UPC - You don't have to pay extra to upgrade to Digital+

Mad Mike

I was disspointed to discover that my UPC service didn't include the new "video on demand" facility despite the fact that I am paying exactly the same monthly sub as my brother who does have it. I decided to investigate. The UPC website wasn't very helpful to an existing customer like me so I rang them up on 1908.

The first person I talked to was very friendly and and explained that the new service was called Digital Plus and I could add it to my existing package for only an extre €3 per month. I protested that I didn't want to pay more and that I knew someone who was already getting it for the same price I was already paying. The rep then transfered me on to someone in the "loyalty" team.

The representative from the loyalty team was equally friendly and explained to me that I needed to replace my old set top box with a new version to get digital plus. He said I wouldn't have to pay an extra €3 per month but that there would be a once off fee of €45 for the upgrade.

The new box would have some extra features like recording and pausing live TV so this seemed somewhat plausible but given the times that are in it I really didn't want to spend any extra money on my TV so I told him that I would have to think about it.

Seeing my reluctance he made a new offer: If I paid the €45 up front he would give me two months half price discount on my subscription. We have the full internet and phone package so the saving would come to more than €60 for an up front payment of €45. I had extend my contract for 12 months to get this but I have no intention of changing in the next year anyway. This was finally a deal I could agree to.

The moral of the story is: If you are an existing customer do not accept extra charges to access the latest UPC services. Keep asking until they give you a better deal. For all I know I could hav egotoen an even better dal if I had heldout longer but I was happy enough to get an upgade and save some money at the same time.

coylemj

I have Digital+, the '+' means that there is a hard drive in my digital decoder so I can record programs and pause live TV. I also have 30 Mb/sec broadband but I do not have On-Demand and despite multiple efforts, nobody in UPC can tell me when I will have it so I think whoever you were talking to doesn't know jack sh1t.

Do not sign up for any extra service without a rock solid commitment (preferably in writing) that you will end up with what they're promising you. The call agents you spoke to seem to be unaware that there are lots of UPC customers with Digital+ who cannot access On-Demand.

Mad Mike

Ouch Coylemj that sounds very annoying. Luckily everything worked first time for for us including recording and the on-demand stuff. The digital+ box has an unusually long start up time which caused some puzzlement at first but now we are used to it it is fine. My kids figured out how to use series link almost immediately and the hard drive is almost full already with every single episode of "Friends" and "Modern Family" from one of those channels that plays episodes back to back.

The on demand stuff is nice and will hopefully get even better. The selection of free stuff is fairly small in comparison to Netflix but there are still some interesting box sets. One surprisingly useful thing is that it has RTE player on it so no more crawling round the back of the telly to connect up the laptop just to catch up on stuff. They have a modest selection of recent movies for a fiver a go but sadly they still charge for lots of older movies ( a euro a pop) which hardly seems worth it when you have Netflix.

I still can't get over pausing live TV. It just feels weird. I must be getting old.

coylemj

Mad Mike wrote: »

The digital+ box has an unusually long start up time which caused some puzzlement at first but now we are used to it it is fine.

There is a power setting where you can chose low or high power on standby. Your machine is obviously set to 'low', this means that you save on juice when the machine is on standby (switched off) but it takes longer to boot up. You can change the setting if you want a faster startup.

icdg

Some confused "On Demand" (the video-on-demand service) with "Digital+" (the personal video recorder service) OP. You don't have to pay extra for On-Demand, though you do have to have at least the Digital Select pack to view the box sets. You do have to pay extra for Digital+ (though UPC make it as hard as possible for new customers to actually order the service without a PVR these days).

Tarquin1970

I got a fiver a month off my bill as they couldn't give me a date when they'll be upgrading my area for phone, HD and On Demand. I explained that I'm paying the same for less functionality than other Digital+ max subscribers so loyalty rang me and made me the offer. I'd suggest this approach with them..

jack presley

Every one with a UPC account should ring up and ask them what they can for them regarding their bill. Play the 'I'm broke and struggling with my bills' card. In return for agreeing to a new 12 month contract, they will usually knock a few quid off your bill

Mad Mike

@Jack Presley you have it right. There is no such thing as a fixed price, particularly in these recessionary times.

Thanks Coylemj for the advice about the start up delay. That explains it. Now I have to struggle with my conscience as to decide whether or not saving the planet is worth waiting a few extra minutes for.

ven0m

I got told despite the fact I have an on-demand capable box (one of the newer ones), & digital TV/HDTV access & being in an area that is now on cable & serviced with On-Demand that I can "only have on-demand enabled if they increase my bill because my account still shows MMDS, not cable" .......