Sky - the worst company ever?

JonnyThunder

Hello all,

I recently moved into a new property and pre-ordered sky almost a month before, fully explaining my move in date and when everything needed to be set up. I've now been in my new place for two weeks and still don't have broadband or a phone line. I do at least have Sky TV. Anyway, thought I'd post the experience here so (1) you can see the kind of 'service' you get from Sky and (2) I can vent.

The Sky TV Installation

• 20th JUNE - I placed the original phone call to Sky to order the Sky TV, Broadband and Phone package. I specifically tell the 'local specialist' company (C*****ll & K*****y) that I am not moving into my new property until the 16th July and would like everything started on Monday the 19th July.
• 16th July - I move into the property to find that the previous owners phone number is still connected (due to be disconnected on the 22nd).
• 17th July - I call Sky to tell them the Sky viewing card hasn't been delivered (strange considering the broadband router and welcome letter have both arrived). I'm told to wait until 8:30 on Monday morning to make sure it doesn't turn up.
• 19th July - I call Sky again to tell them the card hasn't arrived. They now tell me I'll have to wait another 3 - 5 days for a replacement to be sent. I provisionally book an install for Friday 24th (in hope the card turns up).
• 21st July - The replacement Sky viewing card turns up.
• 23rd July - A very efficient Sky installations guy turns up and gets the TV part working. He has to manually contact Sky to get the card activated because the phone still isn't working.

Okay, so that was the easy part. After my amazing missing viewing card and finally getting Sky only 4 days late is when the pain really started.

The Sky Broadband & Phone

• July 20th - I start dialog with Sky telling them that the previous owners phone is still connected and that I have no broadband. I explain the number will be disconnected on Thursday 22nd and am told that as soon as it's disconnected, my new Sky number should take over.
• July 22nd - The original owners number is disconnected (can no longer make calls incoming or outgoing, though there is a dial tone). But no sign of a switchover to Sky. I call to explain this and after various diagnostics and line tests, they pass the call to an engineer. They tell me that the line tests pass and that the new number is active. It isn't - the original number is still on my line.
• July 24th - In the morning I speak to another Sky tech who tells me she will log a call with BT and I should hear back within 24 - 48 hours. In the afternoon, I call back to find that she hasn't even logged a call with BT and the guy I speak to DOES log a call with BT. Later that same day I get a text message from Sky telling me 'Your line fault has been fixed'. I check and although the line fault may have been fixed, it's still not connected to MY house. I call Sky again and explain this, and they relog the call.
• July 26th - Still heard nothing from either BT or Customer Services, so I call again to find that the BT ticket is now closed. I also receive a rather insulting bill for £52 for the services I haven't even managed to get! (This is a far shout from the original £36.50 I was quoted - apparently because they connected the line on the 5th July. This may well be true, but they didn't connect it to MY house)
• July 27th - I receive a text from Sky again, telling me that 'Sky need BT to access your property to investigate your line fault". So I call Sky back only to find out that the call has been closed again and to add insult to injury, I'm told a new call must be logged in order to get an engineer to the house. Had a friend of mine (a BT engineer) come to my house and double check that the master socket is still connected to the previous owners phone number.... and obviously it is. He also confirms there are no other lines going into my house. Called Sky again and spoke to a nice lady who said she would log the call with Openreach again, but this time would specify that the old number is still connected in the house.
• July 28th - Phoned sky again as no contact made with me. Call once again closed by BT with no resolution despite another text from Sky telling me they need access to my property to investigate the line fault. I call Sky again, this time the person I speak to logs a 'cross line' call with BT. Approx 20 minutes later I received a call from Sky asking if it was fixed. I just happened to be at home at the time and guess what... not fixed. I heard nothing else, nor did the line get fixed so I called back (13:00) to find out what happened. Was told that the engineer will need to go to the exchange.
• July 29th - Phoned first thing this morning and was told the call is still with the engineer and that someone from Customer Solutions would call me back when there was any news.

Ugh - still no resolution or even signs that it may get fixed. Well done Sky - you've proved yourself useless again. During this time I've also fired off two complaints but heard nothing. Because I expect it to be a while, I've started numbering them. :rotfl:

/end_rant

Gordon_Hose

Sounds like a BT fault rather than Sky. BT haven't disconnected the old phone line. Openreach (a BT company) do all the work in the exchanges and at the cabinet, so either SKy aren't passing the right info to Openreach or Openreach aren't doing what they're told.

When I ported my number out to Sky from BT it want smoother than Kojacks head.

JonnyThunder

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

When I ported my number out to Sky from BT it want smoother than Kojacks head.

Lol... I shall have to use that.

I've had four (I think) calls logged with Openreach. Three were logged as line faults and when tested were fine. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the line is good - it's just not connected to my own phone socket. The last call i logged was put through as a cross line. My BT friend said that it's unlikely this will resolve it because the line has never been connected in the first place.

Any ideas how I should log this? I've explained half a dozen times now that the previous owners phone number is still connected and that it needs to be moved to the Sky rack in the exchange but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Still waiting to hear what they have to say. Meanwhile, I called Sky again and told them I won't be paying my bill. They have failed to provide the services agreed, overbilled me for the services and they connected it two weeks too early. Apparently they can't credit me with anything until the line fault is resolved. Lol....

And just because I can, here's spinny Martin.... :money:

nelster

So, other than not lose your original viewing card, Sky could've done what ?

Your issue is that like everyone else moving into a house creates no end of hassle with openreach / bt in terms of phonelines.

Sky are at the mercy of BT / Openreach on this one.

Gordon_Hose

Ask if you can speak with the BT Engineer direct, and see if explaining it to him will help. I don't really know what else you can do.

I wouldn't not pay my bill though, I'd pay it then complain to Sky about the service. You've obviously taken detailed notes of when you spoke to them so you shouldn't have an issue putting your grievance across. It''s better than Sky refusing to help you until you've paid your bill, and you being left with nothing.

emmah89

sounds like BT. i had horrendous problems with BT a couple of months back when i got my phone line installed late (due to the engineer turning up late and deciding "its too late for me to install your phone line..") and had a knock on effect on my broadband. took me 2 weeks, constant phone calls to get it fixed. in the end they let me have my first months broadband free.. then when my bill came in it wasnt on it... i rang and was told i was a liar and i never had been given a months free broadband.... i ended up hanging up and recalling and got someone else who said they were sorry and would log it and give me my free broadband..... next bill appears, and no free months broadband... rang again and got someone who done it over the phone and told me she could see it on my screen that it had been finally taken off.... unfortunately i took the free line installation with bt so had to take a 24 month contract.... so stuck with them for a while.... grrr

KingElvis

I would rather put pins in my eyes and then nail my head to the carpet than give money to SKY, Murdoch and his trashy band.

Inactive

KingElvis wrote: »

I would rather put pins in my eyes and then nail my head to the carpet than give money to SKY, Murdoch and his trashy band.

Hear..hear..me as well.;)

daniel.thomas4

KingElvis wrote: »

I would rather put pins in my eyes and then nail my head to the carpet than give money to SKY, Murdoch and his trashy band.

you do know that bskyb own part of freeview... I dont think there is any tv platform in the uk you can watch with out putting money in his pocket.
if it be from adverts or sky tv

JohnBoy2001

Detest Sky, far too big and powerful.

daniel.thomas4

JohnBoy2001 wrote: »

Detest Sky, far too big and powerful.

not really.... the uk is tiny. look at the usa. you will fit 5 uk island in there smallest state.

now think TVO:D