Installation fees and landline issue

[w4tt4n4b3]

A friend of mine wants to have a SKY TV subscription and wants to know if he can avoid paying the 60 pounds installation fee.
I get the impression that if he buys the device not from SKY but by a legit reseller he can avoid that.

Also he does not have a landline. As far as I know there is a term in the Sky contract that obliges sky tv subscribers/customers to keep the device connected to a BT landline.
If he buys the Sky device from a reseller does he have to abide by the BT landline rule?
And then he just calls Sky and ask for a subscription?

[dms05]

Buying from a non-subsidised supplier should mean you don't need a phone line as the phone line requirement is linked to Sky subsidised equipment.

For a completely new installation the £60 charge includes the supply and fitting of the dish and wiring to the box. In my opinion that's a very good deal and unless you already have a dish and wiring on the house it will be difficult to better.

The requirement for a BT line is non-negotiable if you buy the kit from Sky. But Sky heavily subsidised equipment and buying from a non-subsidised source may mean you pay many times more than the £60 installation fee (and still have to have it installed).

At the moment you can have a Sky HD+ for under £50 and installation for £60 so that's £110.. If you go out and buy a Freesat equivalent to Sky+ HD then it will cost over £350 to buy and have installed. Buying Sky from a 3rd party will probably show similar price differences.

The problem is you can't cherry pick the best parts from individual deals. And don't forget that the landline also qualifies you for completely free Broadband and free evening/weekenf land line calls.

[w4tt4n4b3]

The problem is that the box is going to be bought in the UK but sent outside UK. Payment will be arranged via UK bank account and direct debit. It won't be installed in the UK.
So is it possible to buy the equipment from a retailer and then get a SKy subscription where the payment will be arranged via monthly direct debit associated to a uk bank account?
And something else. The card to be paired with the sky box is it necessary to be done after the dish, box etc are installed?

I also heard that if you pay 25pounds you can get subscription over non telephone line. Is this valid as we speak?

[Isitme]

I am fairly sure Sky subscriptions bought here only cover UK and RoI. For use in another country, there are resellers who give out cards, but I am not sure if all of these are legal. I am sure someone here has experience of Sky in Spain or Portugal etc and can give you definitive answers.

If you don't get any replies, try Googling for sky in spain or whichever country applies.

[w4tt4n4b3]

Sky is for UK only. But sky does not mind a lot to have some thousands subscribers outside UK, they bring a lot of money after all...
There are people in Greece that have Sky for 12 or so years...
We will see what happens. If I get the standard box I can have it without a landline if I pay a one-off fee of 25 pounds. So I will go for this probably...
My friend said he will use it for a while in the UK but because he lives half year in Greece he said he will ask Sky if he can move it according to his whereabouts...
We will negotiate a special contract if it is feasible.
We will see.
Thank you all.

[Sam Radford]

I recommend buying the Digibox then phoning Sky for a "second hand contract". Fill out the form they send, post it back, and they'll send a viewing card to your (UK) address. Εντακσι;

[Smithy99]

Do NOT tell Sky you want to take it outside the UK.

[w4tt4n4b3]

I recommend buying the Digibox then phoning Sky for a "second hand contract". Fill out the form they send, post it back, and they'll send a viewing card to your (UK) address. Εντακσι;

Thank you very much...
Critical question. When they send the card will it be activated or do we have to put in the box to get it activated? And if we have to place it in the box should the box be connected to the satellite dish when activation takes place?

And something else. If we ask for a second hand contract, could we pay the subscription via uk bank account and with direct debit (monthly installments)?


I have a suspicion that Sky do not accept incoming calls from outside UK. So if my friend in UK has to call for the activation he won't be able to have the digibox connected and turned on...
If anyone knows any details about the activation procedure. We are talking about Standard digibox not connected to a landline...
You got it almost right... It is εντάξει...

[Smithy99]

Thank you very much...
Critical question. When they send the card will it be activated or do we have to put in the box to get it activated? And if we have to place it in the box should the box be connected to the satellite dish when activation takes place?

You must activate it and pair it to the receiver when it arrives, the card must be in the correct receiver and it must be up and running as the card receives the signal via the satellite.

And something else. If we ask for a second hand contract, could we pay the subscription via uk bank account and with direct debit (monthly installments)?

Yes

I have a suspicion that Sky do not accept incoming calls from outside UK. So if my friend in UK has to call for the activation he won't be able to have the digibox connected and turned on...

Not sure over the UK only calls but Sky send a signal to the receiver to activate the card so it must be in and turned on when they do this. The will also need the details from the receiver, serial number etc. They will talk you through this on the phone as they do it so you may find it difficult to con them if your not doing it yourself with the correct details and receiver connected and working in front of you.

[w4tt4n4b3]

I read somewhere that you have to be able to receive Sky news and have the tv tuned in to a Sky channel when activation takes place...

But do you have to do more? This can be done without even being at home.

edit: If I combine all proposals the best choice is the following. Buy a box, get a second hand contract, get the card and then get the box and card to someone that already has sky, connect the box to his dish, call sky, activate the card and then send the box with the card in to me...
Besides complicated how does it sound?