Urgent help needed - new broadband and phone contract

Chino

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

May have to go Virgin I think.

That would depend on whether the OP's landlady is OK with that:
https://youtu.be/D-z-W-tDgg4

[Deleted User]

Croft12 wrote: »

Not sure what you mean 'normal'/'faster' fibre??

Are you talking about 40mb -v- 80mb fttc or fttc-v- G.Fast or fttp? Sky doesn't do fttp (yet) Not sure if they do G.fast. The threshold for G.Fast is realistically getting high seventies/80 on Fttc.

FTTC, what they used to refer to as 38Mbps & 76Mbps (now 36Mbps & 66Mbps average speed descriptor used).

Sky stopped selling the 38Mbps a while ago and have been upgrading (presumably) exchanges and moving everyone up to the higher speed. I'm guessing to differentiate it from NowTVs BB offering.

Chino wrote: »

That would depend on whether the OP's landlady is OK with that:
https://youtu.be/D-z-W-tDgg4

Err... I don't live with the OP.


(I was talking about me going to Virgin )

Croft12

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

FTTC, what they used to refer to as 38Mbps & 76Mbps (now 36Mbps & 66Mbps average speed descriptor used).

Sky stopped selling the 38Mbps a while ago and have been upgrading (presumably) exchanges and moving everyone up to the higher speed. I'm guessing to differentiate it from NowTVs BB offering.

The only reason I can think they woulnd't offer the higher speed is your line distance if it can't handle it. Its improbable its an equipment issue. Swapping from 40->80 package is flicking an electronic switch.


what does the dsl checker say you ought to get on fttc

[Deleted User]

Croft12 wrote: »

The only reason I can think they woulnd't offer the higher speed is your line distance if it can't handle it. Its improbable its an equipment issue. Swapping from 40->80 package is flicking an electronic switch.


what does the dsl checker say you ought to get on fttc

I've just posted this on the Sky forum so I'll just copy & paste:-


I moved from Sky ADSL to NowTV fibre (upto 38Mbps, I get a solid 37Mbps) almost a year ago and am presently looking at options. I phoned Sky as the checker online claimed a 'technical error' on my normal Chrome browser and asked me to phone them (I have Sky TV & mobile and cookies were not cleared), they took my details including phone number and claim I would only get the older upto 38Mbps service and not the upto 80Mps one (I'd get around 60Mbps according to the BT checker).

I tried an address check from Firefox for both of my neighbours and our address without logging in or supplying the phone number and all 3 show the upto 80Mbps service is available. (I cleared history before each test)

Would Sky actually refuse me access to the fast fibre because I'm with NowTV for some peculiar reason?

Edit: just had an answer on the Sky forum that makes sense, it looks like it's the 'Downstream Handback Threshold' of 36.2Mbps (clean line) that's the problem for me. Of course Sky will still sell me fibre at the lower speed but they charge exactly the same annoyingly.

Croft12

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

I've just posted this on the Sky forum so I'll just copy & paste:-


I moved from Sky ADSL to NowTV fibre (upto 38Mbps, I get a solid 37Mbps) almost a year ago and am presently looking at options. I phoned Sky as the checker online claimed a 'technical error' on my normal Chrome browser and asked me to phone them (I have Sky TV & mobile and cookies were not cleared), they took my details including phone number and claim I would only get the older upto 38Mbps service and not the upto 80Mps one (I'd get around 60Mbps according to the BT checker).

I tried an address check from Firefox for both of my neighbours and our address without logging in or supplying the phone number and all 3 show the upto 80Mbps service is available. (I cleared history before each test)

Would Sky actually refuse me access to the fast fibre because I'm with NowTV for some peculiar reason?

Edit: just had an answer on the Sky forum that makes sense, it looks like it's the 'Downstream Handback Threshold' of 36.2Mbps (clean line) that's the problem for me. Of course Sky will still sell me fibre at the lower speed but they charge exactly the same annoyingly.

Well as I said line distance is a killer on FTTC. Around 60Mb suggests you are ~200m from your fttc cabinet. Nothing much you can do I'm afraid. Hopefully fttp will eventually come your way.

[Deleted User]

Croft12 wrote: »

Well as I said line distance is a killer on FTTC. Around 60Mb suggests you are ~200m from your fttc cabinet. Nothing much you can do I'm afraid. Hopefully fttp will eventually come your way.

Yeah, I ran a check through Plusnet's website today and the minimum guaranteed speed for the upto 76Mbps speed is 36Mbps (with an estimated 38-55 range) whereas the one for their slower fibre is guaranteed at 30Mbps (I get 37Mbps through NowTV).

I've just spoken to NowTV again anyway and agreed £25 a month plus anytime calls with 1 month credited. Happy enough with that, I don't have to run around setting up WiFi devices again either which is a plus (the TPlink extender for the son is a pain).

NotVeryTechie

Hi there guys, it seems my post has been hijacked. I was hoping I could get some input from anyone who has experience of dealing with Plusnet vs Now TV for Broadband Plus Phone Plus Calls. I can get a better deal from Now TV, but not sure if they are any good with customer service.

Please hope someone can help!!

JJ_Egan

What customer service do you need most never need CS .
But judged from posts on here neither hold an advantage .
CS you tend to get what you pay for cheap end = cheap CS .

[Deleted User]

NotVeryTechie wrote: »

Hi there guys, it seems my post has been hijacked. I was hoping I could get some input from anyone who has experience of dealing with Plusnet vs Now TV for Broadband Plus Phone Plus Calls. I can get a better deal from Now TV, but not sure if they are any good with customer service.

Please hope someone can help!!

Sorry, I'm blaming the hijack on @Croft12 for keep answering & asking more questions

You've had your answer anyway I'd have thought?

I've only had Plusnet for mobile and had no problems when I needed to speak to them either via phone or via the forums. I've just been speaking to NowTV this morning re. my broadband renewal and they were excellent. Their present offer of 36Mbps (average) + a 6 month NowTV Entertainment pass + Anytime calls is for £25 is pretty decent. I've not had any serious issues with either however.

NotVeryTechie

Thank you so much @Colin_Maybe. I have had Plusnet bb for some time and I have needed to speak to their tech support and accounts on various occasions. Accounts were ok, but tech support was so rude I ended up in tears! Even talking to them about taking out a new contract on the weekend, I had trouble with the first person I spoke to, who shouted at me. I had to call again and then spoke to someone who was OK, but not very helpful.

My contact with Now TV has been that I have an entertainment pass, which is fine, but I never did manage to get it to work on my PC, which is a little worrying. And the guy I spoke to on Saturday who offered nothing beyond the web offer.

I am combining an existing phone line through BT and a bb through Plusnet into one account and that will require a bit of extra work on switch over. I don't want to get stuck with weeks of no bb because the supplier is not getting it right.

That is why I have been asking for personal experience with both companies and I haven't really had much of that. Except from you, of course.