Exisiting Customer Switching to Sky+

sue denim

I want to switch my current subscription to Sky+ but it's more expensive than if I were to subscribe as a new customer. I think I may have a way round it, but would like to know if it's as straightforward as it seems.

The subscription is in my name. We dont have a phone line, so we paid the appropriate fee 2 years ago when we subscribed. If I cancel the subscription, and my brother opens it again in his name at the same address, will we qualify as new customers without having to pay the fee for no phone-line?

I've heard Sky are notorious for bad customer service, will they let us away with this, or will they charge as existing customers because it's the same address? Will they delay setting up an account in a new name at the same address?

Thanks guys.

Sleipnir

Well, you are existing customers so in all likelihood, they will charge you accordingly.

I also wouldn't think you're the first person to come up with cancelling and re-subscribing as a cunning way around it. If it was that simple, nobody would be an existing customer.

tfitzgerald

i cancelled it in my name and opened up a new account with sky in my wifes name we used the same bank account their database is not good enough to connect the two so you should have no problem upgrading to sky + btw it think its very handy .i dont know how you will get on without the phone but i would chance it i think the + is well worth it

steveon

Currently the Sky + box is free, there is no manual fee for non manual sub...so technically you could do what ur suggesting and get a sky plus box...install will cost you €50 for a std install...not my recommended method but...no1 can stop you..

elchanco

im thinking about the same thing... cancel my acc, get the wife to ring up as new cumstomer! i REALLY want sky+ but im not paying the extra cost..

fm

i am an existing customer with sky(€30 a month package)for the past 4 years .last week i rang them for an upgrade to plus but was being charged 199 so i got transfered to customer services in the uk and told them i wanted it for the same price as a new customer,€50 .they said no so i told them i wanted to get disconnected asap,got transfered to be disconnected and was asked the reason why i wanted to disconnect and straightaway was offered it for €50,so today it was installed.two other people i know did the same thing and were also offerd it for 50 euros.there seems to be no point in ringing the upgrade telephone number in ireland as the people there told me what they see on their pc screens is all they can offer me.

muffler

tfitzgerald wrote: »

i cancelled it in my name and opened up a new account with sky in my wifes name we used the same bank account their database is not good enough to connect the two so you should have no problem upgrading to sky + btw it think its very handy

Did that also and had no problems. Same phone number, same address, etc. A couple of years ago though

byte

muffler wrote: »

Did that also and had no problems. Same phone number, same address, etc. A couple of years ago though

On the flipside, I had a friend who tried that approach, but he was renegged, based on the landline phonenumber he tried to use on the new contract matching the number he already had on the old account. A mobile number on another new contract sorted it.

ScrubsfanChris

I am in the same situation as the thread starter. I currently have had a normal sky box on the 60 euro something package since 2002 (7 years next month). My friend was asking about an upgrade to sky+ at one of their stalls that they had at the local shopping centre on my behalf and she was given a quote of 239 EURO. Madness....
What I want to know is what the hell am I being charged for? I mean there's the new box, second wire from the dish..what else, do I need a phone line and if not does the box have a LAN connection so I can stick a wireless reciever in the back if it's needed.
Any help would be nice

Also if you where to cancel an existing subcription and sign up to a new one to save money, how many days would I have to wait to see tv again.
I am living in a suberb outside Cork City if it's any help.

byte

For existing customers, it is €99 for the box, and €100 for standard install, looking at Sky's website.

http://www.sky.com/portal/site/ireland/products/equipment/skyplus

difenda

Hi sue,

I posted a similiar query only 3 days ago. I was going to buy a Sky+ box privately and hook that up as I did the LNB upgrade and ran 8 coax into the house. Yesterday I called Sky and told them I wanted to upgrade to a Sky+ box and I got nowhere until I asked for the cancellations dept. I basically told them I was an existing customer for years on 2 mix package always paid my bills and that they were not looking after me just because I was an existing customer. Told them that I no longer wanted the upgrade and want to cancel the lot and they looked after me then ! Got the Sky+ box for 49 euro, no install charge, no extra per month on my bill and no 37 euro charge for not having a land line (I pointed out that most people have mobiles or broadband these days). The engineer is coming out to me on Saturday, 3 days yipee.

Have your viewing card number at the ready and call 0818 719 819 and choose options 4, 1, 2 to get to cancellations and give them your heart felt plea. Its ony fair, we are loyal customers (getting rogered in Ireland) in favour of them signing up new business.

Let us know how you get on.

Charlie

vibe666

i was going to suggest the same thing.

they always seem unable to do you a favour till they think they might lose you altogether as a customer.

tell them you're going to get an independent engineer to install a freeview box because Sky think so little of their existing customers that they don't offer them incentives like they do to new customers, they'll soon sort you out.

keep pushing them though, don't give in right away. it's not unheard of for existing customers to get the same deals as new subscribers by threatening to leave altogether.

sue denim

I'm the thread-started, I phoned sky, telling them I was going to cancel and either go to Chorus, or resubscribe and get plus cheaper. However, the guy I spoke to explained that as I don't have a phone-line, we paid a "no-phone line fee" when I first joined. If I cancelled and subscribed again, I'd have to pay this and it would'nt be worth my while. He offered me Sky+ for €24.50 which I took, because it's still cheaper and more convenient that cancelling and getting Chorus' version.
My other half has since phoned them, he told them his package is too expensive and that he wanted to cancel and get Chorus' version of plus, he came out with his package reduced from €69.50 to €55, and he's getting plus and multiroom installed for €50.
My sister phoned them to cancel as she has all the channels too and wanted to change to Chorus, they also offered her all the channels for €55 a month, and offered her free sky+ and multiroom for FREE. She still cancelled though!
Another firend of mine in the UK phoned up to cancel his sports for the summer because he doesn't watch it while the football season is off, they offered to reduce his bill by £30 a month if he kept it instead of cancelling and resubscribing when the football is back. He said no, and they said they'd reduce his bill by £20 a month PERMANENTLY if he kept it.

So basically, the more determined you are to cancel, the more they will offer you. Stick to your guns until you get a good deal!

elchanco

sue denim wrote: »

However, the guy I spoke to explained that as I don't have a phone-line, we paid a "no-phone line fee" when I first joined. If I cancelled and subscribed again, I'd have to pay this and it would'nt be worth my while.

I cancelled and had my wife sign up as a new customer.. we got sky+ for free! We also have no phoneline conected to sky...
If I remember we payed the "no-phone line fee" a few years ago, but we didnt have to pay again!