2nd Sky HD box - Options

[mikeymay]

I have been quoted by Sky £199 to have a 2nd HD box installed, plus 2 x £9.75 for a multi room and 2nd HD subscription fee.

Although I am comfortable with the 2 x £9.75 (although the £9.75 for the 2nd HD feed grates as it comes through the same dish!!), I really don't think I should have to pay £199 for a 2nd box installing.

New customers get HD installed for £49 so why should I, a customer for 7 years, have to pay full whack?!?!?

Anyway, rant over with....

So I was wondering if anyone had ideas on options to bypass the £199?

Currently I can only think of the following

• Buy a 2nd hand/new HD box from someone other than Sky and get an independant installation or attempt myself (2nd box + installation would probably be more than getting direct from Sky)
• Attempt to play hard ball with Sky and start a process to cancel my subscriptions I have with them (I don't like backing down and it would hurt my pride to cancel the cancellation at last moment)
• Pay the fee and try not to whinge at the installation guy when installed!!

I know tescos have an offer on at the moment if you buy a HD TV from them, but this isn't available to current HD customers.

Any thoughts would be appreciated and I'm sure someone else must have been in a similar situation!!!


Thanks

 

[Jaycee Dove]

Ring Tesco - ask which Extra stores have Sky HD boxes in stock. They will tell you the closest.

You have to go (they do not deliver) and buy it at the counter and walk out with one.

Internet orders are only a voucher and will not work with existing customers. Direct purchases are fine.

It costs £194 and is a brand new Pace (well probably been in Tesco 6 months as they have struggled to sell them given the £49 offer that replaced it almost as soon as they got a job lot from Sky).

If you have Sky + fitted already you can just swap the box and phone Sky to pair the card. It is very easy. Plug and play in minutes.

And you pay no install and can choose whether to pay the second HD sub. It is only essential if you pay Sky direct!

Otherwise you will find Sky + install is the cheapest way to get a new second HD box as they only give one cheap box per house - and even if you paid £300for your first one (as we did in 2006) that is what Sky call subsidised.

The new Pace box will probably be recalled by Sky with a minor glitch that nobody seems to have ever had in reality and if they do so in 3 months it will be replaced with a new HD box and a new warranty and a 3 month discount on your HD subs (it will be a refurb if after 3 months - although you might persuade them othetwise even then).

Or if the box is working (as 99% of them do) then choose to say no to Sky and keep it. Many on the Pace recall thread on here if you give it a read) have done just that.

Incidentally, you can swap over your main HD box card into the second box for an hour or two at a time. This decodes all the non prenmium HD channels on the second box even without paying the second £9.75 pm. That is all channels bar HD movies and sports.

Just do not do it when recording on the first box and swap cards back as soon as you have finished watching. Not ideal but a good compromise for occasional second room HD watching until Sky see sense and drop the patently unfair second HD sub.

 

[choddo2006]

Isn't that only a fiver cheaper and doesn't include the install he needs?

 

[Jaycee Dove]

Isn't that only a fiver cheaper and doesn't include the install he needs?

As I said its the cheapest IF you have Sky + already.

Otherwise as I said the Sky + install is unfortunately the cheapest.

I put the options for anyone else reading the thread.

Sky are not only charging for install but for ensuring the warranty if anything goes wrong.

£30 for that is not bad.

And new HD boxes via independent dealers are dearer (£270 is the current going rate without install).

 

[mikeymay]

I did consider cancelling our current subscription (it is in my other halfs name) and start again in my name, to get discounted installation. The downside of this is that we have 6 months left on the 12 month HD contract and there is a lead time for 3 months for new HD installations!!!

 

[Sephiroth0000]

Quite simply call their bluff fella! Now I know people are going to say that won't work but without trying you never know. My SkyHD was purchased second hand via my shop and installed by myself but when it started playing up about a month ago I got Sky to come to send out an engineer for FREE and with an additional HD box if needed to replace for FREE!... I did not pay for the callout or the replacement box which I ended up saying no to anyway as I got the box working in the end myself. Just be adamant about what you want and if you can make sure its a woman operator you speak to. Playful banter always seems to put them in a better mood

 

[mikeymay]

I am happy to give it a go but considering 6 months fees plus possible cancellation fee would be touching £300!!!

As much as I don't want to pay it I think getting a 2nd box via Sky is the cheapest option

Also, if I cancel it 3 months of pikey TV while waiting for installation would drive us up the wall!!!

 

[Sephiroth0000]

I am happy to give it a go but considering 6 months fees plus possible cancellation fee would be touching £300!!!

As much as I don't want to pay it I think getting a 2nd box via Sky is the cheapest option

Also, if I cancel it 3 months of pikey TV while waiting for installation would drive us up the wall!!!

Up to you fella but it won't get that far. Do not threaten with cancellation right away. Ask to speak to someone higher and then put your case across... now the person you speak to that is higher you can threaten with cancellation but only as a LAST RESORT! I say give it a go but your call.