Landline number temporarily unavailable??

[Junifer]

Been trying all day to ring elderly parents from my landline to their landline. We both have Sky talk. Can't get through just message saying  this number is temporarily unavailable. I can ring other landline numbers and can call parents landline from my mobile. My sister can also call them landline to landline. Any ideas how to resolve appreciated. Thanks

[caesarome · Accepted solution]

Do you know if your parents can ring you, perhaps ask your sister to get them to try and call you ?

If they can call you then you will need to call Sky on the free 150 number to report this issue to Sky so that it can be investigated.

[Junifer]

Thanks yes they can call me so I will ring Sky tomorrow 

[CliffieP]

Similar issue with my father - 89 and relies on sky talk, but his number is permanently "temporarily unavailable"; he lives in a remote location with no mobile signal so is completely isolated. Ive tried the 150 number to be told that they cannot help unless i can provide the password to his account - which I do not have, and have no way of checking. My father was forced by Sky to move from traditional landline to sky talk with no consideration for his isolated location leaving him with no alternative communication mechanism.  I cannot believe that there is no exceptional way simply to report a problem with a sky talk number to trigger a basic check if a line is operational. "computer say no" is the response.

Does anyone know of anything I can do?

[Mark39]

@CliffieP data protection requirements prevent front line advisers accessing a customer's account without first verifying the identity of the caller. 

Openreach are moving all landline users to an Internet based calling system with shutdown of the old analogue  telephone,service next year.

Given the circumstances you could try Sky's Acessibility service. Contact options here: https://www.sky.com/help/articles/accessibility-information-sky-mobile-broadband-and-talk-customers

[CliffieP]

Thanks Mark,

No  complaints about the poor Sky Advisor, she was clearly hamstrung by process. My point is why do they need to access an account at all? I used to be able to simply report a fault against a phone number, irrespective of which account it was associated with, to have it checked immediately and if there was a fault that the service provider could detect then it would be fixed. I fail to see how that affects anyones data protection rights. If no fault detected then I'd get in the car and travel over and see if there was a local problem (ie my Dad had left the phone off the hook or something 🙂 ).

All I'm trying to do is alert my Dad to the imminent arrival of an Occupational Therapy worker at lunchtime today.

IP based calling appears to have been rolled out to my Dad with no consideration of his circumstances - a new router just appeared with a date of service transition; on that date his landlines just stopped working; no warnings, explanation or information that I can find to tell him this was about to happen. Thanks for the link to the accessibility service I'll take a look.

I'll have a moan at someone on the Sky board, it wont achieve anything, its like wresting with a jelly, but It'll make me feel better 🙂

cheers

Cliff

[Mark39]

---

@CliffieP wrote:

No  complaints about the poor Sky Advisor, she was clearly hamstrung by process. My point is why do they need to access an account at all?

---

My understanding is that a line test can only be initiated from within a customer's account, hence the need to verify their identity first. Like you, I think that's overkill and there are other examples I've come across in the past - not only with Sky, but that's the policy they've adopted.