Letter from Sky, regarding phone line connectivity

Owen

I received a letter from sky a month ago, reminding me of the usefullness of having my sky box connected to a phone line, and all the benefits it offered.

Today I received a nasty letter telling me if I don't connect a phone line, that my subscription will either increase in price, or be cancelled altogether. I'm aware it's in the contract that the phone line has to be connected, but it's awkward running another phone point around the house, and as a customer who's been with Sky for 5 years, I'd hate to think they'd cancel my account over this.

Opinions?

KdjaCL

i get them all the time did it once as i have multiroom , have 3 there now and they get nastier each time.

In the Terms it has something about phone line so afaik they ok to send them as you could have multiroom but the box in another house or somfin.


kdjac

Sizzler

Tell them you have the line connected and to stop sending you letters, tell them the fault must be at their end and you are offended by the tone of their letters in view of the fact you have been a good paying customer of theirs for so long

Mencius

My phone line isn't connected and I never got a letter.

Ruu_Old

Mencius wrote:

My phone line isn't connected and I never got a letter.

Yep same here, I connected myself whenever I needed it. I believe they say its required these days but how ever many homes they check, whether its automated or not I don't know.

MOH

I thought the contract only said it had to be connected to a phone line for the first year?

mikedragon32

The contract is only for the first year if you only have one box. Once you go to Multi-room subscriptions they use the phone connectivity to ensure the box is where it's supposed to be, i.e. in your house.

It's a pain in the hole, but that's what you signed up for. They can (and most likely will) withdraw the service unless you comply.

gerrycollins

ny understading is that since 2004 all new sky boxes had to be connected with a telephone line before installation

Im sure that they are going backwards through previous subscriptions and getting them to do the same as i know sky are cracking down on mobile sky boxes like the other contributer said about location of the box

have you broadband?

why not install a wireless modem for both net and sky a work mate had to otherwise he would have had cables everywhere around the house

John R

If you get a subsidised box (regular or sky+) from sky then in the contract you agree to have it connected for a year.

If you get multiroom then in the contract you agree to keep both boxes connected for the length of the subscription.

In the past they were not that strict on regular subs in Ireland, mainly because the interactive features did not work anyway.

They are very strict about the multiroom contract, they will cancel it and charge 2 full subscriptions if you ignore the letters. I don't know how far they will go regarding single box connections.

BTW for anyone wondering, a non-subsidised box costs around €180 and sky+ is around €300 plus installation.

byte

If you haven't got Sky Multiroom, I can't see why they'd start sending you out letters about conection to the phoneline. Especially after 5 years!

If you want, you could buy an extension phone lead, plug one end into Skybox modem, and trail it across to the phonesocket. Then, when on Sky, Press Services, 4, 0, 1, Select. This should bring you to the Installer Menu. Choose "New Installation" at the bottom, and press Select when prompted, and it'll come to "Callback in Progress" whereby the box calls its server or whatever. That should register on Sky's system that the box has been connected to a phoneline and has successfully called back.

Then, just disconnect the line and roll up again for the next time. Maybe once a month or so.

That said, I've never connected my Skybox in the years I've had it and never have I received a whiny letter.

I suppose you could aslo ring them, and explain that you are not obliged to have the box connected after a year. THe letter may have been sent in error.

Our man in Havana

I am having the same problem with them. Nasty letter last friday. I has 4 weeks to correct the situation. Would doing a forced callback monthly keep them quiet?

Owen

Just got an update letter from them stating that I have one last chance to rectify the seriousness of this situation. Otherwise they're going to charge me an extra € 39.19 for EACH box in my house (I've 2, making my Sky Subscription € 150 per month for 2 boxes and movies).

I wonder what SKY UK would make of Irish installers telling people they don't need landlines.

So, now I've to run 2 phone points into rooms, and trail cable all over the damn house. FFS.

Wishbone Ash

ned78 wrote:

Just got an update letter from them stating that I have one last chance to rectify the seriousness of this situation. Otherwise they're going to charge me an extra € 39.19 for EACH box in my house (I've 2, making my Sky Subscription € 150 per month for 2 boxes and movies).

I wonder what SKY UK would make of Irish installers telling people they don't need landlines.

So, now I've to run 2 phone points into rooms, and trail cable all over the damn house. FFS.

Could you say that you don't have a landline? I've never received any letters like that despite not being connected either.

Owen

From what I'm reading, it's only a matter of time before people who haven't their boxes connected will get these letters too.

pH

Sky are using caller ID (on both boxes) to check if they are both at the same address. Otherwise people would get a multiroom sub and give the box to a friend and half the country would have Sky for €15 a month.

If you only have 1 box, then Sky ask for it to be connected to a phone, but don't get too stressed if it's not.

From what I'm reading, it's only a matter of time before people who haven't their boxes connected will get these letters too.

Anyone with multiroom yes, the rest of us with a single box should be ok for the time being unless Sky change their policy.

The Doktor

I had the same from them. I have multi room. I always have my original sky plus box plugged in as there is a phone point beside it. The second box doesnt, so I didnt have it connected.
When I got the first letter, I ran a long cable across the floor and connected it to the second box, but I got a second letter, and then a third telling me they would up the price etc.
So I rang them (would have done this before if it wasnt for the 30 min waits on hold!!) and explained that the boxes were connected. I was asked to do the callback as Byte has described. I called them back and they informed me they had got the call from the boxes and were happy.
3 days later I disconnected the box, and I havent heard from them since(3 months ago).
If I get a letter again, I will just connect the box and callback again.

lizzyd66

I'm one of the unlucky ones too - had Sky installed within the last year , with sky+ and multiroom. The phone line is connected but kept getting the stinky letters, even had an engineer out . They took 3 lots of €40 from my account and still haven't resolved the issue despite admitting it is at their end. Have now got the money refunded but I'm not convinced this is the last of it! The engineer confirmed what others on this thread have already said - it is to avoid abuse to the system by dishonest customers,. Shame they treat us all as if we are trying to rip them off when the reverse is true!!!!

Our man in Havana

Did they at any time charge you the full price for 2 boxes?

byte

The Doktor wrote:

So I rang them (would have done this before if it wasnt for the 30 min waits on hold!!) and explained that the boxes were connected. I was asked to do the callback as Byte has described. I called them back and they informed me they had got the call from the boxes and were happy.

Hmm, so it would seem the Callback works, and keeps Sky happy. Might be a good idea to do so on a monthly basis with extension phoneline on each box to keep the mails from Sky at bay!

Sully

Why do we need the boxes connected (in the case of just having one box)? So pointless. Eircom cost a bomb to install a new line, or to wire in an extension or watever. Why should we have to pay Eircom and watever the charge for the call is? So pointless.

KdjaCL

Fairly obvious its done to make sure the box is in your house, i have a final final final final final one here now, pain in my balls doing it phone line doenst reach to sky box downstairs so effort to make the call backs.


kdjac

want2play

Send them back a nasty letter telling them in their contract you are obliged to have you set top box connected for the first 12 months. Says that in my contract anyway.

shaptakster

We just plug it in for a day or 2 every time we get a letter.
Not going to have wires trailing all over the house for sky.

Pataman

Why dont you get a wireless phone extender? power city sell them, among others.