Google Assistant no longer playing the radio since S2 update

Same problem here too….

This from @SonosSupport: “We are still investigating this issue and do not have a time frame for a solution at this time.”

I can confirm that this IFTTT workaround works with a Nest Mini, but you need to set up each radio station and device combination separately.

https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/step-by-step-guide-to-play-bbc-radio-station-via-voice-control-6834993

Is there any actual benefit to S2 for existing users, or is it just one of those painful updates that the company imposes to support new products while throwing in pointless rejigging of the user interface with no real benefit? I hope to hold out without updating for as long as possible. We need to give Sonos some time to work out the bugs. Given past track record, that should only be about 12 to infinity months.

This issue is not exclusive to SONOS S2 - It is also an issue for S1 users.

Yes definitely issue for S1 also

Unfortunately it appears this is a forced update. My music services won’t work until I update my Sonos firmware and Sonos apps on all devices. Thanks Sonos.

I don't have an answer here but I have 2 S1's. The GA on them wasn't very good at picking up our voices. So, we linked a Google Mini to them and set the S1's as the default speaker through the Google Home app and then turned the mic off on the S1's. All was working fine until the Sonos app update. 

Interestingly, resetting the Google Mini and not linking it to the S1's, BBC radio works fine. I thought I'd done it but, as soon as I set the default speaker to the S1's, the issue happened again. 

Now, when you ask a Google Mini to play BBC radio 2 when not linked to Sonos, the response you get is, "OK, streaming 88 to 91 FM BBC radio 2 from the BBC". As soon as you link it to Sonos, you get "OK, streaming BBC radio 2 from Tunin".

I've tried changing the default radio station in Sonos to Sonos Radio but, whatever you ask for through the GA it defaults using Tunin.

The wife is going nuts without having BBC radio and wants me to disconnect the S1's. She actually said that she "couldn't give a stuff about superior sound quality!". Actually....she didn't say "stuff".

lazaki wrote:

Hi All,

 

Interim update. I’ve done nothing to my setup but when I now ask google assistant to play bbc radio 2 she thinks she is playing it and in the Sonos app there is a retro looking BBC radio 2 icon that looks like we’ve gone back in time! It doesn’t work but feels like progress...I think. 

 

 

I take your retro looking BBC radio 2 icon and raise it with my retro looking BBC Radio 4 icon:

… and it still didn't play Radio 4 

I agree. My wife has now produced an old radio to use instead of SONOS. 

My advice - just get a smart speaker (eg, Google Nest Hub - just reduced in price, or an Alexa Show.  Better sound on Nest, but less versatile in other smart ways than Alexa).   Or just use your existing mini speakers if sound quality is no longer important..

In my opinion, Sonos has totally lost its way.

As previously mentioned in this thread I think it's more about a dispute between Google and the BBC and who's at fault from a customer perspective is anyone's guess.

Alexa/Amazon have added the BBC sounds app to their  platform and everything there works fine. Shame I still prefer the Google option but it's an ok work around whilst waiting for it to be sorted.

Me: Hey Google, play Smooth Radio

S1: Sorry I don’t understand.

Me: Hey Google, play Smooth

S1: Sorry I don’t understand.

Me: Hey Google, play Smooth Radio UK

S1: OK, playing Smooth UK on Tunein

Me: Hey Google, play Smooth UK

S1: OK, playing Smooth UK on Tunein

Me: Hey Google, play Radio X

S1: OK, playing Radio X on Tunein; sorry I can’t find what you asked for.

At the end of that nothing plays on my Sonos One.

Fair point so not just BBC UK which is what I normally listen to as I like advert free and indirectly I am paying for it.

Also I have no knowledge of the technology, it's only my theory. Sorry for any misunderstanding.👍

same problem, updated to S2. Can not play BBC channels using Google assistant. Yet it will activate other stations on tunein. And you can manually play bbc stations using app.

V annoying as its my main and most regular command. Still no updates??

Yes same here. I’m about at the end of my tether with my multi room Sonos system.  All I want to do is control the radio in the same way I can the lights from google home.  I can see me very soon moving totally to roon endpoints.

Thank god I found this thread, at least it's not me! It's so handy being able to ask Google to play BBC radio one when you've just got in the shower and forgot to turn the Sonos on. Now me and the Mrs have to make a conscious effort to turn it all on before we get in. 🙄

I have just splashed out on a raspberry Pi to set up as a Roon endpoint.  About £70.  Done

It’s quite irritating, be nice to get a proper fix

WE are way overdue an update about what is going on - this is as bad as the BBC tunein issue of a while ago.

Still an issue. 

I've got nothing from anyone or anything on the matter. Frustrating! 

Hi folks,

Same problem here!

So frustrating!

Hi all,

Same here, replaced my Google Mini for better sound and have lost most used functionality within weeks (well what I used...BBC stations!) 

Joke Sonos, poor service

G

Yes, I have this issue too. I've set my Sonos SL as a default on my google mini speaker.  I Can't ask my google assistant to play BBC radio. It's frustrating other radio stations work as does Spotify playlists.  Just BBC stations broken. Who owns this problem, Sonos or BBC?

Clearly little interest in SONOS giving an update on this issue let alone fixing it

Hi Sonos,

Any update? This is becoming ridiculous. I reported this 25 days ago!!