Renewal expensive suggestions please

[greenbike]

Hi can anyone please offer some advice

We are pensioners and hence want a reasonably cheap broadband and a  24/7 landline phone package.

We are currently paying £47 per month with Sky. Thats 24/7 phone and internet down the phone line (fibre to cabinet??).

We are happy with this service.

Our renewal is being offered at £63 but with a £3 discount = £60 pcm from October (I think that's when it renews).

However, looking online I can see a much faster service with 24/7 phone and faster internet for only £27. Clearly a dramatically different price - and that provider gets a good score on Trustpilot.

BUT!! on the whole I have been happy with Sky and would prefer to stay with them - it's easier. 

Can any of you please tell me if it would be at all possible to get the Sky deal of broadband and 24/7 phone calls for a much cheaper price or am I going to have to move? And if I do move can I take my phone number with me.

Thanks for any help. Much appreciated.

[MightyQuinn]

Hi @greenbike   Move, and yes you can take your home telephone number with you. Your new provider does everything, so don't be tempted to tell Sky you are leaving as it will mess up the switching process. The chances are Sky will offer you a really good deal once they know you are leaving, then cancelling the switch is easy by telling Sky or move to the new provider.

[caesarome]

@greenbike 

Ot might be worth calling to see if they will offer you a discount and if they do the chances are it will come with a new 24 month contract and also you will need to make your mind up on the spot as they offer might not be available should you call back. The free number to call Sky on from your landline phone is just 150 and when the bot asks you any questions don't say anything and remain on the line.

[PandJ2020]

You'll have to negotiate with Sky but you won't get near a new customer price (either Sky's or a competitor).

Having a reference price to negotiate with is useful but be prepared to move...

[greenbike]

Many thanks. A very helpful reply. Best wishes

[greenbike]

Many thanks. Again, a very helpful reply.

[greenbike]

Many thanks. That's interesting. 

I find it odd that I have to move to get the same deal. I would have thought they wanted to retain customers. Anyway I shall try calling them just to see if they offer anything.

[Daniel0210]

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@greenbike wrote:

I find it odd that I have to move to get the same deal. I would have thought they wanted to retain customers. 

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@greenbike 

Better discounts are offered to new customers as an incentive for them to join.

If you choose to go with another provider then in 18/24 months you'll be in the same position with that provider and if you want you'll be able to return to Sky as a new customer and gain the benefits at that time.

[greenbike]

Many thanks Daniel. Again, interesting.

[Mark39]

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@greenbike wrote:

Many thanks. That's interesting. 

I find it odd that I have to move to get the same deal. I would have thought they wanted to retain customers. Anyway I shall try calling them just to see if they offer anything.

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@greenbike my guess is that Sky want to keep you, but only if they're making a decent profit on their connection with you. That seems to have been more the focus in recent years.

They're prepared to make a loss or just a marginal profit on a new customer connection, in the hope that after their minimum term has expired, the customer won't go elsewhere (customer inertia etc) and will pay a higher, more profitable rate.

Increasingly you have to play Sky's game, by switching to another provider, when your contract expires, where you'll get a new customer rate. When that deal expires, come back to Sky for another new customer deal.

[greenbike]

Thanks. Very interesting. I haven't yet managed to speak to someone. None of the button press options seem to be appropriate 😞

[greenbike]

Many thanks. I didn't speak to the bot but then had to press a button. The only realistic choice was to reduce bill. But then all the options were to cancel parts of my bill eg cancel broadband or cancel landline (I think).

Would these automatically cancel or at that point would I geta human?

Thanks again for any help

[greenbike]

Just phoned Sky and got offered £49 to stay. Which is a lot better than £60 but still a lot more than the cheapest I have found. So, am going to think about it.

What is the best way forward? Should I go for a better offer in the hope that Sky will come back with a better deal? 

Also, they did offer £47 if I moved over to full fibre. Will I be able to keep my phone number if I do that? (presumably that is VOIP?? or something like that).

The guy on the phone was pleasant and helpful. He also said that if there is any price increase I can choose to leave Sky rather than pay the increased rate.

FYI  in the end I got through to him in retentions simply by speaking to the robot voice at the start and saying 'retention team'. Though I was thrown by the robot asking me for the last two digits of my bank account I use to pay my Sky bill. I'll be prepared next time. He said he would put the offer on my notes so I can call back and accept the offer(s).

[PandJ2020]

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@greenbike wrote:

Just phoned Sky and got offered £49 to stay. Which is a lot better than £60 but still a lot more than the cheapest I have found. So, am going to think about it.

What is the best way forward? Should I go for a better offer in the hope that Sky will come back with a better deal? 

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Only you can decide whether that's value for you.  As I said, you'll be hard pressed to get close to a new customer deal with another provider.  IMHO there are some advantages in staying put but a cheaper deal will only be available if you switch.

Cancelling may extract a better offer but no guarantees.  Indeed, that offer you had may not be available if you call back again - they are often only valid during the call.

[greenbike]

Many thanks again. I did ask him to put the offer on my notes and he said he would.

I suppose in a way it comes down to convenience. It is more convenient to stay. But it's more expensive.

Am considering another provider.

Trouble is, it's quite difficult to guess who is good. 

I suppose one way forward is to go for the £49 with a view to cancelling it next Apil when the prices rise.

I've got a lot on at the moment, wife very ill with cancer, so can't spend too much time sorting out a new provider.

Anyway. Thanks again.