I was trying to avoid it. I am tech savvy. I could not find a workaround. There was no way, at least none I could find despite my efforts, to skip the screen requiring you to connect without connecting.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/questions/sony-77-class-bravia-...
So assuming you are software savvy enough to not have missed the correct prompt, I have to assume there was a bug with the firmware version you recieved.
Some people like my 92 year old Grandmom don't have internet, and it would make no sense for Sony to have to deal with returns from them.