Sky Multiroom - No Fixed Phone Line

[thefathacker]

Hi all,

Please be gentle. I am a newbie.
I have posted this query on another forum but have received only one answer.

I have subscribed to Sky for years now and about 14 months ago upgraded to HD and 1 x multiroom. Both of these installs were done professionally by Sky (or thier agents) and both were installed in the absence of a fixed landline, as I subscribe to a VOIP phone service with Vonage. (Many attempts were made by the engineers to send the signal down the VOIP line but all were unsuccessful)

Very recently, I decided to upgrade an old Skybox I had and go for a 2nd multiroom and contacted Sky to arrange this. On doing so, I told the Sky guy that I used Vonage and therefore did not have a fixed line and he said this was okay and that I could activiate the viewing card he would send me over the phone.

When the card arrived, I duly called the number matey boy had provided and all hell broke loose with Sky 'pulling' the premium channels on the pre-existing boxes. Apparently this was because they will not allow multiroom installations without a fixed phone line. (In case I hand the boxes out to my neighbours) I have since persuaded them to 'pair' (???) the boxes and now have the full package in all three rooms, but have been warned that it is very likely I will, at some point in the future, be charged full whack and not the special multiroom discounted price. This is something I simply won't have and if need be, my trump card will be telling Sky to ram their service.

In the interests of my resolving the issue I have (something Sky MUST have encountered before - but you wouldn't think so, their operators seem to rank apathy and disinterest as prime objectives for customer service) namely enabling my system to receive their signal - what can I do short of having a fixed phone line installed?

On the other forum I mentioned, somebody told me that a Grandstream HandyTone 286 (1 x FXS) Filter would convert my digital signal to analogue and solve my problems. Again, can any of you wise people please confirm or otherwise that this is the case.

Apologies for rambling. Any assistance or advice would be very gratefully received.

Thanks.

[Robbo]

I think the problem you'll still have is that Sky want to check that all boxes are connected to the same fixed line. Presumably they do this by checking that calls origiate from the same phone number, and that its a uk one. Does your phone system send its number when you make a call to an ordinary fixed line?

[Analoguesat]

Ive only ever seen maybe 2 reports that someone has got the sky digiboxes phoning home with voip. Basically if you want full multiroom you need to have a proper fixed line installed.

[thefathacker]

Originally Posted by Robbo

I think the problem you'll still have is that Sky want to check that all boxes are connected to the same fixed line. Presumably they do this by checking that calls origiate from the same phone number, and that its a uk one. Does your phone system send its number when you make a call to an ordinary fixed line?

Yeah, we have an option to withhold the number, but in general our number is sent.

[thefathacker]

Originally Posted by Analoguesat

Ive only ever seen maybe 2 reports that someone has got the sky digiboxes phoning home with voip. Basically if you want full multiroom you need to have a proper fixed line installed.

That's certainly the impression I get, but surely technology exists for what is a 'virtual' phone line to appear as a fixed line? I could have a fixed line installed, but it will cost more and brings with it the hassle of hiding a wire to each of the boxes!

All of that makes cable an option, but in my view, it aint a patch on Sky.

[thefathacker]

Originally Posted by thefathacker

That's certainly the impression I get, but surely technology exists for what is a 'virtual' phone line to appear as a fixed line?

Apparently not! I contacted soho66.co.uk, the company that supply the Grandstream filter and this was their response: -

"Where I would like to say that it would enable your Sky TV system to talk to Sky, I'm afraid that the reality would be quite the opposite. Using VoIP for data transmission is something that is temperamental at the best of times, and unusable at others. We have had the one customer using a credit card machine with our services, which I believe was a success but, owing to the unreliable nature of data over VoIP, we do not encourage, make any guarantees, or support this type of communication.

Further to this, you wouldn't be able to use any other equipment with Vonage, as they have their own customised hardware and, although they are a VoIP provider using the standard SIP protocol, I believe they will not divulge their settings to allow any customers own equipment to connect to their service."

Not what I wanted to hear, but at least it means I can start pursuing other options that may actually work!!

[TheCoder]

The compression systems used on voip systems are really geared for voice calls and dont particularly handle the acoustic tones used by analogue modems particualrly well, especially anything above 9600 baud which start to use multiple simultaneous tones. For this same reason, its also difficult to get fax machines to work on a voip phoneline

End result is that your unlikely to be able to get a satisfactory analogue modem connection via voip technology. Unless you install a fixed line you'll have to wait for Sky's next generation of boxes which are apparently due to have an ethernet connection to allow them to work over broadband (they plan to offer a broadband VOD service). I'd guess multiroom for these boxes will be geared to IP address rather than phone number !