Removal of knowledge channels in HD pack

DHFrame

Just to let you guys know. I just had all the knowledge channels removed from my HD pack. I called them, told them I have a letter here stating I need to call to have them put back because I am still in my 12 month contract. They were being very difficult with me telling me I have to buy the corresponding mix to get the HD channels I want.

I told them, because they have made a significant change to my contract and now I am essentially paying 15 euro a month to record SKY1 HD and E4+1 I would like to cancel the HD pack immediately.......they switched them back on.

Get them back and don't let them bully you.. what they are doing is actually a breach of contract altogether. The guys outside 12 months cant do a thing unfortunately. Just cancel the HD pack, it's not worth it any more. You still get all the free ITV's BBC's....

200motels

I beg to disagree, I think the HD package is well worth it, for the price of less than 2 packs of cigs a month it's well worth it.

yknaa

Noticed this last night. I could not get Sky Arts HD1 and HD2. Not happy at all but still on the 12 month contract. Must get in touch. Wonder what other ones I can't access as usual.

whynotdo

200motels wrote: »

I beg to disagree, I think the HD package is well worth it, for the price of less than 2 packs of cigs a month it's well worth it.

Hi 200motels not meant as a specific criticism of You in the least,just so representitive of how many people defend sky against their "Rope a dope" tactics both here and on Digital Spy.

Reading about how it all began there was the ill conceived BSB to Rival Murdoch's Sky(and i admit he put the family silver into Sky Analouge)
It all began as as a four channel Analouge service.(there had been a two hour satelite channel called Sky which Murdoch bought)

He Launched Sky as a four channel free service consisting of Sky one.News,Movies and Eurosport saying it would remain free.
He misled People then as much as bSKYb do now.
It is just bad form to lead customers who took up Sky HD on the basis that the extra payment would give them all the HD channels and then move the goalposts(but it is true to form by Sky and the reason many spell it Sly or $ly)

The recession does not seem to be affecting Sky or many who defend it,in fact because so many people are feeling the squeeze of the recession they took up Sky subscriptions as the only 'Luxury' they could still afford.no more meeting mates in a pub for a big match or whatever Sport they enjoy,trying to keep their sanity by having something to keep their mind occupied after losing jobs through no fault of their own stuck at home all day.

Sky see this as an opportunity to make more money rather than being loyal to customers who remained loyal to them.IMO.

I sincerely hope this Vulture type behaviour backfires on Sky when/if this recession ends,People return to work, and remember the way Sky kicked them when they were down and promptly cancel.

200motels

whynotdo wrote: »

Hi 200motels not meant as a specific criticism of You in the least,just so representitive of how many people defend sky against their "Rope a dope" tactics both here and on Digital Spy.

Reading about how it all began there was the ill conceived BSB to Rival Murdoch's Sky(and i admit he put the family silver into Sky Analouge)
It all began as as a four channel Analouge service.(there had been a two hour satelite channel called Sky which Murdoch bought)

He Launched Sky as a four channel free service consisting of Sky one.News,Movies and Eurosport saying it would remain free.
He misled People then as much as bSKYb do now.
It is just bad form to lead customers who took up Sky HD on the basis that the extra payment would give them all the HD channels and then move the goalposts(but it is true to form by Sky and the reason many spell it Sly or $ly)

The recession does not seem to be affecting Sky or many who defend it,in fact because so many people are feeling the squeeze of the recession they took up Sky subscriptions as the only 'Luxury' they could still afford.no more meeting mates in a pub for a big match or whatever Sport they enjoy,trying to keep their sanity by having something to keep their mind occupied after losing jobs through no fault of their own stuck at home all day.

Sky see this as an opportunity to make more money rather than being loyal to customers who remained loyal to them.IMO.

I sincerely hope this Vulture type behaviour backfires on Sky when/if this recession ends,People return to work, and remember the way Sky kicked them when they were down and promptly cancel.

Fair points and in no way would I defend Sky the way they rip off us here in Ireland, I just think the HD package is good value. One thing I think RTE and Sky should do is make RTE FTA to anyone who has a valid Irish card, we shouldn't have to pay for RTE no Sky as we already pay a Leicence fee which we have no choice to do so, and I know someone will come no here and say that we can get RTE through an ariel FTA, but that's not good enough in this day and age.

Minstrel27

200motels wrote: »

I beg to disagree, I think the HD package is well worth it, for the price of less than 2 packs of cigs a month it's well worth it.

Do you also agree with how they rip you off when compared to their UK customers?

DHFrame

whynotdo wrote: »

I sincerely hope this Vulture type behaviour backfires on Sky when/if this recession ends,People return to work, and remember the way Sky kicked them when they were down and promptly cancel.

What a perfect statement.

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Do you also agree with how they rip you off when compared to their UK customers?

I think a lot of the time the differences between UK and Irish prices as a lot to do with Fat Cats in this country. Don't forget, when Sky, O2, Vodafone and 3 want to sell their product here in Ireland the have to pay some fat ****er sat in Dublin for the privilege to do so. My experience with Sky has made me very weary of their tactics and manipulations. They are also subsidising a lot of the broadcast fees channels pay, like Channel4 for example, they pay half of it for them cos they know it helps sell Sky subscriptions, they add 1euro/pound to the bill to get it back. The same with Digiweb coming out to fix my cable then telling me it's my fault because I moved my router across the room. It wasnt. Their cable is faulty, it wasn't up to the job. How can moving it be regarded as being my fault. You have to really stand up to them, be the same back, ''ok Mr Digiweb, re-break it and put it back as it was.. I ain't signing that piece of paper for the €60 euro call out charge''. Then they cant be arsed and move on. I hate Sky but I want their product. They need me more though. They even tried to run off with my €15 euro bonus for ordering Sky online...

anotherlostie

I was going to sign up to Sky and get HD earlier in the year and when I spoke to the agent she advised me that because you got all the 'good channels' on the HD pack, you mightn't bother taking the mixes for the other channels. I genuinely believe she was being nice. As I was going away for a few weeks I said I would leave it, but when I rang again the new rules had come in about only getting HD for the packs you took. So I decided to forego Sky as HD was my reason for getting it (UPC not an option) so I guess they've lost a potential €500 from me. I remember there were rumours about the HD sub being integrated into the mix price - I guess that's all they were, rumours.

BArra

if you are within ur 12 month contract and they have removed your hd channels that are in mixes you dont subscribe to, ring them to get them reactivated

however...after your 12 months, you can be sure they will dissapear, and you would have to sign up to the corresponding mix to get the equivilant hd channel...

massively dissapointed, i rang them yday to get my channels put back on as im within my 12 months, but now after my year is up, will it be worth it to me to get other mixes? i only subscribe to the variety pack :mad:

DHFrame

Tactics. Goal = Get a certain number of subscribers by x time by offering a good deal. Once customer numbers have been achieved remove the deal.

200motels

DHFrame wrote: »

Tactics. Goal = Get a certain number of subscribers by x time by offering a good deal. Once customer numbers have been achieved remove the deal.

Good marketing I would think.

stanley1

lost arts 1 an2 and eurosport hd, outside my 12 month contract, looks like i'll have to fork out to get them back.

Minstrel27

That's Sky's plan, to get you to pay out more.

SkySalesman

You may not have sympathy with my situation but here goes. I am an INDEPENDENT Sky salesman based in a shopping centre (so no hiding place from angry customers).

Last year Sky were pushing us like mad to sell HD and the big hook was ‘Customers get ALL the HD channels in the basic pack REGARDLESS of subscription’.

When I received the letter as a Sky customer around June/July I was filled with a sense of dread for the HUNDREDS of customers who I persuaded to take HD on the basis that they would get AT LEAST 16 HD channels whatever pack they choose. And sure enough, they are back to my door and (quite rightly) complaining.

Two points, firstly I (sort of) understand where Sky are coming from, they’re introducing all these new HD channels (sports news for example) and customers are ‘rewarding’ them by downgrading and removing that package.

However Sky should honour the deal for customers within the first 12 months of their contract so get on to them I say

Lastly, have sympathy for us. All shop based Sky agents that I know are honest hardworking people, we weren't sat in the boardroom with them taking these decisions

Cantona's Collars

Not your fault SKYSALESMAN, Sky pushed all it's retailers and reps to push HD and initially the prospect of getting channels in HD from packages that people didn't subscribe to was very appealing.
However SKY in their wisdom decided to realign HD channels to reflect what subscribers were paying for and of course the rep's etc. are left as first point of contact for angry customers.I know for a fact that Sky give information to sales agents the same time as customers become aware of it and the agents don't have any insider knowledge of Sky's plans so the agents are the wrong people to blame unless they deliberately misled people.

Roar

dirty feckers.. at least the programmes i had recorded are still available.. Had some Pixies gigs recorded off Sky Arts, didn't want to lose them!

DHFrame

200motels wrote: »

Good marketing I would think.

Good Marketing? Doesn't sound like a strong long term business plan to me... What do they care though. They will keep on having customers however they behave. Problem in Ireland is we don't have many other alternatives.

DHFrame

Roar wrote: »

dirty feckers.. at least the programmes i had recorded are still available.. Had some Pixies gigs recorded off Sky Arts, didn't want to lose them!

You loose your recordings along side the channels. This is Sky dude.

DHFrame

SkySalesman wrote: »

Lastly, have sympathy for us. All shop based Sky agents that I know are honest hardworking people, we weren't sat in the boardroom with them taking these decisions

At the end of the day sales agents and staff cant be blamed for Sky's marketing tactics. You have a job to do. Me personally only have a gripe at the Big Boys and their decision making. Not some guy/gal who sells it to me. You have a job to do. Lives to live and kids to feed... What is annoying though is the phones agents pretending they don't know what you are talking about...

bambam

I had the same problem. I rang them up and without hassle, they re-added the missing channels and confirmed there'll be no extra charge during the remaining time on my contract.

Guess it's another example of 'Regulation 17' in effect: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055941844

snaps

Sky do have a great option of HD channels i have to admit, but when your paying an extra 15€ on top of what you are paying it really isnt great value. Most european providers give you HD for free with your sub.