Brits Spending $625 Per Year on TV Packages

LONDON: Despite spending an average of £398 ($625) per year on TV packages, British pay-TV customers are only watching around 25 percent of the channels they pay for, according to a new survey from uSwitch.com.

The research from the price comparison and switching service uSwitch.com finds that more than six in ten (62 percent) of U.K. households pay for TV, spending an average of £33 ($52) per month. Yet nearly one-third (30 percent) don't feel they are getting good value for their money.

Pay-TV consumers report that a large proportion of the channels are completely redundant, with one in four (27 percent) saying that they only watch 10 percent of the channels available to them. On average, households are watching just a quarter (25 percent) of the channels they are paying for.

Additionally, one in four (27 percent) pay for extra content, including movies on demand and one-off sporting events, on top of their existing pay-TV package, adding around £13 ($20) to their monthly TV bills every time they do so. This equates to around £275 million ($431.6 million) per year extra for add-ons and upgrades to their existing packages to watch more exclusive content.

Of those who don’t pay for TV, almost four in ten (38 percent) say it’s simply not good value for money, while more than a quarter (27 percent) cannot afford it. Nearly a fifth (19 percent) of those who choose not to pay for a TV package once had a subscription, but canceled because they either didn’t get enough use out of it or because the cost was too high.

Ewan Taylor-Gibson, TV and broadband expert at uSwitch.com, said: “What’s abundantly clear from our research is that many households are shelling out for packages that don’t best suit their viewing needs. Sometimes it makes sense to buy add-ons, rather than upgrading your whole package; but if you’re buying box office films every week and you watch nothing else, for example, you’d be better off with a film-streaming service instead.
 
“The knock-on effect of the introduction of more ‘quad-play’ bundles—incorporating TV, broadband, home phone and mobile in one package—is a glut of paid-for TV choices to keep people occupied during the Christmas season. Whether you only watch films or documentaries, you’re a sports fanatic, or you just want to keep your kids entertained, with a bit of research there are plenty of opportunities to find the right deal for you.
 
“Make sure you regularly review your bill so you can manage your spending and don’t lose track of any upgrades or add-ons to your account. To find the right package make a list of what your household watches, and then hunt for the right deal to suit your individual requirements.”