TV licences, do we really need them? Well, by law, every person watching live TV, or live TV streaming services such as BBC iPlayer is required to pay for a licence every month. It is a factor when you compare TV deals, as no matter how cheap the offer is, you still need to consider this additional fee on top.
Broadband Money Saver offers advice and helps with mobile, TV and broadband comparison. We help you compare TV deals, catering to your specific needs. For more information on finding the Best TV Package Deals, check out our previous article.
New TV Licence Regulations
In the UK, a TV licence costs £159 per year, resulting in just over £13 a month. Most recently, the BBC director-general has stated that it will be frozen at this price until 2024. From this point, it will rise in line with inflation until 2027.
It is a controversial move. Should we really have to pay for a TV licence? When most of us already pay for a TV streaming service? Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has stated that this announcement will be the last and that the "days of elderly being threatened with prison sentences are over". It, however, comes at a time of mistrust for the UK's political agenda; the COVID Downing Street parties coming to light. Can we really trust this information?
Dorries has been met with backlash from fellow MPs, for example, Labour's shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell accusing Dorries of going after the BBC because of its "journalism". It's suggesting that the freeze of the licence has nothing to do with helping families out, but rather the relationship between the BBC, the Prime Minister and his cabinet.
It is stated that this will set back the BBC by almost £2bn, as, without advertisements, the channel relies heavily on this fee for its content. No matter what side you are on, it is important to keep updated with the changes, especially when comparing deals that include live TV streaming services and broadband.
Sky TV
Sky offers many deals for live TV streaming services combined with broadband.
For 18 months and access to over 300 channels, Sky's Superfast TV Deal combines its standard TV service and superfast broadband, with Netflix for £43 per month. Although the price seems steep, for those who need a fast download rate, it is worth it, with an average speed of 59Mbps. However, for those who do not require quick broadband, Sky TV and Netflix on their own is a much cheaper £26 per month.
Sky Q & Superfast Broadband deal is Sky's "best price ever", as claimed by the company itself. For £31 per month, over a contract of 18 months, you have a combination of 200+ free to air channels, pay as you talk and superfast broadband. However, it doesn't include any TV subscription services and Sky TV is an additional £11 per month.
Virgin Media
Now onto Virgin Media. There are many deals that range from £33 to £99 per month, depending on your preferences.
The "Big Bundle + Drama" deal includes M100 fibre broadband, 135+ TV channels. For 18 months, it is £36.99 per month, with an additional £35 to set up. The digital TV package, however, does not include any added streaming sites such as Netflix or Amazon Prime. For those who require an around entertainment system, you might want to consider alternatives.
BT
For those who enjoy having added features with their deals, BT has many benefits for their customers.
BT Fibre 2 & Entertainment digital TV package, for 24 months, combines favourite entertainment channels such as Sky Atlantic, Sky Max and Comedy Central, with TV streaming service Netflix. Voted the TV provider of the Year, customers with this deal get a bonus of a £160 Virtual Reward Card, which is preloaded with funds that can be spent at most Mastercard merchants. However, it is 48.99 per month for only this initial contract, before increasing to £53.99.
Here at Broadband Money Saver, we compare and contrast various different deals, spanning mobile and broadband offers. We compare TV deals across various companies, stating which one includes the most features and which ones are the most value for money.
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Daisy works as a content creation specialist at broadbandmoneysaver.com
