Sky+ HD Box causing slow broadband speeds

Hi All,

Last night I was attending one of my customers who complained about slow broadband speeds.

Their broadband router had negotiated 228kbps download speed.
Yes I did say 228kbps.

It turned out that their brand new shiny Sky+ HD box, which had been installed in october last year, was cauing the slow down.

The SKY Installer had NOT fitted a micro filter between the boxes dial up modem connection and the telephone socket.

On removing the offending connection the new negotiated download speed was 1328kbps. A lot better, but not very near the 4.0mbps they were quoted when joinging sky broadband.

Their exchange is not a Sky LLU, so theirs is a BT Connection.
Having got the download speed up I then checked their IP Profile using the BT speed checker. This showed it was stuck at 250kbps.

The Sky BB agent is repoting this to BT today (10th), so hopefully there should be some movement soon.

Not really Sky box causing the issue but "lack of filter".

October?

They haven't noticed anything for 8 months?

In reply to a post by broadband66:

Not really Sky box causing the issue but "lack of filter".

The problem was caused by the bloke installing the box incorrecly.

In reply to a post by Stevenage_Neil:

October?

They haven't noticed anything for 8 months?

Yes, the customer just assumed the internet was normally this slow.
It was me that said the speed was unacceptable.

Not down to the installer to supply and fit a filter unless he was installing the broadband as well. If the Sky box worked then it was installed correctly.

In reply to a post by broadband66:

Not down to the installer to supply and fit a filter unless he was installing the broadband as well. If the Sky box worked then it was installed correctly.

I agree that from a short sighted view of things the installer did his job and the new Sky+ HD box worked.

But it is the responsibility of Sky to properly train their installers on the implications of connecting any Sky Box's dial up modem to the telephone line without fitting a filter.

The installer was replacing a SD Sky+ Box with a Sky+ HD Box. I know that their old SD box was not interfearing with their broadband and as far as I know it was properly connected via a filter, so my question is where did that filter go. In his tool box???

Was said filter moved to multi room where SKY+ box was moved to, if indeed multi room was taken? Its a bit harsh to criticise Sky Engineer for this...

In reply to a post by mikecrawford80:

Was said filter moved to multi room where SKY+ box was moved to, if indeed multi room was taken? Its a bit harsh to criticise Sky Engineer for this...

No I examined the wiring of the "old" Sky+ box and there was not even a cable coming out of the dial up modem socket on this.

Sky MUST train their installers properly...

I would have thought that should be standard practice for anybody connecting any equipment to a phone line WHETHER OR NOT the phone line has been enabled for ADSL or not a the point of fitting. When we moved into our previous house and took the alarm box apart, that had certainly been connected with a microfilter in place.

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

No I examined the wiring of the "old" Sky+ box and there was not even a cable coming out of the dial up modem socket on this.

Sky MUST train their installers properly...

The last time I had a sky installer, he wanted to fit a filter.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

No I examined the wiring of the "old" Sky+ box and there was not even a cable coming out of the dial up modem socket on this.

Sky MUST train their installers properly...

The last time I had a sky installer, he wanted to fit a filter.

All comes down to training then ....

In reply to a post by NickyJ:

I would have thought that should be standard practice for anybody connecting any equipment to a phone line WHETHER OR NOT the phone line has been enabled for ADSL or not a the point of fitting. When we moved into our previous house and took the alarm box apart, that had certainly been connected with a microfilter in place.

I agree 100%. It all comes down to training.

If one goes and purchases a piece of equipment that connect to a telephone line is a filter supplied? Not usually, therefore it is down to the purchaser to supply and fit the filter.

In which case the installer should inform the purchaser of this. And also inform the purchaser of the likely effects of connecting the equipment without a filter.

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

No I examined the wiring of the "old" Sky+ box and there was not even a cable coming out of the dial up modem socket on this.

Sky MUST train their installers properly...

The last time I had a sky installer, he wanted to fit a filter.

All comes down to training then ....

No it all comes down to the end user.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

... nested quotes trimmed ...

The last time I had a sky installer, he wanted to fit a filter.

All comes down to training then ....

No it all comes down to the end user.

You can't expect the average end user to know this.
Most of us drive cars, but wouldn't undertake maintenance ourselves.
All we do is drive it and fill it up with petrol, our "Garage" takes care of the rest.
The Sky installer falls under the category of "Garage"

And when you engine seizes up because you ran out of oil will you blame the garage? There are some things that a consumer is expected to do (or to pay extra for someone else to do it for them), there are others that need a technician. Micro-filters on telephone equipment is a requirement for broadband but should Sky engineers be responsible for fitting them?

In reply to a post by wingco1:

In which case the installer should inform the purchaser of this. And also inform the purchaser of the likely effects of connecting the equipment without a filter.

This is exaclty what I think should happen.
i.e. The installer should be TRAINED on what the consequences of not filtering the Sky+ box would be.

In reply to a post by ian72:

And when you engine seizes up because you ran out of oil will you blame the garage? There are some things that a consumer is expected to do (or to pay extra for someone else to do it for them), there are others that need a technician. Micro-filters on telephone equipment is a requirement for broadband but should Sky engineers be responsible for fitting them?

Yes my "80 year old granny" would expect the garage to tell her not to drive the car if the oil light (or any other warning light) came on.

There is no such "warning light" when someone botches the installation of telephone devices thus crippling the ADSL line. In this case my customer just put it down to the internet being slow, not a problem with her installation.

Sorry, I have never known a garage where I have bought/serviced a car ever tell me not to drive if the oil light is on - I am expected to know that as part of owning a car - my responsibility, not theirs!

In reply to a post by ian72:

Micro-filters on telephone equipment is a requirement for broadband but should Sky engineers be responsible for fitting them?

If the Sky installer plugs a Sky box into an ADSL-enabled phone line without a filter then he is directly harming the broadband connection. In this instance they should either fit a filter or leave it unplugged and tell the owner to fit a filter later on.

Don't forget it's not just the ADSL router that will have problems communicating in this instance, the Sky box will have a very hard time communicating with all the background noise.

Edited by Oliver341 (Fri 13-May-11 16:58:48)

When you purchase a car does the sales person explain how to drive the car?

When purchasing any item, the purchaser may be shown how certain things work but the manual should be read.

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

... nested quotes trimmed ...

All comes down to training then ....

No it all comes down to the end user.

You can't expect the average end user to know this.

As I already explained the Sky installer wanted to fit a filter. Your end user obviously didn't understand the question.

In defence of the engineer, WE are not all bad, I am an engineer with Sky would personally like to think I know more about broadband than the average punter.

If the HD box was installed prior to the broadband going live, it would be the CUSTOMERS responsibility to filter the line

Personally, if it was me, and I knew the customer was even considering broadband I would have fitted a filter, regardless if it was sky bb or not

And, Mike_Williams, Don't be making comments about the training that you have not been a part of. every sky engineer (and how do you know it was not a sub-contractor?) knows all too well about the problems non-filtered ADSL equipment can cause, but as stated before it is deemed the customers responsibility to source these.

as for me, I carry at least 10 in the back of my and, use them regularly

Edited by connormill (Sun 15-May-11 23:24:46)

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

... nested quotes trimmed ...

No it all comes down to the end user.

You can't expect the average end user to know this.

As I already explained the Sky installer wanted to fit a filter. Your end user obviously didn't understand the question.

The customer was NOT repeat NOT asked if they wanted him to fit a filter.

Edited by deleted (Mon 16-May-11 08:46:53)

In reply to a post by connormill:

In defence of the engineer, WE are not all bad, I am an engineer with Sky would personally like to think I know more about broadband than the average punter.

If the HD box was installed prior to the broadband going live, it would be the CUSTOMERS responsibility to filter the line

Personally, if it was me, and I knew the customer was even considering broadband I would have fitted a filter, regardless if it was sky bb or not

And, Mike_Williams, Don't be making comments about the training that you have not been a part of. every sky engineer (and how do you know it was not a sub-contractor?) knows all too well about the problems non-filtered ADSL equipment can cause, but as stated before it is deemed the customers responsibility to source these.

as for me, I carry at least 10 in the back of my and, use them regularly

The customer already had Sky broadband, which was working fine, prior to the HD box upgrade.
I do not know if the Old SD Box was connected to the telephone line via a filter as the broadband was working fine last time I visited them prior to October, therefore I had no call to check the wiring.
I have no idea if the engineer was directly from Sky or a Sub contractor.

I agree it is the customers responsibility to source (i.e. pay for etc), but I would guess that most customers not savvy enough to know what they need, so it is up to a "techie" to tell them what they need. 75% of my customers who are over the age of 50 would not know this.
If you are saying that your training includes fitting of a filter, then case closed on this issue.

It only takes one rotten apple to spoil the whole batch.

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

I have no idea if the engineer was directly from Sky or a Sub contractor.

Nor should the customer expect a different quality of service depending on which type of engineer Sky choose to employ.

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

... nested quotes trimmed ...

You can't expect the average end user to know this.

As I already explained the Sky installer wanted to fit a filter. Your end user obviously didn't understand the question.

The customer was NOT repeat NOT asked if they wanted him to fit a filter.

Your user doesn't even know how to change the oil according to you. How would the user know about a filter? Seems to me you're just guessing what went on.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

... nested quotes trimmed ...

As I already explained the Sky installer wanted to fit a filter. Your end user obviously didn't understand the question.

The customer was NOT repeat NOT asked if they wanted him to fit a filter.

Your user doesn't even know how to change the oil according to you. How would the user know about a filter? Seems to me you're just guessing what went on.

I am NOT guessing I asked my customer if the installer told her that she would require a filter and she said he did not inform her of this.

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

I am NOT guessing I asked my customer if the installer told her that she would require a filter and she said he did not inform her of this.

Then she should have asked him to fit one.