Moving to sky

I am considering moving to Sky. I am currently with Virgin Media adsl on a BT line. Virgin media cable is not available where I live

The Thinkbroadband speed test gives my current download speed as 1.56Mbps
If I reboot my router a couple of times I can usually get a download speed of 2.5Mbps though this lasts only a few hours before the speed deteriorates and I have to reboot the router again
Sky�s website estimates download speeds of 4.0 � 9.2 Mbps speeds which I think seem wildly optimistic for the area

Samknows website indicates I am 2.24km from the telephone exchange but obviously that is in a straight line and the correct length is probably a lot longer

First question is does anyone think I would see an improvement in speeds by moving to sky?

Secondly Sky supplies its own router and I understand that you cannot use a non Sky router. What happens if the router fails? Are you left without broadband for several days and do Sky charge for a replacement router? I ask this question as I am now on my sixth router in 7 years (a draytek,a couple of different netgears and a belkin have all failed for various reasons)

You can use other routers with Sky, but it is up to you to figure out how to do it. Plenty of examples via google, but otherwise if it breaks, then yes is a couple of days while a new one is sent out.

6 routers in 7 years, I'd suggest you may have an issue with mains supply, or affected by lightning a lot.

Rather than speedtests, what are the router stats, that forms the absolute maximum for what you can get, and you can estimate whether line is under performing from those figures too.

6 in 7 years. Must be something wrong there I have to agree.

Routers usually last me around 4 years (by which point I've normally upgraded)

Replacements free within 1 year and if you ask they get it sent within 24 hours. Even after one year they can make it free.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Fri 24-Aug-12 17:06:24)

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

You can use other routers with Sky

I seem to remember that if the exchange has been upgraded to Sky's new MER kit that most routers will not work with it. Been a little while since I was on Sky but pretty sure this is the case.

EDIT: After a quick look it seems it is working with some routers but with not necessarily in a very user friendly way.

Edited by ian72 (Fri 24-Aug-12 16:19:59)

In reply to a post by ian72:

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

You can use other routers with Sky

I seem to remember that if the exchange has been upgraded to Sky's new MER kit that most routers will not work with it. Been a little while since I was on Sky but pretty sure this is the case.

EDIT: After a quick look it seems it is working with some routers but with not necessarily in a very user friendly way.

For some routers, notably the ones based on DD-WRT seem to be quite complicated to set up for Sky MER. My personal choice would be the Billion BiPAC 7800N because it's quite easy to set up and will work with Sky's fibre service as well.

I'm currently using a BiPAC 8200N with SFUP although the firmware is still in beta and has a few sync problems.

Even on the new equipment ppoa still works so it's straight forward

The only one that has issues is the FTTC
Sky's fibre service requires custom firmware eg DDWRT to get it working as you must use MER

On LLU old or new equipment you just need the username and password. Any modem router would work

Edited by ukhardy07 (Fri 24-Aug-12 17:03:59)

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

Even on the new equipment ppoa still works so it's straight forward

Sky are gradually withdrawing PPPoA as more exchanges are switched over to MER espeicially now that all Sky routers, including their old Netgear's support it.

In reply to a post by simon194:

Sky are gradually withdrawing PPPoA as more exchanges are switched over to MER espeicially now that all Sky routers, including their old Netgear's support it.

But Oliver posted only a few days ago the opposite. ADSL users are going back to PPPoA and MER for fibre users.

Draytek and Billion have firmware that supports MER now.

Cant comment on Sky's service as have never used them but on your router issue you might want to connect it to a surge protector.

I think you are wrong here.