| What you commit to | A fixed length, paid once. Nothing to cancel. | Usually a minimum term with an exit fee inside it. | A rolling month per app, cancellable any time. | Usually nothing, which cuts both ways. |
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| What happens at the end | The line stops. No further charge. | It renews, quietly, until you phone them. | Each one renews on its own separate date. | It often stops early and without warning. |
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| Hardware | Whatever you already own. | A box you rent, and have to send back. | Whatever you already own. | Whatever you already own. |
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| Live channels | The full line-up, on every plan. | The package you paid for, and no more. | Rarely, and usually as a paid add-on. | Advertised heavily, delivered unevenly. |
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| On demand | A large library, included in the price. | Catch-up limited to your package. | Their own productions, which is the whole point of them. | Varies, and rarely maintained. |
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| Evening performance | What we spend most of the money on. | Its own dedicated network, and it shows. | Generally excellent. | The first thing that gets cut. |
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| Who answers when it breaks | A person who can change your line while reading your message. | A call centre, a script, and a formal complaints process. | A help centre and a contact form. | Frequently nobody, in the end. |
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| Getting your money back | Seven days, with the conditions written down. | Statutory rights plus a complaints route. | Rarely refunded, but rarely needed. | Usually nobody left to ask. |
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