ITV &CH 4 on Sky box

I've rang a sky installer about the possibility of getting these channels on my Sky dish.He said that 6 weeks ago anyone who had a freeview card to get these channels in their sky digibox got disabled by Sky?The only way the be assured of getting and keeping ITV etc was to get a freeview aerial and box cost 580Euro!Sounds way overpriced to me.Then he asked was my one year subscription up,(it isn't) but if it was they could do something.....am I dealing with the Mafia here!Whats my alternatives?

Get any friend of yours in England/UK to order a freesatfrom Sky card for 20 sterling. Get them to activate the card in their box when they get it. Have them post it to you. When you want to watch ITV or Channel 4 just take out the phone line and insert this card. Make sure to do it regularly or otherwise the card will take a few hours to boot up the channels. No point putting it in after 10 weeks of being inactive 2 mins before a program starts. AFAIk those cards will be active for 3 years min.

This is the official Sky site. If you don;t know anyone at all in the UK, then you can go to other sites who will buy the card and 'sell' you the use of a UK address.

The freeview box will only really work if you are near the Northern ireland txs. or else you on the East Coast with a good line of sight to the UK I think.