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Sky or virgin?

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Chief1409
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Sky or virgin?

Post by Chief1409 » Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:27 pm

Currently with Sky (tv) and BT (broadband). Sky is good but broadband speed is pretty average and my sky hd box is 1st gen and only 250GB an almost always full.

Considering going to virgin media VIP collection which would give me an extra HD box to put in the games room (for when I want to watch footie or the kids want to watch something different from us) and also give me super duper 100mb broadband as well as full telephone package so all in all cost would be about the same (ignoring discount I know I could get by haggling with sky).

Previous experience of virgin (pre-sky+ or TiVo days) was terrible so are they any better?

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X5Sport
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Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by X5Sport » Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:36 pm

Have a look here at what kind of service is available.  If your exchange has been 'fibred' you could go with another ISP over the fibre to the cab (FTTC) route.

I have seen reports of Virgin's speeds dropping sharply at busy times due to 'traffic management'.  I've seen the same for BT too, which is why I would not use either - if I could get superfast connectivity.  We can't get Vermin or BT Fibre here as despite having the ducts in place there are no plans to expand the networks, and BT connected the street to probably the only cab they aren't fibreing in this area as it's main users are commercial premises.. >:(
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Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by shadrack » Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:36 pm

id have a virgin ;)
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Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by X5Sport » Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:38 pm

[quote="shadrack"]
id have a virgin ;)
[/quote]
:doh:
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shadrack
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Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by shadrack » Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:43 pm

[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="shadrack"]
id have a virgin ;)
[/quote]
:doh:
[/quote]

sorry just read it...no idea on the tv, but ill stick with my original comment!
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Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by X5Sport » Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:45 pm

[quote="shadrack"]
[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="shadrack"]
id have a virgin ;)
[/quote]
:doh:
[/quote]

sorry just read it...no idea on the tv, but ill stick with my original comment!
[/quote]
:spiteful: :ok:
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Sky or virgin?

Post by scooby1doo1 » Sat Jan 05, 2013 1:59 pm

I have sky and can't wait to get fibre, this yr planes are in place to fibre so bye bye sky.


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sramsay
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Sky or virgin?

Post by sramsay » Sat Jan 05, 2013 2:05 pm

I went to Virgin about a year ago as I was fed up with my 1.5mbps via Adsl and the Fibre to the cab rollout kept being pushed back.  I've got no complaints about the service, it's as good if not better than what I had from Xen.

On Xmas Eve I got upgraded to 100mbps (from 50) and I'm seeing 80mbps reliably via the speedtest site.

For TV, I'm just too attached to Sky to move off them. I just like how slick the menus are - especially now catch-up & BBC iPlayer have been added. I looked at Virgin demo and it didn't seem a match. I believe Virgin HD is also inferior due to compression.

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Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by squeaky2 » Sat Jan 05, 2013 3:36 pm

Have had both virgin tv and broadband for about a year now.  Dont have the full package of virgin tv but the only thing i miss from sky is the F1 races.

What i do like is the 100mb speed. We are FTTH so constantly get 99mbps down and about 10 up.  Its also been quite reliable too except for one time when the servers went down at virgin but discovered that my vpn still worked

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Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by jaynana » Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:23 am

virgin broadband has been pretty good for me, except for the very rare occasion when it has gone down over the many years i've used it.

its unlimited in terms of a max download or upload, except that if you're on a massive download/upload it will throttle the pipe.

i think virgin is best for broadband.

can't say the same for tv though. beware when they say 'hd package' etc they have very limited hd channels compared to sky, and i'm on virgin xl.

another annoying thing is that the 'record' feature is not available for some of the premier programmes. this is utterly annoying! like for instance when a new programme is released on nat geo the blo0dy 'record' option just doesn't appear for that programme only!! like majic!

i believe virgin is great for broadband and sky is great for tv  :'(
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Chief1409
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Sky or virgin?

Post by Chief1409 » Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:32 am

[quote="jaynana"]
i believe virgin is great for broadband and sky is great for tv  :'(
[/quote]
Funny you should say that... I've stuck with sky for tv and gone with virgin for phone and broadband. Works out roughly same price and I have good haggling power with sky so can probably make a decent saving overall. Thanks for all the help folks!
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Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by Imy » Thu Jan 10, 2013 8:58 am

Im with Jay, Sky for tv and virgin for broadband although having said that at peak hours Virgin does drop sharply at times... and my PS3 hates it!

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sramsay
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Sky or virgin?

Post by sramsay » Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:38 am

I'm also a big fan of Sky Go and the iPad app that allows you to manage the planner.

awj85

Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by awj85 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:58 am

Def Sky after my phone call last night.  :)

My sky box keeps frezzing and only way to view whats on the planner is to reset the box.

I'm out of contract with sky so phoned them up to "cancel."  Told them i was switching to Virgin.  I had no intention of cancelling!  8)

So now I have Entertainment Extra for the same price as the basic Entertainment package for 9 months, AND multi room being installed on Monday; for free, and free 2nd sky hd box, (and they're replacing the one which keeps freezing in my lounge) and then a montly charge of £2.50 for 12 months. 

Knew it was worth a free phone call to them!  :lol:

awj85

Re: Sky or virgin?

Post by awj85 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:59 am

Also should have said i have broadband with Sky (absoloutely no problems at all,) and my phone line.

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