Accessing my Sky package from Belgium

[Sue263]

For the second time: I bought a Skybox box in Belgium but do I need a license from Sky for it? It allows me access to U.K. and English-speaking programmes not at all  available through Belgian TV

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@Cookie1 wrote:

I am a long-term customer of Sky TV, and now I live part of the year in Belgium.

How do I access my Sky TV programmes.

Any help would be appreciated!

In a digital world it must be feasible surely!

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[caesarome · Accepted solution]

@Sue263 

If you live in Belgium then you can not subscribe to Sky TV services from the UK.

[Sue263]

Thanks - but I receive the Sky services, I was just offering to pay for them and make sure I am legal! Is there anyone from Sky itself following this please ? Sky are otherwise impossible to contact so how can I check.....??

[Daniel0210]

@Sue263 

Sky discussed on this Community is solely for customers based in the UK or Republic of Ireland. You cannot subscribe in Belgium. 

[SKY1992bf]

@Sue263 even if you have a uk based address with a sky account registered to it, you cannot access your uk based account abroad

[Sue263]

So I'm to just stop using it, throw it away?

[Sue263]

Well that is the issue then: I live in Belgium not the U.K.! 

[BenJoBanjo]

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@Sue263 wrote:

So I'm to just stop using it, throw it away?

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If you mean you have an old Sky+ box which can receive UK free-to-air channels via satellite then go ahead and continue to use it. You do not need to contact Sky. 

Sky+ boxes are owned by former Sky customers and are not Sky property so you are free to use them. 

You cannot pay Sky for subscription channels whilst you are in Belgium.  

[GD1]

@Sue263  You can watch any FTA (Non subscription)channels via any satellite box if you are able to receive them in Europe, the issue you have is you can't watch any UK subscription channel which as already advised Sky don't sell to anywhere outside the UK & Ireland.

[SKY1992bf]

@Sue263  In addition you have quoted a post from 2023 in your op which is now obviously not relevant as it made it look like you had a uk address which you admit you don't 

[TimmyBGood]

@Sue263 

Belgium is underneath the Astra 28.2E satellite footprint (as are parts of several other European countries) but Sky Group is not a government-regulated media company there and so Sky broadcast services (and their online equivalent) cannot be subscribed to.  As noted above, receiving unencrypted signal is a different issue: there's no technical way this can be prevented and I'm not aware of any national law which makes viewing illegal (although it's up to citizens to check) nor is any payment required.

Sky is a broadcaster licensed by the relevant authorities in UK, Republic of Ireland, Italy Germany*, Austria*, and Switzerland* only: the 'Sky Showtime' streaming service is available in many more countries, although not yet in Belgium.

* currently being transferred from Sky Group to RTL

[Marlu-Nyu]

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@Sue263 wrote:

Thanks - but I receive the Sky services, I was just offering to pay for them and make sure I am legal! Is there anyone from Sky itself following this please ? Sky are otherwise impossible to contact so how can I check.....??

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Sky’s terms and conditions for subscription services state their viewing cards and paid services are for use only in the UK & Ireland. So, as long as you're not getting encrypted channels (via a viewing card, etc), it's perfectly OK and doesn't breach any contract.

However, saying that, if you are using a viewing card, this is a breach of contract, not a criminal offense. The only possible issue is that if you're using Sky Q, Sky Glass or Sky Stream, as these devices are property of Sky and are on loan to a customer. If you're using a Sky+HD or older device, you own this.