| Package Details | Sky offer a great all round package, £18 gets you a massive selection of channels, a basic broadband service and free weekend and weekday evening calls. They no longer offer out the standard box, but fear not, the HD box comes free of charge with all packages. There are various different packages available which start from £18 per month and the HD starter pack costs just £28 per month.
| This is a great all round deal, £18 gets you great broadband, 65 TV channels and free weekend calls to UK landlines. A £49 one off payment is required for the V+HD box and a further £5 extra per month gets you a total of 7 high definition channels. As with Sky there are various options to choose from, find out more by clicking the offer bar below this comparison chart.
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| Broadband | The base broadband with Sky really is basic, it's up to 2Mb. You get a free wireless router and free 24/7 technical support. Various upgrades available from just £5 extra per month. | 10Mb of broadband is free with the basic package, this really is fantastic you'll also get a free router and free internet security. Virginmedia win the broadband battle every time, it really is faster and more reliable. |
| Phone Calls | When you take out a basic Sky package you'll get free weekend and weekend calls to UK landlines. | The standard pack from Virginmedia offers you free weekend calls but not evening calls like Sky. |
| TV Pack | The basic digital option offers 240 free channels, but for an extra pound a month you can access even more channels. If your TV is a flat panel HD ready, you could go for the standard HD pack for £10 a month extra, Sky currently broadcast 37 different high definition channels, this is more than any other provider. | The standard pack at Virgin gives you access to 65 channels plus free catch up TV, this gives you the option of viewing the last seven days from the 5 top channels. If the HD option is for you then a one off charge of £49 is applicable for the box then HD Tv is FREE. Virginmedia currently only broadcast 7 HD channels at the moment. |
| Freebies on Offer | £50 Marks and Spencer voucher when you join Sky TV online. | 2 months subscription free for a limited period. |
| Installation Costs | FREE (for a limited period) | FREE (for a limited period) |
| Prices | £18 for standard definition and £28 for high definition. | £18 for the basic package and a one off charge of £49 for the HD box (if required) with a further £5 monthly fee for the HD channels or free on XL package. |
| Our Opinion | This is the best deal for you if you're just after a good selection of TV channels. The only other advantage Sky offer over Virgin is the free evening calls, the broadband really is very basic. | Virgin is for you if you rely on great broadband, they offer a smaller selection of TV channels and less free phone calls. |