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

[StephenSky]

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)

[caesarome]

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

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

[StephenSky]

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?

[GD1]

@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.  

[Mark39]

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.

[Daniel0210]

@StephenSky 
Try this different link

https://www.skyaccessibility.sky/

[StephenSky]

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...

[Mark39]

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

[StephenSky]

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.

[GD1]

@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.

[caesarome]

@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.

[StephenSky]

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@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.

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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...

[TimmyBGood]

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@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.

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[Mark39]

Hi Stephen,

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

[StephenSky]

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