Sky - Pay Once Watch Forever: NOT!

davemurgatroyd

Lets get some facts here.

Sky viewing cards need a roughly monthly "keep alive" signal from the satellite to stay active otherwise they "fall asleep" and become inactive. The message you are receiving although inaccurately worded is indicating that this is what has happened in this case. Usually for cards that have been recently deactivated they will wake up again (can take up to 72 hours) if left in a Sky box connected to the mains and a working satellite dish (box can either be in use or in standby BUT NOT switched off at mains) - Have you left the system this way to reawaken?

What is required is reactivation of the viewing card and NOT pairing of the card (as some posters have incorrectly posted) although the details Sky require are the same. Pairing of a card is the linking of an active viewing card to a box which is obviously not the case here. Pairing will occasionally reactivate recently "gone to sleep" cards but not all and it is a different process on Sky's systems.

Before phoning Sky again check that a viewing card number is displayed in "Details" - "Services" "Right arrow" "Down arrow" then "Right arrow" to "Details". If no viewing card is shown then the box is not connecting to the card - possibly down to "corroded"/dirty contacts in the card reader or the card itself and both can be cleaned by wiping the card with a lintfree cloth and inserting a business card or similar into the card slot a few times. If this fails to work you have either a faulty box or viewing card (and yes they can go faulty when not in use for some time and then reused.

Inner_Zone

bigo93 wrote: »

If you have nothing of interest to add or anything that is helpful, might I suggest you leave this thread to those who are.

I did give you some useful information. The box will still work without a card! You just won't get the few FTV channels, not the end of the world is it.

bigo93 wrote: »

You might not care about corporation screwing over their customers but some of us do!

I do care, but you have done this yourself, not Sky. So attribute the blame to the appropriate person, yourself.

almillar

Inner Zone - OP bought this package called 'Pay Once Watch Forever'
That's a simple premise. Now they're being asked to pay again, and you're making lots of technical excuses for Sky's misleading of OP, and calling OP a bit thick too - why?!

Inner_Zone

almillar wrote: »

Inner Zone - OP bought this package called 'Pay Once Watch Forever'
That's a simple premise. Now they're being asked to pay again, and you're making lots of technical excuses for Sky's misleading of OP,

Where? The OP did not use the box for eighteen months so the card missed the updates as has been explained above by another. Did the OP read the T&C's? Who knows. The box is still working, the only thing the OP can get now are few FTV channels. So no need to pay anything.

almillar wrote: »

and calling OP a bit thick too - why?!

What?

spannerzone

Useful info from Dave, cheers.

giraffe69

You're right, I did call the wrong department, mainly because I didnt want to pay for the higher costs of calling an 0845 number

This says it all. I have a problem, I need to phone to fix it. I'll call the wrong number because it is cheaper! Bizarre!

almillar

Inner Zone - I know the OP isn't 100% faultless, but you're referring to stuff buried in T&Cs now. If I put a TV away for 18 months should I expect to lose channels? Maybe people that are used to subscription TV know all about cards and expiry and everything, but most people buying this package won't. It goes against the name of the product if the card expires, or if it does, to have to pay for another one. The OP better get a free card to get the channels he originally purchased back!

Heinz

Sorry, I've only scan-read this but has the OP left the card in the box long enough for it to wake up again (I heard 72 hours may be necessary)?