Sky HD , SKY + rebranding

Tony

Just got this from Sky affiliate marketing:

Dear Tony,

Please be aware as of the 1st July Sky HD will change to Sky + HD.

On July 1st Sky HD is rebranding, as such the Sky HD Box will be changing to Sky + HD Box and HD Subscription will change to HD Mix. New terminology options can be seen below:

New HD Product Terminology Due July 1st:

The Sky+ HD product consists of three components:

A Sky+ HD box
The Sky HD Mix, which has a monthly subscription of £10 and is dependant on a Sky Digital subscription. The Sky HD Mix may also be known as the ‘HD Mix’ or the ‘Sky HD Service’
Sky+ subscription, providing Sky+ PVR functionality (currently £0 pm)

Republic of Ireland

Standalone standard box - €0 (new customers), €0 (existing customers or €69 if already taken)
Install - €50 (new & existing)
Install - €50 (new & existing)
Standalone HD box - €149 (new & existing)
Install - €50 (new & existing)
FTA pricing remains the same

Boggles

Cheers for the info Tony.

I'm on the top package for standard sky box at the moment, does that mean I could drop the movies mix and add the HD mix and the price will stay the same.

Of course I'd have to shell out for the hd box and installation.

channelsurfer

so the sky hd price is dropping to €149? and existing customers can get that price too? pity they are not dropping the 15 euro per month charge.

keith_d99

Would snap it up if they dropped the 15 a month charge!

Dub13

keith_d99 wrote: »

Would snap it up if they dropped the 15 a month charge!

Hopefully its only a matter of time.

Tony

I think it maybe some time, they will keep this pricing until the end of the year at least I feel.

jaggiebunnet

Tony wrote: »

Standalone standard box - €0 (new customers), €0 (existing customers or €69 if already taken)

Does that mean as SKY+ is now the standard box that the mother in law could upgrade her sky box to sky+ for 69 + 50 install = 119?

mburke

Can you get a sky+ HD box under this offer but only use the sky + facility and not pay the 15 euro pm sub for SKy HD thus obviously not having SKY HD but having Sky+

channelsurfer

no I dont think so. you will pay full price for the box of around 399euro as the offer ties you into a 12 month contract at 15euro per month for HD.

glineli

jaggiebunnet wrote: »

Does that mean as SKY+ is now the standard box that the mother in law could upgrade her sky box to sky+ for 69 + 50 install = 119?

it looks like that, or at least i hope so!!!

eddiem74

Would be nice if the rebranded ‘HD Mix’ / ‘Sky HD Service’ would also include all HD channels in the mix / service e.g relevant Sports, Movies, rather than being double charged !

Tony

jaggiebunnet wrote: »

Does that mean as SKY+ is now the standard box

Forgive me if I missed something but where does it say that?

channelsurfer

keep in mind that for your 15euro per month HD subscription you wont at present get BBC HD, C4 HD or itv HD.. so no recording of the olympics champions league fa cup matches etc on your Sky+HD.. (bbc hd is the only one of the 3 available via add channels as well. c4Hd cant be added on the hd boxes).

Bluefish

I order Sky HD box (I am an existing customer) last week for E299. Expecting installation on Thursday.....

Can I cancel and order again on the first of July?

Gadgie

To clarify:

Is the Sky+ (SD) box being dropped, so that there will only be two install options (SD non-PVR box and Sky+ HD box)?
The price for the Sky+ HD box will be €149?

byte

Bluefish wrote: »

I order Sky HD box (I am an existing customer) last week for E299. Expecting installation on Thursday.....

Can I cancel and order again on the first of July?

I can't see why not.

If they ask why you're cancelling, give them the true reason, and they just might meet the 1st July price!

god's toy

As I plan on getting HD TV later on I like the idea of being able to get the + HD box right now and just 'add' the HD sub at a later date (when I get that darn HD TV) If they let us do that.

Really hope thats how it works as my + box is crashing alot now, 4 years old, old age... It makes more sense than buying another + box and replaceing that in a short time with a HD one.

jaggiebunnet

Tony wrote: »

Forgive me if I missed something but where does it say that?

Sorry - I thought there was a previous post to say that the sky + box was becoming the de facto standard box for new installs.

watty

It may do. Though probably a different lower cost model.

John mac

Can you get a sky+ HD box under this offer but only use the sky + facility and not pay the 15 euro pm sub for SKy HD thus obviously not having SKY HD but having Sky+

i dont know about under the offer but i have a hd box and have all the + features.
i do not pay the €15 got hd sub. just have the basic package.
have BBCHD on other channels. and ch4 hd (when i change the card:D)

mburke

John mac wrote: »

i dont know about under the offer but i have a hd box and have all the + features.
i do not pay the €15 got hd sub. just have the basic package.
have BBCHD on other channels. and ch4 hd (when i change the card:D)

Did you get this through Sky or did you order via a website or local installer ?

John mac

got it on ebay and put in in myself.

Tony

No problem, there was speculation that this would happen in the past but the latest marketing thinking seems to indicate that the sky+ box will disappear so you will just have basic box and HD box. I guess when we see it in practice come July all will be revealed.

EDIT: Spoke with some guys in wholesale who tell me that the "churn" rate on sky + boxes is lower than standard boxes so my understanding of Sky's marketing thinking was inaccurate and it looks like the basic box may well go now.

jaggiebunnet wrote: »

Sorry - I thought there was a previous post to say that the sky + box was becoming the de facto standard box for new installs.

Ludo

OK...this may be a silly question but here goes:

I was thinking about getting sky HD and will probably go for it now when the price drops...but they chanrge €50 installation? Why? I already have Sky+ so surely it is just a matter of whipping out the Sky+ box and connecting up the new SkyHD box. Am I missing some installation work that requires a €50 charge?
Or is the installation fee waived when upgrading from sky+ to HD?

Thanks.

Tony

You are paying for the guy to bring the box to you and set it up, they do not allow self install on this offer.

Ludo wrote: »

I was thinking about getting sky HD and will probably go for it now when the price drops...but they chanrge €50 installation? Why? I already have Sky+ so surely it is just a matter of whipping out the Sky+ box and connecting up the new SkyHD box. /QUOTE]

Ludo

Thanks Tony...

Update:
Just rang Sky to enquire about this to get a quote to upgrade to SkyHD from Sky+
Total up front cost of €347.50 plus €15 per month :eek:

Cost included these charges
€299 for the hd box (no price drop next month...will only apply to NEW customers I was told)
Installation - €45 or something. Forget the exact amount for installation but apparently is involves running all new wiring to the dish from the box to support HD signal...is this true?
Also he asid I aould be charged €60 as I am not connected to a phoneline even though I have been a customer for YEARS!

Now that I see it written down..the figures he told me does not add up to the total he told me...hmmm.
That is a lot of money for an upgrade and defo not worth it IMHO.

Tony

The info you were given contradicts the info I received from sky:

"Standalone HD box - €149 (new & existing) "

You do not need no cabling assuming your existing cabling is of the right type and installed correctly. Not for the first time Sky's sales team contradict their own management. I guess we will have to wiat until July 1st and check the sky Ireland website

Ludo

It is at times like this that Sky really annoy me.

They want over 100 euro from me to UPGRADE my subscription on top of the extra 15 a month they will make. There is no work involved as wiring is perfect and very recently installed when I moved house so just a matter of plugging in new box...that'll be 50 yoyos please!

And then another fee as I don't have a phone line connected. That contract clause ran out years ago! So they treat me as a new customer when it costs me money but won't give me any of the benefits of a new customer...screw em.

:mad:

Tony

I can easily understand your annoyance

Ludo wrote: »

It is at times like this that Sky really annoy me.

channelsurfer

a quick cost comparision

sky hd 149 plus 60 to install = 209
Subscription minimum 35 per month x 12 months =420
total for one year = 629 approx

freesat HD PVR
cheapest anticipated price 249 sterling = €320approx plus quad lnb and wiring self install of around 60euro
total = 380 euro self install or say 480 to 500 for professional install with no additional subscription after that.

up to people which they prefer really, but remember if you stop subscribing to sky your pvr function of the HD becomes useless.

mburke

any idea when the freesat HD PVR shall be available ?