Can I get sky plus with no phone line?

[mattw89]

Hi all,

I'm hoping you can help me in this matter. I'm moving in with 4 other friends this year (july!), and we want to get sky plus. However we don't want to have to get a phone line aswell as that will incur more costs for a service we won't use. We all have plenty enough minutes on our mobiles plus I use VoIP (skype) and have bought a landline number for that anyway.

The internet we will be getting will be from virgin, the 20mb internet only package. No phone line required. Therefore we don't want to have to pay £X a month or year for a phone line just so sky are happy.

Obviously if this is the only way then we have no choice or may just have to go to freeview

If its possible please let me know.

[billsavings]

Yes it is possible to get Sky fitted without a phone line being fitted. They do charge an extra fee for this i believe its about £25.

Just call Sky and ask them for a No Phone Line Install.

[salduck]

Alternatively just tell them the phone line is not active yet but will be and when the engineer comes tell him its not activated yet and they will set it all up for you none the wiser and £25 better off!!!!!
x

[mattw89]

Thanks for that. I'm on to a chat advisor now on there website. Ruddy technology, well better this then having to do all the holding on phone lines

Thanks for the info though

[mattw89]

If the engineer sets it up though, will I not have to pay phone line rental each month?

[mattw89]

sorry to reply again to myself :P

Just in regards to talking to the advisor.

I live in Sheffield (0114), but I pay like £10 to skype so I can have an (0151) number, as originally from Liverpool so saves the family having to pay more to ring me.

So they ring my 0151 number and calls my PC.

He says this is enough to count as a landline number. :S

I hope hes right although if his english isn't great I hope hes not misunderstanding what I mean...

As you can't exactly connect a sky box to an internet phone number.

[billsavings]

Originally Posted by mattw89

sorry to reply again to myself :P

Just in regards to talking to the advisor.

I live in Sheffield (0114), but I pay like £10 to skype so I can have an (0151) number, as originally from Liverpool so saves the family having to pay more to ring me.

So they ring my 0151 number and calls my PC.

He says this is enough to count as a landline number. :S

I hope hes right although if his english isn't great I hope hes not misunderstanding what I mean...

As you can't exactly connect a sky box to an internet phone number.

The Engineer will be expecting to find a proper working phone socket,so he might decline to fit it.

By the way surely if you had an 0114 number your folks would still pay the same rate to call it as a 0151 one,as the local call rate was abolished yonks ago.

[mattw89]

Haha didn't know the local call rate.

Its also used when I'm abroad though to save them having to ring +34 numbers etc.

And the skype number doesn't count. The guy on chat as I thought had got it wrong. Didn't kick up a fuss about it, agreed to pay the £25, afterall I managed to randomly get a referral from my Mum even though she had no letter about it. Saving me the £99.00 box.

Almost bought the sports mix aswell for 18.00 more a month, then remembered the season is over lol, saved me some nice $$$

Thanks for the help guys

[trish06]

My son had sky+ fitted a few months back,
he told the engineer that he was having bt installed in a few weeks time
sky engeneer said no probs and just left him the wire to conect when he had the phone line installed
he still has not had the phone line connected yet

[lgb2100]

Originally Posted by mattw89

Haha didn't know the local call rate.

Its also used when I'm abroad though to save them having to ring +34 numbers etc.

And the skype number doesn't count. The guy on chat as I thought had got it wrong. Didn't kick up a fuss about it, agreed to pay the £25, afterall I managed to randomly get a referral from my Mum even though she had no letter about it. Saving me the £99.00 box.

Almost bought the sports mix aswell for 18.00 more a month, then remembered the season is over lol, saved me some nice $$$

Thanks for the help guys

I am thinking of having Sky installed - without it being connected to a telephone line.

Is there a link on the Sky Webpage that states that this is possible, and the additional fee of £25 that has been quoted in various forumns

[BexTech]

Originally Posted by lgb2100

I am thinking of having Sky installed - without it being connected to a telephone line.

Is there a link on the Sky Webpage that states that this is possible, and the additional fee of £25 that has been quoted in various forumns

As long as you don't have multi-room there is no need for a phone line connection. The phone line requirement is for multi-room so they can check each month if the boxes are in the same house.

You can pay the £25 manual activation fee or take the gamble the engineer will activate it without the fee being paid.

[jasonwatkins]

i moved into my flat 3 years ago and had a dish already up outside, with the wires inside the living room.

i bought a couple of connectors and a second hand box off ebay and hooked up the box myself with no problem.

about a year later, bought a second hand sky + box and paid an independent bloke to fit the extra LNB and cable, and upgraded to a full sky + subscription.

all without connection to a phone line.

[lgb2100]

Originally Posted by BexTech

As long as you don't have multi-room there is no need for a phone line connection. The phone line requirement is for multi-room so they can check each month if the boxes are in the same house.

You can pay the £25 manual activation fee or take the gamble the engineer will activate it without the fee being paid.

I don't want to take the gamble and have a enginner come out and refuse to fit sky because of me not wanting it connected to a telephone line.

Is there anywhere on Sky's website/literature that mentions the opt out and it's current fee ?

[mcmurphy]

what happens if you've already got sky+ and a phone line then you cancel the phone line? does the sky+ still work with all it's original functionality?

[BexTech]

Originally Posted by mcmurphy

what happens if you've already got sky+ and a phone line then you cancel the phone line? does the sky+ still work with all it's original functionality?

Yes, other than you can't order PPV movies or events or use some of the paid for interactive features.

The box itself doesn't actually require a phone line, everything is downloaded via the satellite - changes to the EPG, updates to the software etc.

[Tommok]

Originally Posted by BexTech

Yes, other than you can't order PPV movies or events or use some of the paid for interactive features.

The box itself doesn't actually require a phone line, everything is downloaded via the satellite - changes to the EPG, updates to the software etc.

I know this applies to normal Sky package as I currently have one and my phone line has been dead for years and I have no problems with reception and can order PPV stuff and use interactive etc etc.

Is it definitely true for Sky+ though?? I have heard people say that Sky+ does need an active phone line?

I've just 'recommended a friend to Sky' and so have been offered a free Sky+ box or £50 M&S vouchers. I really want Sky+ but don't want to have to shell out for a phone line reactivation/line rental and so will go for M&S vouchers if that's the case!

[BexTech]

Originally Posted by Tommok

I know this applies to normal Sky package as I currently have one and my phone line has been dead for years and I have no problems with reception and can order PPV stuff and use interactive etc etc.

Is it definitely true for Sky+ though?? I have heard people say that Sky+ does need an active phone line?

I've just 'recommended a friend to Sky' and so have been offered a free Sky+ box or £50 M&S vouchers. I really want Sky+ but don't want to have to shell out for a phone line reactivation/line rental and so will go for M&S vouchers if that's the case!

You only need a phone line if you have multi-room - more than one box and the subscription is copied across at the £10 - multi-room discount. The phone line is needed for multi-room as they need a way of checking if you have both boxes or more at the same address and not sharing the subscription costs with someone else at a different address.

If you only have one box or only have a subscription on one box and therefore don't have multi-room, it doesn't matter whether it is a standard box, Sky+ box or the Sky+HD box you don't need a phone line.

You can't order PPV via the box if you don't have a phone line*, you have to call in (higher costs). * You box may buffer up so many purchases until you reach your credit limit and then will stop you ordering more PPV until the box is connected to the phone line again.

Sometimes with discounted offers they do stipulate you need the box connected to phone line for 12 months, however for non-multi-room installations they don't police it.

[Tommok]

Originally Posted by BexTech

You only need a phone line if you have multi-room - more than one box and the subscription is copied across at the £10 - multi-room discount. The phone line is needed for multi-room as they need a way of checking if you have both boxes or more at the same address and not sharing the subscription costs with someone else at a different address.

If you only have one box or only have a subscription on one box and therefore don't have multi-room, it doesn't matter whether it is a standard box, Sky+ box or the Sky+HD box you don't need a phone line.

You can't order PPV via the box if you don't have a phone line*, you have to call in (higher costs). * You box may buffer up so many purchases until you reach your credit limit and then will stop you ordering more PPV until the box is connected to the phone line again.

Sometimes with discounted offers they do stipulate you need the box connected to phone line for 12 months, however for non-multi-room installations they don't police it.

Excellent - very useful thanks.

I noticed in the terms and conditions for the Introduce a friend thing they did mention about needing it fixed to a phone line for 12 months but good to know it isn't policed.

I'll get on to them in the morning and order my sky+ box!

[BexTech]

Originally Posted by Tommok

Excellent - very useful thanks.

I noticed in the terms and conditions for the Introduce a friend thing they did mention about needing it fixed to a phone line for 12 months but good to know it isn't policed.

I'll get on to them in the morning and order my sky+ box!

They don't police it after the install, however you may find the engineer won't install without phone line without manual activation fee, others don't care and the install is pre activated.

[Glittermonkey]

I have sky+ in my living room and a box in my bedroom which just has freeview.

I do have a BT landline but neiher sky boxes are connected to it. Sky+ works fine.