2009-12-01

Of course I no longer want Sky HD ?!

So, have a Sky+HD box, a few years old, and finally on the blink a bit. Want a replacement. How hard can it be?

1. They insist on an engineer visit to install the new one?!?!??! WTF

This is replacing a box like for like. It is really easy! Anyone able to unscrew an F'ing connector can do it!

But no, must be engineer. Apparently to "activate the manufacturers warranty". Why? I am more than happy with statutory rights under sale of goods act and distance selling directive, I don't need the manufacturers warranty. But no, they insist. So more expense.

2. Apparently, if you replace a Sky+HD box with a Sky+HD box then Sky automatically de-activate the subscription to HD services (don't get me started on how much of a rip off that is).

But why do they do that? It makes no sense. I have not asked to stop having HD. I have a HD TV. I have a Sky+HD box before and am replacing it with a Sky+HD box. How hard can it be to realise that maybe I don't want to make any change to my subscription?

And when trying to get this sorted they go on about how it will cost me £10/month extra to activate it. It took ages to get out of the woman that they had de-activated it as a matter of course and so actually it will cost the same as before and not £10/month more at all!

Why are they such numpties?

16:39 Arrrg! Worse. They seem unable to re-enable the HD and Sky+ because they are cancelling it on the old box. What the box has to do with the subscription I don't know! Right now I have a Sky+HD box that is neither Sky+ or HD. Grrr.
16:49 I think the hold music is killing brain cells.
16:55 I am not sure I can take it any more... arrg
17:00 OK they cannot put Sky+ and HD back on the viewing card, so they are going to move another viewing card to work with this box. WTF are they playing at. How broken is their system?
17:10 so now we don't have any Sky until they activate the new card!
19:30 and still not working. I am seething.
21:30 So much for may take 4 hours. Plonkers.

Ha! When I edit this blogspot gives me an advert for Sky !?!??!

5 comments:

  1. I have a bargepole I use especially for not-touching Sky!
    I wouldn't pay them money if they were the last TV supplier on Earth.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's stupid things like this that Sky do that stop me upgrading to HD.

    ReplyDelete
  3. And it is till not working on HD channels - arrrg!

    ReplyDelete
  4. They shouldn't have deactivated the sub, only paired the card with the new box. The 'engineer' (actually minimum wage ladder monkey who wouldn't know an engineering degree if it hit him in the face) should have known this - it's a simple enough task.

    Sky call centres are of course worse than their engineers.. BT are the sheer professionals compared to these guys.

    Last time I had to pair a card (I ebay my boxes and never let one of their 'engineers' in the house) what should have been a routine 30 second 'this is the serial of the new box, please pair it' became a discssion about using the red button help service 'to stop me having to call them again' - and pointing out that this would not help with card pairing didn't move him from his script.

    I still haven't worked out why card pairing requires a phone call. The sky box knows all the serial numbers.. it has (and requires) a phone connection.. it even has a 'new installation' menu option - which does nothing! My best guess is their software is so bugridden that it doesn't even do that properly and rather than fix it they decided to make everyone call instead.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Definitely badly designed software. Unfortunately it's is use by so many ppl at once, all who would complain rather more loudly (in combination) than you if Sky switched off to get it fixed.

    And Sky would hate to have to refund their subscribers for days missed. Play hell for investors and dividends.

    And doing a parallel switchover, where a new, awesome, well engineered system, is running and fully tested whilst subscribers are slowly moved over, would also eat profits.

    Don't ya love capitalism?

    ReplyDelete

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