Annual Sky v VM decision

[grdunn123]

So I've been with Sky for around 10 years and have virually every option including Fibre BB, multiroom, Sports, Movies etc at a cost of £110 a month. Last couple of years I've toyed with the idea of going with VM and this year is no different - I can have (claimed) 152mbps BB, all TV channels with HD sports/movies for £75 a month for 6 months then £110 for remaining 12 months saving around £200 or so. Sky have just offered £84 a month all in with no contract to keep their services the same.

Happy with TV but even the 40mbps Fibre from Sky struggles at times with 3 kids on Xbox, tablets, iPhones etc and my wife's and my laptops, tablets, phones + TV/Sky box always connrcted too (hadn't quite realised how much we rely on t'internet these days!!!)

What would you do???

 

[Cofnchtr]

Hi,

Seems the biggest issue of SKY contract is the speed, or lack of, compared to VM. If this is a major issue for you then the decision seems clear - VM wins.

Check VM's multiroom option - can you have as many boxes as you currently have with SKY? Is there an extra cost for multiroom from VM?

If internet speed is the biggest and only difference, seems silly to not change unless SKY can up their speed? Presume you are not in a SKYBB area? Would have thought a faster speed could have been offered? I currently get almost 80mbps with BT with Infinity.

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

 

[Neptune_Twilight]

I've been with VM for some years, you can have set-top 4 boxes on a VM installation - I have 2 Tivo boxes & a V-Box which get's all channels but don't record (in my daughters bedroom) You do need extra boxes to be installed by VM but I’ve often negotiated & got free install - You also have a dedicated link to the boxes for Netflix/catch-up etc. that doesn't interfere with the internet connection.

The internet connection is good & reliable & get a constant 152 (wired) or more down & pushing 12 up - The thing I like about the Tivo is the ability to record 3 channels & watch another, some say picture quality not quite on a par with Sky but I'm happy with it, of course others may have had a different experience *crazy*

 

[daveh75]

Can't you upgrade to 80Mbps 'fibre' on Sky (or 'Sky pro' as they call it) or are you to far from the cab to get it and limited to 40mbps package?

 

[grdunn123]

Can't you upgrade to 80Mbps 'fibre' on Sky (or 'Sky pro' as they call it) or are you to far from the cab to get it and limited to 40mbps package?

I am limited unfortunatley to the 40mbps which a couple of years ago would have been a great deal - things have changed so much since then with over a dozen 'always on' internet hungry electronics in the household. VM's 152mbps internet is winning the day at the moment but I have a few days left to make a choice!

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

I manage on 6mbps. I have used systems up to 20mbps. There was no difference. I dont download music or video very often but for most use I find this adequate. The connection speed is only one factor in performance and I would be surprised, even as a heavy user, if you would notice the difference between 20/40/100 mbps. I worked with systems with hundreds of users with a single 20mbps connection. A dozen always on internet hungry electronics?? Just my opinion - I dont get too hung up with these speeds.

 

[cheeseboy]

I manage on 6mbps. I have used systems up to 20mbps. There was no difference. I dont download music or video very often but for most use I find this adequate. The connection speed is only one factor in performance and I would be surprised, even as a heavy user, if you would notice the difference between 20/40/100 mbps. I worked with systems with hundreds of users with a single 20mbps connection. A dozen always on internet hungry electronics?? Just my opinion - I dont get too hung up with these speeds.

That would depend on how many users and what the upload speed is. It's one thing that people don't pay that much attention to, untill you start to get mutliple users. I'm guessing when you worked with hundreds of users at 20mbps it was probably a symmetric line, ie 20mbps down, but also 20mbps upload.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Real world comparison/stats would be nice. Is the 'speed issue' more of a marketing tool nowadays? An observation rather than a fact.

 

[Neptune_Twilight]

The latest VM speed update (down) was really to get one over on BT's Infinity system (double their best download) but it's really the upload speed increase that people want improving, (well I do), eventually there will be 'Fibre To Premises' which will sort that out likely, however having used a fast download speed for some time it's surprising how you do get used to it & i really miss it when at other premises, I for one would not like a slower speed unless it was forced on me by moving house etc. I suppose in the end it's why & how you use your internet connection & personal?

From my point of view why would I want for example very low water pressure when I can have good? You get the same in the end but it takes longer - I negotiated a good deal with VM as a long term customer & having a slower speed would be of no advantage monetarily.

Changing from Sky to VM of course would require new coax cables being laid etc.which could be a pain but for me that was a good thing as the original BT install was done at this house decades ago & at that time (6 years + ago) BT had no intention of changing it whereas VM gave me a complete new install, times have changed since then & BT are now on planet earth with Infinity & do a rewire where needed.

 

[daveh75]

Its not so much a speed issue, but a bandwidth issue.

If all you do is surf, read email etc then 6mbps is enough. But if you've got multiple users using lots of bandwidth intensive services, the connection can become saturated very quickly, and its like being back in the days of dial up.

So as family of five who are all in on streaming etc I know the OPs pain.

My 75/18.5 connection was regularly becoming saturated when we were all at home wanting to use it at the same time.

I solved it by throwing money at it and getting a second line/FTTC connection and load balancing them in the end.

 

[grdunn123]

I've decided to try VM, got their Big Daddy package with Sports/Movies in HD, 1TB Tivo + 500GB Tivo on free install and 152mb BB.....coming Tuesday so we'll see how it does.

 

[Series1boy]

Having being a sky customer for many years, I swapped over to VM and then swapped straight back to sky within a week because the picture quality on HD and 5.1 sound were no where near as good as SKY. VM broadband was top notch though and far better than sky in terms of reliability and consistent download speeds..

 

[grdunn123]

Having being a sky customer for many years, I swapped over to VM and then swapped straight back to sky within a week because the picture quality on HD and 5.1 sound were no where near as good as SKY. VM broadband was top notch though and far better than sky in terms of reliability and consistent download speeds..

Oh that doesn't sound promising!! I just assumed that picture quality on both sd and hd would be about the same! any one else found the same?? sound quality worse too on DD??

 

[ElectroMan]

There's a comparison here between Sky & Virgin (the picture quality is tested on pages 4 & 5).

I've never had Sky, but I do have Virgin on non-fibre cable, and the picture quality overall is good, and the HD channels look fine (well, the paltry few they give you unless you pay top dollar, that is!).

 

[chrisup]

I used to be with sky and switched to virgin because in Kidderminster I get upto 50mbs. I ususally get 40+ mbs and I am expecting the speed to double soon. We have 3 tablets, 3 laptops and a desktop 8 core games machine and have no problem using them with Virgin. I have two freesat boxes and one records 2 programmes in HD as well.

Best wishes

Chris

 

[grdunn123]

Thanks for the replies above - been a difficult decision based on the fact that I've been with Sky for 10 years although for the past 2-3 years I've given real consideration to switching to VM. My install is tomorrow morning so I'll give you an unbiased opinion by tomorrow eveniong on BB speed, tv picture/sound quality.

 

[grdunn123]

So all done in about an hour including Tivo box in bedroom, getting about 120mb on BB right now with all phones, tablets etc connected and things are loading a lot faster. TV picture and soundquality seems every bit as good as Sky on HD, the planner is something of a lottery though. I expected it would take some time to get to know my way around my favourite channels but the way the planner is put together seems a little crazy! I'll live with it though and get used to it - On demand stuff seems to be better than Sky.

 

[Neptune_Twilight]

It's what you get used too, both my sons use Sky & are forever saying they find the Tivo & remote confusing & not on a par with Sky, after using VM for some years now I find the opposite true because I don't use the Sky interface every day - If you connect the Tivo to the net via Ethernet you can use the VM app to record single programs or series wherever you are if you find it useful, I do when away.