Leaving Sky.

McKneff

I want to cancel my suscription with sky . 
I really have no idea what to do then.
Can i use my box
Do i need to but a freesat box or something
I still need broadband, wifi
How do i deal with that

Been with them donkeys years , technology is not my strong point

Help

Neil_Jones

Phone them up, cancel, you may get offered a retention deal.  Otherwise after 31 days your box turns into a Freesat From Sky receiver, so you'll get whole load of channels (more than you get on Freesat) but you can't record or play anything on your box.  You need to determine what you watch.  If you mostly watch BBC, ITV and most channels that are on Freeview, there's your solution.  You can supplement this with something else like Now TV, Netflix, Amazon, Disney+or whatever.

Cancelling Sky TV subscription does not automatically cancel broadband.  You may do better elsewhere anyway.

ballyblack

Above is true for the old Sky+Hd box. But what about Sky Q box which is rented from Sky?

Neil_Jones

ballyblack said:

Above is true for the old Sky+Hd box. But what about Sky Q box which is rented from Sky?

You send it back or they charge you.

The charge depends on what equipment you haven’t returned to them:

• Sky Q 1TB box - £100
• Sky Q 2TB box - £140
• Sky Q Mini box - £50
• Sky Q Hub/Sky Broadband Hub - £30
• Sky Broadband Booster - £45

You’ll be charged for every piece of equipment you don't return. For example, if you didn't return a Sky Q 2TB box, two Sky Q Mini boxes and a Sky Q Hub, you would be charged £270 in total.  Paying a Non-return charge doesn’t buy the equipment, it’s just a cost for not returning. It will still be Sky owned and they’ll still want you to return it.

ballyblack

your box turns into a Freesat From Sky receiver, so you'll get whole load of channels (more than you get on Freesat

Does the non returned sky Q box do this as well?

DoaM

Did you bother reading the post above yours, before posting?

ballyblack

DoaM said:

Did you bother reading the post above yours, before posting?

Scenario is I dont send it back and pay them to keep it!
BUT does it still work as a Freesat??

Neil_Jones

ballyblack said:

DoaM said:

Did you bother reading the post above yours, before posting?

Scenario is I dont send it back and pay them to keep it!
BUT does it still work as a Freesat??

Please read what I wrote again.  " Paying a Non-return charge doesn’t buy the equipment, it’s just a cost for not returning. It will still be Sky owned and they’ll still want you to return it." 

The webpage (linked below) also says "Not returning your equipment, and then not paying subsequent bills can affect your credit score."  You might also want to read the Sky Q T&Cs (page 9 and 10 - https://www.sky.com/shop/__PDF/Sky_Q_contract.PDF) which says, amongst other things - "Any Sky Q boxes that have been disabled will not be able to receive any content (including free-to-air or third party channels or apps) or perform any functions (including playback of recordings from free-to-air or third party channels, downloading and streaming). You must still pay us the non-return charge (if due) after loaned equipment has been disabled."

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/charges-for-not-returning-sky-q-equipment has the current charges.

TL;DR - you can't pay Sky to keep the equipment, you agree that it is a loan and if you do happen to keep it, they'll just disable it remotely anyway and charge you a fortune, and by that point it would have been cheaper just to get your own Freesat box.

ballyblack

Ok

Thank you for your efforts
Must have 3 old Sky HD boxes I can use when i give up Q.

ballyblack

PS. Sorry to be a pain..............but since the Sky Q box uses a different LNP set up at the dish are you sure the old Sky HD+ box will still work for freesat after I connect again?

or do I have to install the old LNP at the dish??

Neil_Jones

ballyblack said:

PS. Sorry to be a pain..............but since the Sky Q box uses a different LNP set up at the dish are you sure the old Sky HD+ box will still work for freesat after I connect again?

or do I have to install the old LNP at the dish??

If you were to have the Wideband Sky Q LNB (not an LNP ) it only works with Sky Q, it will not be Freesat or Sky+HD capable.

The other hybrid LNB works with SkyQ and Freesat and its my understanding that these will work with legacy Sky+HD boxes too.  Do remember that your Sky+HD boxes do not work as recorders without an active Sky subscription.

See my posting history where I recently described what the various LNBs look like.