Big brother is watching...

dmeehan

Ive noticed that the green light for the fone line comes on every now and then on the digibox.

Am I being given new software updates or are sky just checking up on me?

ixtlan

I see the light come on frequently on mine, but since I don't have the phone line connected (it wasn't a requirement of my connection, as far as I know), I've assumed it was Sky desperately trying to find out if I had spent any money on BoxOffice.

I've wondered sometimes if someone will start demanding that I do connect the line.

ix.

dmeehan

the small print says you are supposed to have it connected all the time
the guy who installed mine said you dont have to *really*
but i got him to do it anyway coz i wanted a phone extension in the sitting room. ;-)

nice one

chernobyl

I assume that the box is trying to communicate with home maybe to inform Sky of some PPV payments that you are skiping?

irishgeo

i mhave a strange one with my box. i have got the english version of the software where i just push select and the movie is ordered. i dont have the phone line connected as we have only one phone line and i use that for the net and its the house phone as well. so what i usually do is plug in the phone line and then press select to order box office and then unplug it. but sky still knows i ordered everything.

how do they know. i never have spent over the limit and i never leeave the phone line longer then 5 secs to buy the box office event. but they still send me the bil!!! i think they send the info back via the dish.

chernobyl

That 5 seconds is all the box needs for the activation signal, instead of waiting for that to be sent to your card via "over the air" method, the PPV is simply activated there and then.

carrolls

If you are an Irish subscriber to Sky Digital, you are not required to have the phone line connected at the moment, but this might change when they bring in the full Active functionality to ROI .
I was told by the dealer (Eircom Limerick) that when the dealers in Ireland asked Sky if they could be compensated for installing extension phone lines in Irish homes, they were told by Sky not to demand or require a phone connection for Irish subscribers.
I made the technician give this to me in writing before he left, so that if Sky ever sue me for breach of contract (disconnected phone line), I have this evidence in writing.

byte

Originally posted by Kevin
i think they send the info back via the dish.

This cannot be done as the LNB on the end of your minidish can only receive information, it cannot transmit anything

byte

Originally posted by carrolls
If you are an Irish subscriber to Sky Digital, you are not required to have the phone line connected at the moment, but this might change when they bring in the full Active functionality to ROI .
I was told by the dealer (Eircom Limerick) that when the dealers in Ireland asked Sky if they could be compensated for installing extension phone lines in Irish homes, they were told by Sky not to demand or require a phone connection for Irish subscribers.
I made the technician give this to me in writing before he left, so that if Sky ever sue me for breach of contract (disconnected phone line), I have this evidence in writing.

Hmm, strange. That's not what the local Sky rep tells us (@work). I was told that failing to connect the phonelines could result in Sky not reimbursing the retailer for the equipment etc.

Maybe Tony can clarify this?

chernobyl

The day they produce an LNb that can transmit is the day Sky is FTA...

byte

Wow, simulcast posting!:) Looking at March issue of Wotsat, I see Tiscali has launched broadband satellite internet access which uses a 75cm dish and Transceiver LNB. Haven't seen a transceiver LNB before.

chernobyl

I sure have not.
Two way satellite is basically a LNb and a "Gun" blended together, the LNb does not actually transmit.

Genghis

i ordered a movie PPV for the first time tonight. Not that impressed with having to ring an 0044 number, is there not an 1800 number to call in Ireland to order movies?

byte

Can you not use the phoneline connection? Or ring Sky on 1800 535 767

Mossy Monk

the light never comes on on my digibox. only the power light. approxamately what time does Sky send the signal for the digibox to phone home

Lenny

I always notice this green light going on and off on my Digibox, I don't like when it does, so i always keep the phone line plugged out of my didigbox, in acse this is some scam that sky are trying to ge my phone bill run up or something, because I hvae never ordered a box office, but could this just be a fault with th box, or would it actualy be trying to make phone calls if it was pluged in?

Kramer

Just to clarify things re phone connection:

A new subscriber to Sky's digital service IS required to have an active phone line connected to their digibox for the 1st 12 months.

This is quite clearly stated in the contract YOU, the customer have signed with Sky.

I am an installer.

When you are 1st connected, the digibox dials out (instigated by your installer) to activate/authorise your viewing card. This automated feature identifies your digibox & viewing card to Sky, along with your phone connection.

On some ocassions it is necessary for your installer to manually activate your subscription by calling Sky with the necessary information. This is necessary due to failure of automatic activation, which can be due to several factors.

Technically, if you breach the terms of the Sky contract, YOU, the subscriber are liable.

There's nothing to stop any subscriber disconnecting the phoneline after the installer has gone, so neither the agent(sales) or the installer can be held liable.

At present Sky aren't inforcing this, as they easily could, but I would suggest, when the "mirror subscription" becomes available here, they will check more attentively.

Extremely surprised any installer would issue such assurance in writing to a customer. But I would suggest that the Sky contract YOU signed is far more legally binding.

I have no vested interests here, just trying to clarify some misinformation. Tony may add to this when he's next on-line.

On a lighter note, I WANT ITV BACK:D

alastair

yep. NEW subscribers have to agree to the phone connection.
BUT, OLDER subscribers didn't have any such obligation.

I wonder what's going to happen with this two-tier arrangement.

Phelim 3:16

Could somebody clarify a couple of things for me. Firstly, new subscribers only have to connect the digibox to the phone for 12 months right? Secondly, I never connect the phoneline to my digibox because I have a FTV card. Is their any possible reprucussions to not doing this? Do sky really check up on it, and if so what could happen?

Phelim

chernobyl

Sky are definitely forming customer profiles from the type of sub you have, the PPV's you order and the games you play.
The STB logs everything you do for a certain amount of time any sky do DB this information when the STB phones home.
It good business and sky are sharing the profiles with subscription channels and the proof is that certain customers in the UK after watching a week of free view for a certain channels recieved calls from that channel asking if they would like to subscribe...big bro is certainly watching but who cares.

Tony

Originally posted by carrolls
If you are an Irish subscriber to Sky Digital, you are not required to have the phone line connected at the moment, but this might change when they bring in the full Active functionality to ROI .
I was told by the dealer (Eircom Limerick) that when the dealers in Ireland asked Sky if they could be compensated for installing extension phone lines in Irish homes, they were told by Sky not to demand or require a phone connection for Irish subscribers.
I made the technician give this to me in writing before he left, so that if Sky ever sue me for breach of contract (disconnected phone line), I have this evidence in writing.

This is not true, it is a condition of any contract sice June 2001.

Regards Tony

Tony

Originally posted by irishbyte


Hmm, strange. That's not what the local Sky rep tells us (@work). I was told that failing to connect the phonelines could result in Sky not reimbursing the retailer for the equipment etc.

Maybe Tony can clarify this?

Yet another sky grey area. Officially it is a condition of the contract but it is true that installers have been told verbally not to lose a sale on account of the phoneline which is why sky still allows manual authorisation. The retailer though runs the risk of not being paid becuase for some reason manual authorisations do not always appear on the activation database. If you are an installer your best bet is to use an extension reel to activate the card if the customer does not want a permanent connection.

But i did n't tell you that right :-)

REgards Tony

byte

Originally posted by Tony

If you are an installer your best bet is to use an extension reel to activate the card if the customer does not want a permanent connection.

This is what I used to always do before it was compulsory to connect line permanently. It was handier than ringing Sky (except in extreme circumstances).:D

dmeehan

Originally posted by Mossy Monk
the light never comes on on my digibox. only the power light. approxamately what time does Sky send the signal for the digibox to phone home

it seems to happen quite a lot, but i do not know if the line is actually being used, coz when i lift the handset on the fone, there is just the normal dialtone, and the light stays on on the digibox?



is the stb ringing sky, or is sky ringing the stb?
do i have to pay if my stb fones home?

bucks73

About 7 or 8 days before your billing date a message is sent to your STB via the minidish to callback Sky. If your STB is connected to a phone line it will call Sky and send back any PPV items that were purchased using the "select" method and are stored in the STB.

If the phone line is not connected the STB will increase the frequency of its attempts to call Sky. But this means calling Sky to order any PPV items.

dmeehan

ok so
i'll check to see if its properly connected when i get home
thanks

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by bucks73
If the phone line is not connected the STB will increase the frequency of its attempts to call Sky.

my light must be broken then. my phone line hasn't been connected at all since i got Sky. only for a second or 2 to get a PPV event but this hasn't been done in a long time and no bill has come for Box Office except the time a film was ordered over the phone

ONireland

I have a friend in the UK how was ordered by Sky to connect his STB to the phoneline. He told the call centre person to put a note in his subscriber information telling them to never call his house again, if they needed him the could write. He warned him that he found these calls harassing a might have to contact BT about having their number barred from his line.

Nice!


[Actually, I reckon he was over the first 12 months so probably in the right].

dmeehan

bucks73, i checked the fone connection and it was ok
i checked the system test and it said foneline connected

so does anybody else have an idea what sky are upto?

Our man in Havana

dunno