topic How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone? in Talk

How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

StephenSky — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 09:36:11 GMT

What is the procedure for registering as a 'vulnerable customer' with a Sky analogue phone line? I am terrified of just being switched over without consent to Digital Voice. I have NO mobile signal where I live so my alaogue phone is my emergency lifeline. (Mobile calls are WiFi but withiut electricity, I'm simoply holding on to a brick!)

If I'm switched to 'digital', during a power cut I'm left with no means of coommunication, and living in a rural area, power cuts are not uncommon. (I also have additional health issues so this whole thing has me stressed out)

(Current battery back up methods give out only 2 hours power, pretty useless!)

(I thought I may have too go through BT as they own the infrastructure, but there is no mecahinsm for a non BT customer to contact them)

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

caesarome — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 09:41:43 GMT

You can get yourself registered with Sky's accessibility team via the options shown here:

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/contacting-sky-accessibility

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

StephenSky — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:05:24 GMT

Sadly that link states the following:

Are you a registered accessibility customer?

These contact options are only for registered accessibility customers or customers who'd like to register their visual, hearing, motor or physical needs with our dedicated accessibility team. You can also register the needs of anyone you live with.

Just tells you if you are already a 'vulnerable customer, how to contact them, how do you become a vulnerable customer in the first place?

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

GD1 — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:25:57 GMT

@StephenSky Not wanting to lose an analaogie line (which BTW everyone will at some pont) won't make you vulbnerable.

Unless you fall into the categories outlined on the accessibility page?

You won't be able to stop the analogue line from going digital, there simply isn't mechanism for that. Openreach are rolling this out to be completed by end of 2025, regardless.

I doubt Sky will just switch you over without any kind of notice.

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

Mark39 — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:23:51 GMT

Currently Sky are only provisioning the digital phone service for customers switching from another service provider or in some cases when upgrading their broadband service. There's no general switchover yet for existing phone customers, to my knowledge, but with Openreach planning to close down the analogue phone network by the end of next year, I imagine it will start soon.

With regard to registering as a vulnerable customer, I'd suggest giving Sky a call. I'm not aware of any way online that you can register.

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

Daniel0210 — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:47:45 GMT

@StephenSky
Try this different link

https://www.skyaccessibility.sky/

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

StephenSky — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:54:23 GMT

2 weeks ago, BT Northern Ireland announced they were suspending Digital Voice rollout to vulnerable customers until they found a more robust solution to cope with power cuts. I simply want to be in this 'groip' but have no idea how...

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

Mark39 — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 11:03:50 GMT

@StephenSky I suspect that's common among all service providers. For how to register see my previous post.

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

StephenSky — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 12:58:38 GMT

Hi Mark, is there such a thing for Sky as a UK call center telephone number?

I'd even be prepared to write an old fashioned letter if I had an appropriate address to post to.

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

GD1 — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 13:13:39 GMT

@StephenSky There is no direct number for a UK call centre all calls are routed through one number, having multiple numbers is just not logical for a company of this size.

Having dedicated numbers for a UK support would stop calls going to other locations and overwhelming onshore staff.

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

caesarome — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 13:19:44 GMT

@StephenSky

On the link I posted it does say this:

For accessibility help or to register your accessibility needs with us, get in touch using the buttons below.

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

StephenSky — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 13:21:54 GMT

@GD1 wrote:
@StephenSky There is no direct number for a UK call centre all calls are routed through one number, having multiple numbers is just not logical for a company of this size.

Having dedicated numbers for a UK support would stop calls going to other locations and overwhelming onshore staff.

I was afraid of that. Last week, I spent 80 minutes on the phone renewing my 'sky' contract for another 18 months. Much of the conversation was taken up by me asking the Sky person to repeat himself as not only did I find it difficult to understand, but the backgrpund noise bled through the call to almost making it impossible. I yen for the days of a straigthforward call to an excellent Dundee center!

Is there a postal address that is used, because I really don't think I have the strength/stamina for another phone call to Sky...

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

TimmyBGood — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 14:34:44 GMT

@StephenSky wrote:

(Current battery back up methods give out only 2 hours power, pretty useless!)

Bizarrely the current Ofcom stipulation is for ISPs/telcos to ensure a minimum of one hour of runtime.

(I thought I may have too go through BT as they own the infrastructure, but there is no mecahinsm for a non BT customer to contact them)

Openreach & BT Wholesale are required to be operationally independent within BT Group, so contacting BT in their ISP/telco incarnation won't help.

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

Mark39 — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 14:07:31 GMT

Hi Stephen,

The postal address is Sky Subscriber Services, PO Box 43, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 7DD

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

StephenSky — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 15:05:36 GMT

Have now written letter and will post tomorrow, many thanks...

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

mormegil — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 20:50:05 GMT

A similar thing happened in mainland uk in december, if there is a telecare alarm present on the line if the order makes it past the sales process the openreach engineer delays the installation and send it back to the provider to cancel the order

this is due to the battery backups that some providers supplied not working correctly

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

StephenSky — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 21:05:47 GMT

@mormegil wrote:
A similar thing happened in mainland uk in december, if there is a telecare alarm present on the line if the order makes it past the sales process the openreach engineer delays the installation and send it back to the provider to cancel the order

this is due to the battery backups that some providers supplied not working correctly

I believe the whole thing has come to a head in recent weeks with so many large storms causing numerous UK wide power cuts. Then the realisation that the so called, battery 'backup' (if even installed) for Digital Voice is totally inadequate to ensure emergency communication cover...

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

cymru123 — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 21:44:45 GMT

There's some good resources on how to make calls in A powercut along with links to some tests done by others - https://landlinesgo.digital/powercut

As for mobile coverage this is also being improved through projects such as the SRN (https://srn.org.uk/) and other local government schemes.

Letting Sky know about your situation should then allow them to offer you with the appropriate guidance and if you have any telecare alarms to ensure extra checks and procedures are put in place.

The "pause" as the media put it is aimed at those with telecare systems who were scoped for non-voluntary migrations (where the provider contacts you to be moved as part their managed migrations). The charter also makes sure extra checks and procedures are put in place to ensure that after the digital switch has been done that the customers telecare alarm still functions.

To note that making changes to your package or moving providers is classed as a voluntary move so this will mean you'll be moved to that providers digital based voice service (Internet Calls/Digital Voice)

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

StephenSky — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 22:08:07 GMT

@cymru123 wrote:

As for mobile coverage this is also being improved through projects such as the SRN (https://srn.org.uk/) and other local government schemes.

Interesting project, stating that in NI they are trying to improve 4G from 79% coverage to 85%! I have lived in my current home for 30+ years, every mobile operator has promised they are improving their coverage to my area, not one so far has...

@cymru123 wrote:

To note that making changes to your package or moving providers is classed as a voluntary move so this will mean you'll be moved to that providers digital based voice service (Internet Calls/Digital Voice)

Interesting too as last week when I was 'renegotiating' my Sky contract, one of the questions I was asked was could I receive a good mobile phone signal if I had no power. This panicked me, and I spent the next 5 minutes asserting that I did not want ANY change to my current analogue landline system, and even to the extent that I asked the guy to repeat back what I said to make sure he understood!

So I'm guessing, renewing your contract can trigger a change to 'digital' if you're not paying attention!

Re: How to register as a vulnerable customer for a Sky analogue phone?

TimmyBGood — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 11:04:10 GMT

@StephenSky wrote:

So I'm guessing, renewing your contract can trigger a change to 'digital' if you're not paying attention!

Renewal on the same service shouldn't do so, but a change in speed absolutely will because analogue service isn't available on any new order for wholesale bandwidth placed by an ISP.

It's also possible that an offer to reduce monthly cost will be linked to a change in technology (FTTC to FTTP) even without a speed change, which would have the same resulting loss of PSTN service.