Should I accept Chorus's offer?

We've had 4 channels for years. Chorus have offered the free-to-airs in their basic package (BBCs, ITV, Ch4 etc) and their bundled phone deal with so many free off-peak mins. Anyone any experience of dealing with them? They say they're cheaper than Eircom for all calls (couldn't be hard :lol ).
What do you experienced people think?
We don't need (or want) the more elaborate packages e.g. Sports and Movies. Just the basics.

Comments from experienced users most welcome.

How much (including connection fee etc.)?

E24.99 pm for basic free-to-airs.
E27.99 pm for Chorus digital with lots more stuff, incl Discovery and NAt Geo. Also BBC radio4 and World Service which I find hard to receive clearly on radios.

200 free off-peak mins per month on the phone.
Free installation (they say worth E50), of set top box and aerial/dish.

Twelve month contract but can withdraw on 30 days notice.

Seems okay - any catch?

Do you have to take the basic pack if you want the digital? Just something to be careful of. Just FYI Sky's basic (digital) service is €28.50 a month - free install/equipment (according to the leaflets I've seen around the place although Sky's website indicates otherwise). Does Chorus' 'lots more stuff' include movie or sports channels?

For the telephony side of things, UTV have a free off-peak service where you can have unlimited calls (as long as they're less than an hour) to local, national and UK. You just pay the line rental to UTV (you line is 'moved' from Eircom to UTV) and nothing more (nothing to Eircom). Alternatively if you make peak-time calls too, consider Euphony's €10 a month service. Again, unlimited number of calls as long as they're less than 1 hour long. Restricted to local and national calls though - no UK service included.

Hope that helps you make your decision.

Thanks very much, Fr Dougal, for the detailed reply. Much appreciated. Will check out Sky and UTV as you suggest.

I would say by the sounds of it Chorus are subsidising the digital package cost with the excessive basic package cost. €24.99 pm for the basic package is a rip-off - it's €18pm with NTL, although NTLs digital package is slightly more expensive. Both of them are trying to woo customers over to the digital package so I'd say Chorus will up the prices on this once enough customers make the switch.

AlastairSC: I had Chorus TV for a few years and found them to be a useless company to deal with, I'm surprised they haven't gone bust yet. I switched to 4 channel land about two years ago and haven't looked back. I wouldn't take Chorus, Sky or NTL if it was free. My phone bill is quite small but I am strongly considering the switch to UTV Talk as I find Eircom useless to deal with also. Stick to 4 channel land.

New Development

Chorus guys came today. Can't get a good signal where we are. Anyway would have meant a six-foot high pole bolted to the chimney with an aerial on top of that. They never mentioned this when I spoke to the sales people. And there was I thinking that a small dish unobtrusively sited would do the job. Ah well....

Just has to be Sky then. While their TV offer is similar, they have no built-in phone offers so paying for phones as extra to TV (it was 200 free off-peak mins per month included with Chorus). Am looking at UTV, Euphony etc.

And yes, we'd like to see what the rest of the world sees. There are some decent programmes out there like...erm...Star Trek on Sky1 o don't laugh), and my kids want Discovery and Nat Geo. Doesn't mean we'll be couch potatoes (we live a very out-and-about lifestyle) - just nice to have a wider choice when we come in from the great outdoors.

A year won't hurt to try things.

Is there any alternative to Sky for us here in Sleepy Hollow? If not are there things to look out for when signing up with them?