I'm currently subcribed to Sky for my TV package but get broadband from Virgin. I'm thinking of switching to Sky for broadband as their BB unlimited is a lot cheaper but will a non fibre optic broadband line cause me the following problems do you think?......

Buffering problems on sites like you tube?

What about recording/downloading films off Sky On Demand/Catch UP TV that need a internet connection/router, will that incur any problems do you think?

General web surfing, like using DS and e-mails, am I likely to see a significant slow down in speed?

I currently get up to 20 MB with Virgin and I've been told that I'll get 1.4 to 4 something MB with Sky on their BB unlimited and I live around 3 or 4 miles from the main BT telephone exchange. What do you think?

Thanks In Advance Of Your Replies.

You may get some buffering when steaming off the internet i.e HD content, but for general surfing/emails you should not notice the drop in speed.

Sky use progressive downloading for their on demand content, content normally only becomes available to view when it can be viewed without interruption. SD should be pretty quick to view but large HD files will take longer before they become available.

Have you enquired to see if there are any special offers on Sky fibre, might be worth investigating if not....

Yes I've made a lot of calls today. The last call I made to Sky - I was told that I had to take on Sky Talk as well and that put me off.

Virgin are offering me a £25-2-£30 rate where my phone/broadband currently costs over £40. I might take up their offer if they can guarantee me that it won't go up over the next 12 months as that is the catch, they want me to sign up for another 12 months on those prices.

Virgin offering or Sky?

Sky fibre is only up to the cabinet so a phone line is needed, line rental is £15.40 month.

Latest offer is Sky fibre free for 6months, then £20 month, so first 6months will be £15.40, next 6 months £35.40, works out at about £300 - Virgin will be £480+.

Sky broadband and Sky Talk would be just under £20 month - £240 for 12 months.

Out of the two the £60 premium for 40/10 fibre looks very tempting.

Line rental may increase but I can't see fibre going up.....

i had to get sky broadband when the house i moved into wasn't connected, but i wanted telephony as well so i got the TV/telephone/broadband .....

and there's been NO decrease in my speed either!!! it was supposed to be about SEVEN meg, while i was getting SEVENTEEN megs with VM .....

and i'm on XP too!!!

don't take it for granted though

Virgin offered me a reduced monthly price of between £25-£30 after I told them the prices Sky have but they want me to sign up to another 12 months minimum contract as a result. Not so sure I will accept because of that condition. I might risk going for the non fibre optic sky broadband instead. Its just the buffering that bothers me

In that case over 12 months Sky Fibre will be no more expensive than Virgins offer of £25, that's if they fix your price at the lower end of their £25-£30 quote.

If you are wanting to save a little more each month Sky broadband will be £5 cheaper or £60 over 12 months.

What do you run off your home network, phones, tablets, online gaming, PC, Sky etc? If you have more than one device or user connected at the same time you may struggle with speed if you get the lower of your estimated speed.

As for your 'how will the performance compare' questions, I'd say that a drop from 20Mbps to '1.4 to 4Mbps' will be noticeably slower on nearly everything that you do. There's a huge difference between 1.4 and 4Mbps too, so you'll have to suck it and see.

Have any of your near neighbours got Sky or BT etc. broadband? Because performance will probably be similar for all of them at your distance so you could find out their speeds and what they think.

Just the PC and router is linked to the sky box, smart TV as well.



I haven't asked them, don't see a lot of them that much either but it is an idea as and when I do.

Ugh

As much as I love my own Sky Broadband service (been with them for years), there is no way that I would recommend switching from a 20Mbps service to on that would give you 1.4-4!

Agreed.
I have sky unlimited at around 9Mb and that's fine for my needs, 1080p youtube is no problem and sky on demand hd programs are usually available to watch within a minute or two.
However, during occasional line problems my speed has varied between 1.5-3Mb and you really do notice the difference. When above around 2.5Mb it could just cope with 720p youtube but not 1080p and sky on demand was a pain.

I can't get Virgin broadband in my area, So I went with Sky as I only have to pay 1 provider for my needs, I find BT and Talk Talk expensive, as far as the MB's Sky provide me, You tube video's are excellent in 480 and in most cases 720 works well too, 1080 does rebuffer a bit, but I tend not to use that setting, as far as normal surfing goes, Sky is excellent and fault free.