Must choose a new digital TV provider...which companies to consider?

[Earlybird]

Virgin Media has been my Telly provider for years. They have written to say they can no longer supply my area due to essential BT network upgrades which they are unable to do - hence Virgin are suspending service to my area. That means I must switch to a new digital TV provider.

Can you please recommend who I might use instead? How can I research what might be best?

I am not a big telly watcher, so am not looking for anything elaborate/expensive. And to top it off, I am away on a temporary assignment, so the flat is not inhabited by me (friends are staying short term).

Any advice much appreciated.

What do you most use Virgin for?

If you don't watch much TV then do you need extras?

If you just want the free to air stuff then what about a normal digital set top box through your aerial? You could get a freeview + box if you still want to be able to record stuff. Pay for the box but then no subscriptions ever.

Or there is FreeSat, again no subscriptions once you have the dish and box, just free to air digital TV.

BT vision is a middle ground between something like SKY and freeview. You get a box and can choose to subscribe to stuff to be able to have extra TV or you can just use it as a freeview box with recording but with the option of watch some catch up TV, downloading films etc on a pay per view basis (cost just gets added to your phone bill but you can put a password on it so kids don't go mad!).