Sky + hd + broadband/phone versus TalkTalk and Humax 9200T.

[johnnyblue]

I'm thinking of switching from TalkTalk to Sky for our broadband and phone as it will be roughly the same price and we'll also get a Sky+hd box free.I don't expect we will go for any movie or sports packs (maybe Test match cricket),although might be tempted when Sky Atlantic starts.

Anyway,I'm wondering if Sky's broadband and phone are reliable.TalkTalk aren't and we've completely lost both for a day or two on a few occasions and our normal download speed is around 3.5mps.

I'm also wondering about the tv as we get a lot of fog round here and I'm worried that would affect the satellite signal.Currently, we have a Humax 9200t and the picture is fantastic and although it occasionally freezes it's generally very reliable,but I see people here complaining about the reliability of Sky boxes and the picture quality of the new ones.At our previous house we were with NTL cable and went through 3 boxes and frequently came home to find a programme or film we'd tried to record was just a two hour still photo.Never had that problem with the Humax,but would we with Sky?

Any answers much appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

In my experience the broadband has been fine since we started with them, speed improved from what I was getting with plusnet. But the telephone has been really bad since I moved the line rental to them. In the last 6 months we have had 8 instances of outages - most only last a few hours but the worst one lasted 48 hours! And their customer services are really rubbish, just keep wanting me to check phones and connections without realising that it's their equipment that is not working at the exchange!

 

[Anonymous]

I've never had any problems with Sky's broadband and their customer service is helpful and more importantly UK.

Look out for problems leaving TalkTalk, they have continued billing me for 4 months since I moved despite numerous calls to their indian call center.

 

[bretty]

I can't comment on their phone service, but I had their broadband for three years (until I got rid of Sky, last year, and went over to o2). It's a very stable network. I never had any connection losses in the three years I was using them, and they never choked my connection at peak times. Also, their 'Unlimited' package, which I had, is actually unlimited (not limited to 100gb per month like o2 and many others)

 

[brendonw]

Another here with problem with a friend trying to leave TalkTalk, MAC code was invalid and left without broadband for 1 week and counting.

Their customer services just isn't interested

 

[johnnyblue]

Many thanks for all the replies.We're just about at the end of the limit for the local exchange so I suspect any provider's going to struggle and by the sound of it Sky's not hugely more reliable than TalkTalk.One site I looked at only rated it 6-8% more reliable.

As for Sky+hd, is it on a par with BBC hd, which I access through our laptop and an hdmi connection to a Toshiba 47" tv, and which I find just about on a par with the Humax? If so, then it doesn't really sound like it's worth the aggravation of switching

The most reliable provider I've had was XLN Telecom,they were excellent in all departments,but I think they are only commercial.

 

[Anonymous]

bbc hd bitrate is around 9-10Mb/s, skys premier channels eg sky sport 1 hd is more like 12-14Mbs (down from 18Mbps this time last year)

As for ur internet try one of these I-plate replacements or bt broadband accelerator as they are often called. They do actually work.

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=25075&s_cid=btb_FURL_accelerator

 

[johnnyblue]

Many thanks for that,TechMad,but tragically we already have one.Regularly got 5mbps when it was first fitted,but a year later it's down to 3 - 3.5.Mind you, without it we only got about 1.5 - 1.9.