Lost HD Channel Signals Two Years in a Row

Question

A few months ago my Sky Sports HD channels started showing no signal Error 25, along with the BBC HD channels. It was like this for the multiroom box and main box, so I guess it was a problem with the dish's alignment or something. Only option according to Sky was to have an engineer out for €60 or so. The thing is, this exact same thing had happened the year before, and I paid for an engineer to come out. I didn't feel it was fair to have to pay again so soon so I just dropped the HD. I still feel it was pretty lousy the way it was dealt with by Sky, for the following reason: If my area is suitable for a HD multiroom service, as it had been up to then, you would think that the engineer would have fixed the problem and I would not lose service before another year had gone by. So did the engineer do a satisfactory job, and if not, why should I have to pay again? On the other hand, if the engineer did a perfect job and something about where my dish is located or the area I live in means that the service is unreliable and engineer charges for misaligned dishes might be a regular occurrence, then surely I should not be encouraged to maintain the service. However, this is exactly what happened when I tried to ring to see if there was a way the service charge could be waived. The Sky representative wouldn't waive the charge but instead offered a discount on future bills if I tied into HD again for another number of months, which means that he was interested in keeping me on the service for longer. But how is this responsible if the area I live in is not suitable to receive Sky. When I say 'not suitable' I mean the necessity of an extra €60 yearly on top of the subscription charges just to receive a satisfactory service? In the end I dropped HD and in the months since Sky have lost more from me than the price of the engineer charge. On top of this, I don't really feel enthusiastic about paying for Sky Sports in SD so that is an extra 36 or whatever it is they may be losing from me as I don't think I will retake this package. All I'm left with is an entertainment package I don't need and in the end I am seriously considering Freesat. I feel that the way Sky were so stingy in handling this is baffling as in the end they will be losing what could be several hundred pounds from me due to their unwillingness to show a little leeway on the engineer charge. Does anyone else think I have right to feel slightly let down, or am I being entirely unreasonable?

Answer 1

"Neither Sky nor their engineer would know this until they're called out to your installation and there'll be no record of it on your account." That's true, but I thought paying for them to call out would solve it but the same thing happened, and nothing has changed, i.e. no trees or buildings changed, the satellite has a clear line of sightI agree that if you no longer consider Sky tv to be value for the subscription charges you're paying, you should cancel.I kind of did until I realised I might have a yearly engineer charge just to maintain the service. Would this (needing multiple call-outs) be a usual thing to happen and would people need to pay each time? I'm just curious.