Sky Flyers how low can they go

St Senan

Sky are sending out flyers in the post about the analogue tv signal switchover in August. It tells people in Co Wexford that they will lose BBC1, BBC2, HTV, Ch4 and Ch5. and is encouraging them to join Sky. Now why would Sky mention HTV and Ch 5 when they are not part of the Sky platform/ EPG here in Ireland and Ch 4 is not completely part of their package with a lot of programming not available here. Desperate or what????

Verso

scaller wrote: »

Sky are sending out flyers in the post about the analogue tv signal switchover in August. It tells people in Co Wexford that they will lose BBC1, BBC2, HTV, Ch4 and Ch5. and is encouraging them to join Sky. Now why would Sky mention HTV and Ch 5 when they are not part of the Sky platform/ EPG here in Ireland and Ch 4 is not completely part of their package with a lot of programming not available here. Desperate or what????

Good point scaller. Also as some of the newer TVs have Freeview tuners built in is it definite that the stations mentioned would be lost?. Surely with a decent outdoor aerial Sky cannot be sure that parts of Wexford would be unable to receive DTT transmissions.

Mossy Monk

Is it actually Sky sending out these fliers or is it a local Sky approved agent?

St Senan

Mossy Monk wrote: »

Is it actually Sky sending out these fliers or is it a local Sky approved agent?

SKY themselves. on the cover of the flyer is part of a map of the east coast of Ireland and Wales. with Wexford,Waterford and Wicklow named there is a text box on the map which reads.
The analouge Tv signal you may receive in Wexford could be affected by the digital switchover in Wales. You will loose BBC 1 BBC2 HTV CH4 and CH5 after the switchover.
Now thats a load of b€€€%%% They are plenty of house's picking up DTT at the moment around Co Wexford.
Ive come across a lot people who are been misinformed from Sky door to door sales reps and Sky kiosks about the switchover i didn't thing Sky themselves would stoop so low. Can you imagine an eldery couple on a pension who have had the basic 9 analogue channels for years and now they are been told they need to choose a package from Sky and commit to a monthly direct debit to watch tv.

ScrubsfanChris

scaller wrote: »

Can you imagine an eldery couple on a pension who have had the basic 9 analogue channels for years and now they are been told they need to choose a package from Sky and commit to a monthly direct debit to watch tv.

+1
That is a horrible thought, the government or RTE should send out some sort or public information leaflet or something about the digital switchover.

steveon

I think if it is indeed Sky directly than someone like comgeg should step in and fine them for scare mongoring....looks like their trying to frighten people into signing up alrite...good work on reporting it scaller...hopefully some1 from the media will pick up on it 2...

Mossy Monk

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

+1
That is a horrible thought, the government or RTE should send out some sort or public information leaflet or something about the digital switchover.

It should be the government doing this

JDxtra

Why? They are not responsible for what the UK broadcast. This is not a service they are paying for. Its just over spill, so those picking it up should try keep themselves educated.

steveon

JDxtra wrote: »

Why? They are not responsible for what the UK broadcast. This is not a service they are paying for. Its just over spill, so those picking it up should try keep themselves educated.

I dont think that is rite as....a lot of elderly people are vunerable to Sky trying to tap into their lives and offer services they dont ever want. In the Uk the Digital switchover was to be seen in every area before analaog switch off and this was funded by the government. I would expect nothing less if not a better road event funded by the Irish-government, RTE, DTT one vision etc...and people should be told exactly what they can and cant get for free...they shouldnt be forced or frightened into rushing into the wrong service..

gtg60

Saw this in my local (Wicklow) paper last week, shocking scare tactics...

watty

There is no consumer protection here.

Sky are a Foriegn company too. Our own Government have this rubbish about loss of Spill over.

1) The DTT signals will be boosted. A setbox is cheap.
2) A non-Sky FTA satellite receiver gives you more free UK channels than on Sky Ireland EPG. Freesat box recommended.

Sadly other than write to papers there is little to do.

I got the flier today.
Exact same one except aimed at wicklow with the headline "wicklow to lose bbc one , HTV etc..."

Complete and total pack of chancers with their less than complete information.
Large parts of Wexford and south Wicklow can and will get freeview DTT from Wales if they want to.I can though my set up is a bit more specialised than most.

But ultimately as Watty says free sat is better than joining sky for all the channels on it and installing it is about the same cost as someone would spend on an aerial system aimed at wales if analogue from there continued.

I've been explaining this to those who dont know much about these things whenever I can so I'd ask anyone here in the south east to do likewise.
Most TV stores,the independent ones in the region are putting people right on what they can do also.

greendom

The Irish Government has got to take its share of the blame here as well. What advertising is it doing with regard to the digital switch-over ? None at all. Sky is chancing its arm filling the void but the void shouldn't be there in the first place.

marclt

I've been saying this for ages! Shame UPC weren't paying more attention!

There is a gap, and I've cited cases I've heard of where older people were getting charged way too much for freesat systems. There has to be a public information campaign, because otherwise people will feel pressurised into buying something they don't know much about.

Interesting that Sky mentions Channel 5... what could that mean? Does the flyer (anyone able to scan and upload it?) suggest that by getting Sky you won't lose this channel?? Because that could be false advertising...

And HTV (ITV Wales) - not on the Irish EPG either!!! Perhaps they'll make BBC Wales available on the EPG, so viewers don't get confused with BBC NI!

Worth contacting a local opposition TD?

Zonda999

It doesn't surprise me that sky are stooping this low tbh. Also some appalling behavior from sky outlined in this thread from a few months ago

Eurorunner

Sounds like they are really going for the hard sell at the moment. Two sky door to door guys round last week. They must have called back 3 or 4 times to this estate so that they had well and truly covered every house - nailing the people that were out when they called earlier.

spank_inferno

We got the flier too.
But I dont have a problem with it. Its oppertunistic but not entirely innacurate.

I live in wicklow, 500m from the sea and clear line of site to wales.

But my Samsung which says it has a receiver in it cannot pick up any free digital signal.

Every piece of material has to comply with advertising standards. So you can complain to them if you dont like it.

On another note it might also be useful for the dept of communications to perhaps leaflet these areas with the "full picture" on the impending loss of channels.

spank_inferno

spank_inferno wrote: »

We got the flier too.
But I dont have a problem with it. Its oppertunistic but not entirely innacurate.

I live in wicklow, 500m from the sea and clear line of site to wales.

But my Samsung which says it has a receiver in it cannot pick up any free digital signal.

Thats because,like most in Wicklow you are pointed to arfon....
Which hasnt any DTT signal yet

St Senan

spank_inferno wrote: »

We got the flier too.
But I dont have a problem with it. Its oppertunistic but not entirely innacurate.

The fact here is Sky are pimping their service because of the analouge switchover in August which is wrong and is misinforming to the general public why would Sky mention CH5 and HTV. Their will be a lot more DTT Freesat and Free to air satellite systems installed after August 19th than Sky Digital

ethernet

Sickening. As if they aren't making enough.

Had some lad call around last year if spinning the same yarn. Wish I had been there to talk to him. And he clearly didn't notice the terrestrial antennae and mesh dish :rolleyes:

mjsmyth

I don't see why people think our Govt. need to get involved in this. It is a UK Issue. The fact that some on the East Coast of Ireland can get analogue signals from Wales is just luck and not by design.

As you may read in other parts , there is no big switch off of the analogue signals here in Ireland and will not be for a few years yet. Yes DTT is available in certain parts of the country, but it is not an official service, more of a test service.

As for the leaflet, well technically they are not lying. People will lose those channels in the coming months. Pensioners are not all stupid. I don't think people give them enough credit. Sure some will sign up for Sky, but others will investigate other means of getting TV. Just because you are over 65 does not mean you suddenly lose your intelligence.

What if this was an independent installer offering making the same claims but offering to install a FTA or Freesat box? Would people still be upset?

dahak

Sky's leaflet is interesting in what it says and what it doesn't say.

It says that people will loose BBC1, BBC2, HTV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 when the analogue signals are turned off in Wales.

This is all true, people with analogue only sets will loose these channels when the analogue signal is turned off.

However the direct impression is given that if you subscribe to Sky then you will be able to receive these channels, they fail to mention that HTV and Channel 5 are not on the Irish Sky EPG* and that Channel 4 has some of it's programming blanked.

*The vast majority of people won't know that you can add them from other channels.

Ironically someone installing a FreeSat or Free to Air box would be supplying exactly will be lost when the analogue signal is turned off and if it was set up with BBC Wales etc., it would even have the same adverts


On the other side a local installer has an advert in the north Wexford Newspapers (Guardian, Echo) where the Freeview name and logo is used to advertise free to air (called free to view in the advert) satellite systems.

Mossy Monk

dahak wrote: »

It says that people will loose BBC1, BBC2, HTV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 when the analogue signals are turned off in Wales.

Channel 4 isn't available from Wales via analogue. Whoever did up the flier is a fool.

St Senan

mjsmyth wrote: »

What if this was an independent installer offering making the same claims but offering to install a FTA or Freesat box? Would people still be upset?

No because the vast majority of people living in rural areas of Co Wexford including the over 65s who have had the 9 analogue channels for years would not want to be forced into a diract debit to watch tv. What you have to realise is that people originally paid a once off payment for their aerials. And what sky are doing with these flyers is wrong they cant and wont provide HTV and Channel 5 on their EPG so why mention it. People who are contacting us about the switchover are been giving 3 options DTT, Freesat, or Sky. The majority of them are not interested in Sky because of the monthly bill and the vast amount of repeats that are shown plus having no HTV or Channel 5 on the EPG

scaller

scaller wrote: »

No because the vast majority of people living in rural areas of Co Wexford including the over 65s who have had the 9 analogue channels for years would not want to be forced into a diract debit to watch tv. What you have to realise is that people originally paid a once off payment for their aerials. And what sky are doing with these flyers is wrong they cant and wont provide HTV and Channel 5 on their EPG so why mention it. People who are contacting us about the switchover are been giving 3 options DTT, Freesat, or Sky. The majority of them are not interested in Sky because of the monthly bill and the vast amount of repeats that are shown plus having no HTV or Channel 5 on the EPG

On that note-Got the DTT finished here today.
Beautifull clean analogue presely [no cairn hill co channel] and 68 digital tv channels [several radios aswell] with 70 to 80% strength and 100% quality-all off a twin aerial set up pointed to presely in wales
I realise that the signal strenght will fluctuate to maybe half that at times but I'm confident that we will have all the 9 originals if not the bul of the rest even at that drop in signal.
The erp from presely is being multiplied by a factor of 15 in september.
Theres a thread over on the terestrial forum.