Sky Broadband

[TTDegs]

cheers Miggins

I had no choice - I currently probably could change

But at the mo having no FUP and an unlimited d/l limit is rather handy

That said, mate of mine at work has put me onto someone (whos name it's waaay to late to remember!) who will shortly be upgrading my local switch to 24Mg...


It's some stupid name like BeLite, or Be something... ?

LOL - NOT BT!


Edit:

Be Unlimited
https://www.bethere.co.uk/homebroadb...ADB0D7.tomcat1

[generationgav]

I'm going with be Unlimited when I get connected at my new place, currently I'm limited to work & mobile access.

[Topcat]

My bro works for Sky News and he says most of his work colleagues now have sky broadband and are really pleased with it, my boss has it and is really pleased - oh im sooooooooo confused

[allan40alt]

I just tried to go onto Sky BB as I've changed my TV/Phone package from Virgin.

I had to send the Sky router/modem back as the telephone extension I ran from the main incoming phone socket was too long. Evidently if you go over 10m then it is not going to work; and the patch lead from the router/modem is about 2m long anyway.

You can install it 'wire free' but that meant having a power cable installed in the hall as, although there are 3 separate ones, none are close to the incoming socket; then the router/modem plugged in by the front door in the hall!

I also think the router/modem has to be 'hard wired' for the initial set-up which would have meant carting everything downstairs to do it.

Luckily I had only just terminated my Virgin BB service, so I was able to re-connect with them.

PS: Virgin do a smaller package (I'm on size L) which is 2Mbps. Size L is 4Mbps (10Mbps in some parts of the country). Question is...would 2Mbps be suitable for general use..ie: like browsing on Civinfo ?

[paul_b]

Pipex were great, a long time ago. I left them last year, having been with them for 5 years. They were respected, but then they were purchased by Tiscali. No way was I going to stick around with that bunch of jokers in charge.

I'm now with Be There (part of O2), and getting a better, cheaper and much faster service.

They're not available at every exchange yet, but are rolling out fast. Being in London, TC, they are probably an option for you.

[TTDegs]

@ Allan - 2M is fine - I was on that for the last couple of years

But faster is always better!

check out my other thread


Be* are one of the good ones out there if they have LLU'd your exchange

Sky - are either rubbish, or fantastic - again depending on if you get on their LLU service (alledegly!)

And yes, Tiscalli - well, just don't (again, apparently )

[allan40alt]

Thank's for that. Great info.

I have checked my Virgin speed with Speedtest.net - The Global Broadband Speed Test on their L package and it's 3933Kbps Download and 374Kbps upload.

Size L (4Mbps) costs £25 per month and size M (2Mbps) is £18, but the free security costs an extra £3 per month to upgrade to the same level of protection that you get as standard for free on the size L.

I've just read through your other posts and there's a lot more to it than just connecting the supplied filters etc.

Crikey; my head hurts!!

Guess I'll stick with Virgin for the near future!

Thank's for your help and advice. Al.


Ps: I've just had a reply from Virgin and the 10Mbps upgrade is commencing as from the end of February, region by region. Hope we are one of the early ones!!

Pps: I've just had another email from Virgin to say that all regions will be upgraded by summer!! 10Mbps for £25 can't be bad!! Even better deals available if you take one of their packages!!

[TTDegs]

Sounds good AL

As you're on Virgin, are you Cable, or phone line connected for their 'net connection?

If you're cable, then ignore my other thread!

I really should have pointed out it was for 'phone line internet only

Purely for info, UKOnline (my new ISP) is £20 per month for up to 8M, £25 for up to 16M.
Completly and totally unlimited downloads (people have reported doing 500Gig downloads per month without a quible)
And it includes free 12 month McAffee antivirus for free

Only down side (potentially) is a 12 month contract.

cheers

[allan40alt]

Yes Virgin Broadband is cable connected.

I realised you were referring to phone line connection and that is why I thought Sky would be good as I've switched to SkyHD for my TV package (no sports in HD on Virgin HDTV) and for only £5 per month you can get Sky Broadband via the phone line. Unfortunately (as you mentioned) it does need to be connected to the main incoming phone line socket, and this was not suitable in my case as I would have had to run power to the front door and the router/modem would all have stood inside the front door. My wife did add her comment about seeing that every time she opened the door!! Hence, it wasn't suitable.

So Virgin costs £20 extra, but 10Mbps and free security - even after the first year there's no subscription to pay. Maximum I could have received via the BT line was 3Mbps, but in the event I couldn't barely get a signal due to the long run of the extension.

[jamo9017]

hi i have been with sky from day one of it comeing to manchester i pay £10 per mth as i have the tv aswell and i wont change it for anything its the best i have been with ,and i do a lot of downloading ,hope this helps

and i have 3 pcs and one laptop on the one netgear router i got with it

[allan40alt]

Originally Posted by jamo9017

hi i have been with sky from day one of it comeing to manchester i pay £10 per mth as i have the tv aswell and i wont change it for anything its the best i have been with ,and i do a lot of downloading ,hope this helps

and i have 3 pcs and one laptop on the one netgear router i got with it

Yes, I'm sure it's fine. I would now be on it but for the installation problem.

I guess I could have drilled through the wall into the garage by the side of the main phone incoming socket, positioned the router/modem in there to pick up the power, fed a remote mains isolater switch back into the hall along with the phone line connector. But what a lot of hassle when I just had to re-connect Virgin.

[TTDegs]

Al - you could just just a wireless enable modem router (such as the Netgear one) by the door, and connect to it wirelessly...

but for a reduction in speed to 3M it's probably not worth it

[allan40alt]

Originally Posted by TTDegs

Al - you could just just a wireless enable modem router (such as the Netgear one) by the door, and connect to it wirelessly...

but for a reduction in speed to 3M it's probably not worth it

Yes, it was the mains power supply and the fact it would have stood (actually touching) a large double central heating radiator in the hall, oh yes, and my better half saying something like..."If you think I'm going to look at that thing every time.....". Well you get the idea.

The garage was the only option.

[TTDegs]

LOL - I do indeed!

My main phone socket is in our bedroom...
At one stage I had the modem under our bed to get a nice short cable run

That lasted exactly 2 hours before she noticed

[sonicsteve]

My mother in law has the "free" Sky Broadband and it's horribly slow. I have BT Broadband (I also work for them). My connection is quick and up to now I haven't had any issues. I had Pipex in the past and only had 1 outage in 3 years.

However having had to help friends out I have experienced the Indian call centre. My favourite one was "There is nothing wrong with the Sky" when Sky had somehow managed to turn off the BT line as well as the Sky Service.

You could ring 150 and get an automatic line test done. This will help tell if there is a fault on the line.

The other thing to work out is how far away you are from the exchange. My brother was right on the limit and his broadband was up and down and he couldn't get a reliable service. 3 providers later and he has given up.

[symia32]

very happy with sky, got the unlimted package, had it for 12 months and no problems.

ps picked up my vivid 2.2 type s gt today and am mightly impressed