topic Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan? in Archive

How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Ed.B. — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 17:26:07 GMT

My brother just got Sky Q and is moaning to me that Sky wanted £50 off him for a second mini box. Quite rightly in my opinion, it's a damned cheek to charge £50 given that it's only loaned to you and they want it back when you cancel.

I'm in a situation right now where I'm going to have to cancel for about a year due to a lifestyle change. Sky will want my minis back and next year when I resubscribe I'm going to have to pay again. And no doubt will lose my platinum VIP status in the meantime.

Is there any way around this?

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Daniel0210 — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 17:31:09 GMT

@Ed.B. No. Any break in Sky subscription will mean you lose your VIP level. The charge regarding mini boxes is an activation fee and will be mentioned somewhere in your T's & C's.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Raider999 — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 17:36:55 GMT

Ed.B. It is an activation/admitstration fee - detailed in T&Cs. As is the fact you don't own the mini-box (or any other SkyQ equipment). Sounds like you got 1 free mini-box, be grateful not everyone gets that.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Ed.B. — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 20:42:27 GMT

Free in the sense that I pay £15 a month for it?

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Mark39 — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 20:51:19 GMT

@Ed.B. wrote:

Free in the sense that I pay £15 a month for it?

You're not paying for the box. That's for the Multiscreen service.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Raider999 — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 21:16:41 GMT

@Ed.B. Yes you pay £15pm for the multi screen facility - this also covers the ability to use 2 notebooks/other devices within range of your broadband. I sometimes wonder at the number of people who fail to research before entering into a SkyQ contract.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

bob1234 — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 07:38:32 GMT

No one can justify it, Sky make what charges they like and we either accept them, try and negotiate them down or go somewhere else.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Chelss1991 — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 06:02:47 GMT

I am in the exact same boat! Planning on leaving sky until the energy chrisis sorts its self out (if ever) in september when my contract is up. I was under the impression that once "purchased" the mini sky boxes that i paid for were mine and they would just want the 2tb and the free mini one back.

Maybe it was nieve of me and i should have read the T&Cs but to be honest charging that much when you already pay £15 a month anyway i thought it was a given. Im pretty shocked and if i do leave sky i will not be returning.

This should be advertised better when you are getting these boxes because it wasnt advertised CLEARLY what so ever, SHAME ON YOU SKY, SHOCKING CUSTOMER SERVICE TO LOYAL CUSTOMERS!

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Dazzasky — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 07:25:37 GMT

Unfortunatley @Chelss1991 if you do not read the T&Cs then that is your own fault and not Sky's.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

daveNOS — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 08:11:37 GMT

@Chelss1991 It is very clearly advertised on the website, on the TV adverts and in the contract that all Sky Q equipment is loaned.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

NickNewark — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 08:43:21 GMT

I was never in any doubt when I joined Sky that the equipment was loaned. Having been with VirginMedia previously , they have used this model for years.

It suits me as I know all the equipment, apart from the Dish, is maintained by Sky.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

markblan — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 09:10:58 GMT

Let's be correct here anything sky give away is never actually free they are a business.but I do think sky are way out on there pricing ranges.they are very expensive for what it is and definitely anything but value for money.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Mark39 — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 09:14:33 GMT

@markblan wrote:

Let's be correct here anything sky give away is never actually free they are a business.but I do think sky are way out on there pricing ranges.they are very expensive for what it is and definitely anything but value for money.

You're right - Sky are a business and if they were losing income because of their pricing strategy they would do something about it.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

TimmyBGood — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 10:55:03 GMT

@markblan wrote:

I do think sky are way out on there pricing ranges.they are very expensive for what it is and definitely anything but value for money.

Compared to what, though? All the streamers are losing money at their current subscription rates, and keep going through cross-subsidy from their parent companies or massive borrowing/investment/start-up capital spending. The £9.99 - £14.99 pcm pricing we've come to think of as 'normal' really isn't viable long-term, even when scaled globally.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Invisiblename — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 09:46:26 GMT

All those that subscribe to streaming services like Netflix can expect to see a price hike in the future; their business model just doesn't work with the 1000s of subscription cancellations they are getting.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Chodley — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 12:19:52 GMT

@TimmyBGood Netflix made 1.7Bn net income on revenues of about 7.8Bn in Q1.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

TimmyBGood — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 12:22:19 GMT

@Chodley

And their stock ticker indicates what the market thinks about their future viability at their current subscription level.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

McFadds — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 13:21:02 GMT

No Harm, but my kids contanstly take over the sitting room and kitchen TV's...

I payed the £50 for bedroom tv, as had nothing there, best thing i ever did. Peace and quiet to watch what i want. Cant put a price on that lol.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Chodley — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 14:24:28 GMT

I didn't see that drop in subscriber numbers. Hasn't gone down well has it.

Re: How can Sky justify the £50 cost for a mini box if it's a loan?

Invisiblename — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 15:23:27 GMT

@Chodley I wondered where you were getting your numbers from! Netflix could be in real trouble if they don't reign in there production complany costs!