Connecting phone destroys internet connection!

whitegra

Thanks, I shall be sure to mention that when I speak to them tonight.

On the skyuser forums they are suggesting it may be a faulty router.
http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/sky-broadband-help/33585-what-speed-should-i-getting.html

I'm not sure though as it seems to be working fine when the phone is not connected but I may be wrong. Is it worth trying to get Sky to send a replacement?

whitegra

Well, phoned Sky last night and after an hour and a half split evenly between being on hold and trying to explain the problem to their frontline staff I finally got though to CST. After this it was 5 minutes to book an engineer to come out and to lift the cap on the line so I am now getting 3mbps when the phone is not connected (not great but better than the 0.5mbps it was capped at)

ComplexP

Hello again

Since using the phone causes the disconnection that is a very strong indication that the problem lies with the phone line and not the router.

Taking the cap off your line will only be a temporary solution because the exchange will automatically reduce your speed if it keeps sensing disconnections (do a test on one of those download speed checker sites and I'll bet you're not getting anywhere near what your router says you're syncronising at).

You will need to try another router and another filter and try the connection directly from the test socket where it enters your house. These are standard tests to rule out your equipment as the cause (Sky should get you to perform these tests before they will send an engineer but make sure you do them anyway).

The reason these tests are important is because the broadband engineer will fix any line faults outside of your house for free, but you will be charged if the fault lies inside your house and it can amount to hundreds of pounds.

IMO, you've got a classic high resistance fault on your line somewhere and the only way to get it fixed is to get an Openreach broadband engineer to the property. The only way that will happen is to keep going back to Sky whenever it happens.

Talking on the phone to the call centres is a waste of time. Go on the Sky broadband website and find the faults area and submit the fault there in writing. It may take several weeks of hoop jumping on your part but eventually they will have to send the engineer out.

whitegra

I am keeping the phone disconnected and using my mobile at the moment so the connection is stable at 3mbps (did 5 tests on speedtest.net and averaged to give 2.64 mbps download).

I have tried multiple filters and the test socket, the only thing I can't try is another router as I don't have access to one but the fact that the connection is stable and as fast as it is syncing it doesn't look like a router problem (the Sky CST person agreed with that and ran all his tests on the router remotely which came back OK).

Patience is definately a virtue when speaking to Sky as the first girl I spoke to sounded like it was her first day on the job, she ran through the same checklist about 5 times (over 45 minutes of calmly repeating the problem) until she decided that it was worthy of disturbing CST. Once I got through that and waited on hold for 30 minutes I got through to the CST representative he was knowledgable and ran all the tests needed and within a few minutes he agreed that it was most likely a line fault.

He then booked me a broadband engineer visit to sort the line out and because I said I was going to unplug the phone as soon as the call finished he removed the cap on the line and reset the router after the call, it then resynced at 3mbps.

Thanks for all your help, it looks like this might be sorted out soon now... Only problem is I can't get time off work any time soon so had to book the visit for 2 weeks time.

whitegra

I did use the landline for the call to Sky so he could see the stats from the router while on the call and then after the call ended but when I'm not using it the landline phone is disconnected.

The landline is OK for making calls, just as I mentioned above there is some faint noise on the phone when the router is connected as well.

zzzLazyDaisy

Just to say I had exactly this problem a couple of years ago. It turned out to be a faulty router. As soon as I changed the router the problem went away.

I'm not saying it isn't a line fault (other people have much more knowledge about these things than me) but if the engineer doesn't find the fault, it might be worth asking sky for a replacement router?

ComplexP

I'm surprised that Sky agreed to send an engineer before confirming that a different router has been tested. Did they inform you of any potential callout charges that you may be liable for if the fault is found to lie with your equipment?

If they did not tell you about the charge then you need to be on your guard because a faulty router would definitely come under the heading of 'your equipment'. But if Sky didn't tell you about the potential charges you would be justified in passing any bills on to them (although they may try to wriggle out of it).

piggeh

Just to ask - have you tried connecting directly to the test socket on your BT main phone socket to check it still happens? If it resolves itself when plugged into the test socket then it would be internal wiring. I dont see how internal wiring errors would cause this problem (I had the same problem and am convinced it was a line fault but moved before I bothered with an engineer coming out). but the tech support suggested trying the test socket regardless.

ComplexP

I suggested the test socket a bit further up but I don't believe that this or other equipment checks have been carried out.

Bit concerned that the OR engineer is on his way now...

kwikbreaks

He has no extensions and has even fitted a different faceplate (a filtered one) so it is very unlikely indeed that the results would be any different using the inner socket.