Avoid Sky at all costs (Sky Broadband)

Member Name: pcarmalt

Product:	Sky Broadband
Date:	23/08/09 (43 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cheap

Disadvantages: totally incompetent

I just wanted to warn anyone considering signing up for Sky broadband to save yourself the bother. If after reading the below, you still sign up... you only have yourself to blame!!

In April 2007 I moved house from Basingstoke to Colchester. I cancelled my Sky Broadband in Basingstoke and signed up for new Sky Broadband in Colchester.

I am on the 8Mbps connection (not LLU).

I always connect to the router at 8128 kbps, and get real download speeds of around 6Mbps during the daytime Mon-Fri. However, in the evenings and weekends it usually drops to around 0.5Mbps, which is unacceptable, and Sky have stated there is nothing they can do about it since it's due to "other people using the internet at the same time". This was the last straw, so I called on 17th Aug to request my MAC.

The calls on 17th Aug did not go so well but after about 1.5 hours on the phone, being transferred between multiple departments without explanation, being cutoff once, etc, one time being given the MAC Address of my router (doh!), I eventually got confirmation that I was being sent a letter containing my Migration Authority Code, and I would receive within 5 days.

As I hadn't received, I called on 23rd Aug to chase. Here is how the call went (this time, I made a record.. to get here I called on 08442 410515 then options 5 and 3) .

me: On 17th August I was advised that a letter was being send with my MAC, so that I can migrate to another broadband provider. As I have not received the letter, I would like you to confirm when the letter was sent, and if possible, provide the MAC over the phone to save time.

1st Sky person: We can't give you a MAC as your broadband is already cancelled.

me: No it's not. You're referring to my broadband on 01256 xxxxxx (Basingstoke number) which was cancelled over two years ago. You are providing me with broadband on line 01206 xxxxxx (Colchester number)

1st Sky person: Erm... I can't find it, need to transfer you to Broadband Tech.

2nd Sky person: Hello, How can I help you?
me: (gave all details again).
2nd Sky person: Ok, sorry about that Sir, let me just have a look.
(call gets transferred with no explanation)

3rd Sky person: Hello, How can I help you?
me: Which department is this?
3rd Sky person: Broadband Sales
me: I have no idea why I was transferred here. (gave all details again)
3rd Sky person: OK I'm transferring you to the right dept
me: Which is...?
3rd Sky person: Broadband Cancellations

4th Sky person: Hello, How can I help you?
me: (gave all details again)
4th Sky person: We're definitely not providing you with broadband on number 01206 xxxxxx, I'll have to transfer you to provisioning...

Automated Message: this department is now closed. [cuts off]
Waste of another 24 mins / approx £1.20.]

I then called FAST.co.uk:
me: Hi, I want to transfer away from Sky and to you, but they are so incompetent they can't provide me with a MAC as they claim they are not providing my broadband, anything you can do to help? My number is 01206 xxxxxx
Fast.co.uk: I just looked up in BT's databse, and it definitely states Sky is providing you with broadband on this number. I'm afriad we can't intervene -- you'll need to report them to Ofcom on 0207 981 3040. Sky have a legal obligation to provide you with a MAC number within 5 working days of you requesting it.

I'll call Ofcom on Monday.

Summary: totally incompetent