Sky + box just gone wonky....

[Dan Martin]

Hi all - please bear with me, I am new and found you following a 45 minute super frustrating call with Sky.

Our Sky + box has gone wonky earlier this evening, and they have done a few tests over the phone and decided we have to have a new one. Yes, you guessed it, its 18 months old and out of warranty. The red light on the front keeps flickering and we get the sky welcome message, but cannot access any channels etc

After a long conversation, they want to charge us for a call out to install a reconditioned box (£69 I think), or send out a re con box and charge £10 pm extra insurance, or sell us an HD upgrade. To be honest I am appalled at all 3 and just cynically view it as getting more dosh out of us. We have been customers since 1996 and never had to ask them for any help previously.

I asked if they would consider sending us the box f.o.c as a gesture of good will and they said no. They are happy to lose our business! I currently pay c£50 pm for kids and sports and a multu room with our old box.

Anyone have any suggestions? We recently put the new card in but I dont think its caused the problem..........

Thanks for any help, Dan

[Azasmith]

Due to being out of contract Sky do have the "upper hand" in this situation so to speak. You could try speaking to cancelations and saying " Theres no point paying for a box that doesn't work." seeing if they'll wave the call out fee for you and perhaps have the installer offer you a new box, ( it'll be a refurb but you might be able to twist his arm to give you a new one somehow. )

Other than that, there's not a lot you can do, and the chances of cancellations excepting your ploy to get a free call out might not work, and you might just have to see what they offer you to keep you a member.

Speak to cancellations anyway, they will be able to sort things more than Tier 1 or whatever they're called.

[jasonx1]

or what i do is a buy a cheap sky+ from your local newspaper you can pick them up cheap now as everyone is selling them

by the way have you done the full system reset that cures most probelms

[Dan Martin]

Thanks guys, as an update I switched everything off at the socket over night, and guess what - all up and running again!
How do they get away with telling me we need a new box at my expense?
I havent paid anything but feel conned all the same...............

[Smithy99]

How do they get away with telling me we need a new box at my expense?

Because you own the receiver and it is faulty and out of warranty, why would you expect them to give you another one FOC?

Chnaces are it is a PSU fault and will happen again at some point.