Just placed order with Sky

They twisted my arm.

Free install, Free Sky +, Free second box, that's a lot of free stuff!

£40 a month for Line rental, Talk freetime, Broadband max, Sky + and 2nd box, and all six entertainment packs with nothing to pay up front. Think I got a good deal?


ANYWAY I'm with Be* at the moment and had been hesitating to go over to Sky because I didn't want my upload speeds to be capped at 768K as I upload a lot.

Is Sky broadband just as good as it used to be? I've noticed a smattering of LLU speed complaints but when I was with Sky LLU a couple of years ago at another address the speeds were superb!

What speeds do you think I'll be able to get with Sky Broadband Max? Here are the line stats from my Be* router at the moment:

DSL Type: G.992.3 annex A
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 1,265 / 7,664
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [kB/kB]: 0.00 / 0.00
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 12.0 / 18.0
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 28.5 / 46.0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 3.5 / 4.5
Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / BDCM
Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Link (Remote): 0
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Cheers all! Hope I've made the right decision

_____________________________________________
Be*Value
Downstream: 7653K 48.5dB Loss 4.0dB SNR
Upstream:1291K 27.5dB Loss 3.0dB SNR
TechBroadband
Speed Test

Given your stats you would get roughly the same on Sky as you currently do on Be. Your SNR is low and Sky may force that up to 6dB in which case you might be a little slower.

How much investigation have you done into your internal wiring? I ask because with your attenuation you should probably be getting better speeds on Be (and therefore on Sky in future).

I have an NTE5 with an SSFP, and a Shielded twisted pair cable from ADSL Nation from the filtered faceplate to the router.

There aren't any extensions on the line.

There's not really a lot that can be done to improve the internal wiring!!

You think I have a low sync rate? I think this may be because I am on an Aluminium D-Side.

The cable from Ex-Cab is rated at 31dB but there's a 740M run of 0.4mm Ali from the cab to the pole creating a bit of an issue speed wise...

I thought 7.6 meg was pretty good for 46dB myself

Stable though!

_____________________________________________
Be*Value
Downstream: 7653K 48.5dB Loss 4.0dB SNR
Upstream:1291K 27.5dB Loss 3.0dB SNR
TechBroadband
Speed Test

Edited by izools (Fri 03-Jul-09 16:22:54)

I reckon there shouldn't be much difference between Be*Value and Sky's services, and would move to Sky myself for the price savings, but I really depend on my static IP.

Shame about the Ali... as others with similar attenuations have achieved around 9.5 to 10meg, but are fully copper.

The shielded face place on the NTE5, with shielded cable seem to help local interference amazingly; I have a BT fitted face plate from years ago, and have a Zoom telephonics shielded cable from face plate to router. (If I use the standard non shielded cable I lose 2mbps !! Amazing).

(For those reading this thread without Sky TV, then O2's pricing for similar service levels is worth investigating. Assuming on an appropriate exchange)

--
James - be* pro - Draytek 2820Vn = 17.7meg/2.3meg - 3db profile

I just thought of something -

Last time I had Sky Line Rental it was a WLR (Wholesale Line Rental) service - i.e. although I paid Sky for everything including line rental, the voice side of the line was still connected to BT PSTN equiptment (SMPF - Shared Metallic Path Facility).

With sky's recent package changes, does this mean that I'm going to be put on a Full LLU service (MPF), the same as TalkTalk use? Do Sky have their own PSTN equiptment or MSANs now, because they never used to!?

_____________________________________________
Be*Value
Downstream: 7653K 48.5dB Loss 4.0dB SNR
Upstream:1291K 27.5dB Loss 3.0dB SNR
TechBroadband
Speed Test

I think you'll be on sky's fully unbundled service, if not you'd be moved over within a few months.

I haven't re-read the whole thread, but is your deal dependent on sky line rental? their standard prices for sky line rental offer little benefit compared to BT as far as i know. So i've kept the line rental with BT to avoid moving over.

Kris

Sky Broadband
Ashington (Northumberland) Exchange
Netgear DG834GT

I dont know if the deal was dependant on having line rental - I just kept arguing the toss until he'd given me all the discounts he possibly could

The line rental is £1.25 a month less than with BT and I only get free weekend calls from BT, so I'm gaining free evening calls and a £1.25 a month discount from being with Sky for the voice side of things

All is good!

I don't really mind being on a fully unbundled service tbh, just intersting that they are offering it now!

_____________________________________________
Be*Value
Downstream: 7653K 48.5dB Loss 4.0dB SNR
Upstream:1291K 27.5dB Loss 3.0dB SNR
TechBroadband
Speed Test

dont bother with sky talk line rental.

I am on BT line rental their bottom package and I have free landline calls 24/7 as well as discounted mobile and international calls. Using a 3rd party call provider (no monthly subs or full llu rubbish).

Is going full llu really worth it for £1.25 a month?

Out of interest, which 3rd party call provider is giving you free landline calls 24/7? I wouldn't mind signing up for that myself.

Regards,

Felix

BT Retail are refusing to give me free evening and weekend calls or free 0845/0870 calls due to the fact that when the line was installed I "Agreed" to be tied to a free weekend calls only package for 18 months.

They will not allow me to have the free 0845/0870 calls evenings & weekends that every one else gets for free, unless I pay an extra few quid a month.

Why would it be a problem going Full LLU? I have no intentions of moving back to BT Retail and when I move I will be taking Sky with me. Sky offer new line installs for a mere £25 if the property I move to has no line, if I do move, so I can't see a problem being with them for everything.

Or am I missing something?

_____________________________________________
Be*Value
Downstream: 7653K 48.5dB Loss 4.0dB SNR
Upstream:1291K 27.5dB Loss 3.0dB SNR
TechBroadband
Speed Test