Fiber Optic - Sky or BT?

[BOUMSONG]

OK, currently I'm with SKY ultimate/max/whatever original top option is. I think it's a tenner a month and I get about 10-15 Mbps

I'm looking to now get fiber optic and my options seem to be:

Stick with SKY. Possibly the easiest options and for £20 per month I get an estimated speed of 40.9 Mbps.

Switch to BT. With BT Infinity 2 for £26 per month I get an estimated line speed of 57.2 Mbps.

What do you guys think I should do? The money difference is pretty irrelevant, I use the internet all the time and download a lot. Do torrents max out on Fiber optic if there's enough seeds?

Is the potential extra 17mbps likely to cause a significant increase in such downloading, and is it likely I will get this BT estimation?

 

[s0hail]

im a strong believer of cutting out the middle man so for that i would go direct to BT (seeing as sky just lease BT lines etc..). also with BTs new contracts there is no throttling on p2p

So go BT

 

[LJx]

Plusnet - get your 57Mps £9.99 for first 6months then £19.99 for remainder
Fast, cheap, reliable Home Broadband and Phone Packages | Plusnet

 

[BOUMSONG]

Plusnet - get your 57Mps £9.99 for first 6months then £19.99 for remainder
Fast, cheap, reliable Home Broadband and Phone Packages | Plusnet

Is plus net good then?

 

[Timalay]

Is plus net good then?

I'd like to think so, been with them for about 3 years, not had a major problem with them (any problems have been dealt with their very efficient, Sheffield based call center).
Funny thing is they are owned by BT, but they have all UK call centres (unlike BT).
Recently moved to their fibre package, and I could not fault Plusnet, or BT Openreach.

 

[LJx]

I switched to them from sky this year, price is good, speed is good and they don't slow stuff down at peak times so nothing to complain about so far

 

[JayCee]

Is the potential extra 17mbps likely to cause a significant increase in such downloading, and is it likely I will get this BT estimation?

I changed to BT Fibre Infinity 2 from O2 ADSL where I was only getting a max of 3Mb downstream on their "up to 16mb" service.
The BT linespeed check showed my line could support 56Mb and I got it installed just under 2 weeks ago.
It's now settled at an average of 45mb downstream and although I'm pleased as it's a massive improvement I'm just a little peeved I'm not getting the estimated 56mb.

 

[deathtrap3000]

Another thing to add, although the estimates are different for both providers, the speed you end up with will be the same. This is because your line will be the same for whatever provider you go with connected to the same ports in the cab and the same modem at your socket. One is likely a postcode check, while the other will be a phoneline check.

 

[BOUMSONG]

Another thing to add, although the estimates are different for both providers, the speed you end up with will be the same. This is because your line will be the same for whatever provider you go with connected to the same ports in the cab and the same modem at your socket. One is likely a postcode check, while the other will be a phoneline check.

Are you sure that this is the case. With normal infinity I get the same as SKY, but with the premium infinity 2 service which costs more, I get the 57mpbs.

 

[deathtrap3000]

Are you sure that this is the case. With normal infinity I get the same as SKY, but with the premium infinity 2 service which costs more, I get the 57mpbs.

Yes im sure. Openreach provide 3 different speeds that ISP's can offer; 40/2, 40/10 and 80/20. From the exchange to your modem will be exactly the same for whatever provider you go with, so neither can offer a service faster than the other.

 

[beerhunter]

seeing as sky just lease BT lines etc

So do BT Retail - from Openreach. That is to say, although both are owned by the same Holding Company, they are are not the same Operating Company. Additionally, Openreach are not allowed to favour any ISP over others. Should they do so, the Regulator would be down on them like a ton of bricks.

 

[BOUMSONG]

Yes im sure. Openreach provide 3 different speeds that ISP's can offer; 40/2, 40/10 and 80/20. From the exchange to your modem will be exactly the same for whatever provider you go with, so neither can offer a service faster than the other.

What would be the point in me getting the more expensive Infinity 2 service if it isn't faster?

 

[JayCee]

What would be the point in me getting the more expensive Infinity 2 service if it isn't faster?

But it is faster, BT Infinity 1 is up to 38meg and Infinity 2 is up to 76meg.

 

[BOUMSONG]

But it is faster, BT Infinity 1 is up to 38meg and Infinity 2 is up to 76meg.

So post 10 is a load of crap!!!???

 

[Stevenage Neil]

So post 10 is a load of crap!!!???

Post#10 is the definitive answer!

As stated OpenReach offer 3 products, two with d/l speeds of 40Mbps and one with 80Mbps.

BT offer Infinity, (40), and Infinity2, (80).

 

[BOUMSONG]

So will I get 57mbps from BT Infinity 2 or not?

Put simply, from the facts I have relayed so far, will I get a faster service from BT!!???

 

[deathtrap3000]

Its difficult to tell as you have been predicted two different speeds. Main thing to know is that if you go for the top package from bt, the speed you get will be the same as the top package from sky.

 

[JUS]

I think the message is getting confused.

1. If you use normal ADSL (phone line) for your broadband then whoever you go to all give you the same speeds as you are getting now (ignoring the fact that some providers throttle).

e.g. Sky and BT Broadband will give you exactly the same speeds.

2. The other option is Fibre Optic. BT Infinity you're asking about Boumsong is Fibre Optic. Fibre gives faster speeds.

The article here has more info. The article says on average BT Fibre is delivering 78% of the advertised speeds so I'd expect if you switch to BT Infinity (Fibre Optic) you'll see a significant increase in speed over your ADSL line. There are a number a variables that do impact the speed. Some are listed in that article.

Cable vs fibre: what

 

[JUS]

Re-reading your original post I'm not sure what Sky package you have. From the speed I'd say you have Sky Unlimited (so Adsl). Or do you have Sky Fibre Unlimited? I'd be quite disappointed if you were paying for that package and were only getting adsl speeds.

 

[RobM]

So will I get 57mbps from BT Infinity 2 or not?

Put simply, from the facts I have relayed so far, will I get a faster service from BT!!???

The fact you've quoted 40.9Mb has confused things, as otherwise I'd suggest Sky are offering the equivalent of Infinity 1, but BT are offering Infinity 2 and that's where the speed difference is coming from.

Sky do have a Fibre Unlimited Pro service though, which offers the same speeds as BT Infinity 2 (80Mb down, 20Mb up) for lines / houses that can accept it. You often have to call Sky to find out if they can offer it, I don't think there is a line checker for it on their website.

 

[deathtrap3000]

The fact you've quoted 40.9Mb has confused things, as otherwise I'd suggest Sky are offering the equivalent of Infinity 1, but BT are offering Infinity 2 and that's where the speed difference is coming from.

Sky do have a Fibre Unlimited Pro service though, which offers the same speeds as BT Infinity 2 (80Mb down, 20Mb up) for lines / houses that can accept it. You often have to call Sky to find out if they can offer it, I don't think there is a line checker for it on their website.

It's likely one speed estimate is for the postcode and the other is for the phone number. The phone number estimate is more accurate.

 

[BOUMSONG]

Imma just get infinity 2. I'll get BT Sport for free and I need it for the games they have next season.