# So.....if I ditch Virgin but still want sport, what are my options?



## Dave7 (7 Sep 2019)

My Virgin charges are now stupid. I mainly watch sport and thats mainly football.
With Virgin, if I want ANY sport I have to buy the whole package.
I am not technical so cant do with this streaming malarky.
An aerial specialist has offered me a gizmo for £100 that will give me everything......not sure if its legal 
Oh....I need a land line
Looking for ideas/suggestions as to what to do and how to do it.
Thanks


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## vickster (7 Sep 2019)

Sky (dish)
BT
NowTV (plus a different phone and Broadband which I’m assuming you need and get from Virgin?)
Any might come with a cash back deal if ordered via Quidco 

Or forget all of it and go to the pub for your football


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## Dave7 (7 Sep 2019)

vickster said:


> Sky (dish)
> BT
> NowTV (plus a different phone and Broadband which I’m assuming you need and get from Virgin?)
> Any might come with a cash back deal if ordered via Quidco
> ...


You may be joking about the pub but I have considered that.
Our mobiles are with Virgin.
As I understand it Sky and BT are similar cost if you want sports package.


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## Drago (7 Sep 2019)

I dunno about sport, but BT with the movies is a lot cheaper than the same package from Sky.


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## vickster (7 Sep 2019)

Dave7 said:


> You may be joking about the pub but I have considered that.
> Our mobiles are with Virgin.
> As I understand it Sky and BT are similar cost if you want sports package.


Sky have offers at the mo. You don’t have to have all the Sports channels. I’ve just signed up to PL and Sports for £18 a month, no contract
As a new customer, you may well get a better deal
Doesn’t matter who your mobiles are with unless you get some deal as you get other services. Nothing to stop you changing if not under contract obviously

Just need to do all the sums including any set up or connection fees. Just phone and see what you can negotiate. You might even be able to reduce Virgin if you threaten to leave

Be aware that Virgin’s broadband is faster than BT fibre (which Sky use)


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## postman (7 Sep 2019)

I know Mrs P is keeping an eye on our Virgin costs,i have told her i would be quite happy to ditch them and go Freeview.Not bothered about sport,i am on here as the England game is like watching paint dry.


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## Drago (7 Sep 2019)

postman said:


> I know Mrs P is keeping an eye on our Virgin costs...



Do you find you both get through quite a lot of virgins?


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## Moodyman (7 Sep 2019)

You could go cycling. It's a free way of getting sport


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## ianrauk (8 Sep 2019)

postman said:


> I know Mrs P is keeping an eye on our Virgin costs,i have told her i would be quite happy to ditch them and go Freeview.Not bothered about sport,i am on here as the England game is like watching paint dry.


We did the same Postie. Ditched the Virgin TV package entirely and just kept their internet. Freeview has more than enough crap on TV to keep us happy.


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## tom73 (8 Sep 2019)

Have you phoned them up to see if they will knock the price down?

If you on a high cost package your more likely to get a new deal with out much work. They will try and beat you down but hold on for a good price. 
It's worth a try i've done it few times but you have hold your line and have a price you can get from others. Another one to throw at them is new customer deal price v yours. 
Also be prepared to say right then i'm off they get really helpful once they get a sent a date and port out code from your new supplier. 
Only then will you get a call from the dept that can really cut the cost. They will also say it's one time offer take it now it's not. I said i'd think about phoned them back and even got a bit more off. 

Always have a price in your head your willing to take if they can't match it then walk away.


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## Fab Foodie (8 Sep 2019)

I figure if any sport is that money-hungry that it sells it’s soul to Virgin/BT/Sky then I’m out. It puts too much money into too few hands. There is no trickle-down of any significance. Look at The 2 famous FA teams now closes.

So we binned Sky and watch Freesat via the former Sky dish.

As @ianrauk said, enough crap to keep us happy.

To be fair, I’d ditch TV completely.


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## Dave7 (8 Sep 2019)

ianrauk said:


> We did the same Postie. Ditched the Virgin TV package entirely and just kept their internet. Freeview has more than enough crap on TV to keep us happy.


Daft questions.....
Can you keep thier internet but not get the tv through it?
If not.....how can you have that and still get freeview?
There are several freeview channels than I cannot get via Virgin eg FV32 and 81.


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## ianrauk (8 Sep 2019)

Dave7 said:


> Daft questions.....
> Can you keep thier internet but not get the tv through it?
> If not.....how can you have that and still get freeview?
> There are several freeview channels than I cannot get via Virgin eg FV32 and 81.


We just have the internet and phone line. No tv box. Freeview is available through the actual TV


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## Dave7 (8 Sep 2019)

ianrauk said:


> We just have the internet and phone line. No tv box. Freeview is available through the actual TV


TBH that is the way I am leaning. What I am paying will buy us a holiday break each year.
Do they come round and collect your box or just disconnect the service?


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## ianrauk (8 Sep 2019)

Dave7 said:


> TBH that is the way I am leaning. What I am paying will buy us a holiday break each year.
> Do they come round and collect your box or just disconnect the service?


I never had a box in the first place. They just disconnect the service. I would guess if they wanted the box back they will collect. But speaking to friends who have cancelled the tv, they usually don't collect it.


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## tom73 (8 Sep 2019)

Dave7 said:


> TBH that is the way I am leaning. What I am paying will buy us a holiday break each year.
> Do they come round and collect your box or just disconnect the service?



Yes you can it's all we have with them now. We Hardly use the phone so just basic so no free call add ons.

As for the box they send you box you just put all the bits in and send it back via collect+ i think it was it's one of them that lot's of shops do.

All they do is trun off the signal all you need to do is unplug it , unscrew the cable from the wall and send we whole lot back. They charge you if you don't. Though I kept the HD cable and nothing was said.

Freeview is via a box or like us you may have it built in to the TV.


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## numbnuts (8 Sep 2019)

When I ditched Virgin TV I told then to come and collect the box, that was 4 years ago, still here.


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## keithmac (8 Sep 2019)

I got rid of VM Phone and TV, kept their Broadband though as unfortunately it is excellent and very reliable.

They sent a box for our TIVO, had some films on it that I still hadn't watched as well..

Our TV is nearly 10 years old and that has Freeview built in so happy days.


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## Ming the Merciless (4 Oct 2019)

Go watch stuff live at your local football club etc.


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