Sky subscription

[EMM]

Older boxes might have something to do with it. Both ours are just over 2 years old and are Thomson manufacture.

[steve]

Probably more to do with the make than the age of the box. Some boxes work very much better out here than others and it can even vary between the models from the same manufacturer. I picked my Panasonic box because at the time is had a good reputation.

[Marja]

I could never have predicted that my question would have sollicited so many replies.
It is very clear that the whole SKY issue is not that straight forward.
We live in the Netherlands where we have SKY through a middle man (we have no UK address that we could use to get a UK subscription) and getting a second card is just too expensive.
We'll be in Carvoeiro next month and we'll check out the local options to get a card/box etc. (Thank you for all the recommendations!)
Marja

[vilamiramar]

if anyone is interested ..i can give you sky uk for 20€ a month or sky germany..skyitaly canal digitaal canal+ and a few others

[EMM]

There is a post on another forum which states that from Jan 2011 SKY will be checking to see if subscribers have a phone line connected or can connect a phone line.

We have already had this happen to us in the UK a couple of times.

Obviously it wil affect many thousand of overseas Sky users if the signal is disconnected until a phone line is attached.

Does anyone else know anything about this ???.

[sunman]

the terms and conditions of the Sky contract say that you have to commit to connecting your box to a phone line for 12 months, after that you're free; and that's only if you take advantage of a free box offer or a discount promotion.

If you call them, or go online and pay full buck for your box and apply for a premium package of any sort you can decline the phone line and say that you'll install it yourself, 'a friend' met the delivery man at the door & said he was on his way to the doctors, the guy just left all the kit with him.

the card needs to be 'paired' to the box which involves a phone call to Sky, who walk you through the process in front of your tv.

the question of receiving the dreaded phone call from Sky applies mainly if you have taken out a multiroom contract; the monthly charge for it is a big discount, only £10 and Sky want to be able to check that you haven't given it to someone else as a gift which deprives them of income. 'my friend' explained to Sky technical that the multiroom box wouldn't be attached to a phone line, the first reply was that they couldn't proceed with the instillation until the phone was hooked up; he said that he'd send the box back and cancel the deal; the reply this time was that they'd pair the box to the card and that it would work for three months after which he 'might' get the phone call.
The phone call- it isn't a phone call, in 'my friend's' case Sky don't even have a registered phone number; they ping the box to get it to call Sky, if this doesn't happen they know that it's not connected to a phone line.
at that point they 'might' send you a letter asking you to connect to a phone line; if you ignore the letter they 'might' send you another one; if you ignore that letter they automatically charge you full rate for your package for the rest of the 12 months instead of the discount rate.

Sky are not in the business of cutting anybody off, they like their £50 quids per month and just don't want people to pay less unless they meet their T's & C's. (direct quote from Sky)

The costs for getting Sky in the Algarve from a satelite co. are quite believable, they'll need to be paying full buck for the box etc in the UK and paying full buck for any package so I'd say it's actually very good value.

caveats; my friend has access to a UK address; he's a long time Sky subscriber & upgraded his main package to HD with no phone hook up, his multiroom box is here on the Algarve with access to all channels.
The above information all came from the Sky technician called from here using a UK mobile, IF he starts getting charged full monthly rates after say 6 months his intention is to pay it until the 12 months are up & go back to the discount rate.

EMM, my friend is fully aware he's in breach of his contract by watching Sky here, he's aware that he's in breach of multiroom by not hooking up, as indeed are Sky;
I've no interest in debating what rules are being bent or what might happen in January or any other time, I'm just passing on a real time story that others might choose to follow, or not.

[EMM]

It is a ridiculous situation and not of SKYS making , I am sure they are more than happy with what actually goes on.
However is bought to their attention ( as an aquaintance found ) they are oblidged to switch you off.
He made the mistake of calling sky on a Portuguese phone to complain about a technical issue with his Sky equipment.

I do not have multiroom or any premum services in the UK but have still lost the signal in the last month with the instruction on the screen to re connect with a phone line. Once done signal is restored.????

[carvoeiro1]

You can no longer contact sky unless you are calling from the uk, dont no about via a uk mobile, they have also made it almost impossible to contact them by email.

[sunman]

my friend got through to Sky technical support on +44 8442411411, he said there's a bit of press 1 for this and 2 for that but they tell you the estimated wait time & eventually you speak with a human being

[vilamiramar]

if anyone stil is interested full sky package , low price