Freesat questions

[monkeyLFDTwench]

We want to get a new TV with the aim of getting shot of our horribly expensive Sky subscription. However, we get very poor aerial reception (which is why we originally got Sky).

Can you tell me if this plan makes sense as I'm not very techie:

• buy new Freeview tv
• one off payment to Freesat Sky so our telly is satellite and not aerial signal
• buy freesat receiver/recorder so we get the same benefits as Sky +.

Have I got that right?!

The best thing to do is simply cancel Sky and then you should be left with just the free channels.

That way you don't have to do anything or buy anything.

Without trying to be too technical, Freesat uses the same satellite as Sky so you already have the dish & everything. If you really REALLY wanted to go Freesat, all you really need is a box to plug your sky cable into.

But like I say, for what you want it makes no sense at all.

I don't know how much you are currently paying but if you are outside of the 12 month contract then call them up and ask to cancel your service. They'll put you through to customer retentions who will slash the price to keep you. Reject their first offer....maybe take the second if the price is right to you. If not, cancel the whole thing and you'll probably find someone will call you back a few days later with another offer. They're desperate to keep customers.

I moved my package from £50 a month to the basic which is £20. i then cancelled it and took their half price offer to me. So now I pay £10 a month for the basic entertainment package. Suits me as I never watched the movies or HD channels anyway. But the cartoons keep the kids quiet entertained.

Thank you niceguy that's really helpful. When you say a box, is that the freesat digital receiver? Which we would be buying because we want the recording element? Because I'm scratching my head as to what exactly the one off Sky payment is for if we have the dish and the cabling.

I don't know how much our Sky is costing us (partly because it's all wrapped up with broadband too) but I think the TV only element is costing us £48. And that's no HD, no Sky+, one room only, movies (which we hardly ever bother with) and no Sport. We seem to be paying for endless shopping channels, and DH calls it the "shag you from behind" tariff only applicable to people like us who are generally too lazy to look at the alternatives.

Hope that makes sense, as I said I'm not very technically able!

Oh and yes we've been with them for years!

How much are you paying in total to Sky?

I think it's £60 pm.

In that case I'd certainly call them up and see if you can haggle. Since you are minded to cancel Sky anyway, you've nothing to lose if they decide to try & call your bluff.

Assuming they refuse to give you a discount, you can simply cancel the TV portion completely and effectively you will have what you'd get through Freesat anyway.

Win-Win.

Thanks niceguy!