topic Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts! in Sky Stream

Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Padam_Padam — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 11:02:21 GMT

I see that Sky Stream prices have come down... but the contract terms are now for 24 months instead of 18. I wonder if this is a trial or the new normal?

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Ben1980 — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 11:07:06 GMT

Same price as yesterday as a customer transferring from Q but extra 6 months on contract.

Erm nope whether contract is enforceable or not.

Pushing me more to Now and Apple TV.

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

GD1 — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 11:12:53 GMT

@Padam_Padam Like a lot of other providers it's the new normal.

@Ben1980 When you sign up to Sky you agree to the T & C's which cover the minimum term, so yes the contract would be enforceable if you choose this option.

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

TimmyBGood — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 11:50:00 GMT

EE has been advertising a 24 month minimum term for a while now.

As I've posted elsewhere, the main effect is there will be two built-in price rises, and under the new system Ofcom is pushing these will be a fixed price in pounds so are likely to be well above the inflation rate at the time.

EE is advertising a £29 broadband product with two £3 increases in its 24 month term, so that's 10% followed by 9% when inflation is likely to be around 2%

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Padam_Padam — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 11:54:54 GMT

@TimmyBGood wrote:
EE has been advertising a 24 month minimum term for a while now.

As I've posted elsewhere, the main effect is there will be two built-in price rises, and under the new system Ofcom is pushing these will be a fixed price in pounds so are likely to be well above the inflation rate at the time.

EE is advertising a £29 broadband product with two £3 increases in its 24 month term, so that's 10% followed by 9% when inflation is likely to be around 2%

That's insane.

The only 24 month contract I've ever entered into was with my Community Fibre broadband. It was £18.75pm for 500Mbps symmetrical FTTP. I'm about 18 months into the contract and have only had one price rise, bringing it to £20pm. When the contract expires it only goes up by £2pm with no astronomical leap to some absurd out of contract price.

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

TimmyBGood — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:32:48 GMT

@Padam_Padam

Ironically, Ofcom argues that moving from inflation linked increases (the cost of which are necessarily unknown at the time of contract) to pricing with increases advertised in pounds up front is better for the consumer...

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/bills-and-charges/ban-on-inflation-linked-mid-contract-price-rise/

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

TimmyBGood — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:30:44 GMT

Our conclusions

We have provisionally concluded that inflation-linked mid-contract price rise terms can cause substantial amounts of consumer harm by complicating the process of shopping for a deal, limiting consumer engagement, and making competition less effective as a result.

These terms also require customers to unfairly assume the risk and burden of financial uncertainty from inflation, with tangible impacts on their ability to manage costs at a time when household budgets are already stretched to the limit.

Toughening our rules

To tackle this problem, we propose to introduce a new rule requiring that any price written into a customer’s contract would need to be set out in pounds and pence, prominently and transparently, at the point of sale. That includes being clear about when any changes to prices will occur.

This would prevent providers from including inflation-linked, or percentage-based, price rise terms in all new contracts.

24 Month ‘Contracts’ Now…!

82bit — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 16:11:56 GMT

Sky Sports for £22 a month on a 24 month contract! Madness. Especially when the price will increase in April 2025 and April 2026! Im sorry, but a 24 month contract when there is NO subsidised equipment that needs paying for, is beyond a joke.

Re: 24 Month ‘Contracts’ Now…!

GD1 — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 16:15:58 GMT

@82bit I have merged your post to this existing thread that is discussing the samesubject

If you have a stream puck those are loaned to customers (from Feb 2023)

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Ben1980 — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 16:18:15 GMT

To move from Q today for the full package except kids would be £134 a month on a 24 month contract.

Rolling would be £144.

Thats £29 and £39 more than Q.

I dont get the first box for £20 like the new offer. Would be £39.95 and then an additional two for £39.95.

Re: 24 Month ‘Contracts’ Now…!

82bit — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 16:21:31 GMT

Thanks, I didn't know this thread was going - I don't go into the stream thread.

All of my lucks are owned.

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Timelord2018 — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 08:27:55 GMT

It isn't just Sky Stream, the more expensive Sky Q is also now 24 month contracts aswell now, looks like a permanent change

https://www.sky.com/tv/sky-q

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Roger17 — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 09:43:28 GMT

Current contract for Fibre with new supplier a lot cheaper than sky with no incontract price rises 😁

24 month Q contract with Sky with incontract price rises 😡

My Q contract finishes in August and I like many will be going the Apple TV and VPN route, no way will I tie myself up to a 24 month contract especially when Max will be launching in the UK before the contract ends, Sky will probably lose the content they know get from Max when this happens, so I would end up with another subscription and I cant see Sky giving a reduction for the programs lost.

Re: 24 Month ‘Contracts’ Now…!

Exiled-in-HH — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 09:48:59 GMT

@82bit wrote:
Thanks, I didn't know this thread was going - I don't go into the stream thread.

All of my lucks are owned.

Would you come to this discussion more often if it was called Sky Puck after the device ... as you are a Sky Puck owner?

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Exiled-in-HH — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 09:55:26 GMT

@Roger17 wrote:
Current contract for Fibre with new supplier a lot cheaper than sky with no incontract price rises 😁
24 month Q contract with Sky with incontract price rises 😡
My Q contract finishes in August and I like many will be going the Apple TV and VPN route, no way will I tie myself up to a 24 month contract especially when Max will be launching in the UK before the contract ends, Sky will probably lose the content they know get from Max when this happens, so I would end up with another subscription and I cant see Sky giving a reduction for the programs lost.

Many like the convenience of Stream for Sky Puck and Sky Glass devices.... though it comes at a cost and a reduction of available apps🤔

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Roger17 — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 13:37:57 GMT

Just buy TV launcher at a 1-off payment of £4.99 works as freeplay on Apple TV by connecting to Iplayer, ITV etc (full Tv guide), now TV ir connects to that as well. Yes with non uk content you need to have the indivdual aps but this is only the same as Amazon, Netflix etc and the saving you can achieve is excellent with no contract. There is a long post on AVforums.

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Timelord2018 — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 17:48:34 GMT

@Roger17 wrote:
Current contract for Fibre with new supplier a lot cheaper than sky with no incontract price rises 😁
24 month Q contract with Sky with incontract price rises 😡
My Q contract finishes in August and I like many will be going the Apple TV and VPN route, no way will I tie myself up to a 24 month contract especially when Max will be launching in the UK before the contract ends, Sky will probably lose the content they know get from Max when this happens, so I would end up with another subscription and I cant see Sky giving a reduction for the programs lost.

That's why I not suprised they have done this.

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Hengus — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 14:28:54 GMT

As I posted in another thread, I have just learned of the new 2 year minimum term. Faced with a 30.3% price increase over the next 2 months, I called Sky to discuss options.

Sky was unable/unwilling to provide me with the new contract terms and conditions but did say that I could cancel if I was unhappy with the April price rises. I told them that I was not going to renew unless I could see this in 'black and white' so I asked them to action a contract termination. There was no argument so I suspect that they are getting a higher than normal number of cancellations. My better half isn't happy!

Re: Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

Rty — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 09:52:38 GMT

24 😂 yeah, no thanks