Sky and Virgin Media are the heavyweights of digital TV providers. Both companies offer similar services and features via very different methods. Virgin Media's digital TV offering is delivered via its fibre optic cable network as well as its broadband and home phone services.

Sky broadcast their digital TV via satellite and customers use a satellite dish to receive digital pictures. Sky's broadband and home phone services are delivered by either LLU or ADSL. So, which service is better? Well, it all depends on what you're looking for.

How do they compare?

We'll start with Virgin Media. If you're looking for a complete package e.g. digital TV, broadband, home phone and mobile services in one bundle, Virgin Media is definitely worth a look. Virgin are the first to offer “quad-play” which means four services bundled into one. In this case – digital TV, broadband, home phone and mobile.

Even if you're not looking for the complete package, Virgin offer each services individually or in any combination so you could choose to take digital TV on its own or combine it with a broadband service.

Sky offer the same services except they don't offer mobile services. Digital TV, broadband and home phone services, also known as “triple-play” can be purchased as one bundle but unlike Virgin, they are not delivered via one method e.g. cable.

Sky's TV is delivered via satellite, broadband via ADSL or LLU and home phone via a conventional phone line. So long as you are getting the service you want it shouldn't really matter how the service is delivered although it's anticipated that Sky will, in the future, merge all of its services into one delivery method.

Digital TV

Virgin TV is split into three different sizes – TV Size M, Size L and Size XL, M being the basic offering and XL the largest number of digital channels.

Sky TV is split into six Entertainment mixes – Variety Mix, Kids Mix, Music Mix, Knowledge Mix, Style & Culture Mix and News & Events Mix. You can choose to have just one mix, a couple or all six mixes.


Both providers offer Sky Movies and Sky Sports for an extra charge per month and additional premium channels are also available. As well as premium channels, Virgin and Sky both offer high-definition TV, on-demand programmes and the ability to pause and rewind live TV through their own set-top boxes.

Broadband

Virgin broadband is also split into three sizes – Broadband Size L, Size XL and Size XXL. Virgin broadband Size L has a download speed of up to 10Mbps, Size XL is 20Mbps and Size XXL is a massive 50Mbps. All of Virgin's broadband packages have unlimited monthly downloads (subject to an acceptable usage policy).


Sky broadband, also known Sky Surf, is packaged as Broadband Base, Mid and Max. Base is free if you're a Sky Subscriber and has download speeds of up to 2Mbps with a 2GB monthly download limit. Broadband Mid has download speeds of up to 4Mbps with a 40GB limit and Broadband Max has download speed of up to 16Mbps with an unlimited monthly usage allowance.

If you want Sky broadband and you don't have a Sky TV subscription, you will need to get a Sky TV subscription. If you're an existing customer, you can add on Sky Broadband to your current subscription.

Home Phone

Virgin's home phone services are split into three packages – Talk Weekends (Size M), Talk Evenings and Weekends (Size L) and Talk Unlimited (Size XL). All Virgin's phone packages include line rental costs and you can usually keep the same phone number. You can save a substantial amount of money by combining home phone with other services e.g. broadband and digital cable TV.

Sky Talk or Sky Speak as it's more commonly known, offers two packages – Freetime and Unlimited. Freetime offers customers free evening and weekend UK calls while Unlimited gives you unlimited UK landline calls and some free international calls depending on your destination.

Bundles

Bundles are a great way to save money. The advantage of a bundle is that you can combine all your services into one e.g. digital TV, broadband and home phone for one monthly price which is usually lower than taking separate services from different providers.

Virgin Media's main bundles are 2 for £20 – digital TV and home phone for £20 per month, 3 for £30 – digital TV, home phone and broadband for £30 per month and 4 for £40 – digital TV, home phone, broadband and mobile phone for £40 per month.

Virgin also offer two top bundle packages – Very Impressive Package or VIP for short. With VIP standard you get Size XL services of digital TV, broadband and home phone plus Sky Sports and Sky Movies. VIP Complete is the same as standard plus you get a mobile phone thrown into the mix.

Sky bundles are marketed as Sky See Speak Surf or Sky TV, Sky Talk and Sky Broadband. Sky allow you to choose any combination of services so you can mix and match to suit your needs. For example, you could choose Sky TV with a Variety Mix and News Mix and add Broadband Base. The only downside to Sky's bundled packages is that you have to have Sky TV.

Conclusion

Both Virgin and Sky offer great entertainment services and there are substantial savings to be made by bundling your services together. If your priority is unlimited super-fast broadband, it has to be Virgin Media. Virgin's digital TV offering is excellent but if you're looking for something extra special and want brilliant digital TV entertainment at the flick of a button - choose Sky. Their Sky+ and HD services are amazing.