Warning when Joining Sky Connect

This applies to my experience when joining Sky's Connect Service.
If you need a reliable service "on all the time" consider this before you think you are getting a bargain with Sky.
I Migrated from NewNet (great company no issues for the two years) to join Sky's Connect service, price being the only factor for migrating.
Sky activated my line on 7th December, but as they do not send out the router until the line is activated you cannot used your broadband until their router arrives (this little peach is never mentioned when you are signing up). You will never have a minimum downtime, industry standard migration, as it takes an average of 5 days before the router will arrive (7 days in my case). Sky will not issue a temporary user name and password (so you can use your own router) even if you need your broadband for work. I received all types of reasons, from Data Protection Act to the complexities of their network (I think they forget that there are people who have used broadband for longer than they have been providers and know what is required to get connected to BT wholesales infrastructure). After talking to Sky's technical support team I realised that Sky were not for me. One thought, if your router goes down it is another 5 days before you will get a replacement. I asked for a MAC code to migrate, I was told I would have it within 5 days. That came and went, nothing. I contacted Sky and asked again for a MAC code and was told they would have to start the process again. I contacted the �Standard Customer Services Line� and they helped get my MAC code and gave it to me over the phone. Unfortunately I could not use the code as Sky put a "cease" notification on my line (after issuing the MAC). I won't bore you with the 3days of back and forth calls between Sky and BT to fix the issue, but it was a very underhanded way of behaving for a large company like Sky to give a MAC code knowing I wanted to migrate and then order the cease. Even when I phoned to complain they refused to help stating it was impossible to stop a "cease" notification once requested (again not true especially when I contacted them within 8 hrs of them requesting the cease). In the end Sky Order Management sent an email to BT wholesale who then lifted the cease and I migrated within 24hrs of the cease being removed.
I am sure of the 1,000,000 customers Sky have that this is rare, however there is definitely a knowledge gap and very few people (except for a Supervisor called David) willing to help. If you are a happy Sky customer I am glad but then you could not have experienced their support.

Edited by Ted1 (Tue 18-Dec-07 15:45:21)

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Sky activated my line on 7th December, but as they do not send out the router until the line is activated you cannot used your broadband until their router arrives (this little peach is never mentioned when you are signing up).

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I have read many positive posts saying that they now generally do send the router before activation,i guess you are one of the unlucky ones.

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Sky will not issue a temporary user name and password (so you can use your own router) even if you need your broadband for work. I received all types of reasons, from Data Protection Act to the complexities of their network (I think they forget that there are people who have used broadband for longer than they have been providers and know what is required to get connected to BT wholesales infrastructure).

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If you read their T&C's you would have known they do not let you use your own router they make no secret of this,you will not be given your password/user name the router you receive is already set up for you you just plug it in and away you go.

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.If you are a happy Sky customer I am glad but then you could not have experienced their support.

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You didn't read the T&C's got yourself in a fix and are now slagging Customer Support,i think there is a lesson to be learnt here.

I got my router 2 days before line activation.

I know that doesn't help you but it's not all bad.

got my brand new style router 3 days before activation sry, i found their customer support great in the wee hours too.

Hi! Maxping

Long time no crossed swords!

Can you tell me what appeals to you about Sky BB (other than price which is important I know) as opposed to 'the best thing since sliced bread' IDNet that you have heavily 'promoted' over the past 12 months or so?

I genuinely would like to hear your views as I too would consider Sky BB at the moment for purely cost reasons. If there are any other advantages that you could enlighten me with I would appreciate that you share them with me and the rest of the forum.

Honestly, your views would be of great value in order to make future decisions as to the correct choice of ISP.

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Can you tell me what appeals to you about Sky BB (other than price which is important I know) as opposed to 'the best thing since sliced bread' IDNet that you have heavily 'promoted' over the past 12 months or so?

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IDNet are a great ISP, i get great speeds and my pings are always low (unusually high in the test below) i have nothing negative to say about them and Ive been with them for 3 years.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/213333036.png

I am thinking about migrating to Sky for a couple of reasons,first i do not have Sky TV and when my parents introduce me we will both get a free Sky+ box.
The second is price,IDNet provide a great service with a free phone number for customer service but charge �24.99 per month for 8mb plus 30GB allowance.
Sky charge �26 for 8mb broadband with a 40GB allowance or for �5 extra i can get 16mb with what is rumoured to be 250GB allowance,i then get 6 Sky channel packages included in the price + free phone calls evening and weekend .
So the difference between the two is �1 or �6 if i am greedy and go for 16mb broadband,thats a lot for �1.

On the down side Sky customer service is not the best if posts over at Skyuser are anything to go by ,undelivered or late routers used to be a common complaint,problems migrating and lengthy down time used to also be be a regular complaint in the forums , very high pings 100+ ms had the gamers pulling their hair out, they now seem to have got on top it.

So its a gamble do i stay with what i know a great ISP with great speeds/pings and customer support and a 1 month contract or take a chance tie myself into a long contract and possibly kick myself for the next 12 months?

I still haven't made my mind up.

Edited by maxping (Tue 18-Dec-07 20:45:57)

I believe you have missed my point, I am not slagging off Sky, if you have 1,000,000 customers you cannot be all bad, I am just reporting on my experience.
I need Broadband to work from home, Sky never informed me that I would be down for 5 days (not part of their Ts & Cs or welcome to Sky pack). I know there are responses stating that they received a router before go live but that is for the LLU service not the Connect (I live in the country). I asked if they would help, explaining that 5 days would have a big impact on my life style (working at home I can take my kids to school and pick them up plus be in the house when they are home).
You are right Sky's terms and conditions do not allow a temporary user name + password, so I decided to migrate away from Sky, result, we both go our own separate ways and chalk this up to experience. However, can you explain why they would put a "cease" on my line after giving a MAC code? Why would they say they cannot reverse the "cease" even though it was their error and it was not true?
On technical support, why would they waste nearly 2hours of my time if they had no intentions of helping??
Anyway this is just a word to the wise and if you are with Sky and your service as been great here is a not so great experience.

Thanks for an honest reply.

Good idea re the two Sky+ boxes, they really are the best thing since sliced bread! I never thought I would say it, but I couldn't live without Sky+ now.

when i ordered it online i was told i would receive it before activation but not to plug it in till the activation date. and i did receive it 3 or so days before activation

but as said you cant expect everything to always be smooth with allot of customers.

i agree with you tho they should be more open about the user name/password as when i joined the equipment really was unstable and my best bet is alot of people wouldnt have known what to do(me being one of them till i read this and skyuser forum for some tips) i ended up getting user/pass from router and using my own router(speedtouch 585 i think) and been plain sailing since.

hope you get things sorted out thow as its a great service for fraction of price what regular adsl

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I know there are responses stating that they received a router before go live but that is for the LLU service not the Connect (I live in the country).

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I was under the impression it was for both,i have asked over at Skyuser and will post any answers i get.

Are there any customers here that have recently migrated to connect?