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QUOTE(MilesAndMore @ Sep 25 2012, 11:01 PM)
Your decoder is the old type right ? That could be the reason. Just now the lady at the Astro Service Centre told me that I can keep everything including the smartcard and if I ever decide that I want to watch Astro again in the future, all I need to do is call their hotline and give my IC no and they will reconnect it. I did not actually cancel my Astro subscription. She was just telling me that I can keep everything if I want to cancel my Astro subscription.
May be, or may be not.
So who has recently canceled your Astro subscription (note: Astro Beyond Decoder) but still keep everything including the Astro smartcard ?
QUOTE(MilesAndMore @ Sep 26 2012, 07:34 PM)
Oh, i was informed that i can keep everything since my contract has already ended (the minimum subscription period)
Your TV is very important too
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QUOTE(RAMChYLD @ Sep 26 2012 @ 12:53 PM)
Nope, I upgraded to byond in Dec 2009, terminated in Dec 2010, exactly when my contract ended. They took my silver decoder away when I upgraded (sad in hindsight, should've forced them to let me keep it).
QUOTE(MilesAndMore @ Sep 26 2012, 07:34 PM)
Oh, i was informed that i can keep everything since my contract has already ended (the minimum subscription period)
Your TV is very important too
There is a difference between "
cancelling which means completely terminating" Astro subscription account AND "
suspending which means temporarily deactivating all subscribed TV channel services".
Regardless of whoever could have misunderstood about the return of the smartcard, I believe that you already understood that the said lady at the Astro Service Centre was actually refering to any subscriber who voluntarily wish to "suspend" his/her subscription account... and this means the subscription account status is changed to "not active" with all the subscribed packages locked/deactivated and no payable monthly subscriptions... The subscription account was NEVER terminated so therefore the suspended account can be re-activated at any time later and which is why it is not required to return the smartcard !
This was actually what happened to one of my friends about 5 years ago who called to Astro to suspend his account until further notice by explaining that both his wife and himself would be staying in US at their daughter's house there for maybe 6 months to 1 year or more. So nothing, including smartcard, was returned. When my friend returned after 2 years, he reactivated his Astro account.
The question in my mind is... just how long will As*teruk allow the account to be suspended ? Yes, ok for maybe 1 or 2 years but I suspect that after a long period of maybe 7+ years with no contact or news from the subscriber, As*teruk will fully terminate the "suspended" account... so, when this happens, As*teruk will "attack" you with a penalty charge for non-return of the smartcard.
Here's a link from As*teruk website which clearly stated (in black and white) the return of smartcard...
http://support.astro.com.my/HelpCenter/Article.aspx?CategoryID=af2cc6af-3b23-41ea-b0e3-cdf39269771d&ArticleID=e5e5bc57-dc3e-4483-9b0f-7c79fd292b7e&SectionID=&SubCatID=2da47421-a43c-43fd-b713-2e943f1be177... and a screenshot from the page...
Ok... you mentioned earlier that the Astro Service Centre lady said "
She was just telling me that I can keep everything if I want to cancel my Astro subscription" which means that she was refering to "cancel" (termination), not "suspension" of account and therefore, after "cancellation/termination" you can keep everything, including the smartcard ! Whether anyone here, including you, could have possibly 1 percent misunderstood that lady, then could anyone here explain to me why the info shown at the As*teruk website still clearly stated that the smartcard must be returned when "
the services are discontinued or terminated at anytime" ? IF, I repeat, IF that lady meant "cancellation and not required to return smartcard" then who should we believe ? Believe what we read from the As*teruk website or believe that As*teruk lady ?
When any new subscriber signed in to new subscription account at the Astro centre or documents signed after the installer completed installation, a binding legal contract exists which subscribers legally agree to all the contractual terms and conditions. Just how many of us really read the documents in full or even know about all the terms ? One thing I do know is that those terms & conditions are subject to change at anytime by @#$% As*teruk. IF "its true" that the smartcard is not required to be returned now, can anyone guarantee that As*teruk will not ask for return or penalty after a few years in the future ?
Do remember the smartcard (I am 100% sure) is absolutely the property of As*teruk, so if you are allowed to keep it, it does NOT mean that As*teruk give you the right to keep it and so they will always have the legal right to ask for return or we face legal action. The smartcard ownership is clearly stated in the terms & conditions and also printed on the smartcard itself...
Could all of us have misunderstood that Astro lady ? I don't think so ! Could that Astro lady have given the wrong advice on allowing us to keep the smartcard after cancellation/termination of account ? Yes, I believe it is so !
After my pretty elaborate explanation here, whoever have misunderstood or whoever is right or wrong, the important thing here is your personal decision and that is... ask yourself, are you willing to take the risk that maybe a few years later, As*teruk's lawyers may come knocking at your door with a legal letter demanding payment of penalty for non-returned smartcard.
Whatever, in my personal opinion, I 100% agree with RAMChYLD who is absolutely right that subscribers must return the smartcard upon account termination and he has learned a bitter lesson from As*teruk who unceremoniously slapped him with a very distasteful legal letter. RAMChYLD did return the smartcard BUT was wrongly accused by As*teruk.
Maybe RAMChYLD and you can choose to believe or not to believe that As*teruk are pretty filthy $$$ hungry demons who not only monopolises the satelliite TV market in Malaysia, they may stoop so low as to try to "extract" $$ from non-returned smartcards. BUT... As*teruk was NOT the only one who were blatantly wrong to send a legal letter and arrogantly demanded penalty payment from RAMChYLD ! I was also hit a legal letter from Celcom's lawyers demanding payment of RM 50 for my early termination (about 6 years ago) and the legal demand letter was only sent 2 years after termination !! Luckily I kept all the previous documents and it took me so much time and trouble to prove that my 1 year Celcom mobile contract had already expired when I terminated my account so this case was settled, legal action cancelled and RM 50 early termination charge not required. Damn... not even a single apology from Celcom !!
Here's another actual true case of As*teruk being not efficient and careless...
My friend, Lim, previously subscribed for 2 decoder boxes, 1st one is Byond box (Superpack 3) with the 2nd old Astro box (Custom Packs) at 50% monthly subscription discount. The 1 year contract period for the 2nd box at 50% rate was already over so in August 2012, he decided to terminate this 2nd box and then subscribe to Multiroom 2nd Byond box at flat RM 50 which can watch all the channels the same as for 1st box (Superpack 3). Actually I advised him to do it because its much cheaper and both boxes can now watch in HD on his 2 HDTVs. Well... it seemed that all was ok, isn't it ? When my friend phoned to As*teruk to make the change, I was with him and also helped him by explaining clearly to that As*teruk lady to make sure that there would be no careless mistake. A week later, the installer came and replaced the old Astro box with a new Byond box (non PVR) with the subscribed channels activated. Later, when my friend received his statement dated 01-09-2012... his statement shows Superpack 3 (RM 155) X 50% = Rm 77.50 for his 2nd Byond box !! Previously for his 2nd (old Astro box) subscription was RM 122.95 X 50% = RM 61.50... my friend was shocked when he noticed that he have to pay more, not pay less at flat RM 50 ! Well... so my friend phoned to complain... they confirmed and apologised for the mistake, and assured him that the back-dated adjustment to August 2012 will be reflected in the October 2012 statement. My friend scolded that unfortunate As*teruk person KAW KAW and said "what will happen if I don't check, so this mistake will not be noticed and I will then continue overpay ?"
I have learned my lesson so many many years ago to NEVER trust any person from any Malaysian big companies, especially govt depts. Really... I actually use my android phone to "secretly" do voice recordings whenever I have any official dealings with them.. Maxis, TM, Astro, whatever AND I will always keep the complete paper documents for roughly more than 10 years in my special cabinet. Maybe overdoing it but better to be safe than be sorry later. Malaysia BOLEH !
Well... again... you did not have any actual voice recording of that As*teruk lady who told you that you can keep the smartcard to prove the actual words spoken so she can LATER always twist and deny it by saying that you mis-understood her and then corrected her mistake by saying that she had told you that keeping smartcard is only for account suspension, not for termination of account, LOL ! Time and again, I have often faced with such tactics from such people to protect themselves !
Mistakes can be made and mis-understanding can happen.
Whether I am right or wrong... you decide whether to keep the smartcard upon termination. Even if you only wanted to temporarily "suspend" your account and keep the smartcard, only you will know how long you intend to keep on suspension and will As*teruk allow your voluntary suspension for long periods or forever ?
Note : I was told by my installer friend that the Smartcard, Byond/Byond PVR box and Dish are the property of As*teruk. Only the old Astro DMT boxes belong to subscribers. Even if As*teruk did not ask for return now, they have the right to demand return or charge penalty for non-return in the future. True or not ? Its up to you to believe me or not, hehe.
By the way, why keep the smartcard ? You know that the Byond smartcard cannot be used on other Byond boxes and, also, all channels have been deactivated.
This post has been edited by jamesleetech: Sep 27 2012, 02:25 AM 
Aug 11 2012, 10:40 AM, updated 13y ago
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Wow... already Episode 5.
BTW, ABN (cable tv) HD channels for launches as now as many as 6-7, unlike Astro b.yond 1st launch with 4 HD channel (3 of them no subtitles 'till now). 
...
Oh, and ABN CEO & staff are ACTUALLY listen to fans at FB 
actually I also facing the same situation like you, got a call ask to change to byond, having changing channel issue.... wonder anything to do with them 
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