UPC Digital Value Package €20.75/month

Flimbos · 14-10-2010 9:47am #1

Not sure whether this should be posted in the Cable TV forum but all packages are discussed at length there, and I consider this to be a bargain.

I had been paying about €35 a month for UPC's basic digital package, which included loads of channels, pretty much everything except sport and movies (although it does include Setanta Ireland, ESPN, Film Four, TCM, MGM).

Was shopping around for a broadband package and phoned them up, happened to get talking about my existing TV package, and it turned out I can switch to the Digital Value Package, for just over half what I was paying!

I have nearly all the same channels. Some channels (most of which I didn't watch anyway) are gone - the "plus ones" (Film Four +1, Living TV +1 etc), ESPN, TCM, some of the music channels, also don't have a lot of the National Geographic type channels. But I still have plenty of channels, more than I would want, and I still have the digital record/ rewind/ pause function.

If you are looking for a basic, great value package, this could be it. It doesn't seem to be advertised on their website though, you'd need to phone them. 1890 940 624.

bazwaldo · 14-10-2010 10:21am

Another option is to stick up a sat dish for "free to air" and get most of those channels and many others for free. You don't get the Irish channels in digital on that though. You need to get an aerial and digitial terestial tuner that decodes mpeg4, or just watch analogue via an aerial. No monthly charge once installed. You do lose out on a handful of channels, but not many that most people watch.

andreac · 14-10-2010 10:26am

Flimbos wrote: »

Not sure whether this should be posted in the Cable TV forum but all packages are discussed at length there, and I consider this to be a bargain.

I had been paying about €35 a month for UPC's basic digital package, which included loads of channels, pretty much everything except sport and movies (although it does include Setanta Ireland, ESPN, Film Four, TCM, MGM).

Was shopping around for a broadband package and phoned them up, happened to get talking about my existing TV package, and it turned out I can switch to the Digital Value Package, for just over half what I was paying!

I have nearly all the same channels. Some channels (most of which I didn't watch anyway) are gone - the "plus ones" (Film Four +1, Living TV +1 etc), ESPN, TCM, some of the music channels, also don't have a lot of the National Geographic type channels. But I still have plenty of channels, more than I would want, and I still have the digital record/ rewind/ pause function.

If you are looking for a basic, great value package, this could be it. It doesn't seem to be advertised on their website though, you'd need to phone them. 1890 940 624.

Great, thats brilliant, will def give them a call and see if i can change my tariff.:)

scorn · 14-10-2010 10:34am

bazwaldo wrote: »

Another option is to stick up a sat dish for "free to air" and get most of those channels and many others for free. You don't get the Irish channels in digital on that though. You need to get an aerial and digitial terestial tuner that decodes mpeg4, or just watch analogue via an aerial. No monthly charge once installed. You do lose out on a handful of channels, but not many that most people watch.

I concur - I have a dish and a digital aerial for the Irish channels coming into a tv tuner card in a PC. Running Windows 7 Media Center you get program guides, series recording etc. All for free after the hardware costs.

I have NTL in the other room but now never watch it as most of the channels are available. Might go the digital value pack though as I am sticking to UPC for their broadband.

Pretty_Princess · 14-10-2010 10:42am

I have Digital Value HD+ for 25.75, I believe 5 euro is for the recording box. Isn't that the case?

Soarer · 14-10-2010 11:40am

Is there broadband with it?

eioneill · 14-10-2010 12:39pm

Soarer wrote: »

Is there broadband with it?

Broadband and digital tv for €20.75??? Not a chance mate. This is Ireland.

Its just for the digital tv but is a good price.

€25 extra for 8Mb
€32 extra for 15Mb
€40 extra for 30Mb

bazwaldo · 14-10-2010 12:46pm

eioneill wrote: »

Broadband and digital tv for €20.75??? Not a chance mate. This is Ireland.

Its just for the digital tv but is a good price.

€25 extra for 8Mb
€32 extra for 15Mb
€40 extra for 30Mb

Its €42 extra for 30Mb. However I was looking at the upc site earlier and for €45 you can get the 30Mb broadband + phone + evening/weekend calls. I wondering if this is a mistake or one of those thats the price for 3 months and then its loads more, but no sign of any condition like that anywhere. Great deal if thats the case.

eioneill · 14-10-2010 1:16pm

My mistake that was meant to be €42 for 30Mb. Was looking at the deal you mentioned. The €45 for the 30Mb and phone seems like a cracking deal alright. You also get a FREE wireless router and FREE cordless phone. For an extra €5 you can upgrade it to Anytime World phone service aswell.

madmoe · 14-10-2010 1:27pm

bazwaldo wrote: »

Another option is to stick up a sat dish for "free to air" and get most of those channels and many others for free. You don't get the Irish channels in digital on that though. You need to get an aerial and digitial terestial tuner that decodes mpeg4, or just watch analogue via an aerial. No monthly charge once installed. You do lose out on a handful of channels, but not many that most people watch.

Have TV3 gone digital yet lads??

bazwaldo · 14-10-2010 1:36pm

madmoe wrote: »

Have TV3 gone digital yet lads??

I don't think so. My aerial is a bit off the past few months so I haven't been using DTT and I haven't a chance to repoint it, so maybe they are now.

scorn · 14-10-2010 2:16pm

I haven't done a re-scan to see if it's there yet.

As far as I'm aware they have to be up and running before the end of October...

Soarer · 14-10-2010 2:17pm

eioneill wrote: »

Broadband and digital tv for €20.75??? Not a chance mate. This is Ireland.

Its just for the digital tv but is a good price.

€25 extra for 8Mb
€32 extra for 15Mb
€40 extra for 30Mb

Figured as much.
'Twas just the OP mentioned he was looking for a tv and broadband package, and came across this.

Too much to hope for really.

dodzy · 14-10-2010 4:28pm

bazwaldo wrote: »

Its €42 extra for 30Mb. However I was looking at the upc site earlier and for €45 you can get the 30Mb broadband + phone + evening/weekend calls. I wondering if this is a mistake or one of those thats the price for 3 months and then its loads more, but no sign of any condition like that anywhere. Great deal if thats the case.

I'm on 30mb bb. Digital + and Disney add on with UPC for 53 pm. Great deal.

whowantstwoknow · 14-10-2010 5:00pm

How are you getting that? I'm on the value pack (no + but I use a HTPC for recording) plus BB 15mb and it comes in at 52 pm?

Thanks
W.

scorn · 14-10-2010 5:10pm

Geez - I think it's time for me to renegotiate! It doesn't pay to be a long-standing customer as your bill is never reduced automatically when better deals are on offer...:mad:

irishguy · 16-10-2010 4:01pm

Is it not €25.75 to get the digital value with plus ?

Zynks · 16-10-2010 4:25pm

I thought the OP was referring to this one, but the price is 25.75. Since he doesn't refer to HD (€5 extra iirc), that would add up.

Jesus Wept · 16-10-2010 6:06pm

For £19 in the UK, sky give you their basic TV package, one entertainment pack, upto 20 meg broadband and free evening and weekend uk landline calls.
That's a bargain.

bazwaldo · 16-10-2010 9:27pm

dodzy wrote: »

I'm on 30mb bb. Digital + and Disney add on with UPC for 53 pm. Great deal.

Come on dodzy, how are getting that price? You're getting about 30 euro off per month!

scorn · 19-10-2010 11:22am

Yeah - tell us!

I'm about to phone customer services - try and speak to the loyalty dept as i've been paying €60 a month for their 'Go Digital Select Pack' and '10Mb Broadband Express' (which is actually the 15MB line) for longer than I care to remember.

I'm happy to cancel TV completely as I have the HTPC/Dish and DVB-T aerail setup at home anyway - unless they can persuade me to stay...

As I said - they never come back to existing customers to say "hey, we have a better deal for you here that can save you some €€ in these trying times!"

flutered · 19-10-2010 12:15pm

scorn wrote: »

Yeah - tell us!

I'm about to phone customer services - try and speak to the loyalty dept as i've been paying €60 a month for their 'Go Digital Select Pack' and '10Mb Broadband Express' (which is actually the 15MB line) for longer than I care to remember.

I'm happy to cancel TV completely as I have the HTPC/Dish and DVB-T aerail setup at home anyway - unless they can persuade me to stay...

As I said - they never come back to existing customers to say "hey, we have a better deal for you here that can save you some €€ in these trying times!"

one should never take anything for granted, one always shops around when car/house insuance is up, the same needs to be done when ones contract with every other service is up, tv and rubbish collection are just two where one can negociate

scorn · 19-10-2010 12:42pm

No one is disputing that at all - we would just like to know how the negotiations went from his point of view. Did he threaten to disconnect entirely? Say he was going to go to Sky as they were offering it for X amount? etc. etc.

Anyhow, I have just spoken to UPC customer loyalty and have an offer to reduce the monthly bill to €46.75 (down from €59) - and that includes multiroom viewing which I didn't have before.

It means re-signing a 12 month contract but I guess that's understandable.

whowantstwoknow · 19-10-2010 12:58pm

Just for comparison would you mind breaking down what exactly you are getting for €46.75?

Thanks

W.

bazwaldo · 19-10-2010 1:18pm

Well done scorn! Did you threaten them with leaving or which angle did you take?

I pay 62.75 for basic digital and 30m broadband. Have the sat+dvb-t+htpc setup too but having UPC is handy for the basic stations through analogue on the other tellys throughout the house.

scorn · 19-10-2010 1:55pm

To be honest, I think I was being overcharged in the first place. I am currently on (at €59 per month)

Go Digital Select Pack
15Mb Broadband Express

I phoned and pressed 3 for sales. Said I wanted to reduce my bill and they put me through to Customer Loyalty. I explained to the lady there (Kiera) that I needed to reduce my bill as it was too expensive so she offered:

€5 a month off 15MB broadband (down to €27)
Digital Value TV (usually €20.75) for €14.75

So that would have reduced my bill from €59 to €41.75. I can't see a channel lineup for Digital Select, but from looking at the Digital Value lineup I can't see anything missing that I'd usually watch.

I added on multiroom which is €5 a month bringing it up to €46.75

The only catch is that if you take the loyalty offer you have to sign another 12 month contract...

(edit: bazwaldo - I had the analogue channels connected to the TV as I couldn't get them to come through on my htpc tv tuner card while I had the dvb-t aerial connected. I'm still thinking about the multiroom as I'm not sure if I can get this to appear through the media center EPG unless I disconnect the dvb-t aerial again...)

bazwaldo · 19-10-2010 2:12pm

(edit: bazwaldo - I had the analogue channels connected to the TV as I couldn't get them to come through on my htpc tv tuner card while I had the dvb-t aerial connected. I'm still thinking about the multiroom as I'm not sure if I can get this to appear through the media center EPG unless I disconnect the dvb-t aerial again...)

I have a good bit of experience with windows media center if you want to PM me with your setup&problem, I could possibly help you out.

wmpdd3 · 19-10-2010 4:26pm

I have annolog TV (with splitters all over the house serving 3 rooms!) and 10mb broadband express for €53 per month.

the only thing putting me off getting digital was the 12 month contract as things are tight and the V would have to go before the esb!

Also, the upc box is in the bedroom, can I keep the annalog in the bedroom by plugging the co-ax into the box?

bazwaldo · 19-10-2010 7:29pm

The digital set top box can be fed from anywhere. It doesnt have to be near where UPC box is and should work after the cable has been split a few times. It does in my gaff anyway

Going digital (basic with no digital+) costs 20.75 a month and that includes getting analogue. So you should be getting digital (and keeping your ananlogue feeds) for 25c less than you are paying now.

EDIT: Order online for free installation which probably means they send it out to you and you do it but maybe not.

Jesus Wept · 19-10-2010 8:40pm

scorn wrote: »

To be honest, I think I was being overcharged in the first place. I am currently on (at €59 per month)
Go Digital Select Pack

15Mb Broadband Express

I phoned and pressed 3 for sales. Said I wanted to reduce my bill and they put me through to Customer Loyalty. I explained to the lady there (Kiera) that I needed to reduce my bill as it was too expensive so she offered:
€5 a month off 15MB broadband (down to €27)

Digital Value TV (usually €20.75) for €14.75

So that would have reduced my bill from €59 to €41.75. I can't see a channel lineup for Digital Select, but from looking at the Digital Value lineup I can't see anything missing that I'd usually watch.

I added on multiroom which is €5 a month bringing it up to €46.75

The only catch is that if you take the loyalty offer you have to sign another 12 month contract...

(edit: bazwaldo - I had the analogue channels connected to the TV as I couldn't get them to come through on my htpc tv tuner card while I had the dvb-t aerial connected. I'm still thinking about the multiroom as I'm not sure if I can get this to appear through the media center EPG unless I disconnect the dvb-t aerial again...)

I'm skeptical. I can't see why they wouldn't just reduce your broadband backage to 8mb (25e). Have you checked your speeds?

I called them up a few weeks ago to downgrade from 30meg to 15 meg, and didn't meet any resistance, loyalty team or attempt to save money on their part.

It sounds very un upc.

scorn · 20-10-2010 2:19pm

I'm skeptical....

Maybe it's a case of if you don't ask, you don't get...

For instance, as I said before, I was on €60 per month and there was no way that UPC were going to phone me up and say that they had a cheaper option for me. I think the freesat/dvb-t threat is significant enough to make them more flexible - or even more so the fact that a lot of people in this country just cannot afford these bills anymore. And after the next budget, what will happen then??

(The first thing they did ask was if I wanted to downgrade the BB speed - I said no as my wife works from home several days a week and needs a decent connection to make her life easier. I have done nummerous speed checks and I get 14.9 download and 1 upload which is satisfactory)

UPC Digital Value Package €20.75/month

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