Sky Broadband Speed Issues...

markyb · 19 Aug 2009 at 20:04

Dutchman said:
I had same thing, was with pipex but left for sky bb, top package at the time, think it was about £10. Service started out fine, but as weeks went on my 4mb line started to feel more like a 128kb ISDN line connection. Funnily enough though the speed seem to pickup around 1am and would be okay early morning

Several calls to their support and all checks out fine from their side. I eventually just gave up, I couldn't game anymore at peak times, getting pings on uk servers of over 100.
Switched to BE, still only on 4mb due to distance from exchange, but I'm getting 1.2 upload and their service has been top notch now for over a year, wouldn't go anywhere else.
Now whether Sky was deliberately throttling, or everybody in my street took up sky and I had to compete with them, I don't know, but happy that I ditched Sky

Thanks mate. Your exactly right about 1am. 1am it goes quicker again.

The trouble is I've been with them for almost 4 months now. Can I cancel, considering I've been calling them every single month so far?

Dutchman · 19 Aug 2009 at 20:12

Not sure if their contracts have changed, but when I signed it was on a 1 month notice basis which worked well. Unless you are tied in to a 12 month contract I would go elsewhere, you are paying money for a service you are not happy with

ljt · 20 Aug 2009 at 12:15

markyb said:
Ah, Sorry guys. I could only go on their first package. For some reason I can't get it?! Paying £17 a month for Broadband.

Theres your problem, You aren't on the sky LLU equipment. You're actually on BT Wholesale equipment that sky use when a particular exchange hasn't got skys own equipment in.

This means you'll be heavily traffic shaped, throttling etc, which is what you are experiencing. This is why you've noticed at literally 1 minute past 19:30 your speed suddenly drops.

What exchange are you off ? there may be other better (and cheaper) LLU services on offer.

markyb · 20 Aug 2009 at 13:10

ljt said:
Theres your problem, You aren't on the sky LLU equipment. You're actually on BT Wholesale equipment that sky use when a particular exchange hasn't got skys own equipment in.

This means you'll be heavily traffic shaped, throttling etc, which is what you are experiencing. This is why you've noticed at literally 1 minute past 19:30 your speed suddenly drops.

What exchange are you off ? there may be other better (and cheaper) LLU services on offer.

Thanks,

How do I tell which Exchange I'm off? If I move to a BT Line and go with someone like BE, Am I still subjective to this throttling?

ljt · 20 Aug 2009 at 14:29

markyb said:
Thanks,

How do I tell which Exchange I'm off? If I move to a BT Line and go with someone like BE, Am I still subjective to this throttling?

You can check at the following link off Samknows.com

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php

Enter your phone number/post code, click check, then click on LLU xDSL link on the left

At the top it will then say "You are connected to xxxxx exchange" and list all the LLU providers who have kit at your exchange.

Some LLU companies throttle as much as BT, but others dont. Skys own LLU service doesn't generally throttle, BE/O2 are generally held in high regard on here too

markyb · 20 Aug 2009 at 14:36

ljt said:
You can check at the following link off Samknows.com

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php

Enter your phone number/post code, click check, then click on LLU xDSL link on the left

At the top it will then say "You are connected to xxxxx exchange" and list all the LLU providers who have kit at your exchange.

Some LLU companies throttle as much as BT, but others dont. Skys own LLU service doesn't generally throttle, BE/O2 are generally held in high regard on here too

LLU xDSL presence at your exchange

AOL is available in your area
O2 / Be Unlimited is not yet available in your area
Bulldog (C&W) is available in your area
TalkTalk (CPW) is available in your area at up to 8Mbps
Sky Broadband / Easynet is not yet available in your area
Edge Telecom is not yet available in your area
Entanet is not yet available in your area
Lumison is not yet available in your area
Newnet is not yet available in your area
Node4 is not yet available in your area
Pipex is not yet available in your area
Smallworld Media is not yet available in your area
Tiscali is not yet available in your area
Tiscali TV is not yet available in your area
Orange is available in your area
WB Internet is not yet available in your area
Zen is not yet available in your area

Its a brand new build, Built this year.

EDIT : Also noticed this...

BT Wholesale information

ADSL status: Enabled as of 30/06/2001
ADSL Max status: Enabled as of 31/03/2006
SDSL status: Not available
21CN WBC status: RFS date set : 30/09/2009
21CN PSTN switchover target: Q2 2009

ljt · 20 Aug 2009 at 14:50

oh dear, no BE/O2 either lol.

AOL are pretty dire as are TalkTalk. I don't know much else about the rest, it might be worth starting a spec me an ISP thread and listing your exchange!

I have only really experienced BT's own broadband and Skys LLU (current provider) so I can't really comment on many others

markyb · 20 Aug 2009 at 14:57

ljt said:
oh dear, no BE/O2 either lol.

AOL are pretty dire as are TalkTalk. I don't know much else about the rest, it might be worth starting a spec me an ISP thread and listing your exchange!

I have only really experienced BT's own broadband and Skys LLU (current provider) so I can't really comment on many others

I've been on BE's website and they stat I can get speeds of up to 3.5mb. But I'm asumming this is not on the LLU service?

If I went with BE/o2 would I be faced with the same situation?

Sorry for the questions mate, I really need to get this sorted.

ljt · 20 Aug 2009 at 15:06

Did you put your phone number in at the top to get it to say the 3.5mb?

I've just had a quick gander at the bethere.co.uk website and it doesnt appear they offer a BT Wholesale type of service like skys "connect" package.

If so, maybe the info on samknows is out of date and BE do infact have equipment at your exchange, (there are a list of exchanges on the BE website at https://www.bethere.co.uk/web/beportal/coverage ) but hopefully someone who knows a bit more about BE could clarify. You could always give BE a call and ask them.

markyb · 20 Aug 2009 at 15:10

ljt said:
Did you put your phone number in at the top to get it to say the 3.5mb?

I've just had a quick gander at the bethere.co.uk website and it doesnt appear they offer a BT Wholesale type of service like skys "connect" package.

If so, maybe the info on samknows is out of date and BE do infact have equipment at your exchange, (there are a list of exchanges on the BE website at https://www.bethere.co.uk/web/beportal/coverage ) but hopefully someone who knows a bit more about BE could clarify. You could always give BE a call and ask them.

I put my number and postcode. I did call them the other day but they said I had to have a line with BT, not Sky.

Just checked Be's website for coverage...

BRAINTREE EABNT Live BRAINTREE

Good news?

ljt · 20 Aug 2009 at 15:59

If braintree is your exchange then yes lol!

Now the only sticking point I can see is the cancellation of your sky broadband and the switching back to paying BT for your phone line! as you said you're only 4 months into the contract....

markyb · 20 Aug 2009 at 16:01

ljt said:
If braintree is your exchange then yes lol!

Now the only sticking point I can see is the cancellation of your sky broadband and the switching back to paying BT for your phone line! as you said you're only 4 months into the contract....

Thanks for your help mate.

I'll let you know how it goes tonight with them.

Dave85 · 20 Aug 2009 at 16:40

Im pretty sure your stuck in a 12 month contract but the best way to wangle it is your getting less than promised, tell them you have been through all the troubleshooting allready and if you cant cancel the broadband you will cancel the tv and phone aswell.

if your on connect its a shockingly terrible service. Jump to be asap.

markyb · 20 Aug 2009 at 16:42

DAvE18 said:
Im pretty sure your stuck in a 12 month contract but the best way to wangle it is your getting less than promised, tell them you have been through all the troubleshooting allready and if you cant cancel the broadband you will cancel the tv and phone aswell.

if your on connect its a shockingly terrible service. Jump to be asap.

Thanks, I'll try this tonight.

Its got worse and I've been on the phone almost every month for hours at a time. No one gives you the same story.

I can't fault their TV Service and happy to stay with them for that.

MagicBoy · 20 Aug 2009 at 22:23

As said above you're on the BT Connect service. You'll be getting traffic shaping etc on the BT network, and there's not a whole lot you can do about it with the lack of alternate possibilites at that Exchange.

I've been on Sky for a couple of years and got moved from the BT service (which was OK for me) to the 16MB LLU service after a couple of months. No traffic shaping, a solid connection and excellent speeds make me a happy bunny. I'm probably just lucky living close to an exchange which was converted to LLU quickly.

markyb · 21 Aug 2009 at 13:05

Spoke to Sky Customer services who advised me that I have to fax or write to an address they supplied me. I did ask the bloke if I was still in 2009 and that I couldn't believe there was no one I could talk to with regards to a cancellation.

I've faxed off a letter today from work.

EDIT : Just got an e-mail through...

Thank quick responce regarding your Sky Talk & Broadband.

I can confirm that i have cancelled both service's with immediate effect and they will cease in the next 48 hour's. You will receive a MAC Code in the post please pass this onto your new provider within 30 day's other wise it will expire.

markyb · 14 Oct 2009 at 08:46

** Update **

After I cancelled Sky, I signed up for a BT phone line, waited another 10 days for that to become active then signed up for BE internet.

I got the BE box through yesterday. I had a couple of issues with the speed. Only syncing at 1mb. I called BE who were fantastic, the tech support team know what they are talking about and called back frequently to update me.

They also optimised my profile for games.

With Sky BB

Before 19:30 - 1.2mb (~120kbps) Ping - ~80
After 19:31 - 0.5mb (....Slow) Ping - ~100

With BE

Before 19:30 - 2.5mb (~220kbps) Ping - ~21
After 19:31 - 2.5mb (~220kbps) Ping - ~21

BEN_UK · 14 Oct 2009 at 11:40

I am in the same boat as you.

With SkyBB at the moment and its pants !!! 5Mb in the morning in the evening after 4pm less than half a meg !! 0.3 speed test results. wont even load youtube videos :eek:

All i want is a good connection speed all the time and low ping's in my games on PS3. Dont want to download massive files.

Looking to move to ADSL24 for a month contract see how it works out.

Going to be cancelling Sky tonight and hopfully signing up to ADSL24 straight away !

Will update as i go

Thanks Ben