topic Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives? in Account & Billing

Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Gamer01000 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:44:58 GMT

Im looking for an alternative to sky my broadband and TV bill has increased to £124 per month and this is no longer viable to keep paying im looking for alternatives and would appreciate any recommendations (please dont say sky are the cheapest as this will be ignored and is not true im afraid)

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

PandJ2020 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:50:27 GMT

Firstly, you may be able to decrease your Sky bill by agreeing a 2 year contract. Realistically though, you are unlikely to get a deal like a new customer. Depends on whether you can agree a price you are happy with to avoid switching (which will almost always be the cheapest option).

There are many alternatives for broadband. Do a search on a comparison site.

TV is harder - but depends on your requirements and local infrastructure. No one else offers a direct satellite service. If you can move to streaming then there are many options.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Gamer01000 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:00:03 GMT

I may switch broadband definitely as my current bill is £50.50 (not full fibre not sure if thats normal) but vodafone is lower speed but half the price for broadband.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Angel_Aka — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:01:58 GMT

@Gamer01000

Depends on what you watch, how you watch it and how much you're willing to spend.

The satellite TV service is nearing end of life though you can still move to Freesat if you want the ability to record free-to-air channels. There are several satellite PVRs on the market.

Streaming is seen as the future. There's Sky's own Sky Stream offering if you want a full TV service, but if that's still too expensive you can switch to your own streaming device, be it a smart TV, Firestick, Roku, Android TV, Google TV, or Apple TV device. Most of these allow you to stream whatever type of content you want to watch via apps. Even Sky channels and on demand content can be streamed via the NOWTV app without a lengthy 2 year contract. You can stop and start on a monthly basis if you wish or sign up for longer and get it cheaper. I pay £6.99pm for 12 months for their Entertainment with Ultra Boost package which gives 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos & multiroom.

Many streaming devices offer the same kind of playlist functionality as Sky Stream, so you can tag shows you want to watch on demand later and it will keep track of them.

You can stream live free-to-air channels via the appropriate apps such as iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, etc. or you could get a Freely streaming device or TV which offers the same live streams and catch-up services without any contract.

There are many DIY options but if you prefer having an overall TV 'service' then you can also look at Virgin or EE, both of whom offer streaming TV and broadband options via their own hardware.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Gamer01000 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:10:46 GMT

If that's true then sky need to fix and vastly improve their services as I still only have part fibre and need a booster in my flat also their maintenance causes the hub to not immediately reconnect sometimes so if streaming is the new thing then its going to be awful but im definitely not going to renew my contract next year and try to find someone better but if streaming is cheaper then I may decrease my bill that way its infuriating that they dont care about loyalty though

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

TimmyBGood — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:40:06 GMT

@Gamer01000 wrote:

If that's true then sky need to fix and vastly improve their services as I still only have part fibre and need a booster in my flat

WiFi output power is regulated by national legislation and pushes signal into hugely congested airspace: ISPs cannot beat the laws of physics. As far as FTTP availability is concerned, that's down to the national rollout which isn't something that individual Openreach client companies can influence.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Me134 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:20:24 GMT

@Gamer01000 wrote:
If that's true then sky need to fix and vastly improve their services as I still only have part fibre and need a booster in my flat also their maintenance causes the hub to not immediately reconnect sometimes so if streaming is the new thing then its going to be awful but im definitely not going to renew my contract next year and try to find someone better but if streaming is cheaper then I may decrease my bill that way its infuriating that they dont care about loyalty though

Speed to the router and the WiFi speed & reach are two separate issues. If your speed to the router is marginal then only a company with their own infrastructure (VM for instance) would make a difference until the local exchange is uprated.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

MightyQuinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:21:18 GMT

@Gamer01000 wrote:
I may switch broadband definitely as my current bill is £50.50 (not full fibre not sure if thats normal) but vodafone is lower speed but half the price for broadband.

Hi @Gamer01000 Changing broadband providers will always give you a lower loss leading price to attract new customers. Probably best to change every minimum term renewal as the existing customer price will always be higher (loyalty tax).

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Gamer01000 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:05:56 GMT

I told sky I was thinking of leaving and they lowered my bill by £22 so now its £102 instead of £124

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Cheryl009 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:51:47 GMT

Me too! £102 a month I'm paying for Broadband and Sky Entertainment. Been looking at options and I should be 2 years out of contact now. You can get full fibre for £20 - £25 a month. I'm paying Sky £48 😭 Changed my SIM only contact from Vodafone to Lebara this week and saved £22 a month and my Broadband and TV is next on my list. You definitely get penalised for staying with the same company for too long! Did you manage to find any good deals?

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Me134 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 06:58:46 GMT

@Cheryl009 wrote:
Me too! £102 a month I'm paying for Broadband and Sky Entertainment. Been looking at options and I should be 2 years out of contact now. You can get full fibre for £20 - £25 a month. I'm paying Sky £48 😭 Changed my SIM only contact from Vodafone to Lebara this week and saved £22 a month and my Broadband and TV is next on my list. You definitely get penalised for staying with the same company for too long! Did you manage to find any good deals?

To be fair if you're out of minimum term by 2 years then that's down to yourself (regardless of the service we're talking about). When you start a new contract with anyone, put a reminder on your smart phone calendar a couple of months before the end. That'll give you plenty of time to look at options.

I'm 18+ years in for Sky TV as the wife won't change from Q (previously HD+ of course) but I always renegotiate before end of minimum term and get an acceptable deal. I've dipped in and out of both Sky mobile & broadband to suit myself.

As this is a Sky forum (notwithstanding it's customer to customer) I won't recommend anyone but try the 'mse phones & tv forum' website as there are excellent threads on there where you'll get an idea of what's possible and which direction to jump.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/phones-tv

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Cheryl009 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:36:32 GMT

Well yes it is partly down to myself but sometimes life happens.

My partner died, I was made redundant and a van wrote my car off so ringing up SKY to ask them not to rip me off wasn't exactly my top priority in the last two years.

Vodafone are the same! I could have spent my lifetime constantly on my toes making sure I'm not paying over the odds and ringing up to ask for a fair price every time my contact ends or just move to a company who always give people a fair price so I moved mobile provider, saved over 75% of the cost and got a better package and most importantly they will always remain at a fair price without me having to ask.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Cheryl009 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:58:00 GMT

And yes, the MSE forum is brilliant! It finally made me realise that in order not to pay over the odds you have to switch providers often.

It was there I found the Lebara mobile deal. I honestly thought it was too good to be true as it is ridiculously cheap but thought Martin Lewis knows his stuff and wouldn't recommend a dodgy company and I'm really glad that I went for it because I've not noticed any difference from Vodafone other than the bills being £22 a month cheaper.

They have some good Broadband deals too. Full Fibre with slightly higher speeds for £20 a month and no mid contract price rises compared to Skys £48.

A £28 difference just for Broadband!

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Me134 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:54:12 GMT

@Cheryl009 wrote:
And yes, the MSE forum is brilliant! It finally made me realise that in order not to pay over the odds you have to switch providers often.
It was there I found the Lebara mobile deal. I honestly thought it was too good to be true as it is ridiculously cheap but thought Martin Lewis knows his stuff and wouldn't recommend a dodgy company and I'm really glad that I went for it because I've not noticed any difference from Vodafone other than the bills being £22 a month cheaper.
They have some good Broadband deals too. Full Fibre with slightly higher speeds for £20 a month and no mid contract price rises compared to Skys £48.
A £28 difference just for Broadband!

Martin Lewis sold the MSE site 14 years ago for £87million so yes, he knows a good deal...

Be careful with some of the niche BB suppliers on MSE, Onestream for instance look cheap but you have to either have your own router or rent theirs. They have a reputation of being difficult to leave at the end of minimum term also.

Who is the BB company that's caught your eye? I can't see any promising no price rises within minimum term?

I'm with Lebara myself so no argument there.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

MarkGoldsmith — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:42:32 GMT

@Me134 wrote:
@Cheryl009 wrote:
And yes, the MSE forum is brilliant! It finally made me realise that in order not to pay over the odds you have to switch providers often.
It was there I found the Lebara mobile deal. I honestly thought it was too good to be true as it is ridiculously cheap but thought Martin Lewis knows his stuff and wouldn't recommend a dodgy company and I'm really glad that I went for it because I've not noticed any difference from Vodafone other than the bills being £22 a month cheaper.
They have some good Broadband deals too. Full Fibre with slightly higher speeds for £20 a month and no mid contract price rises compared to Skys £48.
A £28 difference just for Broadband!

Martin Lewis sold the MSE site 14 years ago for £87million so yes, he knows a good deal...

Be careful with some of the niche BB suppliers on MSE, Onestream for instance look cheap but you have to either have your own router of rent theirs. They have a reputation of being difficult to leave at the end of minimum term also.

Who is the BB company that's caught your eye? I can't see any promising no price rises within minimum term?

I'm with Lebara myself so no argument there.

Indeed - certainly worth still being careful when brands are featured on the MSE website. Typically, the one guarantee you will get is that the companies featured on their deals pages are fully compliant/regulated by the various bodies for their industry, so you at least know they are unlikely to be a dodgy company, and there is some protection for you as a consumer should something go wrong. And of course on the MSE site they typically provide a customer service rating for each provider so you can get idea of the level of service you can expect.

I actually switched over to Lebara 3 years ago based on a deal highlighted on the site. Only a monthly rolling contract and not had a price rise once.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Cheryl009 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:34:01 GMT

YouFibre was the one I'm most considering. It's £20 a month and they do say no price hikes in contract but even if that were not the case if YoyFibre and Sky were to go up by the same amount each year I'd still save the initial £28 a month difference.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Cheryl009 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:42:12 GMT

The Broadband company is YouFibre, the MSE deal is £20pm with no mid contract price rises so sounds really good but I need to properly look at terms etc first.

So glad I moved from Vodafone to Lebara though! The deal was cracking.

£1.70 a month for 3 months then £6.90 thereafter for 35G data and unlimited calls / texts with an added bonus 9f free EU roaming.

Was paying Vodafone £28 for 25G data and no roaming because the anual increase was £4 it just kept creeping up slowly.

Interesting to hear that Lebara has not increased prices for 3 years though.

I'm pleasantly surprised too, I've noticed no difference whatsoever in signal quality or Internet speeds although Lebara does use Vodafones network.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Me134 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:32:11 GMT

@Cheryl009 wrote:
YouFibre was the one I'm most considering. It's £20 a month and they do say no price hikes in contract but even if that were not the case if YoyFibre and Sky were to go up by the same amount each year I'd still save the initial £28 a month difference.

Ah, that explains why I can't see it on my postcode, they don't service us here.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

TimmyBGood — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 16:45:18 GMT

@Me134 wrote:

@Cheryl009 wrote:

YouFibre was the one I'm most considering. It's £20 a month and they do say no price hikes in contract but even if that were not the case if YoyFibre and Sky were to go up by the same amount each year I'd still save the initial £28 a month difference.

Ah, that explains why I can't see it on my postcode, they don't service us here.

YouFibre doesn't cover most places: it's one of the smaller altnet providers which is installing its own private optical infrastructure serving limited geographical areas.

Altnets can certainly be cheaper though, because they don't use the national Openreach network and so aren't paying BT Wholesale for optical circuits. They can also choose to use startup capital and investment funding to offer extremely low pricing to attract customers, although that's not necessarily a sustainable strategy in the long term.

Re: Sky to expensive any alternatives?

Cheryl009 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 16:38:36 GMT

It covers my postcode luckily. I'm sure it'll cover more of the UK in time.