Sky refusing to relocate master socket/fix extensions

[RizzK]

Hoping someone can advise from personal experience as I'm at my wit's end here.

I recently requested for Sky to look into either relocating my master socket or fixing one of the extension sockets. The master socket is located just by the front door and I need a connection upstairs in the completely opposite part of the house.

I rang Sky twice, first they said when the line gets activated I can point this out for an engineer to resolve any connection problems. I then received an automatic email that an engineer is not required and that it will be activated remotely. I called Sky again, this time they said I'd need to pay £65 for an engineer to visit to relocate it. I was told it can be moved to a room of my choice, paid the money over the phone, was asked what date I want the visit to be on and then... no one came.

Rang Sky again and they said that actually I've been advised wrong all this time and my master socket can't be relocated. I discussed options with the advisor, I said there are two extension sockets of some kind upstairs but the wiring is cut and the electrician wouldn't touch it.  Still, they gave me a hard no, no questions to find out more, just no can't be done because it's an openreach issue and they can't do anything about it. Ultimately, after I explained the whole debacle, the advisor asked me to try and call openreach directly as some customers resolved similar issues that way.

Openreach however, disabled their phone lines, their chat is a bot and ultimately I had to send a complaint to get a response. The response was (despite saying I spoke to Sky and they advised contacting openreach) that they can't help me as an individual and to get Sky to contact openreach on my behalf instead, which Sky won't do obviously.

Now with the whole story off my chest, what are my options? Sky refuses to contact openreach about this to investigate the master socket relocation, they also refuse to even find out more about the extension sockets available upstairs.

I attached the images for reference, any help would be greatly appreciated as my last option is to leave Sky and get broadband through BT but requesting master socket relocation as part of the activation.

[Chrisee]

@RizzK normally you can ask Skybto relocate a master socket with the work either done by one of their own broadband engineers or by Openreach - you cannot order directly from Openreach as they only deal with telcos like Sky.

Not sure what has gone wrong the £65 charge is quite normal although it has been waved where the customer takes on a new 18 month contract. I would ring again next week - best chance of getting experienced agents during the day - and explain simply what you need doing hopefully the agent will have some experience and recognise that this a job the broadband engineers can do. I would escalate your post but because of the charge the team who handle our escalations cannot deal with payments. 

[RizzK]

Thanks Chrisee,

I actually spoke to a total of 3 people about this now. The first agent I called to tell them no one arrived for my booked appointment said he'll speak to the operations team and after 15mins on hold just disconnected the line (never called back). The 2nd I called the following day and raised a complaint with about the previous interaction and the missed appointment, he seemed to try to help but said this should have never been booked in and that he needed to listen to the calls on what I was advised exactly. He tried to call back when I was unavailable so I rang the following day speaking to the 3rd advisor who just reiterated what the 2nd advisor said and that his findings were that I was advised wrong and the relocation can't be done.

I will be trying again after my failed interaction with openreach but I'm afraid of the same outcome which is why I was hoping for some community advice. Especially as I've never had problems relocating a master socket, or fixing a socket if it was faulty (as might be the case here as well) with either BT or Virgin. A part of me just feels like it is perfectly possible but engineers are either sent only to urgent/safety issues or to customers who pay for far more services than just broadband like myself.

[TimmyBGood]

@RizzK 

Incidentally, mentioning extension sockets just complicates things because neither an ISP or Openreach will touch those except to disconnect the wiring at the master socket.

[RizzK]

Called Sky again a moment ago, a different agent but same outcome. I tried to dig a bit deeper into why they can't relocate the socket or do any work at all in the house. Apparently, I'm on a SoGEA service and Openreach does not arrange master socket relocations for this type of service. I can't change this service but they also can't help me fix the service. They said in their master socket relocation request form, if anyone is on SoGEA, it's an automatic rejection and they can't even attempt to book it with Openreach.

I'll try to see if Ofcom can help on Tuesday, if not call other service providers and try to get a service + relocation. It's a shame as I've always been really happy with Sky's service and not had a problem for over 3 years and it definitely seems like a them issue that they just don't want to help with.

@TimmyBGoodI just tried to exhaust every option possible to be honest, as it seemed they were stuck on the "can't relocate a master socket" scenario.

[TimmyBGood]

@RizzK 

Not being able to revert to a non-SOGEA service makes sense because that's the future (and several hundred exchanges have already gone past 'stop-sell' for PSTN products). However I don't see why there's an automatic link between having an SOGEA line and there not being the possibility to relocate a socket.

[RizzK]

Thanks @TimmyBGood, I'm not sure why it would be different in this particular service, considering that there was no extra setup required at the start. I could maybe understand it if an engineer had to come in to activate the line and re-wire things and it's a new complex setup but no one came and the line is quite visibly very, very dated. The more I speak to Sky about it, the more it just seems to me like either they don't book it because it's more work or Openreach rejects them because it's more work and Sky only pay them a tiny fee for it.

I've found similar threads before mentioning this problem now as well (e.g. https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Broadband/Master-socket-move/td-p/3938578). Which annoys me even more as they've known they wouldn't do socket relocations since at least March but they were happy to say during set-up this won't be a problem, still advertise on their website it isn't a problem, and were happy to take my money anyway knowing I will need it relocated from the start, maybe hoping I'll just deal with it.

I'm still hoping maybe someone has had a similar issue and resolved it somehow, just so I avoid swapping to another service provider.

[user4879]

Relocate master socket, it isn't that hard, strange that they can't do it. Its relatively easy.

I speak from experince, I done it myself a few times. 

[Brink69]

Having exactly the same problem. Sky will not move the socket, Openreach need an instruction from Sky to do it. Sky can't book this with Openreach. I therefore cannot book with Sky (my phone provider) or Openreach. Not allowed to relocate myself.

Will try again tomorrow - looks like it may run on a bit.....

[RizzK]

I'm aware I never updated this thread but I ended up resolving the problem.

Long-story short, Sky suggested that if I found a local engineer, they can refund full or part of the work they do to relocate the socket. I found someone pretty cheap next day and they did refund the cost so please feel free to suggest that as a solution.

[Brink69]

Thanks for the feedback - it still seems ridiculous.

Sky have closed the original complaint without a call back - have the reference.

Second complaint just says that Sky cannot move the socket in a non Sky area.

To state that this is not a Sky area is not an appropriate response - to sell a service where you cannot adequately service the equipment seems unethical.

Await the response tomorrow.

Appreciate your response and the solution you have found.

Many thanks