The telephone wires are not the problem-you can fix them at your leisure.
The Sky+ boxes do tend to freezeand its not been unknown for this to be caused by Sky when they transmit untested updates.
Sky engineers will tell you this-
1. Unplug the Sky box or switch it off completely at the wall socket.
2. Wait for at least three minutes for residual power within the box to be completely drained.
3. Switch the power back on but don't press any remote control buttons yet.
4. When the RED standby light comes on press the Sky button on the remote, the green light should come on -If it doesn't press the power on button.
5. Now type in your programme number and from there try the Record and Live Pause functions.
If your lucky the functions will have returned, if they have try one more test.
Put the box into 'standby mode' then switch it back on and retry the record and pause functions. If they still work your problem has been resolved.
Geoff deep down in Wales counting sheep, September 2010