sky 'free' broadband

[what..the?]

I am already with sky tv and I am currently with AOL dial up for mac which I have be told will cease to exist as of august.

So I am trying to upgrade to the cheapest possible, but fairly reliable option.

I can see sky offer me free 'base' broadband details here:
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Great value broadband with no monthly fee
�Up to 2Mb� download speed, ideal for everyday browsing
�Up to 400Kb� upload speed
�2GB monthly usage allowance
�One off standard set-up is �75 for existing customers taking Sky Broadband only5

Sky Broadband Wireless Router worth �50
Share broadband anywhere in the home with no more messy wires. Make sure you have a wireless card in your laptop or PC^ (most do now).

FREE 12 months online protection with McAfee� Internet Security Suite
Stay secure online with Sky. We offer the latest version (2008) of the McAfee� Internet Security Suite for PCs (worth �49.99), free for 12 months. For Mac users, Sky Broadband comes with 12 months FREE McAfee VirusScan anti-virus software (worth �19.99).
Find out more

24/7 technical support
Our friendly technical support team are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Sky Email and Tools
All Sky Broadband customers can now get FREE Sky Email and Tools with everything you need to keep in touch, stay connected and get organised.
Find out more

� Note this is a maximum potential speed. Top speeds may vary significantly depending on distance from local exchange and line quality.

5Standard set-up for new customers: For existing customers taking Sky Broadband alone (without another Sky box), the following broadband activation fees apply: Base - �75; Mid or Connect - �50; Max - �25 or if you already have or take Sky Talk: Base - �50; Mid or Connect - �25; Max - �0.
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[what..the?]

I dont know what people think of sky broadband and I dont know about:

a) if my mac powerbook g4 will be ok it says under system requirements that it is ok but it states wireless router and wireless enabled at one point and ethernet slot required under system requirements I dont know which is the case.

b) The 2GB monthly usage I dont know what it means by this, i will use the broadband to check emails and play online bingo, I will not upload or download much if anything, I will use broadband about once a day, so I dont know what my average usage would be.

Any help would be great..

Thanks in advance.

[snow.maiden]

My friend had a starter Tiscali package not so long ago. �19. 99p. per month for a 2mb, anytime talk package, with unlimited
internet access. I understand they were offering "free" line rental for that amount as well - but withdrew the offer after a while. Looks as if TalkTalk's going to take them over, which means there'll be some decent offers for a trial period once or if it takes place.

[Lakitu]

I called Sky a couple of days ago and set in motion the change from BT to them.

I was paying �38 per month for my Sky TV and �40 per month to BT for by phone and broadband.

After calling Sky, I am getting my Broadband for �10 per month, which is unlimited downloads.

I was going to be charged a �25 connection fee for this, until he asked if I wanted to take out Sky phone too. I currently have free national evening and weekend calls and he told me that Sky can provide that free of charge to me and if I tok that option they would waive the �25 broadband connection fee.

He told me that all I will receive from BT from now on is my line rental bill but if I wanted to pay Sky an extra �10 per month then they would pay BT the line renal direct, which is cheaper than what BT do actually charge for line rental.

So, for all of that, I'm reducing my monthly outgoing from �78 per month to �58 per month. No a lot but it all adds up.

I haven't received the router or my terms and conditions yet, though it was just 2 evenings ago I called so I'll give them until Friday to have them delivered.

[what..the?]

Thank you lakitu, i am also very interested in this package too and i was trying to understnd it all online last night it sounds and looks good on paper.

I would be very interested to know how it goes, and if you discover any problems on the way, if not for me but for anyone else that picks up this link/thread in the future.

Thanks for your response and for telling me your dealings with sky.

Were they nice and helpful at the call centre and was the call centre in the uk do you think???

Thanks again

[what..the?]

Thank you also to snow maiden for the advice.

[Lakitu]

You're welcome, and I'll keep you posted on this thread along the way.

The person I spoke to in the call centre was British and very helpful. It was BT I had a problem with actually, when I called up for the MAC code. I initially got an Asian call centre worker answer the phone who had issues with my name (I have very normal name, it's not difficult), so I hung up and phoned again, this time the woman who answered was British, took my name, address, phone number AND my password, when she found out I was needing a MAC code she asked me what my account number with BT is (I have never had to give this before) so when I said I didn't have the paperwork with me she refused to help me further.

I hung up in a bit of a rage and called back when I was home and had my last bill infront of me. Guess what........they didn't ask for my account number!

You can bet your last penny if I'd been calling to purchase a product she wouldn't have felt it necessary to HAVE to have my account number given I'd just given all my other details, including password!

Another member of AB, funnygirl, said last night she had problems with Sky in that her router hadn't turned up. I'll let you know if mine does and then it will be a couple of weeks until I am connected.........I hope.

[what..the?]

Different it you were buying from BT pmsl soo true that.

Thanks for all the info, I will look forward to hearing what happens, hopefully you will get sorted really quicky which would be a benefit for me too, as I would like to get your view before i buy but kind of need it review now because my AOL contract is about to end.

Lets keep fingers crossed.

[Rtaxron]

Are you in an area that has cable?
I have a Virgin Media package, but wont go into price details yet if you haven't.

[Nosha123]

I would be careful about who to go with if you are on a Mac.. as the technical support never seems to be up to scratch. I bought a new mac and then signed up with Tiscali but their software needed upgrading as it didnt support the new imac and no-one at their call centre (in India!) knew what to do!
I would like to switch to Sky if I knew the service would be the same.. however I registered my interest in their broadband about 18 months ago and never got contacted!!!

[funnygirl]

Hi there,

As Lakitu said, I finally got connected last night after one clear month.

The problem was that they failed to send the router.

Everything so far was free and because of the latest fiaso, I will be given a months free internet.

I have gone for the largest package, as my sons are always downloading music and films.


I will let you know again in a months time whether I am happy with Sky!!

[what..the?]

thanks for your answers.

rtaxron no sorry we do not get cable but thank you for your response.

nosha123 thanks for the advance i have been trying to look at all the pc/mac requirements before buy but your comment makes me more aware of the the problems thanks.

funnygirl hi thanks for posting, bad u have been waiting so long didnt they say any reason for the delay in the router??? weird. Thanks keep us posted.

[Lakitu]

Hiya!

I'm back with my update as promised :)

Sky sent out the router and it arrived a couple of days later, as expected. Last Saturday I received all the paperwork from them with my password and activation date, which was yesterday.

When I got home, I tried to connect using the LAN and was pleased I was connected as promised. I had a couple of issues trying to get connected with wireless, so I gave them a call, I wasn't waiting in a Q to be answered forever and the guy couldn't have been more helpful and talked me through everything I needed to do and within 20 minutes or so I was wireless.

Sky get my vote :)

[what..the?]

Thanks for getting back to us, and I am glad u are up and running.