Digital TV package deals
How to pick the right deals for Sky, Virgin & TalkTalk
TV subscriptions can set you back over £1,000/year, so the top tips in this guide - including a round-up of the current prices from Sky, Virgin, TalkTalk and EE - will help you slash these costs.
TV offers for new customers, by provider
How to pick the right TV package
TV packages are notoriously complicated, often with many optional extras and a variety of bundles – each one gradually increasing in price. Choosing one can be hard, but as costs can soon mount up, weighing up each decision carefully could stop you shelling out £100s/yr for add-ons you don't need.
Ask yourself: "Do I really need every channel?" If the answer's 'no', and you're not bothered about getting hundreds of extra channels, Freeview may be the best option.
If you've a fairly new TV, it'll probably have basic Freeview built into it, giving you over 70 permanent channels and 15 HD channels. (If it doesn't and you want Freeview, basic boxes start from around £10.)
With the popularity of online streaming services, you'll find plenty of free ways to watch shows on demand via your TV or on the go. From services such as BBC iPlayer and Channel 4, to the less traditional videos found via YouTube or even Facebook and Instagram.
If you're still after 'premium' content, other subscription-based streaming sites can offer a flexible alternative to digital TV contracts. For example, Netflix and Now TV offer one-month rolling contracts, and Amazon's Prime TV is available to anyone signed up to its Prime subscription – so always check you're not inadvertently paying for services already.
If you want to really get the most out of Freeview, and be able to record, pause or rewind live TV or record whole series, you'll need a set top box, like this one from Tesco. These start at around £70 for a box with 256GB of memory (which records up to 150 hours of TV).
There's no point paying colossal prices to have access to channels you won't watch, so decide what you want and get the right package.
As channels are usually bundled up into much larger lists, such as 'Entertainment', 'Sports' or 'Kids', you could end up paying for access to 20, though you'll only really use one. If this is the case, think carefully and weigh up if it's really worth it.
If you're a keen footie fan that doesn't watch other sports, consider if you really need every sports channel. For instance, Sky customers can save by taking out a rolling one-month contract to get just the football channels, rather than the full sports package. It's also worth looking into packages you can cancel out of season, so you're not paying when you're not watching any matches. Some providers may insist on 31 days' notice, so set a reminder to do it in time.
While it's usually better to go for rolling, one-month contracts and only paying for what you want when you want it, if you're willing to lock into a long-term contract, the equivalent monthly cost can sometimes be lower.
The key to this is pouncing on promo offers, often attached to longer-term contracts aimed at enticing you to take out a new contract so you don't switch away.
But remember, this means you may end up paying for channels when you're not using them. For example, if you go for a sports package for the football, but the season's finished, you'll still be paying and won't be able to cancel – so make sure there's always something you want to watch on any package you go for. If you'd prefer one-month rolling contracts so you're not tied into anything, streaming and online services often win. See Watch Movies & TV online for more.
Two-year contracts are now commonplace for TV packages. If you're moving soon, most providers will charge a fee or ask you to pay the remainder of the contract – a lot of cash if you're at its beginning. At the outset, check if you can take the contract to your new postcode and if any fees apply.
Ask yourself, do you really need to pay for satellite or cable TV at all – switch to Freeview and pay ZERO
Only pay for channels you know you'll watch
If you're willing to lock in for one or two years, TV packages can be cheaper
Moving house shortly? Check if fees would apply
Compare current offers available to you
If you’re new to digital TV, or simply want to check whether your current package stacks up, we’ve pulled together a clear, at-a-glance comparison of the latest offers from major providers. TV bundles can be confusing, with plenty of extras and add-ons, so it’s important to focus on which channels and features you actually value before committing.
Sky TV deals
Sky is one of the most popular TV providers, known for its huge channel line-up, premium sports and movie content, and different ways to watch. Whether you prefer a traditional satellite box, a simple streaming device (over the internet), or an all-in-one smart TV, Sky offers different options to suit every type of household. Here's a breakdown of its current offers:
Sky Q – its traditional satellite box
Sky Q is Sky’s traditional satellite TV box, giving you access to hundreds of live channels alongside on-demand shows and apps. It lets you record multiple programmes at once, store them for later, and watch in different rooms with Sky Q Mini boxes (for an additional monthly charge).
What's included as standard? A basic Sky Q subscription includes a satellite set-top-box which requires an engineer to install a dish to the outside of your property. You'll get access to basic Freeview channels and some additional channels including Sky Atlantic, Sky Documentaries and National Geographic. You'll also be able to access Sky's box sets including Chernobyl, Parks and Recreation and The Good Doctor.
Cost: Expect to pay around £20 upfront and then £30/mth on a two-year contract.
Optional extras: Sky Sports ~£21/mth | Sky Cinema ~£13/mth | TNT Sports ~£29/mth | Sky Kids ~£7/mth | HD £9/mth (if TV supports it) | Ultra HD £13/mth (if TV supports it) | Multiscreen £15/mth per additional TV
Sky Stream – its latest internet streaming device
Sky Stream is a simple, plug-and-play device that delivers Sky TV over your Wi-Fi so no satellite dish is required. You’ll need a reasonably fast internet connection (at least 30Mbps) to get the best experience. While its box doesn’t let you record shows, you can save programmes to a personal playlist and watch them back whenever you like. It’s ideal for renters or anyone who wants easy access to Sky’s content without the hassle of installation.
What's included as standard? With its basic offering you’ll get a Sky Stream box that plugs into your TV’s HDMI port and connects to the internet. No engineer visit is required. The basic Sky Stream plan comes with 'Sky Essential TV', giving you access to Freeview channels streamed online, Sky Atlantic, and Netflix Basic with ads. You can also download and use a wide range of other streaming apps (which'll require separate subscriptions)
Cost: Expect to pay around £15-£18/mth on a two-year contract or £18-£20/mth on a one-month rolling contract.
Optional extras: Sky Ultimate TV (includes extra channels: National Geographic, U&Gold, Sky Documentaries, Sky Max) ~£20/mth (two-year contract) | ~£25/mth (one-month rolling contract) | Sky Sports £20/mth (add-on) | Sky Cinema £10/mth (add-on) | Ultra HD £6/mth | Advert skipping £5/mth
Sky Glass – its all-in-one TV with Sky Stream built in
Sky Glass is a 4K smart TV with Sky built in, so you don’t need a box or satellite dish, and channels are streamed via the internet. You can't record live TV with Sky Glass like you can with Sky Q, but you can add channels to your playlist so you can watch them again later via catch up. It's ideal for someone looking for an all-in-one Sky solution.
To get Sky Glass, you make two payments: one for your Sky TV subscription (channels) and another for the TV hardware itself, with the subscription starting from around £15/mth for Sky Essentials (basic channels, including Sky Atlantic) or £22/mth for Sky Ultimate (more channels, including Sky Max, U&Gold and Sky Witness). Both subscriptions come with Netflix basic (with ads) as standard and are 24-month contracts.
For the TV, there's three size options and you can either choose to pay for the TV outright (one payment) or spread the payments (interest free) for either two or four years.
Currently, you can choose between two models - Sky Glass Air and Sky Glass Gen 2. Here's a comparison of the two to help you compare:
Features | Sky Glass Air (entry level) | Sky Glass Gen 2 (premium) |
|---|---|---|
Sizes available (in inches) | 43" / 55" / 65" | 43" / 55" / 65" |
Outright price | £309 (43″), £509 (55″), £649 (65″) | £699 (43″), £949 (55″), £1,199 (65″) |
Monthly price (1) | £6/mth (43″) + £20 upfront | £14/mth (43″) + £20 upfront |
Key features | 4K resolution, High Dynamic Range (HDR) support, slim design, no built-in Atmos soundbar, but does have two speakers. | It features the same 4K display, but unlike the Air, it includes 'local dimming' which gives you deeper, truer blacks. It also comes with a built-in soundbar that houses dual subwoofers for better audio. |
Who's this ideal for? | At more than 40% cheaper than its Gen 2, Glass Air is its 'budget-conscious' alternative. | For anyone wanting the best picture and sound without needing to add extra equipment like soundbars. |
Prices correct as of Friday 22 August 2025. (1) Assumes payments will be spread over a four year period.
Virgin Media TV deals
Virgin Media TV is delivered through Virgin’s fibre cable network, so unlike satellite-based services, it doesn’t require a dish. Instead, everything runs through its Virgin TV 360 box, giving you live channels, on-demand content, apps like Netflix and Disney+, and the ability to pause, record, or stream across multiple devices.
To get Virgin Media TV, you’ll need a subscription tailored to how much you want bundled in. Virgin offers three main options:
Combo deals – broadband and its traditional TV recorder box
This is Virgin’s most popular setup, combining TV with their fibre broadband. You choose a TV bundle (ranging from Essential Entertainment up to Bigger + Sports & Movies), then pair it with broadband speeds that suit your household. This option is ideal if you want both high-speed internet and a wide choice of live TV, sports, and entertainment in one contract.
What's included as standard? Currently, Virgin offers several different packages with varying broadband speeds to suit your needs. Here's a roundup of each package and what it tends to include as standard. All are two-year contracts:
Bigger bundle – The Bigger bundle offers over 200 channels covering entertainment, lifestyle, drama, and kids, plus ultrafast broadband (currently 362Mb). It comes with the Virgin TV 360 or Stream box and includes features like on-demand content, recording, and weekend calls to UK landlines.
Cost: Expect to pay around £35/month (increasing by £3.50/mth each April).Bigger bundle + movies – This includes everything on the Bigger bundle but also includes all Sky Cinema HD channels, giving access to a wide range of films while keeping all the standard entertainment and broadband (currently 362Mb).
Cost: Expect to pay around £45/month (increasing by £3.50/mth each April).Bigger bundle + sports – This bundle adds ten Sky Sports channels to the standard Bigger Bundle, giving full coverage of live events alongside entertainment channels and faster broadband (currently 516Mb).
Cost: Expect to pay around £55/month (increasing by £3.50/mth each April).Biggest bundle – The Biggest Bundle combines all the above, including Sky Cinema and Sky Sports, over 200 channels, ultrafast broadband (currently 516Mb). It also includes Netflix basic (with ads).
Cost: Expect to pay around £65/month (increasing by £3.50/mth each April).
Volt – bundle your broadband, TV and O2 mobile for additional benefits
Virgin Media Volt is a bundled plan that combines Virgin Media broadband and TV with an O2 mobile contract. So if you're already with O2 for your mobile and sign up to Virgin Media, you'll be able to take advantage of Volt's benefits. Volt customers get extras like double mobile data, Wi-Fi boosts at home, and faster broadband speeds.
How does Volt work? If you’re already with Virgin Media broadband, you can activate VOLT by adding an O2 mobile plan. Your data is automatically doubled and you unlock any other perks.
If you’re already with O2 mobile, just sign up for Virgin Media broadband (or a bundle with TV) and your Volt benefits switch on.
Activation of Volt is automatic once both services are linked to the same address/account. If they don't match, you can amend via your account settings under My O2 and My Virgin Media.
Flex – bundle your broadband with its online streaming box
Flex is Virgin’s entry-level TV option and comes in cheaper than the standard 360 box. It runs as a streaming-based platform and even though it only needs an internet connection, it’s only available to Virgin Media broadband customers. Unlike Virgin's 360 TV box, Flex doesn’t let you record shows, instead, you can catch up on content through on-demand services.
Cost: Expect to pay ~£30/mth (increasing by £3.50/mth every April) for 132Mb broadband only & Flex TV + £10 upfront to activate Flex.
Optional extras: After choosing Flex, you can tailor your package with optional extras: Sky Sports HD – £34.88/mth | Sky Cinema HD – £18.90/mth | TNT Sports – £22.50/mth | Premier Sports – £14.39/mth | Racing TV – £19.80/mth | Kids – £4.50/mth | Baby TV – £3.15/mth | Sky Essential Entertainment – £13.50/mth.
(Prices correct as of Friday 22 August)
EE TV (previously BT TV)
EE TV is the entertainment and broadband service from EE, replacing BT TV and bringing together fibre broadband with a choice of TV packages. All plans run on a 24-month contract, so you’ll need to commit for two years, but you can choose from a range of bundles tailored to sport, cinema, or family entertainment. You can watch through the EE TV Box Pro which allows you to record live TV, a smaller Mini box, or an Apple TV 4K box with the EE TV app.
What's included as standard? As you have to bundle your broadband to get EE TV, you can select one of its broadband packages which start from £26.99/mth (increasing by £4 each April). The entry-level TV option is the Entertainment package, which includes a Now Entertainment pass, Netflix Basic with ads, and Discovery+. You can then pick your TV box, either the TV Box Mini or an Apple TV 4K, both available at no extra cost.
TV packages available:
Entertainment – Now Entertainment, Netflix with ads – £20/mth (increases by £2/mth each April)
Sports 4K – TNT Sports, Discovery+ – £15/mth for 6 months, then £23/mth (increases by £2/mth each April)
Big Entertainment – NOW Entertainment, NOW Cinema, Netflix with ads, Discovery+ – £30/mth (increases by £2/mth each April)
Big Sport 4K – NOW Sports + Boost, TNT Sports, Discovery+ – £30/mth for 6 months, then £48/mth (increases by £2/mth each April)
Full Works 4K – Entertainment, Cinema, Sports + Boost, TNT Sports, Discovery+, Netflix Standard – £80/mth (increases by £2/mth each April)
Sky Stream – Basic Sky channels, Netflix with ads – £15/mth (monthly price likely to increase each April)
TNT Sports/Discovery+ – TNT Sports, Discovery+ – £20/mth (1-month rolling contract)
Optional extras: If you want the ability to pause and record live TV, you can choose its TV Box Pro for a one off payment of £20. To watch EE TV in multiple rooms, you can pay £5/mth for one TV Box Mini or £10/mth for two boxes.
TalkTalk TV – a TV box for all your apps
TalkTalk TV is delivered through a set-top box that connects to your broadband and also provides access to Freeview channels. It lets you stream popular apps, such as Netflix, Disney+ etc and watch live channels. The service is flexible, allowing you to choose which apps to use, and costs £5/mth, offering an affordable way to combine TV and streaming in a single device.
What's included as standard? For £5/mth, you get the TV box itself. Access to streaming apps like Netflix or Disney+ is available through the box, but each app requires its own separate subscription.
Already have a TV subscription? Haggle your way to a cheaper deal
With TV, there aren't many standout deals, but haggling is often your best way to net a bargain as the biggies are among the easiest firms across the UK to haggle with.
In our June 2025 poll, 84% of Virgin customers who voted responded that they had successfully haggled, this was followed by TalkTalk (75%) and Now (72%). So do call them up, threaten to leave and your existing company should offer a significant discount.
Where this technique really comes into its own is for existing, out-of-contract customers. Though before we get into it, here are some successes to show you how easy it is:
My Sky TV contract was coming to an end, and the renewal offer included a £13 monthly increase (from £92 to £105). I contacted the company and, after negotiating a discount of around £10, I decided to cancel.
About a week before the contract’s end date, I received a text asking me to contact Sky using the number provided. It turned out to be the Retentions Department. Within seconds of starting the conversation, I was offered an identical renewal contract for two years at £61 per month – a saving of over £500 a year.
Thank you! Your haggling tips certainly paid dividends.
Well, how thrilled are we!
Our Virgin bill had been creeping up (was over £80/mth) so we waited until our contract was about to end.
We got two other quotes, then approached Virgin. After turning down three offers, we managed to get our bill reduced to £51/mth, all without having to go through retentions! A big win… we’re now going away for another week using the savings!
Thanks for your advice.
How to haggle – our top tips
We've pulled out the top tips here, but for more including a full step-by-step, see our Haggle with Sky & more guide.
The first step is to ensure you know the type of price you should be looking to beat. Providers often offer hot deals on digital TV packages for sports or films or kids (or the whole show) for new customers. But once the contract ends, prices rise.
Note down the best TV buys for the package you want using the current offer round-up above. These packages often include broadband as well, so to benchmark broadband prices, see our Broadband comparison tool for the cheapest bundled and standalone deals that are available in your area.
Then call your supplier near the time you're due to renew. As you're armed with the current best buys, you can ask for a price match or wait to compare the offers they will likely present to you and refer to them to help you negotiate.
Don't be aggressive. You've no right to a discount – just a right to leave. Think of it like financial flirting.
Good haggling is simply an exchange between two people trying to agree on a win/win deal. It should be done with seduction, a gentle patter and a touch of firmness. Aim for polite, firm and non-combative.
It's rumoured some operators have quotas on the discounts they can give, so make them want to give you a price cut.
If you're coming to the end of your contract, or are out of it, you're wielding a powerful weapon as an existing customer: customer loyalty. Companies desperately want to keep you, so if they believe they'll lose you, you can often get much better deals.
If you don't get the deal you want from the first person you speak to, tell 'em you're considering leaving. You then get put through to 'disconnections', which is really 'retentions'. It's this department's job to keep you, and it has more power to offer deals.
A deal may sound great on the phone, but always make sure you double-check what you're agreeing to. Sometimes you're offered a lower monthly payment but you may be moved to a lower package, or a slower speed of broadband for example. You may also be signing up for another 12 or 18-month contract, which sometimes isn't made clear. This doesn't make them bad deals, just ensure you're happy you know exactly what you're getting.
Equally, if your bluff is called, and the deal isn't good enough, don't be forced into a corner to disconnect. An easy 'get out of jail free' card is to say: "I need to check with my husband/wife/dog etc first – I'll call you back."
Don't assume one setback means a no. Wait a few days and try again. You may have been unlucky – the person you spoke to might have already hit a quota of discount deals, so it's worth trying again. Or maybe you talked to somebody in a bad mood, or perhaps you just didn't use enough of your haggle charm.
Benchmark the best buys so you can haggle a cheap yet realistic price
Be polite and charming when asking for a better deal
Where possible, ask to be put through to 'retentions'
You don't have to decide there and then – double-check the deal and terms, but don't be forced to disconnect
If you don't get the deal you're after, call back and try again
Cashback sites may pay you for signing up
As an extra boon, members of specialist cashback websites can be paid when they sign up for some products. Do check that it's exactly the same deal though, as terms can be different. And remember, the cashback is never 100% guaranteed until it's in your account.
For full help on taking advantage of this and for pros and cons, see our Top Cashback Sites guide.
Digital TV FAQs
Switching is usually quick and hassle-free. Most providers handle the transfer for you, so you won’t be left without service.
Yes, many bundles include or let you add popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video.
Yes, you can often take TV and broadband separately, but it depends on the provider. For example, Virgin Media TV requires Virgin broadband, while others let you mix and match standalone TV and internet services.
You can watch Sky through Sky’s own bundles, or via certain providers that include Sky channels or apps in their deals. If you're with Virgin Media, you can add Sky Stream to your package, which gives you access to Sky channels, including Sky Atlantic.
Installation varies depending on your provider and setup. For internet streaming services, it may be as simple as using a self-install kit and connecting it to the internet, while in other cases an engineer might need to visit to get you connected.
How easy is it to switch TV and broadband deals?
Can I get streaming services with TV and broadband deals?
Can I get separate TV and broadband?
Which TV and broadband deals can I watch Sky with?
How are TV and broadband deals installed?
Share this guide?
