See, Speak and Surf with Sky

Sky has launched a combined TV, broadband and telephony package in the UK.

Called See, Speak and Surf, the service seems to have been timed to hijack the rebranding of NTL as Virgin Media, as Web User reported last year. The Virgin Media launch is expected to be announced some time this week.

According to Sky's website, the package includes an "up to" 8Mbps connection with a 40GB monthly usage allowance and free evening and weekend calls to landlines.

Also included in the deal are six 'entertainment mixes', which includes over 100 subscription-only TV channels as well as more than 200 free-to-air TV and radio channels.

Customers will have to pay a £20 connection fee and sign up to a 12-month contract, after which they will pay £26 per month. They will also have to pay £11 per month to BT for their line rental.

Sky also points out that the service is currently only accessible to 50 per cent of the UK population, as you will need to be in range of an exchange where Sky's unbundled service is available. Sky plans to increase coverage to 70 per cent by July 2007.

“Sky has timed the launch of See, Speak, Surf perfectly, coming hot on the heels of BT Vision yet artfully hijacking NTL's long awaited rebrand to Virgin Media. We will be very interested to see how Virgin Media plans to stand up to the exceptional value offered in Sky’s new package," said Steve Weller of price comparison service uSwitch.com.

“While Sky has met the unbundling targets it set itself when it launched broadband last July, only one in two people can currently benefit from this offer and we look forward to the summer when 70 per cent of the population will be eligible for this deal," Weller continued.

http://www.sky.com/portal/site/skycom/offers/bundles

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