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The €5 a Month RTE TG4 only Sky Sub

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  • 16-12-2009 3:10pm
    #1
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭


    Sky have an unpublished customer retention offer. When a full sub €22 a month or higher threatens to cancel they are offering a €5 a month RTE TG4 only sub in certain cases. It may also include tv3/c6/setanta ireland for all I know

    This would mean the box continues to pick up the Irish and the Free channels only but with the Irish channels in EPG positions 1-4 ...OTOH you only pay €5 a month and for many with marginal reception a decent aerial would cost many years of the Sky sub.

    I have some questions about it.

    When did this option come in for Irish customers ???

    How prevalent is this package can anyone say??

    Will HD and Sky+ work properly if you have this ??

    Are box upgrades possible at a favourable rate or must these customers go on the grey market to get them???


«1345

Comments

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    #2
    Zardoz
    Registered Users Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Zardoz


    I never ever heard of this offer in all my years of dealing with Sky.
    I find it hard to believe Sky would offer this deal for €5 as some people only subscribe to Sky for RTE in digital format.


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    #3
    cgarvey
    Registered Users Posts: 3,886 ✭✭✭cgarvey


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    How prevalent is this package can anyone say??

    2 guys I know have cancelled an Irish sub (out of contract). 1 was never offered this, and the other I'd asked to ask them about this. The girl went off to find out and came back saying it didn't exist (but do you want 3 months half-price movies, etc.).

    So either it's very new, or only available for a select few CSRs in the cancellation dept. to offer.


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    #4
    steveon
    Registered Users Posts: 3,905 ✭✭✭steveon


    I never heard of this and would find it extremely hard to beleive that it would be legal to charge for RTE....on its own as RTE is already funded by the taxpayer...


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    #5
    Tipsy Mac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,559 ✭✭✭Tipsy Mac


    steveon wrote: »
    I never heard of this and would find it extremely hard to beleive that it would be legal to charge for RTE....on its own as RTE is already funded by the taxpayer...

    Eaxactly and with those in NIRL getting it as part of the Good Friday Agreement charging people in the South for it would be a publicity nightmare.


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    #6
    Widescreen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,096 ✭✭✭Widescreen


    Aren't they already charging for RTE? You can't get it from Sky without paying for it,even if they call it a Bonus channel. You cancel your sky sub and you have no irish channels.


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    #7
    snaps
    Registered Users Posts: 7,138 ✭✭✭snaps


    Widescreen wrote: »
    Aren't they already charging for RTE? You can't get it from Sky without paying for it,even if they call it a Bonus channel. You cancel your sky sub and you have no irish channels.

    here here!


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    #8
    Apogee
    Registered Users Posts: 3,774 ✭✭✭Apogee


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    Sky have an unpublished customer retention offer. When a full sub €22 a month or higher threatens to cancel they are offering a €5 a month RTE TG4 only sub in certain cases. It may also include tv3/c6/setanta ireland for all I know

    Can you tell us what is the basis for this claim? No one on this forum has ever mentioned being offered this option.


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    #9
    slegs
    Registered Users Posts: 3,008 ✭✭✭slegs


    There was a post the other day claiming this offer existed...cant find it though


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    #10
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    Widescreen wrote: »
    Aren't they already charging for RTE? You can't get it from Sky without paying for it,even if they call it a Bonus channel. You cancel your sky sub and you have no irish channels.

    No you are being charged for being a subsciber to Sky. Its bundles as part of a package - a like it or lump it deal.

    It would be unusual that they would offer it as a stand alone. Of course you dont have to subscribe to get the 4 terrstrial stations (and thats how they broadcast, terrestrialy - available in analogue and digital form).

    Much like you dont have to subscribe to Sky for UK FTA sat channels. Infact most people dont know that either.


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    #11
    mjsmyth
    Registered Users Posts: 1,108 ✭✭✭mjsmyth


    Much like you dont have to subscribe to Sky for UK FTA sat channels. Infact most people dont know that either.

    To be honest, it is not much like that. If you don't subscribe to Sky, you can still access the main UK channels on your Sky box. Fail to subscribe to Sky and you don't get the Irish channels. Saying that you can get them using analogue or digital terrestrial is neither here nor there when it comes to a discussion about Sky.


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    #12
    Apogee
    Registered Users Posts: 3,774 ✭✭✭Apogee


    I've gone back through the posts to the start of December, and done a number of searches and can't find any additional info.

    Perhaps SB could let us know what the source for the OP is?


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    #13
    gtg60
    Registered Users Posts: 1,756 ✭✭✭gtg60


    There's no way this exists, if it did the uptake would be absolutely massive ESPECIALLY if it included Sky+ functionality.


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    #14
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    It was mentioned by a poster elsewhere on boards who tried to cancel ....can't remember the forum and I heard it from a neighbour who tried to cancel.

    It is not available for new subscribers, only for retention purposes.


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    #15
    Widescreen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,096 ✭✭✭Widescreen


    Maybe Sky should now come up with an official €5 per month package consisting of Sky 3, 3e, Sky News and a bonus mix of the Irish Terrestrials!This would be in addition to their current other packages.

    Most people when they subscribe would go for "beefier" packages but at least they would have the comfort of when they ever downsized they could still get all the basics?


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    #16
    slegs
    Registered Users Posts: 3,008 ✭✭✭slegs


    At 10e per month it would still be attractive if it had Sky+ functionality


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    #17
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    It was mentioned by a poster elsewhere on boards who tried to cancel ....can't remember the forum and I heard it from a neighbour who tried to cancel.

    It is not available for new subscribers, only for retention purposes.

    I posted this previously here. My brother was offered this option when he cancelled, naturally he declined.


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    #18
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Mate in Galway rang up to cancel them today ( well on the 31st December) they offered him the €5 Irish Channels Only option and he said that he just got DTT and did not need them.

    After a lot of haggling they agreed on the Documentaries Pack and the Irish Channels ( plus all the free ones obviously ) for €10 a month.


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    #19
    3DataModem
    Registered Users Posts: 3,957 ✭✭✭3DataModem


    this would be awesome.

    I am in Isle of Man and paying for a basic sub just so that we have Rte1, Rte2 and TV3. I would LOVE to save 20 per month!


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    #20
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    You need an Irish person to threaten to cancel first in order to to get offered the deal by the retention department and then get their card ..and pay them so they can pay Sky every month.


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    #21
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    It's still a bad deal if you have DTT.

    As The Irish card BLOCKS decent UK channels.

    A DTT set + UK EPG gives more channels.

    Anyway. This is example of why talk of pay DTT or "Real Digital TV" cheap packages are fantasy. They can't compete with sky.
    Compared with a cancelled sub, any kind of cut down sub is almost pure profit for Sky.

    So they can always undercut even a loss making "pay DTT" or "Real Digital TV" for any already installed 1 year+ customer.

    The fact is that the Sky+ feature should work on FTA channels without a sub, and it's robbery it doesn't as you own the box!

    This is not surprising and I have always said since RTE 1st went on Sky that the TV licence and Terrestrial FTA is irrelevant. Sky can charge essentially what ever they like for what ever mix of channels. Even if they are ALL FTA on Freesat! As long as people are prepared to pay.

    I expect this will be promoted, and possibly even to new customers when Full Launch of Saorview and Saorsat happens in May, or if "Real Digital TV" launches in the New Year with a basic Sky Sports, you know what to expect. After a year "Real Digital TV" will go spectacularly bust and Sky Sports will go up in price.

    As far as RTE NL & RTE are concerned, unlike Pay DTT or "Real Digital TV", Sky is NOT competition, but an additional platform (as UPC is) to get Irish TV & Radio. It will make no difference to Saorsat & Saorview as those are for people that don't want pay TV! Hence RTE's recommendation to Oireachtas that Saorview users get Freesat for the UK stations.


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    #22
    gtg60
    Registered Users Posts: 1,756 ✭✭✭gtg60


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    After a lot of haggling they agreed on the Documentaries Pack and the Irish Channels ( plus all the free ones obviously ) for €10 a month.

    For how long though, was it just the usual 6 months? As I got offered the basic channels plus one pack for a tenner a month (but only for 6 months).


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    #23
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    gtg60 wrote: »
    For how long though, was it just the usual 6 months? As I got offered the basic channels plus one pack for a tenner a month (but only for 6 months).

    Open ended I think.


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    #24
    gtg60
    Registered Users Posts: 1,756 ✭✭✭gtg60


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    Open ended I think.

    It'd be well worth €60 a year to have one of these cards for the reliable twin tuner, EPG all in one solution with equipment you'd probably already have (and God knows I'm not the biggest Sky fan!).


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    #25
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    gtg60 wrote: »
    It'd be well worth €60 a year
    €120 Mind!


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    #26
    gtg60
    Registered Users Posts: 1,756 ✭✭✭gtg60


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    €120 Mind!

    No, I'm saying the fiver a month he was first offered for the Irish channels plus the free to air ones would be well worth it for what you're actually getting.


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    #27
    Minstrel27
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,818 ✭✭✭Minstrel27


    Not really if you are in a DTT area. Would that Sky offer include 3e?


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    #28
    gtg60
    Registered Users Posts: 1,756 ✭✭✭gtg60


    Minstrel27 wrote: »
    Not really if you are in a DTT area. Would that Sky offer include 3e?

    I disagree, firstly in the many, many threads asking about Combo boxes, there are 2 questions that always come up,
    1. 7 day EPG
    2. Proper PVR capabilities

    Only boxes costing €500 plus can fulfil these needs plus a fair degree of knowledge is required. Perhaps an aerial too for DTT.

    Or a fiver a month to use your existing Sky+ box and dish to get all that in a type and format you're already familiar with? It's a no brainer. If I could get one for my folks I'd gladly pay the €60 a year for them.


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    #29
    byte
    Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,099 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    I wonder if the sky+ recording features would still work at €5 a month?


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    #30
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    Have to I agree, a combined epg, twin tuner and ease of use has a lot going for it.


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    #31
    selfbuilder1
    Registered Users Posts: 655 ✭✭✭selfbuilder1


    Has anyone got this €5 per month offer for the Irish channels lately. Seriously considering getting rid of Sky but would keep it for the Irish channels and Sky+ facility.


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