Phone Spam from Satellite Direct UK

November 23rd, 2006, by Rich.

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Phone Spam from Satellite Direct UK

I just got another call from Satellite Direct UK telling me that my Sky warranty needs renewing. Oddly enough, nothing has changed since their last call. We are still registered with the TPS so it’s unlawful for them to phone us and we still don’t have a Sky box, so it’s definitely not out of it’s warranty period, which they again suggested. Satellite Direct UK you are not morons: stop ignoring the TPS.

Update: Looks like we’re not the only recipients of their unwanted sales calls: Longrider (also called twice) points out a host of others.

Update: Satellite Direct UK’s business practices have subsequently been successfully challenged in the High Court by BSkyB.

Update 2008/03/10: Satellite Direct UK are investigated by BBC Watchdog (it’s available on iPlayer for 1 week after broadcast).

Rich Says:
December 15th, 2006 at 4:42 pm

Someone’s kindly pointed me at this article in the Mirror from May of this year (scroll down to find the relevant bit):

But could his staff’s sales pitch mislead people into thinking the call is from Sky itself? “If somebody says they are unhappy, if they tell us they took out our warranty by mistake or that we are not who they thought we were, we give a full refund,” [David Reynolds the owner] pledged.

Clive Says:
December 15th, 2006 at 8:38 pm

Just had a call from our “friends”. I suggest anyone who gets a call do as I did: hang up. Then if TPS registered log a complaint. If enough people do this santa may not call them back with a gift just a huge fine. (fat chance) We live in hope.

N.B: If your Sky has died and you have had it some time with a full package ~~threaten~~ sorry suggest to sky that you may cancel unless they fix FOC. You will pay much more in subs than a call charge. It does work!! I know. Happy viewing.

Geoff Says:
December 19th, 2006 at 7:12 pm

Just been called by them for the 2nd time in a month. This time they used 01273 771 220. I told them that I was registered with TPS and to “sod off”. I then hung up.

I have 151 free entries left in my handset phone book, so still plenty of space left to add any new numbers they use, so I can ignore the calls all together.

Just complained to the TPS.

Andy Smith Says:
December 20th, 2006 at 10:52 am

I just spent 45 minutes on the phone to these wallies!!! I demaned my free tickets but they said they wanted my telephone number, but i wasnt going to give them that again!!! Anyway to cut a long story short, the dont give out anything without a phone number. BEWARE!!! Oh and one last thing, if you ring the number 01273 771 220 and ask to speak to Richard Geoffrys. He’s the MD of the company!!!!

Rich Says:
December 20th, 2006 at 11:40 am

Hi Andy, can you possibly explain what free tickets you were demanding and how you came to be demanding them?

Derek Says:
December 21st, 2006 at 5:21 pm

I received a reminder as well. Who gave them permission to send it to me, as when I looked at the name on the letter only one company has my name like that.
# the sit up channels. has any one bought from them?

Joanne Nash Says:
December 22nd, 2006 at 8:02 pm

Just had the same call - registered with TPS for years now, so i have made a complaint to them, also to http://www.justengineers.net/contactus.asp as they list Satellite Direct job vacancies, suggesting that they look into the way this company does business.

I also found (google) a recent article by a law firm called Herbert Smith as this company (amongst others) has already been taken to court by BSkyB for exactly the same thing as they are doing now!!

That aside - a very Merry Christmas to you all!

Rich Says:
December 22nd, 2006 at 8:36 pm

Thanks for the pointer Joanne!

This extract from the Sky’s Legal representative (Herbert Smith) regarding the outcome:

The Judge concluded that Satellite Direct intended, through the marketing strategy put in place, to suggest a connection with Sky and intimate a current relationship with the customer to create a bond of trust. It set out deliberately to exploit “grey areas” for economic gain. Here was a strategy designed to gain the trust of the intended customer by hinting at a pre-existing relationship, necessitating an assumption that they were speaking to Sky. It was a culture in which this assumption was believed to be good for business and where it was not thought to be wrong to take advantage of it, or even encourage it, just short of making a direct assertion that they were from Sky.

The story is also covered in The Lawyer.

Rob T-P Says:
December 23rd, 2006 at 11:57 am

Firstly a quick note to anyone ex directory and believes it was Sky who gave their number to Satellite Direct. Ex directory merely means that your number does not appear in the distributed book telephone directories, it does get included in distributed CDs of telephone numbers which they should not be using for marketing, they should be using the marketing numbers disks that don’t include numbers registered with TPS.

Today I received a letter from Satellite Direct after registering a complaint with the TPS. They apologised saying:

“We have recently implemented new systems and whilst we endeavour to ensure that any person registered with the Telephone and Mail Preferences Service are not contacted, unfortunately some information may “slip through the net”.

“We are currently working to rectify this problem and will take every possible step to ensure you do not receive any further unwanted calls or mail. We have today removed your details from our contact lists however; data information is distributed on a monthly basis. Therefore, should you receive further contact whilst our records are being updated please accept our apologies in advance.”

Why do I have this feeling they are being a little economical with the truth. If I receive any more calls from them I will not accept their advanced apologies, I will continue to report them to TPS

Gordon Hall Says:
December 29th, 2006 at 10:50 am

Took a telephone call - made the mistake of believing I was buying a new HD box. They took £300, via credit card, 1 month on, received a statement - for a Warranty????. No chance of a box - totally mis-sold this stuff. Avoid giving details to these people-especially credit card details.

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