Do you get ITV, ch4 and 5 free?

Hi there,
I live in an area where I have to have Sky to get a picture. I never had
any paid subscription and could watch BBC, ITV, 4 and 5. Last year I kept
getting a message on the screen saying I would lose the last three channels
unless I took out a subscription - the cheapest being the Value Pack. I got
it half price for a year but now I'm having to pay the full £13.50 a month
just so I can watch ITV, 4 and 5. I'm reading here and on the BBC website
that you don't actually need a subscription to view them. Does anyone know
if I cancelled the subscription I would lose them?
If so, any ideas when the free to view card is coming out?
Thanks

--
Baroness Edwina Frogbucket

"Baroness Edwina Frogbucket" wrote in message
...
Hi there,
I live in an area where I have to have Sky to get a picture. I never had
any paid subscription and could watch BBC, ITV, 4 and 5. Last year I kept
getting a message on the screen saying I would lose the last three channels
unless I took out a subscription - the cheapest being the Value Pack. I got
it half price for a year but now I'm having to pay the full £13.50 a month
just so I can watch ITV, 4 and 5. I'm reading here and on the BBC website
that you don't actually need a subscription to view them. Does anyone know
if I cancelled the subscription I would lose them?
If so, any ideas when the free to view card is coming out?
Thanks

--
Baroness Edwina Frogbucket





The BBC paid for your FTV (Free To View) smartcard via the license fee with
some additional funding from CH4 and Five, ITV paid nothing.
So while you did not pay anything directly in addition to the license fee the smartcard
was bought and paid for.
When the BBC withdrew funding the commercial channels refused to cover the costs
and FTV cards ceased to be issued. SKY seeing a chance to make money offered
cut price subscriptions to those people with FTV cards that were being phased out
as SKY upgraded it's encryption, SKY subscribers got free replacements.

Was there a minimum term contract for the subscription you took out?
I suspect it was 12 months so you are legally obliged to continue paying, after 11 months
you can give notice to cancel and then the smartcard will revert to a plain FTV card.
You will still be able to watch ITV1, CH4 and Five along with all the channels that do
not use encryption such as the BBC.

The BBC website is only talking about it's own channels, you do no need any smartcard
to view the BBC channels or infact need a SKY digibox, any digital FTA receiver will work.

It is expected that SKY will start selling FTV cards direct to the public later this month
with a rumoured £20 one off price tag, the cards will be valid for a minimum of two years.



Mike C

Baroness Edwina Frogbucket wrote:

I got
it half price for a year but now I'm having to pay the full £13.50 a month
just so I can watch ITV, 4 and 5.

Cancel now and your card will continue to give you those three
channels. You will also get the 200-odd FTA TV and radio channels.

It's a shame that you were taken in by this most misleading on-screen
message last year. For £23.50 you could have had the new card you
needed. As mentioned, this FTV card will be available again soon but
you don't need one. Just cancel what you have.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/yvnsy
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

In article ,
"Baroness Edwina Frogbucket" wrote:

Does anyone know
if I cancelled the subscription I would lose them?

You won't. Until the next card change.

I have three Murdoch-boxes with a current card and no subscription (and
indeed they never have had one). They work just fine.

"Mike_C" wrote in message
ng.com...


The BBC paid for your FTV (Free To View) smartcard via the license fee
with
some additional funding from CH4 and Five, ITV paid nothing.
So while you did not pay anything directly in addition to the license
fee the smartcard
was bought and paid for.
When the BBC withdrew funding the commercial channels refused to cover
the costs
and FTV cards ceased to be issued. SKY seeing a chance to make money
offered
cut price subscriptions to those people with FTV cards that were being
phased out
as SKY upgraded it's encryption, SKY subscribers got free
replacements.

Was there a minimum term contract for the subscription you took out?
I suspect it was 12 months so you are legally obliged to continue
paying, after 11 months
you can give notice to cancel and then the smartcard will revert to a
plain FTV card.
You will still be able to watch ITV1, CH4 and Five along with all the
channels that do
not use encryption such as the BBC.

The BBC website is only talking about it's own channels, you do no
need any smartcard
to view the BBC channels or infact need a SKY digibox, any digital FTA
receiver will work.

It is expected that SKY will start selling FTV cards direct to the
public later this month
with a rumoured £20 one off price tag, the cards will be valid for a
minimum of two years.



Mike C


After cancelling the $ky sub, you WON'T get ITV2.
Regards Mike.

--
"Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and
ability" (David Brent).



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.772 / Virus Database: 519 - Release Date: 01-Oct-2004

"Jomtien" wrote in message
...
Baroness Edwina Frogbucket wrote:

I got
it half price for a year but now I'm having to pay the full £13.50 a
month
just so I can watch ITV, 4 and 5.

Cancel now and your card will continue to give you those three
channels. You will also get the 200-odd FTA TV and radio channels.

It's a shame that you were taken in by this most misleading on-screen
message last year. For £23.50 you could have had the new card you
needed. As mentioned, this FTV card will be available again soon but
you don't need one. Just cancel what you have.

Thanks for your advice. I rang Sky a couple of days ago to cancel and the
woman I spoke to told me I'd lose ITV, 4 and 5 and when I said I objected
paying £13.50 a month for them she basically said like it or lump it.

--
Baroness Edwina Frogbucket

Baroness Edwina Frogbucket wrote:

I rang Sky a couple of days ago to cancel and the
woman I spoke to told me I'd lose ITV, 4 and 5

This is not what currently happens and I would be very surprised if
this were to change.
Sky operators often suffer from delusions, when they aren't actually
lying.


and when I said I objected
paying £13.50 a month for them she basically said like it or lump it.

Not at all. At the very worst you will be able to buy an FTV card for
about £20 very soon.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/yvnsy
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

"Baroness Edwina Frogbucket" wrote in message ...
Hi there,
I live in an area where I have to have Sky to get a picture. I never had
any paid subscription and could watch BBC, ITV, 4 and 5. Last year I kept
getting a message on the screen saying I would lose the last three channels
unless I took out a subscription - the cheapest being the Value Pack. I got
it half price for a year but now I'm having to pay the full £13.50 a month
just so I can watch ITV, 4 and 5. I'm reading here and on the BBC website
that you don't actually need a subscription to view them. Does anyone know
if I cancelled the subscription I would lose them?
If so, any ideas when the free to view card is coming out?
Thanks

Baroness Edwina Frogbucket

Your rank may mean something for you or in the UK but not here n the
free world of the internet. Do you think anyone cares if you are
baroness or even queen?
Only those ranks have value which are earned by talent and hard work,
like Ph.D, Dr., Professor and acting, etc.
So why you put "Baroness" ?
Don't understand.
Leo

"epg235" wrote in message
m...

So why you put "Baroness" ?
Don't understand.

It's a joke - nothing to do wih noble aspirations Those who know me on
usenet know the story.

--
Baroness Edwina Frogbucket

"Jomtien" wrote in message
...
Baroness Edwina Frogbucket wrote:

I rang Sky a couple of days ago to cancel and the
woman I spoke to told me I'd lose ITV, 4 and 5

This is not what currently happens and I would be very surprised if
this were to change.
Sky operators often suffer from delusions, when they aren't actually
lying.

Oooer, thanks for that...I'll ring again and cancel (fingers crossed).

--
Baroness Edwina Frogbucket