[tomferguson]

Hi

Thinking about changing to Sky TV from Virgin. Phone line is with Virgin. Do I need to change to a BT Line ?

Tom

[gazthejambo]

ok no probs yeh

[pcbbc]

Originally Posted by tomferguson

Hi

Thinking about changing to Sky TV from Virgin. Phone line is with Virgin. Do I need to change to a BT Line ?

Tom

If you have standard Sky, without multiroom, you do not need a phone line as you can pay a special one off supplement (to not have one).

If you have Sky+ the official policy is you should have a phone for the first 12 months. There is no technical reason for it, and often if you disconnect it after the install there is no comeback.

If you have multiroom there is an absolute requirement to have a phone connected to each and every box permanently. Even after the first 12 months. This is actively policed by Sky, and you will be charged double the standard subscription (for 2 boxes) if you fail to comply.

The phone line you use doesn't have to be from BT. It can be a cable phone if you like.

[Bob P]

As well as being connected to your phone line, I think the Multiroom digiboxes need to be on standby too.

[Eamondo]

if you don't have multi room then you don't NEED a phone line but sky still like it when people do.

if you do have Multi room then you must have a phone line in both boxes or Sky will Fine You.

to my knowledge it doesn't matter if your phone is with Virgin BT or whoever.

[RubusRoo]

why do you have to have a phone line when using multiroom?

[NobbyClarke]

The multiroom boxes are sent messages to phone back to sky every now and then.

Sky use the caller ID from the phone line to determine that the boxes are at teh same location and you have not given a multiroom sub to your mate/mum/son etc etc.

Not only do the multiroom boxes have to be connected to a phone line, it must be the same phone line and must be configured not to hide the outgoing number.

[RubusRoo]

Originally Posted by NobbyClarke

The multiroom boxes are sent messages to phone back to sky every now and then.

Sky use the caller ID from the phone line to determine that the boxes are at teh same location and you have not given a multiroom sub to your mate/mum/son etc etc.

Not only do the multiroom boxes have to be connected to a phone line, it must be the same phone line and must be configured not to hide the outgoing number.

can you use the box to prefix the outgoing number with 1470 for people who withold their number?

[tomferguson]

Thanks for the info guys. Big help.

Tom

[pcbbc]

Originally Posted by thumps36

can you use the box to prefix the outgoing number with 1470 for people who withold their number?

Yes.
Services, 4, 0 1 Select - brings up hidden installers menu.
Then Telephone Settings, Dialling Prefix and enter 1470.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by pcbbc

Yes.
Services, 4, 0 1 Select - brings up hidden installers menu.
Then Telephone Settings, Dialling Prefix and enter 1470.

You need to be aware though that this doesn't just 'work', it has to dial back successfully before it will store the prefix - from personal experience this often takes multiple (in double figures!!) attempts.

[srhill]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

You need to be aware though that this doesn't just 'work', it has to dial back successfully before it will store the prefix - from personal experience this often takes multiple (in double figures!!) attempts.

That is sky's problem to resolve - if connected to the phone line there shouldn't be a problem. If they consider there is get them to send an installer round to see you are not lying and resolve it if they can!

[Welshboyo]

My landline is disconnected and will be until March 22nd when Virgin call,the online light keeps coming on the box,will sky charge me before contacting me?

[nwlondoner]

Originally Posted by Welshboyo

My landline is disconnected and will be until March 22nd when Virgin call,the online light keeps coming on the box,will sky charge me before contacting me?

I have Sky+ multiroom and on several occasions I have disconnected my phone line from both boxes for a couple of months at a time. Each time I have done this Sky have sent me a (friendly) letter informing me that I will be charged double if I don't reconnect my boxes. I usually reconnect my boxes within a few weeks of the letter and I've never been charged extra.

On one occasion my boxes were plugged in to the phone line but I still got a letter from Sky, so I called them up and they sent round a free engineer who replaced one of the cables running from the box to the phone line and all was ok.

When I first had standard Sky (just one Sky digibox) I didn't have it plugged in to the phone line for years, even though Sky's T&Cs stated it was compulsory for the first 12 months.

[Dave_Herts]

Originally Posted by tomferguson

Hi

Thinking about changing to Sky TV from Virgin. Phone line is with Virgin. Do I need to change to a BT Line ?

Tom

My sky HD box, and sky+ before that is plugged into my virgin phone line with no problems. Sky customer services will confirm this if you ask.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by srhill

That is sky's problem to resolve - if connected to the phone line there shouldn't be a problem. If they consider there is get them to send an installer round to see you are not lying and resolve it if they can!

It's your problem not their's, they will just increase your direct debit to two full price subscriptions if you don't comply with the conditions. If the boxes are under guarantee from Sky, then they will come and sort it - otherwise it's £65 callout.

[foogirl]

Originally Posted by Welshboyo

My landline is disconnected and will be until March 22nd when Virgin call,the online light keeps coming on the box,will sky charge me before contacting me?

No, they should write to you and tell you there is a problem first.

They keep writing to us to tell us ours aren't connected but they are. Every time we get a letter we do a manual dial up but often it fails. We called a couple of weeks back and the guy just kept saying "Do a manual dial up" - even though we said we had done it.

Actually, come to think of it, I don't know what happened next......

But they did say if they didn't get confirmation they were connected, they would charge us. Apparently confirmation from us that we had a problem with the dial up isn't enough. They might as well just have come out and branded us as liars there and then....

[nwlondoner]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

It's your problem not their's, they will just increase your direct debit to two full price subscriptions if you don't comply with the conditions. If the boxes are under guarantee from Sky, then they will come and sort it - otherwise it's £65 callout.

My boxes were out of warranty but Sky still sent an engineer for free, maybe I was just lucky?

[Welshboyo]

Originally Posted by jackless

I have Sky+ multiroom and on several occasions I have disconnected my phone line from both boxes for a couple of months at a time. Each time I have done this Sky have sent me a (friendly) letter informing me that I will be charged double if I don't reconnect my boxes. I usually reconnect my boxes within a few weeks of the letter and I've never been charged extra.

On one occasion my boxes were plugged in to the phone line but I still got a letter from Sky, so I called them up and they sent round a free engineer who replaced one of the cables running from the box to the phone line and all was ok.

When I first had standard Sky (just one Sky digibox) I didn't have it plugged in to the phone line for years, even though Sky's T&Cs stated it was compulsory for the first 12 months.

Thanks,cleared that up for me.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by jackless

My boxes were out of warranty but Sky still sent an engineer for free, maybe I was just lucky?

Depends who you talk to, if they are in a good mood or not, and how polite you are! if you look through threads on these forums some people do manage free calls, but others are simply told they have to pay.

[coopermanyorks]

Originally Posted by foogirl

Actually, come to think of it, I don't know what happened next......

Take a look at your bank statement you may find your subs have doubled

[foogirl]

Originally Posted by coopermanyorks

Take a look at your bank statement you may find your subs have doubled

Lol. Thanks for reminding me - just checked with my husband and he finally got it to work.

[nwlondoner]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Depends who you talk to, if they are in a good mood or not, and how polite you are! if you look through threads on these forums some people do manage free calls, but others are simply told they have to pay.

I didn't realise how lucky I was, I'm always polite so maybe that's why

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by jackless

I didn't realise how lucky I was, I'm always polite so maybe that's why

You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar!

[grizzly43]

I have 3 multirooms all connected to the main BT telephone line. The main sky+ box is currently not attched to a phone line. Is this OK?

Cheers