topic Latency in Broadband

Latency

82bit — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 06:08:54 GMT

Recently changed from BT to Sky Broadband (FTTP, Openreach service) and almost immediately noticed that latency has increased from 6ms on BT to 10ms on Sky. That's a 40% difference! Is this just a characteristic of Sky Broadband?

Re: Latency

JimM1 — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 06:26:31 GMT

@82bit Yes, latency is hardware and network dependant!

Re: Latency

82bit — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 06:37:10 GMT

My hardware is unchanged - using my own router, so that's suggests it's all Sky's infrastructure hardware and network overheads then.

Quite the increase though isn't it!

You can even pinpoint the exact moment it changed from one provider to the next!

Re: Latency

JimM1 — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 06:44:43 GMT

@82bit Yes you are correct it's not your hardware.

Re: Latency

82bit — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 06:49:22 GMT

I guess you'd say this is a real time explanation of why Sky Broadband is cheaper than BT!

No noticeable difference in normal use of course, however I'm sure my gamer son will be quick to spot that 'something' has changed! 😂

Re: Latency

JimM1 — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 06:52:22 GMT

@82bit If he can spot a 4ms change then get him super involved in IT, 4 1000's of a second the eye to brain cannot even spot that!

Re: Latency

82bit — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 06:54:55 GMT

@JimM1 He assures me "latency is the enemy to us gamers"! 😂

Re: Latency

JimM1 — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 06:58:13 GMT

@82bit And you are all over it, and 100% got it all cabled in Ethernet, just say your on wireless wi-fi and all bet's are off no matter how good you think your gear is!

Re: Latency

82bit — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 07:01:28 GMT

@JimM1 correct! All fixed devices are wired in CAT6. And I roll my eyes at anyone who describes their broadband service as "The Wi-Fi"! 😬

Re: Latency

82bit — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:27:22 GMT

An update to this: just changed to vodafone full fibre after Sky's price increases - latency is back to 6ms. Glad to be done with Sky broadband.

Re: Latency

JimM1 — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 08:49:36 GMT

@82bit Hopefully your new venture goes smooth.

Re: Latency

82bit — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:51:15 GMT

I wouldn't exactly say 'smooth'! The cheeky sods at Sky are trying to charge me an Early Termination Charge and threatening debt recovery if unpaid. This is despite me clarifying on a call (within the 30 day required period) to Sky telling them i'm exercising my penalty-free termination rights due to their price increase. And having received an email stating the termination charge would be £0. Despite my Broadband account still being £24 in credit. Pathetic - and i'd also suggest against OFCOMs rules regarding service provider in-contract undeclared annual price increases & penalty free cancellations as a result.