You can certainly try that David, but why not hang in there for Sky?

Plus there's lot of other deals out there, although I have heard AOL are offering some good deals if you threaten to cancel.

cheers

Jason

Unfortunately NTL/Telewest aren't available here..so it looks like Virgin or back to AOL..I wonder if I can migrate back to AOL and take advantage of their no annual contract for migrating users?.ho hum....../D

Well I have to say I hope this isn't the experience that many people are getting from Sky. I'm really sorry this didn't work out for you David.

I'm sure NTL/Telewest are an option you can consider, they're launching the first Quad Play product in the next few weeks for £40 per month for broadband/phone/digitalTV/mobile all in one package under the Virgin brand.

If there is anyone else out there who is either waiting for Sky Broadband or thinking about switching please get in contact and let us know how you get on.

Your experiences are extremely valuable to us, without which we would not know what services are like and whether they're worth recommending.

Jason Lloyd
Broadband Channel Manager

OK..here's the situation... before I get cut off.

1. SKY were unable to take over the line today because BT hadn't provisioned the line even though Sky had advised me it would be done BY today.
2. The Sky engineer said he could either install, but not test the connection today, or come back in the next 2 days when the line had been transferred.
3. I decided to have him come back later this week. The engineer said he would arrange for Sky to call me for a suitable time.
4. Sky called to say they could not have an engineer back before 2nd September. They have no contingency for engineer sickness, for instance, so therefore no spare capacity should anything go wrong.
5. I said I would self-install if they could send me the equipment. Sky said they could not send out the equipment until 5th September.
6. I asked SKY to get the engineer to redeliver the equipment he was going to install this morning. They refused.
7. I've cancelled my Sky broadband installation
8. Sky said that BT will still disconnect me and the only thing they can do is issue me with a MAC code to trnsafer back to AOL or go somewhere else.

Everyone I spoke to at Sky, and there were many, said at some point in the conversation "I'm sorry but there is nothing I can do".

Seems to me there is no corporate will to rectify any mistakes..and mistakes happen in every business..but what we all try to do is remedy that mistake with the customer in order to minimise the pain. Not so with Sky it seems.

My conclusion - Sky have no contingency if anything goes wrong. They are not prepared, as a company, or seem to have any desire to do anything other than follow their normal process. Due to their mismanagement of BT I will be left without a broadband connection for 2 weeks minimum while I seek another more reliable provider. What I will not now do is continue to pursue broadband with Sky.

I will now consider whether I want to continue subsidising Sky with my viewing subscription.

If anyone is contemplating moving to Sky then I would advise electing for a self install or be prepared for a long time without broadband. And if the engineer promises to come back in a couple of days when the line is ready don't believe him. Contact Sky first before sending him away, and keep the equipment.

.../David...an even brigher shade of puce!

Actually Stephen in Broadband Technical was very scathing of BT who it seems are a tad unmanagable when it comes to predicting provisioning dates...Either that or Sky are crap at managing sub contractoprs, or both. Despite Mauureen Stevenson's helpful suggestion that I contact AOL or BT to stop the migration I don't have the business relationship with BT which would allow them to listen to me (that's Sky's job)...and getting through to AOL is a nightmare at the best of times, although it's tempting.

I'm currently waiting for a call from Sky installation to confirm when they can deliver the equipment so I can install it myself when the AOL service is eventually terminated.

At that point I will attempt to contact AOL to get some refund on the months advance payment which went thorugh my account yesterday...

Possibly more ranting later, assuming I can get connected...../David

David

It's nearly gone Pete Tong hasn't it?

Please keep us updated of what happens next, it looks like this is AOL being a bit naughty and Sky trying their best get it sorted.

Watch out for Part 3 of David's installation of Sky's awesome 16Mb broadband product....

Hi Jason,

Well the nice man Phil from Sky rang today at 8:04am and said he would be here within 30 minutes.

He arrived at 8:30am, good as his word, to connect us up....He checked to see that I was an active subscriber to Sky by selecting Sky One on the Sky+ box to see if it came up. It did.

He them moved onto the Sky broadband install. Problem was that AOL is stil active.

Despite the letter from SKY stating that BT informed them the line would be active BY 22nd it wasn't.

Phil called the SKY technical bods and they couldn't find the MAC code despite my having given it to them before and had them read it back to me.

I gave them the MAC code again.

After some more calls Sky confirmed that the disconnect was scheduled FOR 22nd. Phil offered to set it all up so all I would have to do was plug it in when AOL disaapeared.

I pointed out that I needed to test the installation so I could be sure my 3rd party email service, VPN and the wireles network and security functioned correctly and that I could not do that unless Sky was live.

Phil left at 9:15am saying that Sky would call me to re-arrange a visit later this week, whilst I am still on holiday and as soon as possible after AOL is disconnected. AOL is scheduled? to be disconnected anytime today before midnight, apparently.

Phil pointed out that this was his first Sky broadband install, He seemed reasonably knowledgeable, was helpful and empathised with the problem. This was not an unpleasant experience, just dissapointing and probably normal process teething problems. I'll wait and see if Sky can re-arrange a visit in good time to minimise my downtime and that I am able to test the install when it happens.

Sky just called and offered the earliest re-visit for Saturday 2nd September!! AAAAAArgghhh!..Which means I'll be without broadband for 10 days. Hum..This is turning into a complete disaster. Am attempting to get through to someone more senior to get a better date.

Sky broadband installation supervisor (Maureen Stevenson) couldn't/wouldn't offer me anything better. Suggested I called Customer Services...They couldn't transfer me as I was using her secondphone line!..Am now speaking to someone in broadband technical called Stephen whio is talking to his supervisor.

Am rapidly turing a bright shade of puce...

Watch this space.../David

Hi David

Thanks for your post. We really appreciate your efforts to let us know what Sky Broadband is like and I think several people on here are curious to know how Sky deal with you as a new customer. For me I'll be particularly interested to find out whether you get anywhere near the 16Mb speed that's advertised.

Keep us all in the loop and tell us what it's like?

Cheers

Jason

Hi Jason,

I am due to get the Sky max 16Mb package next Tuesday 22nd August..£10 a month instead of AOL's £24.99 and a faster service convinced me. The customer technical service can't be as bad as AOL so anything better than zero will be acceptable. I've so far received 3 letters from Sky telling me my new username and password, the installation address details and confirmation that BT will swap the line over from AOL on or before 22nd. The communication has been accurate and timely. I've confirmed with SKY that VPN access to my work is allowed but not supported. As this is critical I'll be testing it out. In preparation for my departure from AOL I've setup my own domain name and 3rd party email service. I'm using Mozilla Thunderbird and both AOL and my new provider's email system works with it. I expect Sky's to be compatible too.

I've signed up for the full package including having an engineer visit to deliver and configure the routerwhich is a Netgear DG834GT (customised DG834G I expect). As I already use a DG834G Mk 1 I am not expecting much to change. Maybe the SKY specific bits have been hard coded.

I'll let you know how it goes..../David

We'd be curious to hear from anyone who has recently got the new Sky Broadband package to find out what it's like.

If any of you have got this great new package then let us know?

Thanks in advance.