Virgin Media tries to tempt you from Sky TV with promise of cheap bill

All of the big TV and broadband suppliers including Sky, BT and Virgin Media are hiking prices for existing customers in the coming weeks with some homes being hit by hikes of over 14 percent. Luckily, those willing to switch to something new could make significant savings that will mean less money comes out of their bank account each month. In fact, Virgin reckons that those moving over to its platform could find they pay over £500 less during the term of an 18-month contract.

That’s clearly an eye-catching amount to save but how has Virgin worked out this figure and is it really worth all of the hassle of changing suppliers?

Virgin says that it’s currently offering new customers the chance to sign up and get its Bigger + Sports bundle for £65 per month.

This package includes full access to premium sports channels such as Sky Sports and BT Sport plus speedy 500Mbps broadband and the firm’s TV 360 box which is similar to Sky Q.

Right now, those switching to Virgin will pay that £65 fee with the deal lasting for 18 months.

So how does that price compare to Sky? A standard Sky Q package starts from £26 per month but begin adding Sky Sports (£20 extra), BT Sports (£28 extra), HD viewing (£7 extra) and 500Mbps broadband (£34 extra) and you’ll soon face a bill of over £100 per month.

Admittedly, Sky’s bundles do include access to Netflix but even if you add that £6.99 price to the Virgin deal it remains cheaper.

Moving providers is a pain but it’s definitely worth shopping around if you want to reduce the monthly outgoings. It’s also worth checking out services such as Sky’s new Stream box and the firm’s NOW service as these both offer contract-free ways to watch telly.

Want to know more? Read our full Sky Stream review.

Along with Virgin cutting costs, BT is also currently running a limited-time deal which is offering internet access plus the option to have popular Sky channels beamed into your home with prices starting from just £39.99 per month.

That low cost includes BT’s Fibre 2 broadband service along with channels such as Sky Atlantic, Sky Max and Sky Showcase – there’s even Netflix included as well so you can watch boxsets such as the latest Drive to Survive series and award-winning movies like All Quiet on the Western Front.

You can find full details about BT’s deal here

Speaking about its new TV and broadband promotion David Bouchier, Chief TV & Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “With so much captivating live sport available to tune in to over the next few months, including the return of the UEFA Champions League and the new Formula 1 season, we want to give sports fans even more reason to feel excited. Great entertainment deserves great broadband, and with our Bigger + Sports bundle, that’s exactly what we’re offering – and at fantastic value.”