Sky BB lite usage limit email

[nemo1966]

Hi, new here.

I have a Sky phone line and as such got free BB lite with the line. I already have broadband, so I connected my network to it - I use for a backup. Disabled dhcp, wireless etc. Basically the broadband is used for emergencies and because you have to change a computers gateway to point to it, it never gets used.

Except, I got an email from Sky stating that my limit was exceeded this month and if it happened again the would automatically sign me up for unlimited!

So I got onto the bandwidth page and over a course of 8 months the bandwidth has been steadily rising on the router - WITH NO ONE ACTUALLY USING IT.

I know Sky are making this up (probably to get more money) but is there any way to get the bandwidth statics straight from the box? I know you can for the other but this is an SR101.

thanks
Nemo

[Isitme]

Is your other broadband on another phone line or is it Cable? I ask as normally if you have Sky phone rental you can't have another broadband provider. If someone else is on the Sky line, that may be what is being measured. Sky may think they are supplying it.

Unfortunately, there is no way to get the actual usage out of the Sky Hub.

[Shonk]

Log into the router and see its advanced stats
you can see its wan uptime and transmitted packets which is better than nothing

[Hedgehog1979]

There have been a lot of calls into Sky about this and it is being looked into so it is not just yourself. I would contact Sky directly if you are looking for an update.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Koala5]

My Mum has the Lite package, and she received an email yesterday saying she has used 1.93GB of her 2GB allowance even though she has been staying away at her caravan for the last month! I have unplugged the router at the moment, so if it goes over the limit there is definitely an issue at Sky! I notice tonight the usage monitor isn't available.

[Nebiroth]

Don't worry. I had something similar as well. One morning I logged in to find I'd got warning messages about using 70%, then 75% and then gone over the 2Gb limit. I looked at the useage tool and found it said 122%. Between the 70% message (sent out at 11pm) and the next morning I had apparently used another 50%, or 1Gb. Quite an achievement given that the sole PC connected was turned off. Not to mention apparently using up about five times my usual amount in the first nine days of the month!

I phoned up Sky and got the usual spiel about games consoles and Sky boxes using up the allowance (I don't have any), then how to secure wireless as it sounded as though I'd been hacked (I use an ethernet cable and have disabled wireless), lastly a speech about how updates can happen in the background with big downloads (except mine are all set to manual to stop one triggering on the last day of the month). I also explained (again) how it was impossible for a machine that's switched off to use up 1Gb worth overnight.

I didn't get anywhere, I just kept hearing "our system cannot be wrong about this". But I knew it was.

I put a complaint up on Sky's forums. Then I saw someone else had - and they only kept Lite as a free backup to their main connection, and it had suddenly started showing useage too; they knew enough to post up stats from the router and an analysis of them showing how the useage monitor was telling porky pies.

They posted a day later Sky had finally admitted it was a fault at their end. In the meanwhile I'd complained by email and got the standard reply back, just like I had from the call centre. I sent a bit of a frosty response to that one saying they might be able to fix problems if they actually bothered to read what a customer had written (why give me a whole page about wireless security when I;d told them I don;t even use it!)

This morning I got an email admitting it was a fault at Sky's end. They've reset my usage back to zero and the period starts the 10th of this month. They'd also said they're cancelling the upgrade to unlimited and will refund any charges that crop up although there shouldn't be any.

They also claimed that "a number" of customers were affected and that they'll be putting them all right, but if I were you I'd put in a complaint email - just to be sure! I am convinced there are plenty of people who are affected by this who will just think they went over the limit after listening to an adviser saying how easy it is to do so and will end up on Unlimited for an extra £90 a year when they don;t need to be.

I got pushed to Unlimited as I went over already this year in March, but I know why that happened as I had to do a new Windows install and forgot to turn updates off automatic and it downloaded a huge amoutn of the things!

[Scubbie]

In fairness 2GB isn't that much these days. A single update for a computer can go over that quite easily.

If you download a couple of SD Movies from Sky's library, that'll push you just shy of the 2GB limit too.

You can access your 'My Sky' account and check the page there to see how much you have downloaded this month. This will give you some idea just how much you are doing.

You should receive a couple of warnings. If you go over 3 times in a 6 month period, then they upgrade you to the Unlimited product for the price of £7.50 per month (£10.00 if you don't have Sky TV).

[Isitme]

In fairness 2GB isn't that much these days. A single update for a computer can go over that quite easily.

The OP is complaining about his usage going up when he is not using Sky BB, so there is no question of downloading updates or movies. It is happening to too many to be a simple glitch, there is something basically wrong with Sky's meter.

[Scubbie]

Something must be connected though. Whether it's the OP's or a friend's.

[Isitme]

Something must be connected though. Whether it's the OP's or a friend's.

That's the problem Scubbie, according to reports here and on the Official forum, user's totals are going up, even when the router is disconnected.

I am not sure how they track the usage, if it is through the IP address there is a chance that the address is changing and they are actually seeing someone else's usage. If a router is not plugged in when lease time ends, the address could change, possibly to one previously used by an unlimited user.