Opinions On Sky Broadband.

[Seggons]

Hi everyone it's been a while since I lasted posted here so a big :smt039 to you all. But on to my point. We are looking into getting a phone and broadband package in the not to distant future and Sky has come up trumps so far. With me being me I would like to get a fiber package so that limits us to who we go with.

So I'm looking for people reviews on what Sky is like good and bad? From looking on Sky's website there doesn't appear to be any fair use on their fiber package, is this true? Thanks everyone. :D

[_Stretchie_]

Apart from initial setup we never had a problem whilst with sky, cannot comment on Fibre Optic though.

Possibly going through this ourselves soon

[ethariel]

I don't have Sky so for a free phoneline install i went BT Infinity2. 76Mbps down and 15Mbps up consistantly. In 3 months i had to reboot router twice to cure a go slow but otherwise outstanding connection and no download limits (Well over 100 Tb downloaded).

Have heard that bit totrrent is throttled on BT but as I don't use it, so im fine there.

[daveyrach]

We have Sky TV, Broadband and Phone, can't complain, they upgraded my router, sky box and gave me a wireless connector for the TV box FOC and cut my line rental for a year to £1 I have been with them must be 5 years now.

[Seggons]

For us it's between BT and Sky. Sky has an expensive one off cost but cheaper monthly cost where as BT has a very low one off cost but slightly higher monthly cost. Plus Sky is a 12 month contract where-as BT is a 18 month contract.

[Wideboy]

Apart from initial setup we never had a problem whilst with sky, cannot comment on Fibre Optic though.

Possibly going through this ourselves soon

Same as above, first week was crap and another week of slow connection but now its good

We go ours for tv phone and broadband mainly because it was cheaper than the rest plus we got 200 quid of m&s vouchers (might have been 150, can't remember)

[granty92]

we have sky with the fibre optic aswell, they set it all up real quick which was good as i heard its not always like that, definately really worth the initial set up i think :)

[wyrdness]

I'm thinking of changing to Sky fibre. They don't do any throttling, traffic shaping or limiting, unlike most other ISPs.

There's an interesting discussion here: http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2012/07/18/virgin_media_bskyb_asa_rulings/

[Spank86]

The lines are the same no matter who you go with (barring virgin media), so really your choice comes down to looking at all the providers that offer the Fibre optic service (assuming its available where you are) and making a decision based on price and customer service.

If it were me I'd base it on wether you want Sky TV and go with them if you want the full package.


No matter what you get the same engineers doing the installs and fixing problems, the only change is which call centre you have to ring and how they deal with issues up to the point of calling out an engineer.

[Bordtea]

I despise Sky broadband, can't comment on the fibre optic though. Useless ****ers keep slowing our internet down.

[MisterTommyH]

I find the sky package quite good if you get everything from them.

I had to get an engineer out here to get it set-up, but that was a BT openreach issue.

Have recently started getting drop outs, and it has been a bit of a nightmare getting through their system, but finally got a BT engineer out and again it turns out the fault is wiring not Skys.... You just have to get through their phone system.

[timwilky]

Can you get fibre? I cannot even get ADSL, never mind fibre. Do not assume anyone can get anything

[kat_s1]

I install it for a living (I'm an openreach engineer).
Actually did one today over from eversley exchange, near Wokingham. Customer is paying for 2meg upload and 40meg download, about half a mile from the cab but he was still getting the same speeds at the socket.

(Funny enough in Marlow and Bourne end there is virign, but they use our lines.)

The fibre optic is pretty good stuff, at my mums where there is infinity she has option 2 =78 down and 18 up... Here we have virign but fibre only, no landline. The 50 meg = 43 down and 4 up, it's not bad but I'm paying £37.25 a month for it... Waiting for this area to become live so I can take back my free Internet.

Please note plus net are also doing it and talk talk albeit in certain areas so check with your provider... Essentially every service provider will have it eventually as they all have the right to rent openreach's line.

Hope this helps.

[hardhat_harry]

Only had Sky ADSL and it was crap

[Spank86]

I despise Sky broadband, can't comment on the fibre optic though. Useless ****ers keep slowing our internet down.

It's no their fibre optic.

They just rent it, same as BT.

[metalangel]

I've had Sky Broadband (via ADSL) for six years now. Good for downloading, streaming, gaming. Only problem I've ever had was very early into my time with them, where the router they supplied was knackered (power supply fault). It took a very long time to get it replaced because all their call centre monkeys know is to unplug and wait 30 seconds, but it's been flawless since then.

[maviczap]

Only problem I've ever had was very early into my time with them, where the router they supplied was knackered (power supply fault)..

Been with them since early part of this year, had the same problem as metalangel, but got a replacement router pretty quick, but I'd already fixed the problem with another power supply)

Speed is sooooooo much quicker than my previous AOL, can stream video's & run BBC iplayer with no buffering.

Would have Virgin cable, but none down my street, so Sky is best at the mo

Consistent 12mbs

[Spank86]

Rumour has it that sky's router problems have been somewhat resolved recently, cheap components.

[maviczap]

Yep, there's mileage in that. My replacement power supply was somewhat meatier than the original one. I think the original just overheated and fried itself.

Only about 2 weeks old too, my AOL was the original and was never switched off.

I switch the sky one off every night

[Spank86]

I'd stop doing that if I was you.

It'll play havoc with your speeds.

(assuming you're on the adsl2 up to 20meg service)

[Seggons]

Thanks everyone for your replies. The general feeling is that they are a good company overall but with the normal customer support niggles that all big companys normally have. I'm sure if I asked the same question but about BT I would get similar responces. It's nice to know it actually is unlimited internet.

I know that we can get Fiber Optic because the cabinet is a stones throw away with BT's fiber optic poster all over it.

[maviczap]

I'd stop doing that if I was you.

It'll play havoc with your speeds.

(assuming you're on the adsl2 up to 20meg service)

Not caused any problems doing this

[Spank86]

If you're happy with it then fine.

But Adsl is designed as an always on service and the line manager can **** up if it's not run like that.


Doesn't always but if your speed does ever drop it'll never come back up again.