Phone cut off

[Theniece]

My elderly aunt has been left without a phone line, since December, sky say it's gone digital and they haven't provided her with any other way of contacting anyone.  She cancelled her direct debit, because she has no service, she is not on the internet, now they are sending letters threatening debt collectors and court action 

[Daniel0210]

@Theniece 

Landline phone subscriptions have been automatically linked to broadband subscriptions for many years. Sounds like she had an extremely ancient landline phone only package. If she didn't cancel her subscription in the normal way then payments will have continued hence the mention of debt collection agencies becoming involved. She needs to set up a new payment method, pay what she owes and then cancel the subscription. 

[Theniece]

How would she do that?, she has no landline or internet, she doesn't have an address which she can post a letter to, I've tried ringing them but they won't speak to me because she isn't with me.  She lives miles away

[Daniel0210]

@Theniece 

That's correct, because you aren't authorised to speak to Sky re her account and even if you were you can't cancel on her behalf unless you have Power Of Attorney. 

To cancel totally I'm presuming it's the same as if she had broadband as well so she will have to contact Sky and give the required notice of 14 days, but if she is still in the initial 18 months deal Sky could impose cancellation charges. This link may help https://www.sky.com/help/articles/cancel-sky-broadband

[Mark39]

---

@Theniece wrote:

My elderly aunt has been left without a phone line, since December, sky say it's gone digital and they haven't provided her with any other way of contacting anyone.

---

@Theniece I can't work out what might have happened here. Did your aunt have a functioning phone line up to December? I assume she only had a landline service and no broadband?

I know Sky were phasing out their phone only service, but I can't remember how existing users were going to be managed. I don't think it has anything,to do with 'going digital'. To my knowledge rollout  of Sky internet calls to existing customers hasn't begun yet (certainly not from last December).

[Theniece]

Thank you for your comments.  My Aunt had a phone line up until December, I tried to ring her on a few occasions and got no reply, I became worried and asked a neighbour to check on her.  It turns out her line was dead.  She used neighbours phone to ring Sky and they told her they were not providing  a phone line without broadband/internet.  This is what she has told me, she is 85 and doesn't really understand technology.  They said they would install broadband so she could keep her landline, but nothing has happened, so she was paying every month for nothing.  She tried on many occasions to contact Sky as did I, with no result.  I am going to visit shortly and will get her a simple mobile to use, so she can get help in an emergency.  When I have spoken to persons at Sky and tried to explain, they don't seem to understand English very well and just fob me off with, you will have to ring when you are with her.  This is so frustrating.  However they seem to have no problem contacting my Aunt by letter threatening legal action

[Mark39]

@Theniece thank you for the additional information and I understand now what has happened. 

As Sky are no longer providing a phone only service, they should, with your aunt's permission have upgraded her account to include broadband and sent out a broadband Hub, to which your aunt can connect her phone. Clearly that hasn't happened.

While I understand why she cancelled her direct debit, she shouldn't have done so as it doesn't cancel her Sky subscription and just results in an increasing amount outstanding. She will need to pay that off before she can do anything else. She can then cancel, if she's content with using a mobile or follow up with Sky on the phone/broadband issue. Your aunt may want to hang on to the mobile anyway, as her 'landline' phone won't work if her broadband service is down, or there's a power failure.

Unfortunately, as you mentioned, Sky cannot talk to you about this without your aunt's authorisation, but if she calls in your presence and after being identified tells Sky she's handing the phone to you, there won't be a problem.

[MarkGoldsmith · Accepted solution]

Once you have it all sorted you could potentially raise a complaint with Sky as well to try and find out why your aunt wasn't switched over to the broadband and talk service. I would think there is a good chance you would then be able to get some form of compensation for Sky for this situation your aunt was place in.

The Sky complaints process is detailed here: 

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/how-to-make-a-complaint

[Theniece]

Thank you,  this does explain the situation.  I will try to contact them when I visit her next week