(Unofficial) FAQ - Sky Connect Users

[Gazz380]

A Number of memberss have pointed out that the sky-connect-broadband-you-being-slowed-down thread was getting a bit to big and information was hard to find, so heres most of it in one post:

Basically Since october 2008 Sky has introduced Traffic Management and Traffic Shaping on their BT Rebadged product (Sky Connect) and this is now part of the Terms And Conditions:

SKY BROADBAND CONNECT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY

In addition to the monthly Usage Cap, this Traffic Management Policy applies to you if you take Sky Broadband Connect.

Excessive use during peak time

We will monitor your Sky Broadband usage during peak times from 5pm to 12am each day. This is when the majority of customers use the network and when speeds could be affected by the excessive usage of a minority. If we consider that your usage is excessive during peak times we may slow down your connection for the rest of the day so that it has less affect on others. Only a very small number of customers will be affected by this (less than 2%). If you are affected, we will only slow down the speed you can get during peak times for applications which use a lot of bandwidth (for example, streaming, peer-to-peer and newsgroups) and which have a negative affect on other customers. You will still be able to use Sky Broadband to do other things normally such as browsing, email, instant messaging and VOIP. There are no restrictions in place outside of peak times.

Traffic management of our Network

To ensure we provide a sustainable quality broadband service to our customers, we continuously monitor and efficiently manage the Sky Network as a whole. To do this, during peak times (from 5pm to 12am each day), we may slow down the speed that all Sky Broadband Connect customers can get on certain applications which we consider use up a lot of bandwidth (for example peer-to-peer and newsgroups) and which have a negative affect on other customers There are no restrictions in place for applications such as browsing, email, streaming, instant messaging and VOIP during peak times. We do not put restrictions on our network

If You Think You Are Being Slowed?

The Simple Option is to Run a BT Speed Test: BT Speedtester

Details:

Firstly enter your home phone number including STD Code

Second, enter your Sky User Name, this will be the MAC code located on the bottom of the sky router (8 digits) Followed by @skydsl so your final username would be eg. 0018DFG6@Skydsl

The Result will be like:

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
Your DSL connection rate: 7064 kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP profile for your line is - 5000 kbps
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 752 kbps

Run a few tests during peak and off-peak times to compare how badly you are effected (only 1 every 3 hours is permitted).

After?

Complaints
If you should have cause to complain about Sky Broadband, please contact Sky Broadband Customer Services. Sky does not have a refund policy, but, if you feel the service you receive falls below that which you should reasonably expect from Sky, we will ensure that your complaint is dealt with appropriately.

Call us on 08442 410 515, 8:30am to 11pm.

Escalation Procedure

Should your complaint not be concluded to your satisfaction following this procedure, the complaint may be escalated within Sky.

Within 12 Month Contracts

Sky Broadband is variable and our prices, Products and the Sky Broadband Extras can change, even during your Minimum Term. However, if we reduce the level of service provided by your chosen Product and you reasonably consider that you have been disadvantaged by this you will have a right to move to another Product or end this Contract. You can also end the Contract during your Minimum Term if we increase your Sky Broadband Payment more than once, or by more than 10% or the annual increase in the UK Retail Price Index, whichever is the greater. If you wish to end this Contract in these circumstances, then you need to let us know within one calendar month of notice of the change (Conditions 7(a), 11(c) and 11(d)).

Finally if you decide sky isnt the ISP for you check for LLU Providers in your area, you can try the following resources:

SkyUser Broadband Exchange Checker

or

samknows exchange checker

or alternatively:

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that offer broadband services in the United Kingdom

If you have any more questions there are lots of people willing to help you in the other Connect thread!

Thanks to all the people that this information comes from, its been a big help to me over the last few months! if theres anything else needing added please say and i can add it

[steve16751]

Hi Gazz Excellent all the information a connect Customer will need and still leaves Sky Connect Broadband - Are you being slowed down? for anyone who wants to leave results or any other chat about their connect package

Mac code found on another thread Still waiting for MAC Code ? good to know

PaulSky If you ring them and the request has gone through for the MAC then any agent will be able to read it back to you as it shows on your portfolio

Bt Updated Speed Tester

[dholdi]

I think the title is incorrect - it should be stevesblog2. or stevesblog the sequel

[Gazz380]

Well its a mixture of different peoples posts, steve, IANTE, Isitme... etc there probably is a better title, but a few people suggested that it be one thread, if i didnt do it am sure steve probably would have

[dholdi]

I wasnt serious, the gives it away.

[yunorisson]

Thanks Gazz380 for your efforts. A great idea, well done!

[steve16751]

Gazz380
Will be good to know anything new

Originally Posted by Gazz380 View Post
All for the good of others i should be online today with my new provider after work wahooo, i shall do a few speed tests if my profiles set up ok. Anythings better than sky connect!
(i think am more likely in Q4 for 21cn rather than an LLU provider)

yunorisson Any chance of an update re new connection?

[wally10]

Hi sorry to be thick guys but im trying to use the bt speed tester anyway im not sure on my username the mac code im ment to use is 12 didgits not 8 or am i looking at wrong thing

Reason im using it is last 2 weeks my sky connect speeds at peak times are shocking im getting max speeds of 30kbs which is rubbish even at peak hours dial up is nearly better and im paying £17 a month for this so sky wont me to monitor my speeds

[steve16751]

wally10
Hi the top of the page on the link explains you to 12 digits

Steve's Sky Connect speedtest blog

[wally10]

Thanks for that steve but i cant see to see were it says anything about the 12 didgits

ive put my mac code without the : inbetween but says invalid user name alltime or something on them lines

its ok now ive done it thanks



thats my current speed shocking in my eyes