A simple Question

northcider

Should I get Sky Digital or NTL Go Digital.

Just to add, I'm not interested in movie packages, just sports and digital channels. So any ideas here people?

LFCFan

the simple answer is:

if you want a reliable service and a customer service you can actually get through to then go with Sky.

if you want an unreliable service, feck all channels and want to spends hours at a time trying to get through to Customer Services then choose NTL.

Hope that clarifies matters for you.

HarryD

In my opinion Sky Digital
If you find urself not using the service as much u can cancel
and get a FTV card, so no monthly subscription..

vs

Always a monthly subscription with digital cable

HD

icdg

To point out the good points of NTL, if you are going to continue to keep NTL analogue (for multiroom viewing of basic 15 channels, plus recording different channel on VCR to one on TV) then NTL digital works out over EUR 10 a month cheaper than Sky. Also you get BBC TWO Northern Ireland (analogue, shows different programmes at peak times to BBC TWO NI), UTV, Channel 4, and BBC WORLD (if any of these are must-haves, then NTL is your only choice). The BBC Radio stations are also currently on the NTL EPG, although the value of this will be negated if (when) the BBC go FTA on satellite.

If you can do without any of these, and won't be keeping NTL analogue, then Sky is naturally a better choice. It has more channels, interactive services, a better EPG (well one that doesn't fall over on an almost weekly basis) and a much better PPV movies service. Also Sky Sports Extra, Sky Sports News, and British Eurosport are available for sports fans.

northcider

Thanx alot guys, I actually got NTL today and so far no problems!! And speaking of sports channels icdg, do you think NTL will ever get off their ass and give us Sky Sports Extra, News and British Eurosport??

SteM

Originally posted by northcider
Thanx alot guys, I actually got NTL today and so far no problems!! And speaking of sports channels icdg, do you think NTL will ever get off their ass and give us Sky Sports Extra, News and British Eurosport??

NTL can't provide Sky Sports Extra & Sky Sports News because Sky won't let them. I believe they're only sold as part of the Sky subscription packages, even in the UK.

I'd like to see all of these channels too, not sure how Sky's Champions League coverage will work next season without access to SSE.

LFCFan

Originally posted by northcider
Thanx alot guys, I actually got NTL today and so far no problems!! And speaking of sports channels icdg, do you think NTL will ever get off their ass and give us Sky Sports Extra, News and British Eurosport??

Another one goes to the dark side. You asked our advice, we told you Sky were better and you'd regret getting NTL but you still went with NTL. There are higher forces at work me thinks :eek:

Richard

Originally posted by SteM
NTL can't provide Sky Sports Extra & Sky Sports News because Sky won't let them. I believe they're only sold as part of the Sky subscription packages, even in the UK.

Sky Sports News is free as part of Freeview. I'm not sure whether SSE is available anywhere but DSat, though.

SteM

Originally posted by Richard
Sky Sports News is free as part of Freeview.

Woops, sorry I didn't realise that SSN was part of Freeview.

LFCFan, earlier you mentioned that NTL had bad customer service and were impossible to get through to. Well, in the interest of fairness let me tell you my expirence.

I rang their sales section on Thursday evening last week to ask a few questions, it took me about 3 mins to get through. They answered my questions quite competently and I said that I'd think about getting Digital installed, they said they'd call me back the following day. They called me back the following afternoon and I couldn't take their call so asked them to call me back 30 mins later which they did. I arranged installation for this afternoon and they called me yesterday afternoon to confirm the installation date & time.

I've had much worse expirences with the ESB, Eircom and IOL customer services.

Regarding the lack of channels, NTL digital are only missing a few key channels for me - SSE, UK Gold are the only ones to be honest. The lack of these channels is made up by multi channel viewing and the facility to be able to watch Digital and record Terrestrial at the same time (or vice-versa). Also the inclusion of ITV on NTL Digital which shows CL games in widescreen when available was another plus for me.

My point is decisions aren't always as cut and dried as you make them seem, here is a place NTL Digital in this country.

LFCFan

Originally posted by SteM
I rang their sales section on Thursday evening last week to ask a few questions, it took me about 3 mins to get through. They answered my questions quite competently and I said that I'd think about getting Digital installed, they said they'd call me back the following day. They called me back the following afternoon and I couldn't take their call so asked them to call me back 30 mins later which they did. I arranged installation for this afternoon and they called me yesterday afternoon to confirm the installation date & time.

1. You were lucky
2. This is the sales line which is much easier to get through to for the simple fact that they want to take your money. Of course they're gonna ring you back. Wait till you want something done or want to get through to Customer Services with a problem. Then you'll see the real NTL.

Also, if you decide after a year that you don't want NTL anymore, they will take the box and that's the end of it. With Sky if you decide to cancel after a year you will be able to keep the box and the dish and still have loads of channels for free including all the BBC channels when they go FTV.

Anyway, I hope for you sake you don't have the same crappy service with NTL that I got and many others. Also watch out for the Digi Remote with them 'cause they're very fragile and if you break it they will try to charge you €100 for a new one which will take about 3 months to be sent to you. You can get the Sky one in Argos for around €25.

SteM

There doesn't seem to be any point in talking with you because as far as you're concerned sky = god, ntl = devil.

LFCFan

Originally posted by SteM
There doesn't seem to be any point in talking with you because as far as you're concerned sky = god, ntl = devil.

Nah, more like Sky = Liverpool, NTL = Man United. I know I'm completely biased but I've tasted both services and the difference is phenomenal.

SteM

That's creepy - I'm a big Man U fan and I have NTL :eek:

LFCFan

Originally posted by SteM
That's creepy - I'm a big Man U fan and I have NTL :eek:

You have been warned :ninja: