Do I need a phone line to get Sky+HD?

PeacockAntonyPeacockAntony Posts: 626
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I am looking at switching from Virgin Media TV to Sky TV, but I keep reading that you need a phone line to get it?
Is there anyway of getting it without a phone line? My dad got his box activated without a phone line for a fee, would I be able to do this?

I do not need a phone line, so don't want to have to pay the extra expense of getting one installed and to have to pay for it when it is not going to get used.
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Comments

  • methodyguymethodyguy Posts: 6,044
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    I am looking at switching from Virgin Media TV to Sky TV, but I keep reading that you need a phone line to get it?
    Is there anyway of getting it without a phone line? My dad got his box activated without a phone line for a fee, would I be able to do this?

    I do not need a phone line, so don't want to have to pay the extra expense of getting one installed and to have to pay for it when it is not going to get used.

    As far as I know u can get Sky installed without the need for a phone line I believe that u can pay a one off charge of something like £25.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    I am looking at switching from Virgin Media TV to Sky TV, but I keep reading that you need a phone line to get it?

    People keep posting so, but it's never really been true.

    Is there anyway of getting it without a phone line? My dad got his box activated without a phone line for a fee, would I be able to do this?

    Yes, you can make a £25 'no phone' payment, but it does mean you can't have multiroom, where a phone connection is required.
  • PeacockAntonyPeacockAntony Posts: 626
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    Thanks Nigel. I knew that you didn't need it for standard Sky, but not about Sky+HD.
  • nicklbnicklb Posts: 186
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    I have hd multi room but have not got a phone line connected to either box and never have, did not pay extra and have never been questioned.
  • ktla5ktla5 Posts: 1,683
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    If you have a phone line, all it is needed for (except multiroom) is for the set up, once the engineer has set up the box, paired it all up etc, you can unplug the phone line and forget about it, you can pay £25 (if they ask for it) to avoid plugging a line in at all, but for the sake of about 10 mins not really worth it.
  • Chasing ShadowsChasing Shadows Posts: 3,096
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    ktla5 wrote: »
    If you have a phone line, all it is needed for (except multiroom) is for the set up, once the engineer has set up the box, paired it all up etc, you can unplug the phone line and forget about it, you can pay £25 (if they ask for it) to avoid plugging a line in at all, but for the sake of about 10 mins not really worth it.

    The OP doesn't have a phoneline. It will cost more than £25 to get a phoneline fitted. That is why he was asking if he could get Sky HD fitted without having a phoneline.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    nicklb wrote: »
    I have hd multi room but have not got a phone line connected to either box and never have, did not pay extra and have never been questioned.

    A tiny number of people do seem to 'get away with it', probably because Sky's own installers went through a period of 'not bothering' connecting the phones.
  • SteveMcKSteveMcK Posts: 5,457
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    A tiny number of people do seem to 'get away with it', probably because Sky's own installers went through a period of 'not bothering' connecting the phones.
    I recently upgraded a Sky+ box to Sky+HD. When the installer came out I offered to plug in the phone via an extension to complete the install/pairing, he told me not to bother because he could do it "on his computer". Looked like some sort of handheld computer linked via the mobile phone network. He tapped in a few numbers, and that was it. No concern about the phone line at all. Granted this was outside the 12-month period, but he didn't ask about that.
  • CraigCraig Posts: 2,248
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    nicklb wrote: »
    I have hd multi room but have not got a phone line connected to either box and never have, did not pay extra and have never been questioned.

    Maybe things are different now, but l had my multi room box unplugged from the phone line for about 3 weeks, while the bedroom was being plastered and decorated, and l got a letter from Sky, warning me to check the phone line and / or plug it back in.
  • Chasing ShadowsChasing Shadows Posts: 3,096
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    SteveMcK wrote: »
    I recently upgraded a Sky+ box to Sky+HD. When the installer came out I offered to plug in the phone via an extension to complete the install/pairing, he told me not to bother because he could do it "on his computer". Looked like some sort of handheld computer linked via the mobile phone network. He tapped in a few numbers, and that was it. No concern about the phone line at all. Granted this was outside the 12-month period, but he didn't ask about that.

    And do you have mutiroom? Because if not, as everybody has said, you don't need to have your Sky box and phoneline connected once your first twelve months (or in reality first five minutes) is up.
  • methodyguymethodyguy Posts: 6,044
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    My parents have multiroom in their bedroom and they have never had the box connected to the telephone line and they haven't had any letters from Sky about it.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 59
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    They may. Simply put, the MR phone line rule was ignored for a long time and it has only recently started to been policed effectively.

    The volume of calls regarding CLI charges has rocketed- and regardless of whether Sky have asked them or not, as a major part of the MR T&Cs if a callback was requested, it must be provided. (or the MR sub cancelled)

    EDIT:

    You *do* need to have the box connected to the phoneline, post 12 months.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    smackaine wrote: »
    You *do* need to have the box connected to the phoneline, post 12 months.

    You've not made that very clear at all :D

    ONLY for multiroom!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 59
    Forum Member
    You've not made that very clear at all :D

    ONLY for multiroom!

    Haha, I'm not James, Rupert or any of the rest of the motley crew!

    And yeah, but for any and all boxes on an account with a MR sub.
  • TeeGeeTeeGee Posts: 5,772
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    http://www.sky.com/shop/new?DCMP=KNC-

    See "Legalbit" > "General........ :confused:
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    TeeGee wrote: »
    http://www.sky.com/shop/new?DCMP=KNC-

    See "Legalbit" > "General........ :confused:

    And as has been endlessly explained on here, there's no checking of it whatsoever, UNLESS you have multiroom - where the requirement is for all boxes permanently connected.
  • TeeGeeTeeGee Posts: 5,772
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    And as has been endlessly explained on here, there's no checking of it whatsoever, UNLESS you have multiroom - where the requirement is for all boxes permanently connected.

    Perhaps if somebody could point this out to Sky they might get a few more customers.
  • SteveMcKSteveMcK Posts: 5,457
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    And do you have mutiroom? Because if not, as everybody has said, you don't need to have your Sky box and phoneline connected once your first twelve months (or in reality first five minutes) is up.
    I know, but as I said, the installer didn't care one way or another. He wasn't even interested in using the phone line for 5 minutes to complete the install.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    SteveMcK wrote: »
    I know, but as I said, the installer didn't care one way or another. He wasn't even interested in using the phone line for 5 minutes to complete the install.

    As you haven't got multiroom he didn't need to.
  • coopermanyorkscoopermanyorks Posts: 21,215
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    nicklb wrote: »
    I have hd multi room but have not got a phone line connected to either box and never have, did not pay extra and have never been questioned.
    methodyguy wrote: »
    My parents have multiroom in their bedroom and they have never had the box connected to the telephone line and they haven't had any letters from Sky about it.
    smackaine wrote: »
    They may. Simply put, the MR phone line rule was ignored for a long time and it has only recently started to been policed effectively.

    The volume of calls regarding CLI charges has rocketed- and regardless of whether Sky have asked them or not, as a major part of the MR T&Cs if a callback was requested, it must be provided. (or the MR sub cancelled)

    EDIT:

    You *do* need to have the box connected to the phoneline, post 12 months.

    For a couple of years I never had my Sky+ boxes ( 3 in total) connected to the phone line

    I had a 1TB box fitted and was expecting to pay £49 with Free install,this was after contacting JD's office as normal sales would only allow one to be sold at £149 plus £60 install and then JD's office rang my wife and arranged the install but at no time did she request the £49 so I logged onto my account to see if it had been added to my monthly charge

    There was an extra £49 on the bill,simply marked as

    " Debit Adjustment 28/12/11 - 28/12/11 £49.00 "

    As I was in the account a live help request came in,after asking him what the £49 was for he went away and came back and said its because a specific box had not done a call home for 2 years,he was specific by the card number,he said connect up this box,get it to do a call back and only then can he refund
    Within in 5 mins I had run a phoneline to the box and did a callback,the livehelp window was open on the laptop and the operator quickly refunded

    So either get the phoneline sorted or check your bill,it seems Sky are now once again policing the connection of the phoneline to MR boxes
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 16
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    nicklb wrote: »
    I have hd multi room but have not got a phone line connected to either box and never have, did not pay extra and have never been questioned.

    only 1/3 of multiroom customers are monitored at any one time, and so some people may not have any problems for years.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 249
    Forum Member
    Six years without a phone line connected to MR box and I've finally started getting the letters, so either they're back on the case of this or my luck has finally run out. I've seen a few similar postings in other forums as well.
  • graxitygraxity Posts: 374
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    You can't buy box office movies without it plugged in can you?
  • simon194simon194 Posts: 1,888
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    graxity wrote: »
    You can't buy box office movies without it plugged in can you?

    You can phone Sky to buy a SBO films but they stick an admin charge on top.
  • wallybwallyb Posts: 2
    Forum Member
    Hi,

    Does anyone know whether I can rent a sky+ HD box, possibly with the additional wireless connector box but do not connect a phone line, and still get access to the interactive features (e.g Sky Box office, view my bill etc etc)

    PS I'm an existing, single room user.

    Thanks!
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