New sky broadband - Very Slow!

[kiddo1000]

Hello, I had my sky broadband unlimited activated on monday with the dlm starting on wednesday. I have been waiting for the speeds to go up but it just hasn't happened. On the welcome letter it says my line could support 7.0mbps & 14.3mbps. I did have 4mb on the first day until it went down to 2mbs, where it has stayed! The only thing thats changed is my noise margin has gone down (was previously around the 7.5 mark) & my upload has gone up slightly. Is it worth calling sky, will my speeds suddenly shoot up? Im about to come to the end of my virgin broadband contract & am seriously considering cancelling sky if this doesnt improve!

Here are my speeds (I am plugged into the test socket)

ROUTER STATISTICS

System Up Time: 86:24:27
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 72185 52911 0 1196 1457 5:18:53
LAN Up 1001838 977126 0 11914 72478 86:24:27
WLAN Up 138189 119919 0 126 119 36:07:41
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 2047 kbps 606 kbps
Line Attenuation 33.5 dB 18.7 dB
Noise Margin 5.4 dB 3.0 dB

[Scubbie]

I would suggest that something is seriously wrong with your connection.

Your Line Attenuation suggests that you should expect speeds nearer 12Mb. Your noise margins suggest that you have the maximum connection speed available though.

Since you are already connected to the Test socket, could you please confirm that any extensions are dead? If not, unplug them from the test socket and see if the figures change (remember that you need to look at all of them). If there is any difference, please post them so that we can see what has happened.

Next could you perform a quiet line test please? To do this, using a corded telephone (no microfilter or anything else connected to the test socket), dial '1' and listen carefully for any noise. You are looking for any hiss or crackling.

If there is any noise, then you need to call your line provider and let them know as you have a line fault. If you are not with Sky Talk, please do not mention the Broadband as this will confuse the issue.

[kiddo1000]

There wasnt any noise when using a phone a few days ago but I will give the quiet line test it a try when home later! I definitely dont have any extensions attached though, I only have the microfilter with the router plugged into the socket! I do have another socket at home though but has been dead for years, do you think this could be a problem?

I am actually with skytalk, do you think it would be worth calling sky if all is not better later & there is no noise? Thanks for your help!

[Scubbie]

There wasnt any noise when using a phone a few days ago but I will give the quiet line test it a try when home later! I definitely dont have any extensions attached though, I only have the microfilter with the router plugged into the socket! I do have another socket at home though but has been dead for years, do you think this could be a problem?

If you were using the Master Socket, then it could be an issue, but with using th Test Socket, it should be completely disconnected. Certainly I would support the suggestion of checking that it is definitely completely disconnected.

Another very important thing to confirm is whether the Sky TV STB is connected to the telephone line. If it is, then can you please triple check that it was connected via the Microfilter and not with the microfilter into the splitter that the Sky Engineers supply with the Sky STB.

I am actually with skytalk, do you think it would be worth calling sky if all is not better later & there is no noise? Thanks for your help!

You are always welcome to call Sky, for now we can offer you some suggestions to help identify & perhaps resolve the issue.

When I suggested for you to call your provider previously, it would have been because if there is any noise and you are connected to the test socket directly, then there will be a line fault and this would need to be repaired. Since a line fault between the test socket and the telephone exchange is the responsibility of the Line Provider, and you and i do not have access to the wiring, then BT Openreach would need to come out and fix it.

Sky would arrange this if required.

For now though, there are some further things to go through before calling Sky.

[kiddo1000]

It is the master socket, I followed the cabling last night! I dont have the set top box connected to the phoneline so no worries there! I will check to see if there is any noise on the line later.

Thanks for your advice,am getting panicky now as my virgin broadband will be off in a couple of days & I go into cold sweats when thinking that I will be stuck with very poor 2mb internet when it goes off!

[Scubbie]

Don't worry too much.

At this stage I am not 100% sure where the issue is, but hopefully it can be identified and then it will be simple enough to resolve your current connection issues.

[kiddo1000]

I did the test on my line with the phone directly in the socket, quite hard to tell if there is noise, when I lift up the phone the dial tone seems fine but when I dial a number there does seem to be a slight crackle but nothing too major.When using the phone through the filter im hearing a slightly whooshing noise!

[Scubbie]

I would suggest then that you should call Sky Talk and ask for someone to look at your telephone line.

Explain that you have a faint noise on the line and that you believe that this is messing up your broadband connection with Sky.

[kiddo1000]

Will give them a ring tomorrow. I only had my line activated a couple of weeks ago, it looks as if the engineer didnt test the line properly grrrrr

Thanks again for your help!

[kiddo1000]

Apparently the line came back with no faults but they will send an engineer out to me on Friday. I will be paying out for it myself though if there is no fault or if even the faceplate is faulty . Fingers crossed