 25% off was very generous and unlikely to be beaten

Cheers. I can't get fibre so hopefully they'd offer free broadband.

33% off every year for another 3 and 1/2 years guaranteed is an awesome deal. If Sky are serious about scaling back the discounts (and Darroch repeated that's Sky's strategy in the last earnings call) then locking in a discount for many years is a shrewd move. People may not even be able to get 10% off next year if Sky really reigns it in.

50% and 60% deals will be around for many years to come.
I got a 50% off any pack last wk, but wont go back.
Sky are desperate to keep subscribers at any cost.
They have no choice as they shot themselves in the foot when they paid 5 billion for the football.