Goodbye 18 month & hello 24 month contracts!

[Padam_Padam]

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? 

[Ben1980]

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. 

[GD1]

@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.

[TimmyBGood]

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%

[Padam_Padam]

---

@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. 

[TimmyBGood]

@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... 

[TimmyBGood]

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.

[82bit]

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. 

[GD1]

@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)

[Ben1980]

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. 

[82bit]

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

All of my lucks are owned. 

[Timelord2018]

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

[Roger17]

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.

[Exiled-in-HH]

---

@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?

[Exiled-in-HH]

---

@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🤔