Got a letter from UPC

The Minstrel

to take their digital package for 20.75 a month which is 4quid less than I already pay for the basic 17 channels. Do Sky do a similar package - I'd like to switch just because UPC have clearly been ripping me off for so long...

campo

The Minstrel wrote: »

to take their digital package for 20.75 a month which is 4quid less than I already pay for the basic 17 channels. Do Sky do a similar package - I'd like to switch just because UPC have clearly been ripping me off for so long...

Sky's basic pack is 22e per month so you want to switch as you figure you have been ripped off even though UPC have contacted to say we can charge you less money and give you more channels?????

angel01

The Minstrel wrote: »

to take their digital package for 20.75 a month which is 4quid less than I already pay for the basic 17 channels. Do Sky do a similar package - I'd like to switch just because UPC have clearly been ripping me off for so long...

How are they ripping you off, when they are offering you something better and cheaper

The Minstrel

The very fact that they are charging me more for an inferior package is a rip-off. What are they doing sending me letters, why don't they just give me the better price.

Kristopherus

The Minstrel wrote: »

The very fact that they are charging me more for an inferior package is a rip-off. What are they doing sending me letters, why don't they just give me the better price.

Did you not ask them that?

kdave

I do think that is a disgrace that Sky are dissing UPC in their advertisments

paulm17781

The Minstrel wrote: »

The very fact that they are charging me more for an inferior package is a rip-off. What are they doing sending me letters, why don't they just give me the better price.

Because they want to move people to digital so they cans switch off analogue. Why not subscribe to digital instead of complaining on a message board?

campo

kdave wrote: »

I do think that is a disgrace that Sky are dissing UPC in their advertisments

Healthy competition which is a good thing and been honest the fact that Sky are even mentioning UPC shows they are worried they must have lost a lot of customers to UPC recently and they want to buck that trend

justsomebloke

The Minstrel wrote: »

The very fact that they are charging me more for an inferior package is a rip-off. What are they doing sending me letters, why don't they just give me the better price.

no offence but have you actually bothered checking the price of your NTL in the last few years to see if there is anything cheaper or better out there?

From the sound of it no you haven't so I have no sympathy for you. The price for the analog service is a set price and you are subscribed to this. Digital is now cheaper but cause it requires equipment they can't just turn it "on" and give you the cheaper price.

The Minstrel

paulm17781 wrote: »

Because they want to move people to digital so they cans switch off analogue. Why not subscribe to digital instead of complaining on a message board?

I saw the list of extras channels and it is nothing but pure dross. I do not wish to subscribe to this tripe, I merely want the basic package which should be cheapest.

campo

The Minstrel wrote: »

I saw the list of extras channels and it is nothing but pure dross. I do not wish to subscribe to this tripe, I merely want the basic package which should be cheapest.

But if you dont want them just dont watch them you still have all the same channels you used to but would be paying a lower rate.

And the whole reason the basic package is not the cheapest package is to encourage people to go to Digital but if they dont want to fine they can stay on the analogue set up after all I cant see the analogue set up being switched off anytime soon

paulm17781

The Minstrel wrote: »

I saw the list of extras channels and it is nothing but pure dross. I do not wish to subscribe to this tripe, I merely want the basic package which should be cheapest.

That's good. However they wish to move people to digital and are prepared to charge you less for it. Your analogue is going to disappear one day so whether you like it or not, you are going to lose that subscription at some stage. The obvious and logical thing to do is quit being pointlessly stubborn and upgrade to digital (and save money). Who knows, you may find you watch some of the channels. Alternatively, keep complaining on a message board, that will help.

Fresh Pots

The Minstrel wrote: »

The very fact that they are charging me more for an inferior package is a rip-off. What are they doing sending me letters, why don't they just give me the better price.

Because they won't you to move to digital. At least for the foreseeable future anyway all the digital packages come with free analogue, so just upgrade to digital and forget you have the box, continue to watch the basic channels in the same way.

Picture quality is much better with digital and you might even find a few new channels that you like.

who is this

The Minstrel wrote: »

The very fact that they are charging me more for an inferior package is a rip-off. What are they doing sending me letters, why don't they just give me the better price.

Because the better price is on condition you go digital, and they can't very well sneak into your house like ninjas and set it up in the middle of the night, now can they?

Seriously, you're being ridiculous.

So there's channels you won't watch? Big effing deal. You're paying a NEGATIVE amount for them, so get over it.

STB

Not one of the posts is helpful to the OP. Are yis all customer service reps for Sky/NTL ?

Minstrel where are you ?

Can you receive DTT and can you put up a satellite dish in your back garden or house.

I suggest you look at getting a HD DTT/Sat box. http://www.saortv.com/shop/Digital-TV-Receivers/Combo/Edision-Argus-mini-2-in-1-IP-Combo-HD-Satellite/DTT-Receiver/prod_72.html

€169. If you dont have a Sat dish you can get one with a Quad LNB in Power City for €49.

Heres the channels you get for FREE. (NO MORE BILLS). This is what Sky and NTL dont want you to know.

1 RTÉ 1
2 RTE 2
3 TV 3 (Currently on Test Card)
4 TG 4
5 BBC 1 NI
6 BBC 2 NI
7 BBC HD
8 UTV
9 ITV1 HD
10 Channel 4
11 Channel 4 +1
12 FIVE
13 E4
14 E4+1
15 More4
16 More4 +1
17 BBC Three
18 BBC Four
19 ITV2
20 ITV2+1
21 ITV3
22 ITV3+1
23 ITV4
24 ITV4+1
25 Film4
26 Film4 +1
27 RTÉ News Now
28 BBC NEWS
29 Sky News Ireland
30 CNN
31 CNBC
32 Bloomberg
33 Euronews
34 CBBC Channel
35 CBeebies
36 CITV
37 POP
38 Tiny Pop
39 Tiny Pop +1
40 Kix!
41 PopGirl
42 PopGirl +1
43 jazeerachildren
44 CBS Action
45 CBS Drama
46 CBS Reality+1
47 Zone Horror
48 Zone Horror+1
49 Film24
50 True Movies
51 True Movies 2
52 movies4men
53 mov4men+1
54 movies4men 2
55 mov4men2 +1
56 BBC ALBA
57 BBC PARL'MNT
58 S4C
59 S4C2
60 Luxe TV HD
61 Fitness TV
62 Men & Motors
63 Horse & Country
64 Fashion TV
65 wedding tv
66 BET
67 BET +1
68 Food Network
69 Food Netwrk+1
70 Rural TV
71 Controversial tv
72 Sumo TV
73 The Vault
74 Chart Show TV
75 NME TV
76 Flava
77 Bliss
78 Scuzz
79 Flaunt
80 ROCKWORLDTV
81 Clubland TV
82 oMusic TV
83 STREAM-0
84 STREAM-1
85 STREAM-2
86 STREAM-3
87 STREAM-4
88 STREAM-5
89 STREAM-6
90 T7 STRM-0
91 T7 STRM-1
92 Al Jazeera Eng
93 France 24
94 Russia Today
95 PTV Prime
96 Abu Dhabi TV
97 PCNE Chinese
98 QVC
99 Thane Direct
100 Travel Channel
101 Travel Ch +1
102 JML Direct
103 JML CookShop
104 Ideal World
105 Ideal World 2
106 Ideal World 3
107 Shop on TV
108 price-drop tv
109 Entrepreneur
110 BBC 1 London
111 BBC 2 England
112 BBC 1 Wales
113 BBC 2 Wales
114 BBC 1 Scotland
115 BBC 2 Scotland
116 ITV1 London
117 STV
118 ITV1 Wales

Radio
1 RTÉ Radio 1
2 RTÉ 2FM
3 RTÉ Lyric FM
4 RTÉ Raidió na Gae

paulm17781

STB wrote: »

Not one of the posts is helpful to the OP. Are yis all customer service reps for Sky/NTL ?

Yes. Because the OP never checked to see if there is a better package available from UPC and is now being pointlessly stubborn, we all work for Sky/UPC. Did you not know that most people on boards are employed by Sky UPC? :rolleyes:

STB

paulm17781 wrote: »

Yes. Because the OP never checked to see if there is a better package available from UPC and is now being pointlessly stubborn, we all work for Sky/UPC. Did you not know that most people on boards are employed by Sky UPC? :rolleyes:

:rolleyes: Yourself.

Well Sky/UPC need all the help they can get. They are haemorrhaging customers day by day as most people cop on to the fact that these basic stations are infact free to air.

Minstrel27

STB wrote: »

Minstrel where are you ?

Eh?

djimi

STB wrote: »

:rolleyes: Yourself.

Well Sky/UPC need all the help they can get. They are haemorrhaging customers day by day as most people cop on to the fact that these basic stations are infact free to air.

Sky/UPC dont need much help tbf. I have a freesat system set up and honest there are about 5 channels I watch on it, and one of them is OpenAccess once a week on a Sunday night for NASCAR racing. Most other channels I watch, the ones I consider to have decent content, are not free to air and therefore require me to have a UPC subscription. I would imagine a lot of people are in the same boat. Freesat is fantastic for what it is but its not the be all and end all.

STB

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Eh?

The OP Minstrel 27 is called "The Ministrel". It gets all very confusing with so many minstrels.....

djimi wrote: »

Sky/UPC dont need much help tbf. I have a freesat system set up and honest there are about 5 channels I watch on it, and one of them is OpenAccess once a week on a Sunday night for NASCAR racing. Most other channels I watch, the ones I consider to have decent content, are not free to air and therefore require me to have a UPC subscription. I would imagine a lot of people are in the same boat. Freesat is fantastic for what it is but its not the be all and end all.

With all respect djimi we were talking about basic channels on NTL/UPC/Chorus. My point is that these basic channels that NTL/UPC/Chorus charge their custiomers for are Free to Air.

There would most certainly be more than 5 channels that people watch that are actually are free to air. This is the stats last year and doesnt account for the high numbers that have actually stopped subcribing to Sky/NTL/UPC/Chorus as they can no longer afford it and have moved to FTA systems. Infact this table shows that 10 of the top 20 channels that people pay for are actually free to air. If you look closely 9 out of the Top 10 most watched channels are actually Free to Air - either on 28.2/Analogue or DTT.

I havent went down the road of the Nickleodeons which are free on other sat systems to prove my point any further. The reality is in general peoples most basic viewing habits can be solved with a once off Combo HD box with NO monthly subs. Of course its a well kept secret isnt it.

Position Channel Owner Share of total viewing (%)
1 RTÉ One Raidió Teilifís Éireann 23.7 FTA
2 TV3 Ireland TV3 Group 12.3 FTA
3 RTÉ Two Raidió Teilifís Éireann 9.65 FTA
4 BBC One Northern Ireland BBC 5.29 FTA
5 UTV UTV Media 4.53 FTA
6 Channel 4 NI Channel 4 3.74 FTA
7 BBC Two Northern Ireland BBC 3.06 FTA
8 TG4 Teilifís na Gaeilge 2.67 FTA
9 Sky1 Sky Ireland 1.92
10 E4 Channel 4 1.19 FTA
11 Living Virgin Media Television 1.18
12 Comedy Central MTV Networks Europe 1.02
13 Sky News Ireland Sky Ireland 1.17 FTA
14 Setanta Ireland Setanta Sports 0.9
15 Sky Sports 1 Sky Ireland 0.94
16 3e TV3 Group 0.85
17 MTV MTV Networks Europe 0.72
18 Sky Sports News BSkyB 0.53
19 Nickelodeon Ireland MTV Networks Europe 0.48
20 Nick Jr MTV Networks Europe 0.46

Also as more people discover that ITV2, 3 & 4 as well as BBC 3 and 4 and Channel 4, E4, More 4, BBC HD and ITV HD (and Channel 4 HD later this year) and the BBCi Sports streams are actually also free to air (and in some cases not even on basic channel list that NTL/UPC/Chorus are charging for) of course these figures will change.

Minstrel27

We are a popular bunch

campo

13 Sky News Ireland Sky Ireland 1.17 FTA

I hear this is going from FTA soon

STB

campo wrote: »

13 Sky News Ireland Sky Ireland 1.17 FTA

I hear this is going from FTA soon

Source ?

Sky News will be remaining FTA (there are multiple versions and feeds of it - they may be labelled as Ireland/Intl/etc here but it wont matter to FTA customers - the Irish label is only a Sky news feeds targeting Irish via adverts). The source of this info is from medialive.ie (and media information site for advertisers and broadcasters).

It will go the opposite way, Sky are far too vain about their News channel and wont be hiding it away. They have been talking about puting it on the Freesat platform for ages! As it is there are multiple feeds FTA that can be added to a Freesat box anyhow without the 7 day epg, mind you.

Minstrel27

campo wrote: »

13 Sky News Ireland Sky Ireland 1.17 FTA

I hear this is going from FTA soon

No. Sky Sports News is leaving DTT in the UK.

campo

Minstrel27 wrote: »

No. Sky Sports News is leaving DTT in the UK.

Oh was that it thanks Minstrel