Sky has confirmed that it will cancel the subscriptions of some of its customers in October as the TV firm continues to restrict channel access for those still using some of its oldest TV equipment.
Express.co.uk reported in May that Sky was removing access to many standard definition (SD) channels to make way for high definition (HD) channels across the board. It means that anyone with an older Sky set top box has already lost access to Sky Sports, Sky Cinema and other popular channels as Sky winds things down.
Satellite access to BBC and ITV channels was also restricted in January as part of the move to HD.
By the end of August, Sky will remove access to all its own channels from certain old SD boxes which will leave customers on these first-generation boxes with barely any channels.
As spotted by RXTVinfo, Sky has now confirmed it will cancel any remaining legacy Sky subscriptions in October.
“If you don’t contact us or upgrade, your Sky TV will be cancelled and you’ll lose access to these services on your payment due date in October,” Sky said on a help page on its website, addressing those affected.
You’ll need to contact Sky directly to rectify the situation, as the firm will not be automatically upgrading customers.
If you are unsure if you are one of these customers, here is a list of the affected Sky boxes:
Digibox
4F01 to 4F08 (Amstrad) • 4E01 to 4E05 (Grundig) • 9F01 to 9F08 and 9F0A (Pace) • 0F01 to 0F05 (Panasonic) • 4E06 to 4E08 (Thomson)
Sky+
4F2001 to 4F2006 (Amstrad) • 4F2101 to 4F2118 and 9F2101 to 9F2137 (Amstrad or Pace) • 9F2001 to 9F2024, PVR2, 9F2201 to 9F2235, 9F2301 to 9F2339 (Pace) • 4E2101 to 4E2141 (Thomson)
To check the number of your box:
- Press Services on your Sky remote
- Press 4 then 5
- Check the ‘version number’, as displayed on your TV screen
If you are affected, Sky says you can upgrade to its newer Sky Q service for free. This will return all of the channels you have lost and provide you with the company’s latest HD satellite services, including a new set top box. The upgrade may require an engineer to visit your property to install the service.
You can upgrade here online or by calling 0333 759 5121. If you don’t think Sky Q is right for you, you can discuss other subscription options such as moving to Sky Stream, Sky’s TV service that delivers all channels streamed over a broadband connection rather than traditional satellite.