Sky are such muppets

After my experience the other day I was going to move my BT line to Sky and get Sky Talk, but it occurred to me that BT might want to charge me all sorts of cancellation charges if I ordered a line from them, and then moved it to sky a couple of weeks later. So I never actually proceeded.

I had a look at the sky site and saw this ;

We can help you get a BT line
If you're a Sky TV customer and you currently have your phone service with a cable or unbundled provider, then Sky may be able to arrange to activate a BT compatible line for you. We'll handle all aspects of your line activation with BT Openreach so you don't need to worry about it. Plus we'll also try to keep your existing phone number to ensure minimum disruption.

(http://www.sky.com/portal/site/skyco...ts/skytalk/why)

So I ring Sky and ask about doing this. Easy you would think ? but no.

They argue black & blue that I need an existing BT line - so I point them to this page and they say "but that still means you need a BT line" .. NO IT DOESNT, It clearly states you will handle getting one activated for me. "No Sir thats not what it says". How blind are they ? which part of "We'll handle all aspects of your line activation with BT Openreach so you don't need to worry about it." do they not understand.

These people clearly have no idea about the services they advertise. The person spent 10 minutes trying to argue it doesnt say what it clearly does. Im now waiting for the "manager" to ring me back (yeah, we'll see if that happens).

You would think sky would want to help me take their service (like their web site states) instead they seem set on arguing themselves out of it.

Come back VM, all is forgiven.

[broadbandking]

They do state activation not installation, maybe thats what they mean.

[NoKnowledge]

It is possible, my brother got a BT line from Sky

BT charge £125 (don't know what the price is now) but Sky take care of it. I think you send Sky the invoice or something for the line to be connected.

Edit> [more info] My brother wanted Sky Television in a house with no phone line whatsoever.
He contacts Sky saying he has no line and wants Sky Television. Sky contact Openreach and install line. Openreach invoice my brother for £125 and Sky reimburse him. Brother now has line with Sky and Sky Television.

[haydnwalker]

We had some marketing contractors round our house the other day, and they said they would arrange for BT to INSTALL a BT line for us as they knew we were with VM (somehow :S)

Originally Posted by broadbandking

They do state activation not installation, maybe thats what they mean.

Technically, activation is all I need, I have all the necessary line and box from a previously deactivated line.

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by broadbandking

They do state activation not installation, maybe thats what they mean.

That was my initial thought when reading the OP. It is perfectly reasonable to assume that this particular call centre operative at SKY, did not know the difference between the two, seeing as he found it so difficult to read the web page.

Originally Posted by haydnwalker

We had some marketing contractors round our house the other day, and they said they would arrange for BT to INSTALL a BT line for us as they knew we were with VM (somehow :S)

VM phone numbers are usually all within the same range, identifiable fron the first 2 or 3 digits of the six-figure local part of your phone number. If they know your phone number it's easy for them to say whether it's a BT or VM line. This can fall down if your number has been ported but I believe that accounts for relatively few numbers overall.

[Paul K]

It often depends who you get, Sky do installations and activations. Unfortunately as is often the case some agents are more clued up than others.

Well surprise surprise, no one rang back.

[Flyboy]

Well...not really that much of a surprise really, was it.

[m419]

Better off with Virgin Media,might be a bit expensive, but its true you get what you pay for. And how long before Sky puts its prices up???

Also isn't BT Together option 3 cheaper than Sky Talk?

I mean unlimited calls on Sky Talk costs £5 per month where BT charge £4.95 and offer inclusive calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers.

I know someone that took Sky Talk+line rental and the sound quality and reliability wasn't as good. Sometimes when they dial out even to numbers like 1471,it says you dialled the wrong number! This wasn't the case when they had Sky Talk but paid BT for line rental.

[superbiatch]

Originally Posted by Paul M

Technically, activation is all I need, I have all the necessary line and box from a previously deactivated line.

BT didn't charge me for this, but I only found out after the engineer came out there wouldn't be a charge. He said all he had to do was flick a switch - he spent more time drinking his brew I'd made him!

If the BT line gives a tone then its just a switch if it does not then its the reconnection charge afaia

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by superbiatch

BT didn't charge me for this, but I only found out after the engineer came out there wouldn't be a charge. He said all he had to do was flick a switch - he spent more time drinking his brew I'd made him!

This is what p'd me off about BT. They charge one hundred and fifty pounds for everything. From reconnection to a new socket. It is called "spread charging." You would have been subsidising the ones who were having a full install, who also would only be paying one hundred and fifty pounds.

[neilboardman]

right what all this crap, when i went on sky they told me this, ring bt and get a phone line with them, if they charge you £125 sky will give you that back by giving you credit each month of your sky bill, meaning you will not have a bill with sky for a little while, but sky also stated over the phone that they cant fully take over the phone line untel your 12 month contract with bt is up, so that would mean your paying bt for the line and sky is on standby untel the bt contract is ended, it is crazy, so i asked them if i could stay with virgin for my phone and deos the sky digibox except virgin phone lines, sky told me t5hats fine, so i just stay with virgin its a lot more easy, i cant be bothered with all that crap changing service providers and stupid contracts./