Cancel Broadband - How difficult can it be!!!!!

[TrickyT]

Please bear with me, this is more of a rant at Sky for me to let off steam.

So I decided that I was going to leave Sky broadband after many years.   My contract ran out and when I went to renew, they could not offer me a decent deal renewing online.  Phoning them I got the same 'deal' and they couldn't offer me any further discount.    My TV package has also expired and that was no better, so I am still looking at where I will be going with that.  Apparently I am loyal customer of 18 years!

Take out a new broadband deal with Sky, then there are lots of offers about, all cheaper than what I have been offered, be loyal customer, not interested.

So I have found a mobile broadband deal that is cheaper than what I have been offered at Sky.  I currenlty get 51 Mbps down and 11 Mbps up.  The mobile is 5G and on my phone I can get 182 Mbps down and 85 Mbps up and the expect it could be quicker if I us and external 4x4 mimo antenna.   So its a no brianer in my opinion.

So I phoned Sky on 150 at 13:40 today, on hold for a while and then get the option to use Sky's Virtual Assistant by text which would be a quicker option apparently.

13:51 - receive text.

13:53 - receive link to sign into sky and veryfy my account.

13:54 - Automated text.  It won't take long and will save time when you reach and advisor.

13:54 - Can you confirm you are looking to leave sky broadband - Yes I reply

13:54 - We are sorry to hear that we would love you to stay.

13:54 - Which product would you like to discuss.  With a list of options,  I reply broadband.

13:54 - do you want to chat about TV too - No

13:54 - Whay are you looking to leave - Cost

13:54 - Apart from cost are you happy with sky - Y

13:55 - I'll pass that onto the sky advisor,  A Little detective work while you are waiting.

13:56 - 13:58 more text to confim my details.

13:58 - 14:00 - Questions about what myself and my partner watch.

14:02 - A text with a recap of all my details..

14:02 -You've been put into the queue for a Loyalty expert. We're extremely busy at the moment. It could be over an hour's wait, but we'll get you through as soon as we can.  Please bear in mind that our responses aren't always immediate but rest assured our experts will be in touch as soon as they've worked on your query.

14:15 - Thanks for waiting. We are very busy today and there will be a wait, but one of our experts will send a message as soon as they're available. - Sky Team

16:16 - I TEXT THEM AGAIN -  All I want to do is cancel my broadband.  Not change my package and it's been over 2 hours since I first contacted you by phone and then get recommended to use the quicker text process. 

17:40 - Hi there! Thanks for choosing our messaging service, Nisha will be with you soon. If there is any additional information you think they will need please let us know and we'll pass it on.

17:42 - Hi, I'm Nisha, thanks for getting in touch.   We appreciate everyone's circumstances are different at the moment, and it's important to see where you can save money. Let's have a chat and look at all your options. Hopefully we can find something that suits your budget.   Sound good?

17:42 - Unfortuantley I was driving so could not reply straight away.

17:50 - I only want to cancel my broadband subscription.  You could not offer a good deal for my broadband so I have gone with another deal.  The offer for my TV package wasn't much better so I am still looking around.  I just want my broadband cancelled at the moment

please. 

18:42 - To all our customers, from everyone here in the Sky Team, Happy New year! 🎉

18:42 -   Thanks for getting back to us.  I've put you in the queue for an expert to pick up where you left off.

18:57 - Thanks for waiting. We are very busy today and there will be a wait, but one of our experts will send a message as soon as they're available. - Sky Team

19:50 - Still no reply!

It's ok to say should call them, but I did on my lunch break, I cannot stay on the phone waiting for a reply or talk to them while I am at work.

If I was swapping providers, I would just speak to my new provider and they would do all of the work, but as I want ot just cancel there is no way to do it without speaking to an advisor!

When I finally do get to cancel, I need to give them 14 days notice.

There has to be better way.

[TimmyBGood]

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@TrickyT wrote:

If I was swapping providers, I would just speak to my new provider and they would do all of the work, but as I want ot just cancel there is no way to do it without speaking to an advisor!

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That's correct, because cellular network providers are technically telcos but not ISPs (even when they also have an ISP brand) and don't fall under the recently expanded one-touch-switch scheme.

[FLC]

The new One Touch Switch service should mean you don't need to cancel with Sky, your new provider should do that for you. Maybe confirm with you new provider & save yourself the pain.

https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/guides/one-touch-switch/

[TrickyT]

I understand the switching process.  That's not what I am complaining about. 

I just want to cancel.  The same if I decided that if I didn't want biradband anymore. 

i know why they are doing it, they want the opportunity to try and get me to stay.   Even with a better deal, I won't be staying.  Why should I have to.jump through hoops to leave before they give me their best deal. 

still won't be sorted tonight as I have just got this message. 

Sorry we didn't manage to get you through to an expert today.

We're closed now, but don't worry, I'll get back in touch with you when we're back open at 08:30.

[TimmyBGood]

@FLC 

One-touch-switch doesn't apply if the service being moved to is mobile broadband, as @TrickyT specified.  Realistically I doubt it ever will, as cellular data is technically an add-on to a phone contract, not an ISP thing.

[TrickyT]

Thanks for your replies.

As I said I was moving to a mobile broadband supplier and I knew that the One Switch wouldn't apply.

I was ranting about not being able to cancel my contract without jumping though hoops.   I am out of contract, so there was no issue with that.     If I was just getting broadband, I would just cancel the DD and I am sure they would be in touch very quickly, but I still have the TV package.

Imagine if you were dealing with a beravement and was trying to cancel the contract as they no longer needed the service.   It should be simple as I have said.   A button of form to fill out to say you want to leave.

Then if you look on thier 'help pages' you get the following.  Which means I could be out of pocket for 45 days!

Final bill

Sky payments are taken a month in advance, so you might still be billed for the full month ahead after your service has been cancelled.

But don’t worry, once your service has ended, any credit on your Sky account will be put back in your bank account after 45 days.

[Daniel0210]

@TrickyT 

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@TrickyT wrote:

I would just cancel the DD and I am sure they would be in touch very quickly, but I still have the TV package.

In that scenario they'd tell you to reinstate a payment method and if you didn't they'd apply late payment fees and eventually pass any debt to a Debt Recovery company,

Imagine if you were dealing with a beravement and was trying to cancel the contract as they no longer needed the service.  

That has a different process through the Bereavement Team. 

It should be simple as I have said.   A button of form to fill out to say you want to leave.

Then if you look on thier 'help pages' you get the following.  Which means I could be out of pocket for 45 days!

Final bill

Sky payments are taken a month in advance, so you might still be billed for the full month ahead after your service has been cancelled.

But don’t worry, once your service has ended, any credit on your Sky account will be put back in your bank account after 45 days.

Thats correct. It applies to all cancellations. Billing continues throughout the notice period and as bills are generated 14 days before the payment date you have to pay that one. The reimbursement of the overpayment can take up to 6 weeks if your payment method is still active. If it isn't then it'll take longer as a back office team need to raise a cheque and post it out. 

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[TrickyT]

I am well aware of the issues if I decided to cancel teh direct debit, it was a tongue in cheek comment about it might make them get in contact with me quicker.

And so the cat and mouse game continues.   I am well aware taht I could just try and phone them again, but this is the system the recommended as it ould be the quickest way to resolve my issue. 🤣

08:30 -  Good morning, it's Sky's Virtual Assistant.  We're back open! – let me know when you’re ready to carry on. 😃

08:30 - Been ready since 13:50 yesterday.   I just want to cancel my broadband.

09:34 - Thanks for waiting. We are very busy today and there will be a wait, but one of our experts will send a message as soon as they're available. - Sky Team

[TrickyT]

So thought I would give you an update.   My broadband will finally be cancelled on 20th Janaury 2025.

I will not post all of the correspondance, but will give yo a breif highlight.

11:15 - Finally got talking to an expert.

11:42 - Thanks for confirming, well We have a dedicated Broadband retentions team who will assist you with a more better offers or even assist you with the broadband cancellation. Shall I transfer this chat to the relevant department for you to get further assistance ?

12:14 - Passed all security checks, again.

12:15 - Just to let you know, I'll be away from my desk for the next 15 mins. While you're waiting you can send me a message and I'll reply as soon as I'm back. Thanks.

12:36 -   I have accessed your account and I can see that you're paying £43.00pm for your broadband, however I can offer you the same broadband at £24.00pm with an 24 months contract.  Sounds good?

So despite calling them just before my contract ended and then again when it had ended, the best the could do initial was a £3 discount, then after pusing harder, retentions managed to get this to a £5 discount.    Now, suddenly they can drop it to £24!

12:38 -  No thank you.   I just want to cancel.  When my contact was up the best you could offer was a £5 discount making it £38.   Even when I wanted to leave you said you could not do any better.  But suddenly you can do it for £24. It should not be like that.   Please can you cancel my contract.

12:45 -  I completely understand your concern but as of now this is best available deal I can offer you    Usually we offer £3.00 basic offer but as you've been our loyal customer I've managed to unlock the deeper offers for you as we really don't want to loose our valuable customers like you 😊

13:19 - Final confirmation that broadband had been cancelled.