Sky disconnect service - no notice

Keh

My 85 year old mum watches Sky via her subscription Sky Box and satellite dish. 
She's resistant to installing broadband and has been content with her Sky box service for 22 years. 
However, her Sky tv service stopped working suddenly last week and when she rang Sky, they explained Sky box services were being switched off and told her she had to have Sky broadband installed and an engineer would call to make an appointment 

2 questions: 
1. Is it legal for Sky to simply switch off her service with no notice or prior notification? Surely a contravention of consumer rights?
2. Can my mum continue to watch Sky through her Sky box without installing broadband?

Many thanks, Kim

Ayr_Rage

I expect the notification was missed, it was probably on the bottom of a bill.

If she has her own dish then she should be able to get Sky Q with an upgraded box and possible a slight change to the receiving dish, you'll have to call Sky.

There may be some resistance as Sky are trying to get everyone over to Stream/Glass, the satellite service will eventually die, but be assertive and they should arrange Sky Q.

la531983

There is a shedload missing here, they aren't just turning boxes off. Mine still works fine and there is absolutely no suggestion from them it will be "turned off".

What box does she actually have? Is it the original Sky Digital box? With the full screen TV guide with music playing? In which case I'm not surprised they are ditching those, it's old and decrepit.  Should be no issue getting the Sky Q box.

If it is the original box I also suspect a notification has been missed.

Keh

Thanks for your help.
She's still very astute, but may well have missed the notice, as you say. 

My sister rang today to complain and they apologised and offered her a new Sky Q noxand extra services.

Still think they were trying to get Sky broadband in the back door!

la531983

Or they were turning off their ancient boxes, which is much more likely, and someone has got the wrong end of the stick. They aren't compatible with updates anymore.

400ixl

Sky have sent out notifications that services were ending as the satellites which support Sky & Sky HD are going end of life and not being replaced.

They sent out offers to upgrade to Sky Q.

You do not need Sky Broadband to use Sky Q, but they are of course going to try to upsell it as a package with Sky Q.