topic Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement in Broadband

Slower broadband after pole replacement

Willow1218 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 08:47:12 GMT

Last week our broadband disconnected, had no internet light on the router at all. Sky booked an engineer but later in the day we discovered contractors for openreach down the road replacing poles and cables. The internet came back about 5 hours later but ever since then the sync speed has been much slower.

Looking at my stats the only thing that changed is the D1 line attenuation is now 18.1 instead of 15. The max rates of the line are now much lower than before. The cabinet stats have not changed. Is this something that might improve? Speed guarantee is 46.6 and I’m currently getting 30.1.

Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement

Chrisee — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 08:51:47 GMT

@Willow1218 if you post your hub's connection stats forum members can possibly give more information see Sky Hub statistics

However run the Service Checker in the My Sky app and click on the link beside the current speed. That will open the recent history of connection speedds and if you are under contract may activatecthe speed guarantee or enable you to book an engineer to check the line. However be warned increasingly Openreach are reluctant to do work to speed up copper connections as they switch to full fibre.

Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement

Willow1218 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 08:55:21 GMT

Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement

Willow1218 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 08:58:26 GMT

Thanks. I've posted all my stats. I have done all the tests as suggested, I don't get an option to book an engineer. It shows 30.1 or 30.2 for my last days speeds since it happened. My contract is about to end and I would like to stay but I don't want to start a new one with a much lower speed guarantee so I'm hoping to get this sorted.
I live in a rural area so I don't think fibre will be coming anytime soon in the next few years otherwise I'd gladly switch.

Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement

Willow1218 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 09:01:29 GMT

Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement

Chrisee — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 09:45:51 GMT

@Willow1218 if you are out of contract the minimumm speed guarantee no longer applies. From the stats the noise margin of 6.6dB is not great but not high enough to be considered a fault. In theory the cabinet can lower the margin down to 3dB which would improve the speeds but requires the line to have low level of noise which can ta ke 2 weeks

It is worth calling Sky to see if they can kick Openreach into action but I am not optimistic based on reports we read from other people in your position. It is only worth changing isps if you have access to a service that wont use the same line as while another isp will base their speeds on the database you posted in practice the line will deliver what you are getting now.

Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement

Willow1218 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:03:43 GMT

I'm still in contract for another month. The noise margins are normal, the same numbers we always had when the speed was 47-52. It's only the line attenuation numbers that have changed. When I complete the line test it says my speeds are slower than before but above the guarantee (which they aren't, they're 16 less) then I can't do anything more.

Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement

Chrisee — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:33:28 GMT

@Willow1218 call Sky to see what they can do if anything.

Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement

Willow1218 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:33:04 GMT

I had called Sky, they just tell me to wait and see if it improves. I'm just trying to find out if that's likely to happen without openreach intervention as the problems only started after the poles and cables had been worked on by a third party.

Re: Slower broadband after pole replacement

Chrisee — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 14:13:45 GMT

@Willow1218 no way of knowing as I said the DLM system in the cabinet can lower the noise margin which will increase speed this is done in steps until the line shows signs of instabiility or 3dB is hit. What wont happen is a dodgy joint healing irself unless an engineer working on the pole does something.