Sky+HD - no subscription channels

[Erickw]

Hello All

Sky advisors keep telling me that they have never had my issue before...

I have 3 Sky+HD boxes, full subscription and 2 multirooms.
(I can't yet get SkyQ)

Main subscription works fine.

Both multirooms are giving the same problem.

The free channels work, pause and record works, but every subscription channels says either

'To view this channel press the red button or call..'

or

'Press the red button to upgrade or reactivate your subscription'.

I'm still being billed for the two multirooms,.

I've lost count how many calls have been made, cards have been re-paired, 'signals sent', new installation, planner rebuild, switch off, reload software, reboot, wait 4 hours, rinse and repeat.

Many CRF's have been raised, with the conclusion that the account has been 'cleaned' or 'refreshed' and should now be working - surprisingly, no difference.

I bought more boxes on ebay, in case it was a box issue, paired to them - same.

Note, the card is paired, and is obviously active to some degree, in that the Sky+ features work, and I can access the interactive menus, view bills etc etc

Then I got replacement cards sent out - activated and paired, same message.

Hours on phone, usually to India, doing the same damn re-pairs and reboots, with a complete refusal to escalate or pass me to a higher department.

Engineer came out, tested the signal, tested the boxes, phoned his helpline, sent more signals, no difference.

He left, after telling me that it was an error with Sky, probably at a database level, therefore nothing else he could do for me.

Since then, multiple re-pairs and reboots, and a condesceding offer to send a 'more experienced engineer this time'.

I've offered to send (at my expense) the cards and boxes (or just the cards) to a technical department so they can see what isn't happening rather than telling me to wait 2 mins to 4 hours each time they think that it must be solved now.

Declined - there is no physical techical team, only advisors on the phone.

In the meantime, completely fed up - I have requested a refund of £30 per month since I reported the issue and have given my month notice to cancel.

Anyone heard of such nonsense?

[Erickw]

Should I rephrase?

Anyone heard of a solution to this problem?

Assistance would be hugely appreciated.

[KWHatton]

Hey, I have a similar situation.

Main box works, multiscreen1 works.

Newly ordered multiscreen2 has the issues you describe.

This box/card accesses all the FTV channels (Dave, ITV2/3/4 in HD, and RTE1&2) and can pause and record.

All subscription channels say press red button.

Customer Resolution thingy was filed, marked as completed.

Today after being told to reboot the box and wipe the card with a dry cloth 🤦🏻‍♂️

I asked for my issue to be escalated, I was told that I was being transferred to the "back office tech team" and the chap that answered was from cancellations team 🤣.

@Erickw At least I know im not the only one.

Interesting request to send the boxes to a physical tech dept - does anybody know if such a thing exists?

or any other solutions?

[TimmyBGood]

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@KWHatton wrote:

Interesting request to send the boxes to a physical tech dept - does anybody know if such a thing exists?

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Sky+ HD hardware was last manufactured in 2015, so no, Sky don't attempt to investigate hardware faults, repair them, or maintain stocks for replacement in domestic use.  Sky Q is the only current satelite platform.

[KWHatton]

It's clearly NOT a hardware fault, given that I have swapped the card between boxes.

Previous poster also stated multiple boxes.

i got the impression that the advisor didn't believe me or that I was doing something wrong - being able to let the techies see that the continual reboot/re-pair cycle wasn't working.

oh - btw - yes Sky DO 'maintain stocks' - don't tell porkies.

[Erickw]

So no suggestion then?

And to answer your comment - I know for a fact that Sky still carry Sky+HD boxes for people that cannot get SkyQ yet (as in our case because of an old communal system).

One of my friends has ordered a new installation of a Sky+HD box as a multiroom in the coming weeks, costing £100.

[TimmyBGood]

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@KWHatton wrote:

oh - btw - yes Sky DO 'maintain stocks' - don't tell porkies.

---

I wrote "maintain stocks for replacement in domestic use"

[Erickw]

In light of there being no suggestions - 

Could I have this issue escalated please?

[KC61]

I just got this problem.  Was watching football channels at the weekend no problem on the box in the kitchen. Now I get a message saying press red button to watch this channel. I am not connected via broadband, I use satellite dish. The TV in the lounge is still ok, so a multiroom thing.  Sky kept me on hold till 9pm and then told me to ring back tomorrow.   Is it worth a software reset? Doesn't seem to be a pairing issue, no error message re viewing card or pairing. 

[KC61]

@Erickw 

I had the same problem.  I just got through to somebody at sky helpdesk on third attempt and he sorted it in minutes.  He needed the viewing card number and the version number from Services/details.  I asked him to explain what he did so I could put it on here, but all he would say was that he 'sent signals' to my box.  I get the feeling that these channels got turned off somehow at their end and he just reactivated them.  Then he tried to get me to take Sky Q, which I declined.