Moving from an unbundled ISP to Sky

[Wheelie]

@ Julian

Just heard from NewsreadeR the timeout should be fixed now so logout and deleted any cookies set by the site the log back in and you should be ok.

[Julian]

Originally Posted by zrerz

Hi Julian,

nowhere in my post did I mention using a MAC code.

I know. That's why I asked my question!

It certainly sounds as if Sky/UK Online are being more rational in your case, i.e. accepting that they are all part of the same company. This is about the first time I ever heard of this.

Maybe the key issue here is that you are on the UK Online 22Mb service (I am only on the 8Mb). I've read quite a few posts where the speculation is that the Sky Max 16Mb service is actually using 22Mb technology but that Sky are putting in some additional margin for error in their advertising by only advertising as up to 16Mb. If this is so then the key difference might be that your line is currently physically plugged into an ADSL2+ capable 22Mb port on the UK Online (and hence Sky) equipment and so it is into a port capable of supporting Sky Max. In my case I only have 8Mb so presumably am only plugged into a regular ADSL port so maybe, even though it is all part of Sky, they do still need to reconnect my line to a faster port on their equipment.

Then again, maybe once Sky/UKOnline/EasyNet upgrade an exchange to ADSL2 then all ports are 22Mb capable but are backward compatible with 8Mb ADSL for the 8Mb and slower users. WHo knows? I guess I'm talking myself in circles here with idle speculation.

Anyhow, thanks for the extra details on the UK Online -> Sky Max transition. I need to talk to the turnaround team at UK Online because they still haven't given me a MAC code so I'll try to get Rachel by name and see what I can find out about my situation.

- Julian

P.S. Thanks to Wheelie/NewsreadeR for getting my timeout problem fixed.

[Julian]

Hi zrerz,

I just found your post on adslguide where you had extra speed info in your signature. Wow. You have a seriously fast connection. Do you actually live IN the telephone exchange ?

Would I be correct in assuming that you've made the value judgement that the difference between 16Mb and 22Mb is insufficient for your usage patterns to justify the price premium and you are happy to migrate down to a slower speed?

I very occassionally download something like a Linux distribution which can be 3GB or so, and in that case raw speed is crucial, but even on 8Mb it's acceptable and for many downloads I find the supplying site can't even max out my 7.xMb connection (I do see more sites nowadays that do keep up with my connection but it was really rare a year or so ago to find a site that could supply a download at full speed). For most general surfing around web pages it seems to be the latency of the web site itself that is more important so I'm not sure that even a difference between 4Mb and 22Mb would be that noticable to me for most of my use.

Still, I'm interested to see someone not just chasing faster and faster speeds and taking a "this is good enough" decision or do you have evidence (or reason to believe) that Sky Max is going to deliver 22Mb service and the "up to 16Mb" that Sky use to describe the servive is just conservative advertising (surely a first for Sky!)?

- Julian

[zrerz]

Hi Julian,

yeah, the exchange things gets loads of comments, in truth, I live 335 metres away from the exchange, and, after getting BT to install brand new line, I can get full speeds from current ADSL2+ connection to UKOnline.
You're correct in your value assumption, the difference between 22meg and 16meg will not, at least by me, be significant or noticed.
Just rang Sky to try to get more facts, and been told my line is showing up as going to get 16meg + (not sure how this is being measured though, as I'm still going through the UKOnline LLU connection at the moment) unless of course, the other poster was correct in infering that Sky will simply re-use the existing LLU equipment?
Anyway, early days yet, let's see what happens, then I can let the world know.

After a conversation with BT Wholesale

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/int...?itemid=344112

It appears that MAC Id given to users on LLU can only migrate to other LLU operators on the same exchange. The only other way around is to ask your ISP to cease your existing broadband connection, and request Sky for a new broadband connection. The turnaround could be in excess of 10 days.

I know Easynet (part of Sky) are already in my exchange offering LLU, therefore this leads me to conclude that Sky have only implemented a process to migrate customers of ISP's on the BT Wholesale IPStream product.

I will be now continue with my ISP until Sky announce a program to migrate customers of LLU.

[keith_thfc]

Originally Posted by IT_Contractor

I will be now continue with my ISP until Sky announce a program to migrate customers of LLU.

Its not SKY's fault that the LLU migration system is still in trial mode.

Blame Ofcom and BTo for taking so long to put an automated process in place.

If you really wanted to move to SKY asap and avoid downtime just get an LLU Mac code from your ISP, give this to Zen for one month (minimum contract period) who process LLU Mac codes. They will migrate you to IP Stream/Max and then once the month has elapsed just ask for a standard mac code which you can then give to SKY.

Its not rocket science - I've used this method to migrate from one LLU provider to another so I know it can be done.

[Julian]

Originally Posted by keith_thfc

Its not SKY's fault that the LLU migration system is still in trial mode

So I suppose that is one other option for moving from an unbundled provider to Sky. If you can't face the hassle of doing two migrations (Current Unbundled ISP to Zen and then Zen to Sky) then maybe an alternative is to just wait a bit.

I realise noone can predict the future, and in particular Sky's future plans, but do people think (or maybe there's even an insider that knows) that once the LLU migration system comes out of trial mode and goes live then Sky will use it, or even better that Sky might join in the trial in the not too distant future?

Is there any info out there as to when the LLU migration system is due to finish trials and go live?

- Julian

[keith_thfc]

Julian

The trials have been going on for over a year now. I'm certainly not holding my breath.

Wherever Ofcom are involved these things seem to drag on for years in my experience.