Problem with SKY/OPENREACH

[Binky]

I manage the SKY account for my elderly parents. I've had an email saying in Aug the Sky Talk/Broadband will need to change to digital service as old copper system being changed out. However, Sky say there is no connection to house for full fibre but I know Openreach are upgrading in area and if I do a postcode check it shows as available. Multiple calls to Sky no help as they say they have no availabilty in system and it's down to Openreach. However, no way to contact Openreach and all online searches on their site say to go to broadband provider, ie SKY!
So I'm going around in circles with no way of resolving this and in Aug my parents will lose broandband which is needed as I have cctv in thier house to keep eye on them for safety. My parents have Sky specifically for the tv which will still work after august as that is via dish.

My question is has anyone had this situation and if so how did you resolve it?

 

[Mo1959]

I manage the SKY account for my elderly parents. I've had an email saying in Aug the Sky Talk/Broadband will need to change to digital service as old copper system being changed out. However, Sky say there is no connection to house for full fibre but I know Openreach are upgrading in area and if I do a postcode check it shows as available. Multiple calls to Sky no help as they say they have no availabilty in system and it's down to Openreach. However, no way to contact Openreach and all online searches on their site say to go to broadband provider, ie SKY!
So I'm going around in circles with no way of resolving this and in Aug my parents will lose broandband which is needed as I have cctv in thier house to keep eye on them for safety. My parents have Sky specifically for the tv which will still work after august as that is via dish.

My question is has anyone had this situation and if so how did you resolve it?

You don't need full fibre to use a digital phone service, I'm still just on fibre to the cabinet and then existing line and just plus my phone into the router. Both Virgin and Openreach have now put fibre in our street though so I will probably get it brought in at some point as I presume eventually they will expect everyone to switch over to fibre to the premise.

 

[Binky]

You don't need full fibre to use a digital phone service, I'm still just on fibre to the cabinet and then existing line and just plus my phone into the router. Both Virgin and Openreach have now put fibre in our street though so I will probably get it brought in at some point as I presume eventually they will expect everyone to switch over to fibre to the premise.

I'm not sure if they have FTTC or just copper but whatever it is will be switched off in Aug. phone line not issue, if they lose landline not a problem as have mobiles but it's broadband is issue.

I have only fibre to cabinet and we've lost landline but have broadband. This was switched over a year or so ago.

 

[oxoman]

There switching over to fibre pretty quickly. We had similar issue around us, luckily Virgin had foreseen this and installed cables. Speeds way faster than Sky/open reach, wife was happy because she could watch all her favourite sky channels on virgin as well.
Not sure if EE do a mobile broadband system, maybe worth a look if you have coverage.

 

[sungod]

there are two things happening:

1. retirement of old analogue phone service, replaced by digital
2. replacement of copper with fibre

1 does not depend on 2

you say sky said you "will need to change to digital service as old copper system being changed out", that sounds like 1 and sky are confusing things

if there is only copper wiring, the existing phone should simply plug into the phone socket on the existing (or new) broadband router or into an adaptor

i.e. see https://www.bt.com/help/landline/digital-voice-migration

i suggest tell sky to state specifically what action you need to take, by default it may be as simple as changing where the old phone is plugged in

you might try going via their accessibility people as this is on behalf of your parents who should/can be registered for priority service if they're elderly https://www.sky.com/help/articles/accessibility-information-sky-mobile-broadband-and-talk-customers

 

[Binky]

there are two things happening:

1. retirement of old analogue phone service, replaced by digital
2. replacement of copper with fibre

1 does not depend on 2

you say sky said you "will need to change to digital service as old copper system being changed out", that sounds like 1 and sky are confusing things

if there is only copper wiring, the existing phone should simply plug into the phone socket on the existing (or new) broadband router or into an adaptor

i.e. see https://www.bt.com/help/landline/digital-voice-migration

i suggest tell sky to state specifically what action you need to take, by default it may be as simple as changing where the old phone is plugged in

you might try going via their accessibility people as this is on behalf of your parents who should/can be registered for priority service if they're elderly https://www.sky.com/help/articles/accessibility-information-sky-mobile-broadband-and-talk-customers

Done all that but Sky saying they (Sky) have no more available slots at exchange. From sounds of it each ISP provider is allocated a certain number of slots and once all used that's it.

I spent literally hours on phone this morning and got nowhere. Think I'll be ditching Sky and going to Plusnet etc.
Also seemingly impossible to contact Openreach about this. There's no phone/email that's of any use.
Utter crap.