Answered

Outage - Alexa started BBC stations not playing

  • 21 February 2018
  • 63 replies
  • 6802 views

Userlevel 3
Badge +4
  • Prominent Collaborator II
  • 113 replies
As of today I can't get BBC Radios 2 or 4 to play on my Sonos Ones. It says it's playing eg BBC Radio 4 from TuneIn but it doesn't. Anyone else getting this?
icon

Best answer by Ryan S 22 February 2018, 20:25

View original

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

63 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Please follow the steps in the Answer to this post - Disabling and Enabling the Sonos Skill is the best first step:

https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/alexa-says-she-is-playing-on-kitchen-but-no-sound-comes-out-6800126/index1.html#post16201009
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
Please follow the steps in the Answer to this post - Disabling and Enabling the Sonos Skill is the best first step:

https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/alexa-says-she-is-playing-on-kitchen-but-no-sound-comes-out-6800126/index1.html#post16201009
I've tried that these steps but I'm afraid it makes no difference.

Are you able to play these stations on Sonos Ones by voice?
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Yes, no problem at all for both Radio 2 & 4 - just tested again to ensure that it's not a temporary issue and both work fine.

The other thing to try is to power down the following devices for 10 secs, allowing each to fully boot before moving to the next:

1/ Router
2/ Any wired Network switch
3/ Any wired Sonos Device
4/ Any other Sonos device
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
Thanks for checking that. No joy here with those additional steps. I'm on a Sonos beta so just waiting to hear if it's anything to do with that.
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
If I try "Play Radio 2 on TuneIn" on an Echo device rather than a Sonos One, I get confirmation that it's playing but it doesn't play then a few seconds later it pipes up and says, "BBC Radio 2 on TuneIn Live is currently not available." So for me TuneIn doesn't work on Echos or on Sonos Ones when requested by voice.
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
Just got a message from Amazon. They're having technical issues and suggest using the Radioplayer skill. They don't seem to know it doesn't work on Sonos.
Badge
dasym
I am having the same problem as you on my Sonos devices.. My Amazon Echo Dot works though.
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
dasym
I am having the same problem as you on my Sonos devices.. My Amazon Echo Dot works though.
It's probably using the BBC skill on your Dot unless you add "from TuneIn" to your voice command.
Badge
Hi dasym. Just to say I am not on Sonos beta so I do not think that is your problem.
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
Hi dasym. Just to say I am not on Sonos beta so I do not think that is your problem.I think you're right, as if it was just the Sonos beta it wouldn't be affecting you or my Echos and Dots as well. I've reported it to Amazon and they want me to phone them to go through troubleshooting steps. I'm dreading that because they just get you to crawl about switching things off and on for half an hour and then say they'll refer the problem to technical support - and then you don't hear anything.
Badge
Someone has to do it! :)

Thanks for taking the time. I hope you are successful and get a result.
Hi dasym, I have the exact same problem and have also contacted Amazon who have emailed me requesting that I phone them to go through it. I’m unlikely to get the time today or tomorrow but will post the outcome if I speak to them before you do.
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
Just got off phone to Amazon. They say it's TuneIn's problem as they provide the service, and they confirm that no other radio skills work with Sonos speakers and Alexa. So our shiny new Sonos Ones have just lost significant functionality and no one knows when or if it can be fixed.
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
I wonder if this a geographical issue as it still works for me in Wales.
Badge
Thanks for the update dasym.

That is annoying. That is a very significant functionality loss for me as I listen to Radio 4 for the news every day.

Are Sonos investigating do you know? How do we raise it with them?
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Thanks for the update dasym.

That is annoying. That is a very significant functionality loss for me as I listen to Radio 4 for the news every day.

Are Sonos investigating do you know? How do we raise it with them?


I suggest contacting technical support:

https://www.sonos.com/en-gb/contact
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Also, TuneIn don't appear to think there is a problem:

http://status.tunein.com/
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
Thanks for the update dasym.

That is annoying. That is a very significant functionality loss for me as I listen to Radio 4 for the news every day.

Are Sonos investigating do you know? How do we raise it with them?


I suggest contacting technical support:

https://www.sonos.com/en-gb/contact
Please contact Sonos support about this. I have, so maybe if others do it'll get some action.
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
Also, TuneIn don't appear to think there is a problem:

http://status.tunein.com/
That's interesting. If you go to the TuneIn Help Center (https://help.tunein.com/) it lists the apps, etc on which TuneIn is available. Significantly, although Sonos is listed, Amazon Echo devices are not. We know that when you request a TuneIn station on Sonos devices by voice it comes from a different feed to the one you get if you start it on the Sonos app. I wonder if TuneIn are pulling out of supporting Alexa - the Amazon agent I spoke to may have been hinting at that when he said he didn't know when the problem that some customers were experiencing would be fixed.
Badge
I have contacted using Messenger. Someone has picked it up so it is on their radar.
Badge
@UKMedia But I can pick up other radio stations from Tunein. So it is not a universal not supporting Alexa.
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
@UKMedia But I can pick up other radio stations from Tunein. So it is not a universal not supporting Alexa.Ah yes, I can get Jazz FM and Classic FM. Maybe it's just BBC radio stations that don't work on Alexa for some reason. The BBC stations do work from the TuneIn website.
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
Just got this back from Sonos support: "We are aware that there is an issue with the BBC stations when you try to play it using voice command and we are investigating this issue."

That's hopeful.
So I have this same issue - only today - but also, Spotify won't play on my sonos using the voice command. For some reason, it also won't play through Spotify connect, but will when I use the Sonos app. Basically: it seems like everything's gone haywire.
Thanks, got the same problem started yesterday 21-02-2018 Alexa says it's playing BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2 but does not Grrrrrrrrrrr.