Sky refusing to send out an engineer to fix a dish issue

[Beachgirl71]

Both of my sky+ hd boxes are suffering from a lack of satellite signal on some channels only,    or very pixellated signal, at first  i thought it was bad weather, but has started happening in normal conditions so I worked through the online steps and it said i would need an engineer out to me.  When i called sky they have said they are not sending engineers out to fix sky+ hd boxes anymore but i can upgrade to skyQ free of charge - which i do not want to do.  I tried  to tell  them its not the box but the dish, as its happening on both boxes, but they are standing firm that they will not send anyone out.  Has anyone got any suggestions other than cancelling sky,  which i am seriously considering at this point?

[SKY1992bf · Accepted solution]

@Beachgirl71  There is only one option and that is to employ the services of an independent contractor if you can't access the dish yourself 

sky plus is a legacy product which sky are withdrawing all support for including engineer visits unless you have sky protect insurance 

[Daniel0210]

@Beachgirl71 

You were correctly informed. Unless you already have Sky Protect cover from Domestic and General Insurance you'll need to arrange a local satellite company at your own expense. Of course if you upgrade to Sky Q the dish issue will be fixed as part of the upgrade. 

[ANM8]

Visiting my 88-year-old mother with dementia and Alzheimer's yesterday, I noticed her Sky HD+ box had no signal at all. She relies on the TV as she has very little else to occupy her. It had been raining constantly for several hours, and I've noticed over the last few weeks that any wet weather affects the signal. I'm pretty sure water is affecting the dish/LNB connections.

I phoned Sky on her behalf and was told in no uncertain terms that they will not be sending an engineer out as Sky+ equipment is no longer covered. However, she can upgrade for free to Sky Q. Can you imagine an 88-year-old with Alzheimer's and dementia trying to operate Sky's most user-UNfriendly operating system? So, we've declined. I've also found out she's been paying for Sky protect for goodness knows how long, so what is going on? Should Sky be fixing her equipment or not? If not, we want a refund on the Sky protect money she's been paying! The only good news is her signal has returned after the weather cleared up, but it will still break up again with the next bad weather. It still needs repairing.

[Daniel0210]

@ANM8 

Sky Protect is operated by Domestic and General Insurance not Sky so D & G should send an engineer to check the dish alignment but you'll have to contact them direct. She will be paying D & G direct, not through Sky. 

[Mark39]

@ANM8 if she has Sky Protect, Sky,should send an engineer. Try contacting them direct: https://www.skyprotect.com

[ANM8]

OK Thanks for the info although they never mentioned anything like that when we spoke yesterday? Thanks.

[ANM8]

OK, Thanks