Fuming with Sky!

Moneymaker

lonestarfan wrote: »

Today I got a lovely chap at sky who tells me that once I cancel multi room I don't need any card it just reverts to free view channels but I will lose all my recordings and sky plus features.

You misheard him. It will revert to "FreesatFromSky" programmes. This is NOT the same programme line-up as Freeview or even Freesat. See

http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/what-can-i-watch/

Actually, they missed out a word in the description. It should read: "Freesat from Sky gives you access to a great choice of over 240 (poor) quality digital TV channels".

Cornucopia

It's not a bad line-up for nothing! And no new box to buy.

By comparison to Freeview, it's lacking Dave and Quest, but it has 5HD that Freeview doesn't have.

Crabman

Moneymaker wrote: »

You misheard him. It will revert to "FreesatFromSky" programmes. This is NOT the same programme line-up as Freeview or even Freesat. See

http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/what-can-i-watch/

Actually, they missed out a word in the description. It should read: "Freesat from Sky gives you access to a great choice of over 240 (poor) quality digital TV channels".

Sky also reserves the right to shaft their Freesat customers by forcing them to buy a new viewing card "from time to time":

For security reasons Viewing Cards may be inactivated from time to time. In this situation, if you wish to continue to receive all the encrypted Free to View channels, you will have to purchase a new viewing card at our then applicable standard charge.

Better off with genuine Freesat+HD which you'll be able to use to record and time-shift.

davemurgatroyd

Crabman wrote: »

Sky also reserves the right to shaft their Freesat customers by forcing them to buy a new viewing card "from time to time":

Yes the intervals so far have been 4 years and 5 years when encryption has changed rendering previous cards next to useless. Blame the hackers for that as the encryption needs to be changed at those sort of intervals to remain secure.

BBC used to issue these as "Solus" cards F.O.C. to TV licence payers (which lasted 2 years at a time) but dropped them when they went FTA leaving satellite viewers of ITV and Channel 4 in the lurch. Channel 4 took over for a while charging £10 + VAT for them but dropped them as they were making a loss on them. The government at the time persuaded Sky (perhaps with unknown incentives) to continue the scheme charging £10 per card at that time. So blame the BBC, Channel 4 and the government at that time for the existence of FreesatFromSky and the viewing cards.

Crabman

davemurgatroyd wrote: »

Blame the hackers for that as the encryption needs to be changed at those sort of intervals to remain secure.

Speaking of hackers... the following story is old news but interesting nevertheless

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17522112

lonestarfan

Moneymaker wrote: »

You misheard him. It will revert to "FreesatFromSky" programmes. This is NOT the same programme line-up as Freeview or even Freesat. See

http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/what-can-i-watch/

Actually, they missed out a word in the description. It should read: "Freesat from Sky gives you access to a great choice of over 240 (poor) quality digital TV channels".

Thanks I did get it wrong I should have said freesatfromsky. I did find it all a bit confusing as I thought that was freesat which i thought was freeview channels but its not. I'm going to stick with multi room at the moment on that 12 month offer as I occasionally watch alibi which isn't on freesatfromsky or freesat. I was aware I might have to pay for another card in the future as that was on the website when I took a quick peek before I rang up to ask to buy a card. Thanks a lot.

macman

To try and condense it down; Freeview, Freesat, and Freesat From Sky are all entirely separate platforms, requiring different tuners, although there is a large degree of channel overlap.
It's understandable that some posters are unaware of this, but it's inexcusable that many Sky CS reps apparently don't know the difference either, and use the terms interchangeably.

[Deleted User]

Crabman wrote: »

Sky also reserves the right to shaft their Freesat customers by forcing them to buy a new viewing card "from time to time"

It's incidental that Free-Sat-From-Sky cardholders have to replace their old cards when Sky change their encryption. It's to prevent free viewing of subscription channels, not to "shaft" non-paying viewers.
I do agree Sky could easily provide these cards without charge, but when have Sky ever passed up a chance to make some extra cash?

As for the ITV Digital debacle you linked to, I agree it's another example of Sky's sharp business practice. However, ITV Digital signed it's own death warrant with the purchase of lower division soccer broadcast rights at an inflated price.