Moving from Sky Q to EE TV with broadband

[michaelamherst]

I currently have mobile service with EE, Sky Q for TV and fibre broadband with someone else. Our broadband contract is due to expire and I'm thinking about moving it all to EE. We currently have an Apple TV box we really like and the idea of using EE TV for everything really appeals. However, I have a few questions:

- our Sky Q contract still has time to run - is the buyout available for the cost of moving TV and broadband services to EE or only the broadband bit?

- how much would it cost to subscribe to NOW TV Sky Sports, Entertainment each month and HD/UHD - but no cinema?

- I understand it maybe much cheaper to subscribe to NOW directly but then it would not be possible to access it through the EE TV app - is that so?

- how does EETV work on Apple TV? Does the TV guide work like Sky Q - with all the channels accessible straight from the EPG - or does it just bounce you out to each of the streaming apps?

- am I right in thinking that UHD is not currently available, including the NOWTV Ultraboost? What about on demand/boxsets from Sky through NOWTV?

- finally, my partner has an NHS discount. Can this be applied to our package? Or, if its only available on the mobile contract, can it be used in tandem with the £20 off for having mobile as well as broadband?

[XRaySpeX]

1st & last Qs:

• The £300 buyout is only against BB.
• NHS discounts are only against mobile contracts. However with BB there are the EE One benefits whereby you can get cheap unlimited SIM plans on the same a/c.

[Midnight_Voice]

@michaelamherst 

how much would it cost to subscribe to NOW TV Sky Sports, Entertainment each month and HD/UHD - but no cinema?

£20/mo for the basic Entertainment, then £35.99/mo for Sky Sports, which I think now includes HD. If not, Boost to HD is £6/mo. Beware of ‘Sports’ at £20, which is TNT Sports, not Sky Sports, though you can get the two bundled as Big Sport, at £48/mo.

- I understand it may be much cheaper to subscribe to NOW directly but then it would not be possible to access it through the EE TV app - is that so?

Yes, but all watchable through the Now app, though not available in the EETV EPG, and not recordable on the Box Pro. However, if you subscribe to Now directly, and aren’t considering any other EETV subscription services, and don’t mind losing the EPG access, you really don’t want or need EETV at all.

- how does EETV work on Apple TV? Does the TV guide work like Sky Q - with all the channels accessible straight from the EPG - or does it just bounce you out to each of the streaming apps?

Yes, but you need the ‘modified’ EETV AppleTV box that EETV can supply, to get the EPG guide that works similarly to the Sky Q one; your ordinary Apple TV box won’t do it. Or you can choose the Box Pro, which can record, including recording all the EPG subscription channels you select.

- am I right in thinking that UHD is not currently available, including the NOWTV Ultraboost? What about on demand/boxsets from Sky through NOWTV?

There is currently no UHD Now subscription available from EETV, but it is coming. Your AppleTV, and even EETV’s version, will support UltraBoost from Now direct, but you can’t subscribe to it via EETV yet. On any Now content at all. And the Box Pro can’t currently show it, even from Now direct.

There is some UHD available on the apps on EETV boxes (e.g. BBC iPlayer), and even on subscription services you are not considering, so the EETV devices can do it, but just not on Now at present.

[michaelamherst]

Thanks so much for your replies. Really helpful. I’m surprised that those prices make NOWTV as expensive as my current SkyQ before any costs of EETV. A lot to think about - thanks again. 

[Midnight_Voice]

@michaelamherst 

In effect, EETV costs the extra £10/mo on Entertainment over the regular Now price of £10/mo. The rest of the items just cost the headline price for getting them from Now.

However, if you go direct with Now, you can play the ‘cancel game’ where you start to leave, and a bot pops up with an offer, often half price or better.

But if EETV would be dearer than Sky Q is for you now, then you must be on a hell of a deal from Sky; cherish it!