Will Sky engineer set up phone sockets in rooms when he installs new system?

My elderly mother is due to have Sky multi-room installed next Saturday ( in Cork.) I have informed Sky that she has no phone socket in either room but was told not to worry - as the engineer will look after that when he arrives.

My son reminded me that a Sky engineer refused to install his box in his bedroom 18 months ago until we had a phone socket in his room.

I have tried to get a contact phone number for the company who does the Cork installations from Sky but have had no luck. One person told me that they don't give out the number and another said that the job had no been allocated to any company as yet and to ring back on Friday!
But Friday is too late if Sky won't fit phone sockets. I need them in place by Saturday.

Can anyone reassure me? Please? Or maybe someone knows which company is looking after the Bishopstown area for Sky.

No You will need to get these done yourself.

They are there to install the sky gear only.

They are not electricians.

You would be best to have this ready before he gets there, shouldn't be that big a deal for a decent handy man or sparks.

Thanks for your reply, Frank. That's what I thought even though Sky rep said otherwise.

If you don't have a phone line to connect to, then they usually charge an extra €45 as Sky will then charge them this fee for not connecting to a phone line.

Buy a cheap telephone extension kit and run it to where the Sky box is going , let the engineer install and connect you up then when you get a bit of time put a proper socket in. Sky domt "ping" your box for at least six weeks after installation so you have plenty of time to sort it out.

Thanks Superdrog. never thought of doing that. I've organised someone to come at 9.00 on Saturday morning to sort out phone points. So hopefully, he'll be sorted before the Sky man arrives. If it doesn't work out, I'll probably use your idea. Thanks again.

You could buy plug-in phone sockets, I'm sure they were discussed here some time ago - no need for wires, the sockets work similarly to cordless phones (I think). I got them in Maplins for someone who was getting Sky multiroom, and they worked a treat.

edit: found the thread on the phone line extenders, here's the link

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=62755

a quick one,
when i had sky+ installed 18 mths ago i was told
i had to have phone line put in in my bedroom,
it worked out that they were both installed same day
the guy putting in phone line in,(formerly installed sky
also),said to man from sierra that if sky needed a fone line
it was up to sky to install it and that he was pulling a fast one by not doing it as part of the job for me.
sky/sierra man AGGREED apoligised and said he'd add lots of 'free'
channels as a way of saying sorry.
bacic point is if the point is made then they'll do all work required.
F

Thanks for the tip Gipimann. I never knew such a thing existed! I just rang Maplin in Cork and they have them in stock. They quoted me €74.49 for a set - and I'd need two sets. A bit pricey but if I have no alternative......

Fredg, I take your point. I'm going to ring Sky once more and try to get a name and phone number for the contractors and try to discuss it with them.

As long as you have a socket,even a temp one,like the extension kit,you will be ok. You can always get it done properly later.

Thanks to all of you for your advice. I paid out €150 to have two permanent sockets in place just hours before the Sky installer arrived.

Then he came set up the system and said he would not connect to the phone line as his cables were too long and he did not have a crimper to make up short ones!! I could understand if they were too short , but too long?? (There is only about 12 inches between socket and the back of the box.) Maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was 4.30 on a saturday afternoon.... I'm waiting for the Sky letter asking why we are not connected - they can send him back out to finish the job!

I paid out €150 to have two permanent sockets in place just hours before the Sky installer arrived.

Click to expand...

If you had read my post you would have saved yourself €105. You don't have to have a phone line to have sky installed. My friend is a sky installer and anyone who insists on a phone line is talking rubbish. I have sky in my house for 6 years and never had it connected to a phone line. My father in law had it installed last year. No phone line there either, just the €45 extra charge. Most people I know with sky do not have it connected to a phone line.

€150 is a lot to pay for something you will probably never use, unless the kids/spouse are playing online games and run up your phone bill.