UPC for internet + Sky for TV = Silly Yes or No?

Mad Mike

We are currently with UPC for internet and TV but I am thinking of splitting: keeping UPC for internet and going to Sky for TV.

Internet: We use a lot of internet (600Gb / month) and UPC internet seems by far the best option.

TV: Don't need premium channels but we like to pause, record watch box sets etc. Sky seems to have generally better TV offering than UPC.

Obviously we lose any bundle discounts by splitting but after the UPC increase there is a fairly minimal cost difference.

I have never had Sky so are there any reasons not to do this?

L1011

Only reason is cost - if you're happy with the cost, and can have a dish, nothing will stop it working.

total former

If you can find a reasonably cost-effective way to do this, will you post it up here?

I've been thinking of doing the same but it just seems crazy expensive unless you go for the bare minimum TV offering from Sky, so even with the UPC cost increase, sticking with them seems the best option.

Suggestions would be welcome.

bk

For the internet side I'd definitely stick with UPC, it is far faster then anyone else and even cheaper.

UPC now has 240mb/s down, 24mb/s up with unlimited anytime mobile and landline calls for €45

The best Sky has is 100mb/s, 20mb/s (depends on distance from exchange, it can be as low as 7mb/s) with just off peak landline calls for €50

You would be mad to switch from UPC for BB.

For TV, that depends on your preference, if you prefer Sky and are willing to pay extra for it by splitting it.

Sam Russell

@OP

Why not consider the Freesat/Saorview option with perhaps Netflix for your boxsets?

sonofenoch

Sky over UPC for tv all day long....have access to both there's no comparison really.....UPC for broadband definately

Mad Mike

Thanks for the replies people. There seems to be general agreement that UPC is better for internet and Sky is better for TV, the real issue is cost if you don't opt for a bundle.

However when I look at costs I am not so sure UPC are offering much discount for buying stuff in a bundle: For example

UPC €75 bundle has bare-bones TV and €120MB broadband. You can get €120Mb broadband on its own for €40 per month so they are charging €35 for their bare bones TV offering (which will include promised new box sets service).

Sky Barebones package is €29 + €10 for HD+boxsets = €39

Bateman

I think there is more chance that Sky's broadband offering will catch up with UPC, than there is of UPC's television offering catching up with Sky's - HBO, for a start. I just don't see UPC getting that in the short to medium term, whereas Sky are already boasting about their new fibre package.

I have had UPC in the past, and I would agree with the consensus that it's better than Sky for the broadband. But I think Sky will catch up.

L1011

Bateman wrote: »

I think there is more chance that Sky's broadband offering will catch up with UPC, than there is of UPC's television offering catching up with Sky's - HBO, for a start. I just don't see UPC getting that in the short to medium term, whereas Sky are already boasting about their new fibre package.

I have had UPC in the past, and I would agree with the consensus that it's better than Sky for the broadband. But I think Sky will catch up.

Sky's broadband offering cannot catch up with UPCs for technological reasons. VDSL2+ offers 100mbits, absolutely maximum, if you live beside a cabinet.

UPC could offer 400mbits down 50mbits up in the morning if they felt they had to.

By the time G.Fast DSL is approach rollout point UPC will almost certainly have moved to DOCSIS 3.1 which already beats G.Fast, and so on. Its not even a game of cat and mouse when the mouse has coaxial to the home.

On the content front - the UK has rules that give maximum exclusivity periods for operator-owned channels meaning that shortly enough Sky will have to offer Sky Atlantic to Virgin Media. If they're selling it on cable in the UK there'll be far less reason to refuse to here - particularly as Virgin Media and UPC have the same owners. UPC should also be working to get more of the useful new non-Sky channels on quicker than they currently do, 4seven and ITVBe for instance. The ever reducing number of channels UPC have and Sky do not (or cannot) is not helping them in this.

bk

Bateman wrote: »

I think there is more chance that Sky's broadband offering will catch up with UPC, than there is of UPC's television offering catching up with Sky's - HBO, for a start. I just don't see UPC getting that in the short to medium term, whereas Sky are already boasting about their new fibre package.

You couldn't be more wrong!

First of all Sky don't have their own broadband infrastructure. They are simply reselling Eircom VDSL.

Second, VDSL is far, far inferior to cable Broadband. 100mb/s is absolutely the best you can do using VDSL.

UPC on the other hand can do 500mb/s in the morning if they wanted to and will be able to do 1Gb/s within the next year or so with the new DOCSIS 3.1 standard they are currently developing.

On the other hand it would be relatively straight forward for UPC to catch up or even surpass Sky TV. They jsut need a better DVR box with a better interface.

Note that UPC now owns Virgin Media in the UK, Virgin use TiVo for their DVR and it is considered far superior to the Sky+ box in almost every way. UPC Ireland has now been made a subsidiary of Virgin a few months ago, so it wouldn't be hard to imagine the Virgin TiVo box coming to Ireland and improving UPC's TV service substantially.