Sky will be looking to run trials of fibre-optic broadband

[Scubbie]

As a matter of interest. If a lot of BT customers went over to FTTC, would speeds improve for other users since the lines won't be so busy?

If anything this has already been answered.

Initially when FTTC was launched a lot of early subscribers complained because at peak times the speed was severally capped.

Since then BT has improved their backhaul, but they still continue to cap everyone in the evenings and at the weekends.

[speedyrite]

Sky results announcement is next Tuesday (31 January 2012) so maybe there will be some product launch news too?

[Stumpy]

...
I can do all of that now, with 4 computers, (3 laptops and one PC) 3 mobile phones connected wirelessly, XBox etc etc

I can't. We can't download a patch, a Windows Update, watch something on Youtube, download a new xbox update/game (ANY ONE of those) at the same time as someone wanting to play an MMO for example. Yet we have 3 (well, two, because one died today!) computers, Sky (with Anytime+), a DVD player that connects to the internet for things like iplayer, an xbox that can do similar. And that's not including the various phones, etc.

Perhaps we're just a fluke, and most other people have a perfect connection, with a perfect speed that enables them to do everything they want at the same time. But the only possible way we can actually do what you can currently, is by increasing our broadband speed. And we're on the maximum possible on copper.

But then ... I know for a fact that we're not a fluke. I've seen plenty of people here, and elsewhere, complain about their speeds. There comes a point when there are enough "fluke" cases that you can no longer call them extraordinary cases.

Yes serious film addicts, avid games players etc would certainly see a bonus, but that's the other thing, people want it for free. If it means their BB price goes up double, then it is not as attractive.

Well that's the rub isn't it ... double the £7.50 is £15 ... for us, I'd say that sounds fairly reasonable. For someone who is on the max package, who actually gets a very good speed anyway, then I can see your point has merit ... why pay for something when they won't notice the difference. For someone like us who can only really use one download/streaming service at a time, and still occasionally get buffering, it would be worth it.

We have survived years without the ability to stream, iPlayer has been around for a long time, yet I don't know anyone who says they cannot watch or do what they want to on their current connection.

You do now

BT and Virgin, have to advertise and innovate, because for too many years, they have let the competition catch up and take over.

Try and speak to a human at BT though, it is impossible. Gone are the days when you could speak to Busby at 4am in the morning. In other words, no way would I even contemplate swapping to them because they offer fibre. ...

Oh I agree wholeheartedly ... I've experienced many many problems over the years with BT and the only way they would get me back as a customer is if all the other companies went bust

They talk the good talk (unless you talk to their engineers, customer service people, billing department ... ) ... but they're absolutely rubbish at delivering what they promise.

As far as Sky are concerned ... I have faith that they will come through with a good product at a highly competitive price that will make those who've signed 18 month contracts (or whatever the standard length is) with BT kick themselves. Whether or not that product will be of benefit to us on our dodgy line is something we're going to have to work out for ourselves - but I'm sure plenty of others will jump at the chance to use fibre with Sky.

[Angel_Rex]

I think £16-18 is the max I would pay for fibre to have a better ping and not moan at the wife for using sky player/go / iplayer while im gaming.

We have started using sky go more so the extra abillity of watching 2 different shows via the laptop and streamed to the HD box I have is great.

I agree with a lot of the comments here and i think sky has a GREAT service and always found their customer server good too.

[Scubbie]

@Stumpy, Sadly the truth is that the average connection to Sky's broadband is around 7.8mb/s.

As with anything else, where an average figure is quoted, there will be some that are faster and some which are slower. There are many people who have posted on this forum with connection speeds under 2mb/s.

I don't know a date when Sky will finally launch their first round of Fibre products. I see that your exchange has been enabled so I hope that you will be able to connect up once it has been launched.

[Stumpy]

Very true. I was just making the point that, just as there are those who wouldn't benefit that much from a speed boost .. there are also plenty of us that would

Add into that number, those who, regardless of whether they would benefit or not, would still take it because "it's better" (not saying this is a large group, but it is a demographic nontheless), I still think that Sky could expect a decent take-up.

Yes .. our exchange was enabled back end of last year - in theory - certainly our particular address is now enabled for FTTC, although I still see plenty of Openreach vans around.

I'm not DESPERATE for fibre ... certainly not desperate enough to go to BT *shudder* - but I'd like the opportunity to try it

[Scubbie]

I have no problem with with you making the point about the speed increase.

Provided that Sky also become able to supply an "up to" 80Mb/s connection with FTTC, I think we would all agree that everyone would benefit.

The kick is that with ADSL our speeds are based primarily on the distance to the exchange. With FTTC the connection speed is based on the distance to the cabinet, so it is very likely that you could get a faster connection speed than myself, for example.

Someone like DM though would only ever get low connection speeds though. Unfortunately the cabinet for his Fibre is full up with expanding foam.

[146Kg]

For me,
B.T. is offering 8 x faster than Sky.
I was a B.T. customer and the prior posts re their service don't even come close to the horrors I had. I just needed reminding to convince me to stay where I am and wait ( I was weakening). I have to turn off the Wifi to game in order to hog what bandwidth there is. I must resist that fibre goodness a little while longer until Sky come through, it'd be nice not to have to be so selfish.

[uno]

Have been having lots of issues with 100mb leased lines and voice circuits today at work and have got couple of Openreach engineers coming out am hoping same guys as fixed issue at home and gave me lots of info about work that had taken place at Exchange by Sky ready for their fibre launch.

[NewsreadeR]

Have been having lots of issues with 100mb leased lines and voice circuits today at work and have got couple of Openreach engineers coming out am hoping same guys as fixed issue at home and gave me lots of info about work that had taken place at Exchange by Sky ready for their fibre launch.

Did they give any dates as to when it may go live, as in perhaps March possibly?