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Do I need cable, Sky or BT Vision to bundle?

Our digital TV expert says...

Hi Linda, thanks for sending in your question - it’s a frustrating situation you’re in. Bundling your TV, phone and broadband services is often a great way to save money. But as you’ve discovered, it’s not always a straightforward option.

While the main digital TV providers offer the majority of their services to most of the UK, there are still some people like you, Linda, who are unable to get all of their products from one single provider. This could mean paying up to three separate bills, resulting in higher ongoing costs. Luckily, there are still options left to explore.

Firstly, there’s the subscription-free satellite service Freesat. It’s similar to Sky (www.sky.com) but with no monthly fee, so might provide some decent savings in the long run. Alternatively, you could look for ways to boost your signal to receive Freeview channels with BT Vision.

Can I bundle my TV, phone and internet?

The answer for most people is yes, you probably can bundle TV, phone and broadband with one provider - often saving money in the process. But for bundling to be an option, all three services would need to be available from the chosen provider in your area.

Unfortunately for you, Linda, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Had you lived in a cable TV region, Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) might have been able to provide your internet, phone and television. Similarly, with your BT landline and broadband, the BT Vision (www.btvision.bt.com) digital TV service would give you the complete package from one provider, simplifying things and helping you make savings.

However, as you mentioned, you need a reliable Freeview signal to receive a lot of BT Vision’s content. A poor reception is likely to result in you missing programmes you would’ve liked to have seen. The benefits of a satellite service like Sky are quite obvious in this respect.

Should I stay with Sky for my TV?

Assuming you’re happy with the satellite TV you get from Sky, there’s really no reason to switch unless you’re looking for a cheaper package. If this is the case, you could consider ways of sticking with Sky but still saving money - such as bundling with other Sky products or dropping some channels.

It’s worth checking Sky’s broadband coverage periodically though, Linda, to see if it has expanded to your area which will enable you to make the most of the savings offered by switching your phone and broadband to Sky for a full bundled service from one company.

Depending on how much you pay each month, Sky can provide the UK’s widest range of high-definition (HD) channels, the likes of Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky Atlantic and, of course, the Sky+ box that has revolutionised the way millions of people watch TV.

TV with Sports

Company	Package Name	Included Sports Channels	Sky Sports	ESPN	HD Sports Channels
	Sky Entertainment TV + Sky Sports + ESPN	15
	TV: XL + Sky Sports Collection	16

There’s nothing to stop you keeping your BT phone/internet and continuing with subscription TV from Sky, but paying two monthly bills to separate providers is likely to cost considerably more in the long run. Another option would be to consider subscription-free services like Freesat.

What is Freesat?

Freesat is a non-subscription satellite service offering digital TV throughout the UK. It has over 150 television, radio and interactive channels - including five in HD - as well as the BBC iPlayer and ITV Player catch-up services. With Freesat+ you can record, pause and rewind live programming.

Is Freesat a good alternative to Sky?

For people unable to access Freeview channels, a satellite TV service from Sky or Freesat makes a good alternative. Which one you choose, however, would depend on the content you want to receive and how much money you’re looking to spend.

The beauty of Freesat is that there’s no monthly fee to pay. Since you’ve already had Sky installed in your home, you won’t even need to buy a satellite dish as both providers use the same technology. You’d simply need to plug in a Freesat set-top box or Freesat+ digital recorder to get going.

TV, broadband and phone packages

Company	Package Name	Channels	Broadband	Home Phone
	Sky Entertainment TV + HD + Sky Broadband Unlimited + Talk Freetime	Get channels like Sky 1, Sky Living, Sky Atlantic and more
	TV Essential + More Broadband and Calls	70 Freeview channels
	TV: L + Broadband: 30Mb + Phone: M	100 channels including Virgin 1, Sky1, Comedy Central, Bravo and many more

While Freesat has a broad range of channels - everything from BBC News and Channel 4HD to NME TV and an Argos shopping channel - the choice of sport and movies can be quite limited compared to Sky’s offering.

So if you’re a household of film buffs or love your live sports action, your best option might be to keep the Sky package you’ve got. On the other hand, if all you really want is a basic set of digital channels - with the added benefit of being subscription-free - then Freesat may well be for you.

The other TV alternative would be to see if there’s a way of improving your Freeview signal so you can add BT Vision to your phone and broadband bundle.

What is BT Vision?

BT Vision is a way for BT broadband customers to save money by bundling their digital TV and internet services. It gives you all the Freeview channels, as well as allowing you to pause, record and rewind live TV. It’s delivered to a set-top box via your telephone line, though you’ll also need a TV aerial and decent reception to receive the Freeview channels.

How can my Freeview signal be improved?

There are several ways you may be able to boost your reception for BT Vision. Firstly, you could purchase a signal booster - a device that can amplifies or strengthens the signal you receive - which connects between your aerial and set-top box.

These can be ideal if you’re missing some channels due to a weak signal and are also quite useful if your aerial is connected to several TVs, as this can half the signal received by each. It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that signal boosters are often of little use where tall buildings are the issue.

Before you spend money on a signal booster, it is probably worth speaking to a TV engineer or aerial installer with knowledge of any Freeview issues locally. They may be able to suggest other options that could work better for you.

And don’t forget, Linda, that your TV signal may improve significantly when the digital switchover comes to your area - find out exactly when that is on the Digital UK website. The existing analogue signal will be switched off and replaced with a new, stronger digital TV signal that virtually everyone will be able to receive through an aerial.

Are there any other options?

From next year, there could be another alternative for you to consider. YouView is a new digital TV platform jointly developed by the BBC, ITV, BT, Channel 4, TalkTalk, Arqiva and Channel 5. All you’ll need is a YouView set-top box and broadband internet connection, which you already have.

As with Freesat, there’s no contract or monthly subscription and the boxes will be sold at the usual high street stores just like Freeview and Freesat hardware. YouView will essentially offer most of what BT Vision provides. However, following several delays it is not expected to launch until early 2012.

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