Advice needed please- Sky versus BT broadband packages

[catcatcher]

Hi

We are looking at getting a broadband package to include Sky and BT Sports. The Sky package is quite a bit more expensive than the BT one. BT use Now TV which we have no experience of whilst Sky offer more channels but we’re not really fussed about them as long as we have the normal Freeview types plus the two sports packages. Your thoughts on both would be much appreciated. We do live in a fairly exposed area and Sky would offer a dish whilst BT use a land line and aerial. Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

[Paul Waine]

We've always had BT broadband: phone, internet and email plus BT TV. At first BT's sport package was included for free. Virgin then put cable down our road but I've never found big enough reason to switch. Whenever there was a game I wanted to watch on Sky I'd go to pub or sports club showing the game. Last year when Premier League was restarting I subscribed to NOW to get Sky Sports package. I cancelled when Premier League ended, then NOW offered cheaper package for this season. So, I watch the games on BT, NOW (Sky) and Amazon. Picture is almost always good. We get free view channels through aerial and sometimes ITV 1 and Channel 4 are poor reception. MotD on BBC is always good.

So, I've more fallen into package we have, rather than a "cold hard" choice. I like BTs European games, so would keep BT rather than Sky, especially as Burnley are not on every week with any channel.

[alf_resco]

It basically boils down to how much you're prepared/can afford to pay ...........
Not really much price-wise to choose between either (and Virgin).
So many variables such as channels, bb, sports, mob/landline etc etc ad infinitum.

[duncandisorderly]

I have none now, but have had all three in the past, and in my experience Sky wins hands down. BT a long way down at the bottom of the pile.

[catcatcher]

I have none now, but have had all three in the past, and in my experience Sky wins hands down. BT a long way down at the bottom of the pile.

May I ask why BT rated poorly? We are most concerned about reception really as the previous homeowners had a Sky dish. We’re a bit worried the BT line will not be stable enough.

[duncandisorderly]

It was a few years so it will be different now, but I had issues with their customer services (was two months in a new property without phone, internet or tv despite everything being sorted well in advance) and daily internet connections issues.
I switched to virgin mid contract and BT waived the cancellation fee and sent me a £50 voucher for M&S or something by way of compensation, so they must've known their service was poor.

[Stanbill05]

Now TV sky sports works really well. I got sky sports mobile for the season free with a day pass purchase and now pay £15.99 a month for full package. Don't ever pay the advertised £33.99 a month, deals come up all the time and threats to cancel means they often prefer £15.99 a month rather than nothing..

[houseboy]

It depends what you want it for. Sky has the package but my experience of their broadband, admittedly some years ago, was of a clunky and unreliable affair with poor speeds in our area. I have been with BT for years. (even though I do have Sky TV) and for reliability and speed it cannot be bettered in our area. As I work from home and need speed and reliability with good data security I think BT wins hands down but if you want an all singing all dancing tv package with no worries about needing speed then maybe Sky.

PS for all I know Sky may be great now for speed but I can only go off what I have experienced.

[Bosscat]

Hi

We are looking at getting a broadband package to include Sky and BT Sports. The Sky package is quite a bit more expensive than the BT one. BT use Now TV which we have no experience of whilst Sky offer more channels but we’re not really fussed about them as long as we have the normal Freeview types plus the two sports packages. Your thoughts on both would be much appreciated. We do live in a fairly exposed area and Sky would offer a dish whilst BT use a land line and aerial. Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

I moved to BT TV a couple of years ago (we already used BT B-band so was a no brainer really for us) BT TV and NOW TV is OK a tad more complicated to find stuff (having had sky for years) but its a good one for us ... can watch a channel whilst recording another (or record 2 whilst watching a recording) but we rarely record anything as it has so many apps for the various i-players .

We Have the full BT package which includes HD Sky movies, Sports, BT sports packages etc etc.

It works well for us as we are also having 2 x BT mobile sim only unlimited mins/sms etc with 12gb data on each phone.

[catcatcher]

Thanks everyone for your comments so far, very helpful.

[Fretters]

Now TV sky sports works really well. I got sky sports mobile for the season free with a day pass purchase and now pay £15.99 a month for full package. Don't ever pay the advertised £33.99 a month, deals come up all the time and threats to cancel means they often prefer £15.99 a month rather than nothing..

That's interesting, is it Now TV you threaten with canceling? I always thought it was a non-contract service so you wouldn't be able to drive down the price.

[alf_resco]

Just had an email offering NOW tv Entertainment £1 (one) for 4 months.
Unsurprisingly, I took them up on their offer.