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Digital TV Deals

How to pick the right package and haggle a discount

Digital TV Deals
Steve Brigden
Steve Brigden | Edited by Martin Lewis
Updated Monthly

TV subscriptions can set you back over £1,000/yr, so the top tips in this guide, with a round-up of the current prices from Sky, Virgin, TalkTalk and BT, will help you slash these costs. 

In this guide

Compare current offers

Want to compare TV deals? Use our Broadband Unbundled tool.

Looking for streaming services? See our Netflix hacks and Online Streaming guides.

How to pick the right 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/year for add-ons you don't need.

  • 1. Ask yourself, do you really need to pay for satellite or cable TV at all – eg, you only watch Netflix or the BBC?

    Switching from the big providers to Freeview would save many £400+/year, a huge sum that could potentially be spent elsewhere.

    With the popularity of online streaming services and watching content on the go, you'll find plenty of free sources to watch programmes or entertainment on demand, and can usually be watched via your TV. From services such as BBC iPlayer and All4, to the less traditional video found via YouTube or even Facebook and Instagram.

    If you're still after 'premium' content, then 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.

  • 2. Only pay for channels you know you'll watch – think quality not quantity

    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, only sign up to the sports channels for the football season. Cancel for the summer and you'll save a wad of cash. Some providers may insist on 30 days' notice, so set a reminder to do it in time.

  • 3. Want broadband too? Don't always assume it's cheapest to get it all from one provider

    Many providers will offer TV bundles or packages that include broadband, or at least TV channel add-ons to broadband and line deals.

    Sometimes opting for a complete package can be the cheapest way, but never assume so. Our Broadband Unbundled tool will show you when it finds a cheaper combination from more than one provider, just select 'TV' and 'Include Unbundled deals'.

    Always keep a note of when each contract ends and diarise to ditch and switch, or haggle, around a month before your promo deal finishes as you'll likely see your prices are suddenly hiked.

  • 4. Moving house shortly? Check if fees would apply

    Eighteen-month contracts are now common 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.

Already have TV? Haggle your way to a new, 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 February 2019 poll, 84% of Sky customers who voted said they successfully haggled, followed by Virgin Media (76%), Plusnet (75%) and BT (73%). So just call up, threaten to leave and your existing company will often offer kick-butt discounts.

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:

Called Sky, told them I was leaving and was put through to retentions. They kept me on the same package but reduced it to £30/month, a £180/year saving.

I rang Virgin Media, as I was being charged £38/month for broadband, TV and phone before call charges. I mentioned a family member had signed up to all three for only £30/month. It immediately reduced my package by £10/month.

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.

  • 1. Benchmark the best buys so you can haggle a cheap yet realistic price

    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 below. These packages often include broadband as well, so to benchmark broadband prices, see our Broadband Unbundled 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.

  • 2. Be polite and charming when asking for a better deal

    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.

  • 3. Where possible, ask to be put through to 'retentions'

    If you're coming to the end of your contract, or are out of it, you're wielding a powerful weapon: 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.

  • 4. You don't have to decided there and then – double-check the deal and terms, but don't be forced to disconnect

    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."

  • 5. If you don't get the deal you're after, call back and try again

    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.

Current prices for new customers

To help with haggling a decent discount, we've collated the current offers for new customers from the main providers in this at-a-glance comparison. TV deals are often complicated with many bundles, so understanding which channels you're willing to shell out for is key.

The below should give a brief overview, but for a better comparison try our Broadband Unbundled tool which will show you the best TV deals available in your area.

Standard digital TV offers – at a glance
Provider & link New customer offers
BT

You can only add BT TV if you take its broadband and line rental deals. You can then choose to add the following depending on the speed of internet you have chosen. Costs below include fibre broadband + line rent:

 

Entertainment – £51.99/mth + £19.99 upfront, 18mth contract: Includes all channels in the TV Starter package, plus 19 'premium' channels such as the Discovery Channel and MTV. Comes with a YouView+ box which lets you record up to 300 hours of TV, and you can add BT Sport in standard or high definition.

 

TV Starter + BT Sport – £41.99/mth + £49.99 upfront, 18mth contract: Includes about 80 Freeview TV and radio channels, and comes with a YouView box which lets you pause and rewind TV and record up to 300 hours of shows. BT Sport is included in standard definition (not HD).

 

Max 4K – £64.99/mth + £9.99 upfront, 18mth contract: Includes the basic 80 Freeview channels plus 62 'premium' channels and BT Sport. It comes with a YouView+ HD box which lets you record up to 300 hours of TV and watch in HD.

 

On top of these packages, there is a range of channels you can add, including Sky Sports in standard definition for £30/mth, Sky Cinema for £16/mth, Netflix from £5.99/mth and kids' channels for £5/mth.

 

You can also claim a prepaid Mastercard from BT, which varies in value depending on the deal. Once your service is active, you've got three months to claim it via this BT claim link - though it won't remind you to do it.
Sky

Entertainment – £22/mth + £20 upfront, 18mth contract: Its basic offering provides 350+ channels including Sky Atlantic and Sky One.

You can add the following optional extras:

 

Kids – £5/mth, 1mth contract: 11 kids' channels including Nick Junior, the Sky Kids App, games and parental controls.

Ultimate On Demand – £3/mth, 1mth contract: Over 1,000 shows on demand from Sky Box Sets and Netflix.

HD – £5/mth, 1mth contract: A range of HD channels.

Sky Cinema – £11/mth, 18mth contract: 11 movie channels and over 1,000 movies on demand.

Sky Sports – £23/mth, 18mth contract: All eight Sky Sports channels.

 

All of Sky's new TV packages come with its Sky Q box, which allows you to record and store your favourite programmes.
TalkTalk

You can only add TalkTalk TV if you take its broadband and line rental deals, which currently start at £19.95/mth for standard speed on an 18mth contract. It's then £4/mth for TalkTalk TV. You can then customise your TV package by adding certain 'Boosts', which are bundles of channels on a rolling monthly contract. These include:

 

Entertainment – £8/mth for 18 months, then £12/mth: Includes 30 'premium' channels such as Fox, Gold and National Geographic.

Kids – £3/mth for 18 months, then £6/mth: Includes 10 channels such as Disney and Nickelodeon.

Sky Sports – £17/mth for 6 months, then £34/mth: All eight Sky Sports channels.

Sky Cinema – £16/mth: Includes 11 movie channels.
Virgin Media

You can only get TV with Virgin Media as part of a bundle which includes its fibre and line rental - the costs below include this: 

 

Big Bundle – £29/mth + £35 upfront, 12mth contract: Mixit TV - 122 freeview channels - plus 108Mb fibre broadband and weekend calls.

 

Bigger Bundle – £49/mth + £35 upfront, 12mth contract: Maxit TV - 238 channels incl BT Sport HD channels, Sky One HD, History and Comedy Central - plus 108Mb fibre broadband and weekend calls.

 

Bigger Bundle + Sports – £65/mth + £35 upfront, 12mth contract: Maxit TV as above with all eight Sky Sports channels, plus 108Mb fibre broadband and weekend calls.

 

Ultimate Oomph Bundle – £99/mth + £35 upfront, 12mth contract: Maxit TV as above with Sky Sports, Sky Cinema HD, Kids channels and an extra V6 TV box, plus 516Mb fibre broadband and weekend calls.
Prices correct as of 19 July 2019. All links take you to our Broadband Unbundled tool to compare current deals from each provider.

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.

Get the most out of Freeview

Ask yourself: "Do I really need every channel?" If the answer's 'no', and you're not bothered about getting Premier League matches or 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.)

Some people can't get Freeview because of their location (check on the Freeview website), which means you'll need to look at one of the other options. Freeview says 98.5% of people will be able to get it, with channel line-ups dependent on area.

If you want to really get the most out of Freeview though, and be able to record, pause or rewind live TV or record whole series, you'll need a YouView+ box. These start at around £90 for a box with 500GB of memory (which records up to 250 hours of TV).

How to complain about your TV provider

If you have a problem with your TV provider and need to complain, contact it and keep a record of the date, what you said and the person you speak to. Common problems include installation dates not being met, limited service, incorrect billing and more. It's always worth trying to call your provider first, but if not, then...

Free tool if you're having a problem

This tool helps you draft your complaint and manage it, too. It's free, and offered by a firm called Resolver which we like so much we work with to help people get complaints justice.

RESOLVER - FREE TELECOMS COMPLAINTS TOOL*

If the complaint isn't resolved, Resolver will escalate it on your behalf to the free Ombudsman Services or CISAS, depending on the firm you're complaining about.

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