Sky + boxes - do they HAVE to be connected to a phone line?

[georgimama]

We used to have Sky some time ago and although when first installed it was connected up to a phone line, after a while we moved it to another room and there was no phone line. The Sky engineer wasn't keen as he said we would miss out on vital features but all it meant we couldn't do was press the red button to vote on polls on Sky news and things like that.

We have no TV at the mo and are thinking of getting Sky + as currently on free installation and box.

Does anyone know if it is possible for it to work without being connected to a phone line? The package advertised goes on about phone calls and I don't want their phone package, I am happy(ish) with BT.

TIA

We have a BT phone line and broadband and Sky+ so it is definately possible.

Thanks for swift reply, is your Sky box actually connected to your phone line in any way though? The Sky website says it has to be and I can't understand why.

Ours isn't connected to a phone line. We moved and just haven't plugged it in.

All that happens is you can't enter competions with the red button, play their games or order stuff on Box Office.

Thanks, that's what I thought but the T&Cs on their website says it must be connected to a phoneline for at least 12 months. I suppose I can just refuse when the engineer gets here!

No don't refuse it. Just unplug it when he has gone!!

I think it was plugged into an adaptor on our BT line for the set-up and DH unplugged it afterwards.

Ours isn't but we are overseas and shouldn't have it anyway!

You'll need to plug it in occasionally to get the software updates I think.

The licence agreement requires you to have it connected to the registered phone line for 1 year. The boxes used to dial out in the middle of the night to prove that they were still connected to the registered phone number. (So Sky can see that you haven't give then box to someone else). No idea if they still do.
All Sky+ software (firmware) updates are done via the satellite feed not the phone line.
Booking Pay Per View films or some red button content requires the phone connection.
I have had my Sky+ box for about 4 years and during Year 1 I had the box unplugged for 6 weeks during renovations and got a snotty letter from Sky, threatening to cancel my account.

Nope - it just needs to be connected for you to spend extra money (Box Office et al) which is why they are keen for you to leave it connected after the contractual 12 months.

They do get snotty, however, if you are within those 12 months and it is not connected so you cannot refuse to connect it in the first place. Also, if you have the extra room thing (2 boxes for £10 extra per month) then they have to be connected indefinitely so that they can check that they are installed at the same address - we ended up cancelling ours and reverting to using one box as a freeview box because there is no phone line in our kitchen any more.