Sky subscribers' fury as new customers get free TVs
Sky is giving away free 32-inch LG TVs to new customers. It's a great freebie for anyone who hasn't had a Sky TV package before, but it's a slap in the face for existing Sky customers - who have just been told their bills are rising.
The offer means that new customers who sign up by 21 April get to choose between the new TV, a Samsung Galaxy tablet, an Amazon or Tesco giftcard loaded with £100, or £100 on a prepaid MasterCard.
The deal applies for those who sign up for at least 12 months to one of six of the company's bundles: The Original, The Complete, The Family, The Variety, Sky Movies and Sky Sports.
As an extra sweetener, the prices of some of these packages have also been reduced for new customers. The Complete, for example, will cost £74.75 for the first six months - before reverting to the usual £80 a month.
Those who have already signed up, meanwhile, face having the price of their package hiked in June - when packages will increase in cost by around £2 a month.
The approach makes perfect sense for the business. It is investing in drawing in new customers, knowing that once they sign up, they will get used to receiving the services, and find it much harder to give them up.
Anger
But the inequity of the deals hasn't escaped the attention of loyal customers, who have taken to social media in frustration.
On Facebook, customers were angry enough at price increases. One customer wrote: "After receiving a letter today informing me of a £3.75 price increase on top of the £62 a month I already pay, I am seriously reconsidering my loyalty to this company."
For these users, the reduced prices for new customers were adding insult to injury. One customer commented: "So three months after joining Sky my bill is already going up, and you put a leaflet through my door offering Sky bundles half price for a year. Surely you should honour that."
On top of this, the freebies are a real slap in the face. One Facebook user summed it up as: "So Sky is offering its new customers TVs and Samsung Galaxy tablets but putting the prices up for existing, loyal customers (probably to fund incentives for new customers!) well done Sky you really know how to treat your customers!"
Meanwhile, for one Twitter user, it was the final straw, saying: "So @SkyUK hike the price of my bill to pay for new customers to have a free telly. Time to leave soon."
It's scant consolation that the company is offering existing customers cheaper broadband if they don't have a TV package - down from £10 a month to £5 (plus the line rental of £17.40 until 14 April). This deal is also better for new customers - who get the half price deal, plus a £75 voucher from M&S.
What can you do?
If you have signed up, and are unhappy with the price rise you can contact the company and try to haggle for a lower price.
It helps if you do your research to find alternative TV phone and broadband deals first, so you can ask for a price match. You should also start by selecting the option to cancel, so you will be put through to a department with the power to negotiate. It's usually easier to negotiate if you have reached the end of
the minimum period of your contract (usually 12 months), but it's worth a try in any case.
If that doesn't work (and the minimum period is over), you can ether downgrade your package or cancel your service (with 31 days notice), and opt for an alternative. We reported last month on some of the cheaper options out there.
