Can I get sky plus with no phone line?

Lordbrett

Does anyone know if you still need a phone line connected to get full functionality from the newer boxes?

I'm thinking of getting a Sky Plus HD box and would have thought, that by now, the box would be able to connect wirelessly via the internet to box box office film etc rather than require the customer to maintain a phone line.

Heinz

Yes, you would have thought that, wouldn't you?

Not the case though. You can have a Sky box without a phone line but, if you're a new subscriber, you have to pay (£25, I think) to do that.

Lordbrett

Heinz wrote: »

Yes, you would have thought that, wouldn't you?

Not the case though. You can have a Sky box without a phone line but, if you're a new subscriber, you have to pay (£25, I think) to do that.

Thanks Heinz. After I posted, I noticed they have a wireless dongle for On Demand viewing, which, you would think negate the need for a phone line, but they don't state this anywhere that i can see...

"Wireless Connector - now only £9.99
Our Wireless Connector gives you the freedom to access On Demand without wires, perfect if your Sky+ box and broadband router are in different rooms.

* Connect your broadband router and your Sky+ box wirelessly
* Unlock a world of entertainment on demand including our brand new Catch Up TV service, full series box sets, kids' shows and hundreds of movies (if you have Sky Movies 1 & 2) ready to watch when you are."

[Deleted User]

Lordbrett wrote: »

Thanks Heinz. After I posted, I noticed they have a wireless dongle for On Demand viewing, which, you would think negate the need for a phone line, but they don't state this anywhere that i can see...

The Sky box actually makes a "callback" to Sky about once a month. If you don't have a phone line at all you can pay Sky £25 so they ignore the "callback" failures.
It's a throwback to the old "interactive" applications which Sky were considering back in the day and it's still a feature of the initial year-long contract, entitling you to a free Sky digibox and mini-dish.

Having access to the internet is irrelevant in these circumstances.

ktothema

We were told by the sky help line that the phone line wasn't needed anymore with the sky had box. An engineer who came out a few months later to fix our dish also said this. However, if our box resets itself it keeps telling us to connect a phone line, which we actually have done but...

brewerdave

Lordbrett wrote: »

Thanks Heinz. After I posted, I noticed they have a wireless dongle for On Demand viewing, which, you would think negate the need for a phone line, but they don't state this anywhere that i can see...

"Wireless Connector - now only £9.99
Our Wireless Connector gives you the freedom to access On Demand without wires, perfect if your Sky+ box and broadband router are in different rooms.

* Connect your broadband router and your Sky+ box wirelessly
* Unlock a world of entertainment on demand including our brand new Catch Up TV service, full series box sets, kids' shows and hundreds of movies (if you have Sky Movies 1 & 2) ready to watch when you are."

..but you need either a Virgin cable wireless router or an ADSL wireless router( connected to a phone line) for the dongle to connect with!!!:)

macman

Since the line connection is not enforced, just have the standard install and then disconnect it once the installer leaves (assuming that he's bothered to connect it in the first place). Instant £25 saving.
There was a post only yesterday where the installer had not even connected the boxes for a Multiroom install, and had told the subscriber that it was not required!

Heinz

ktothema wrote: »

We were told by the sky help line that the phone line wasn't needed anymore with the sky had box. An engineer who came out a few months later to fix our dish also said this. However, if our box resets itself it keeps telling us to connect a phone line, which we actually have done but...

..... if you have only one Sky box, you don't need to connect it to a phone line (regardless of what the automatic message says).

Lordbrett

brewerdave wrote: »

..but you need either a Virgin cable wireless router or an ADSL wireless router( connected to a phone line) for the dongle to connect with!!!:)

Well, yes you need broadband and wifi, but not necessarily a phone line....

Lordbrett

... since we've drifted a bit

If I rent a HD box, possibly with the additional wireless connector box but do not connect a phone line, can i still get access to the interactive features (e.g Sky Box office, view my bill etc etc)

& Thanks for everyones contributions so far...

Heinz

Lordbrett wrote: »

... since we've drifted a bit

If I rent a HD box, possibly with the additional wireless connector box but do not connect a phone line, can i still get access to the interactive features (e.g Sky Box office, view my bill etc etc)

& Thanks for everyones contributions so far...

The Sky Anytime+ wireless connector enables you to connect your broadband router to your Sky+HD box without the need to run an ethernet cable between the two.

In most cases, that will mean connecting your ADSL broadband router to your Sky+HD box but, of course, it could mean connecting your Virgin cable broadband router to your SkyHD box.

Viewing your bill and ordering SBO films requires the Sky box to also be connected to a phone line.

BTW, Sky boxes are not available for renting.