Agreed. Let's look at the difference:

UK Freesat:
- Bring your own decoder- can pick and choose brand, functionality etc. Buying a decoder is like buying a TV set- you walk into a electronics shop and pick it up from a display of several units.
- No need smart card
- Can even receive other countries' channels, and is actually LEGAL to do so because of EU program sharing law.

Assteruk "free" sat:
- Only assteruk decoder allowed. Assteruk will only supply very limited type of decoders. Dun like the brand? too bad.
- Still need smart card.
- Lock down to only assteruk signal.

Imo, it's not really free if you're forced to use assteruk's decoder and can only receive own country channels. To me, the definition of free is beyond "don't need monthly subscription". It means letting the consumer choose what decoder they want and what they want to watch with no restrictions.

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For me, I return the smart card but get to keep the dish and decoder. Apparently the contract states that if you have kept to the contract until past the contract end date, and then terminate, the decoder and dish is yours to keep. But the smart card must be returned no matter what. I recommend going to Assteruk building in person and giving it back by hand, and then take photo and name of person who received the card. I return the card by mail, but keep details and double check to see if card reached them, and in the end they still try to sue me for "not returning smart card". I placed one angry phone call to the lawyer who sent the letter, one angry phone call to Assteruk CS, and repeat the details given to both of them. They shut up from then on, but I already swear I'm never ever getting assteruk's service ever again.

This post has been edited by RAMChYLD: Jul 12 2012, 03:41 PM

Well, to be fair, the two years contract thing is written in the form T&C. So sign the form and you agree to the two years lock in. Sadly, many people don't read the T&C or think about it deeply before signing.

Decoder and dish you can sell as besi buruk, or keep as bitter memory to remind yourself how horrible their customer support is. But yes, card, you must return.

This post has been edited by RAMChYLD: Jul 31 2012, 12:31 PM

Welcome to the club. I had exactly same problem as you. Terminated and returned the card, and yet get warning
letters regarding charges that the SIM card not returned. What I did was call them up and make noise. Then call the lawyer up and make noise.

Before that I was thinking that I may sign up again if needs be. Now I will never go back to assteruk. Greedy b@$+@£ds.