This past week, some Sky TV subscribers have been reporting seeing a new on screen message from Sky on their TV sets.

This message appears to be part of the process that Sky have been doing over the past few months, to move people from old Sky Standard Definition boxes, over to Sky HD, Sky+HD and SkyQ boxes. This is the final step in Skys process to discontinue any support for its first generation digiboxes.

The message says :

“your TV account will be cancelled in October ring 03337595121 for options”

With many channels now only available on Sky HD, Sky+HD and SkyQ boxes and no longer available on SD digiboxes, Sky are now in the process of moving people from old SD contract to Sky HD contracts.

This message is appearing despite peoples viewing card being paired to a Sky HD, Sky+HD and SkyQ box.
(To check if your Sky card is paired to your Sky box, you need to go to Sky SPorts on channel 401. If you get a “wrong card, please pair” message, then your Sky viewing card is NOT paired to your Sky box. If you see the “upgrade to watch this channels” message then your Sky card is paired to your Sky HD, Sky+HD and SkyQ box.)

And so it appears that somewhere along the process, the pairing has not worked 100% correctly, and Sky still think that you are using your Sky card in an old Sky SD digibox.

Hence the message about Sky cancelling your subscription, as they think you are watching using on old Sky digibox, which will basically have NO Sky pay channels available to it by the end of October.

So any Sky subscribers who doesn’t upgrade to a Sky HD, Sky+HD and SkyQ box in time will lose access to any remaining channels from their October billing date.

So if you are seeing this “your TV account will be cancelled in October” on screen message, either
– contact the person / installer who supplied your viewing card so that they can contact Sky to correct the problem
– contact Sky yourself, with your Sky account details, and using the usual methods to make sure they dont know you are using your Sky card outside the UK

If you do not inform Sky that you are using your Sky viewing card in a Sky HD, Sky+HD and SkyQ box, they will be cancelling your Sky contact soon.

And you will no longer be able to view any Sky pay channels. Sky Sports and Sky Cinema have been HD box only for the past few months already.

But you should, if using a Sky HD, Sky+HD and SkyQ box, still be able to watch the free channels, like BBC ITV C4 Fives, UKTV…