Attention All Sky Tv Customers

[hc4361]

I am seriously considering moving from Virgin to Sky in light of the cancellation of UKtv channels by Virgin.

I have never had a satellite dish and I'm concerned that my reception could be affected by weather, trees and other factors.

Your experience will be very helpful in helping me decide.

[Zacs-Master]

Our dish is between our house and some 25’ high confers. No probs. Storms sometimes affect the signal. Go for sky Q. You just missed a good deal where you could get a £600 43” LG UHD TV for £250.

[Rockrose]

I have sky and orchard and am surrounded by trees and don’t have any issues at all, other than the cost

[pastafreak]

Do you get Freeview? All UKTV free on there.

[Guilbert53]

I have Sky (not Sky Q yet) and do sometimes lose my signal if it is very heavy rain, but generally it is fine.

The other options is an "broadband" based offering where you get your TV down the broadband line, I think BT YouView is like that.

Sky did announce a while ago that they will probably move to a "broadband" based service and move away from dishes, though this is likely to take many years.

Sky do offer Now TV which I believe is already broadband based so maybe look at that.

https://www.nowtv.com/

[woofgang]

I am surrounded by tall trees and get good reception since my dish was repositioned. Before that it was fine for years till the trees grew. At the time the dish was first fitted, there was a prejudice against having them on the front of houses, otherwise it would have been fitted in the front in the first place. Fitters can check the signal strength and direction before they fit. If its really stormy I do lose reception for perhaps as much as 5 minutes but its a minor thing. No doubt that Sky ain't cheap but I get my value out of it I think.

[hc4361]

Thanks all, it's looking possible then.
Sadly not all UKtv is on Freeview, including Alibi and Gold

[hc4361]

Also if there is a fault with any of the equipment would I have to pay for a repair/replacement and call out?

[Zacs-Master]

Not if the fault wasn’t of your making.

[margarettom]

I have been a Sky customer for at least 15 years and did initially have a problem with the signal because of trees, but once they re- sited the dish we have had few problems. Only very heavy snow or bad thunder storms affect the signal. Their customer services are very good and British based.

[woofgang]

I pay to Sky for insurance cover It covers ALL repairs, replacements and so on, new for old.

[Zacs-Master]

No point paying insurance to Sky. If you complain they’ll come out for free.

[jno]

we did this years ago after Virgin carried out an upgrade that made reception noticeably worse. We were advised to do so by our local computer fixer, who lives just over the road and so knew that it would improve matters because he'd done the same thing himself.

On the same grounds, it might be worth asking your neighbours for suggestions.

[rockyracoon]

I've got Sky Q, and as I understand it, they own the box, so they have to fix it. Only have a problem with the signal if there is a torrential downpour, and I mean, it has to be torrential, of biblical proportions.

They are very easy to haggle with when your term is up.

[margarettom]

Quite agree with you ZM. You only have to suggest you want to leave. Last time I got a new Sky+ box with catch up TV etc fully fitted all free. And the old one was still working- just!

[Zacs-Master]

Yep, we got Sky Q with 1 extra box for the same price we were paying for Sky+.

[hc4361]

Thanks all

[Hopkirk]

Sky is expensive, and goes up regularly.

[Maydup]

Personally I would consider the internet options over a dish. That way you can come and go as you wish, and switch to another provider again if you prefer.

[hc4361]

Do you mean BT, TalkTalk and similar, Maydup?

Hopkirk, it is no more expensive than Virgin, which also goes up regularly. I'm happy to pay to get the channels we want.

[Maydup]

Try Now TV or BT and wait for Sky to be fully available on the internet. We manage well with Freeview and pay as you go Now tv