Appears Sky are throttling my broadband speed

[Primitive]

Like many others my superfast broadband has a throughput of half what it used to be. Line speed to router is 35Mbs. Throughput consistently 16Mbs regardless of time of day. Until recently throughput was circa 32Mbs. If I use a VPN then I get the expected 32Mbs so Sky are definitely throttling my speed based on my IP address. Here are 2 tests performed last night with and without VPN.

No VPN

With VPN

 I'm waiting for a call back from the Sky networking team. I am expecting an explanation as to why my IP address is being throttled (fat chance of that I know).

Anyone else having these significantly reduced throughput speeds should try using a VPN to see if that improves the speed. If it does then you are also definitly being throttled.

 

[Chrisee]

@Primitive there is no evidence of Sky ever intentionally throttling any customers speeds it simply doesn't happen. What could be the cause is some kind of fault either on your line or within Sky's network which are far more likely.

You can run the connection test in the My Sky app which can book an engineer if it finds a fault or post the connection stats for your Sky hub in the forum and someone can tell you what is the problem. This link explains how to do that Find your Sky Broadband router statistics

[Primitive]

Perhaps you can explain why the throughput speed is IP dependant then? There is nothing wrong with my connection or set up. If there were then I wouldnt see a doubling in my throughput speed when I hide my IP address. They may not be doining it "deliberately" but it most certainly is happening and it is on their side of the infrastructure, not mine. Asking people to run connection tests and post hub stats etc is simply misunderstanding the problem (do you think I haven't done that?). If the throughput is "fixed" by using a VPN then the problem is not with my hub, connection or setup. Now lets try to understand why a VPN does this rather than waste time questioning my set up rather than challenging SKY as to why their system isn't working.

[mae-3]

@Primitive 

Sky has a steady flow of those complaining about throughput speed issues with their broadband systems which are linked to their backhaul capacity probably in different areas across the country, unfortunately, even though there is much proof on the community forum about the issue Sky is declining to confirm an issue with congestion or a traffic management congestion system they are using to slow consumers connection down and share what remains for a fairer system until they address the issue.

Even if it is a fault then they are certainly taking their time to fix the issue, and the community has reported issues back to May 2022 on throughput speed issues such as yours, and have allowed a few to leave their contract without penalty, and a few have left of their own accord because they are sick to death of the fault that Sky won't confirm!

[AtH]

We have exactly the same issue....several heated phone calls and 4 technicians later and they haven't got a clue what the issue is!

all line test come back as we are getting 34mbps but from the hub over Wi-Fi and Ethernet a steady 15mbps.

this has been tested on 4 other hubs by sky technicians with no devices connected with the same result so it's not a bandwidth problem.

spent an hour on the phone today and they have agreed to release us from our contract as they are unable to fix the issue because they don't actually know what the issue is. But again they tried to blame our bandwidth usage even though every sky technician has said that's not the issue.

[mae-3]

@AtH 

Good, that Sky has allowed one to leave the contract without penalty. Sky will eventually find the issue, but it is going to take time. 😎

[AtH]

I'm not holding my breath as the issue is random and not specifically within a certain location/area it seems to be random properties as my neighbour about 100m away has no issues.... but the last sky technician we had out told me the issue had been escalated as they are seeing this issue more and more but they have no idea what is causing it!

[Primitive]

Well after being resolutely stuck at a maximum download speed of 16Mbs for the last few weeks today it has gone up to a steady 20Mbs download! Wonder if they are tracing the route cause of the problem? I still get 32Mbs via a VPN so its got better but not fixed yet.

[Pulp58]

Since complicating on here and after extensive Sky and BT Openreach checks, finally my speed is slowly returning to near normal, as off this morning it has gone from 19/7 to 28/7.

like you using vpn I have established it is a Sky activity that is implementing the reduced throughput, it is either a naive introduction of such a measure or a deliberate introduction to try and gain more bandwidth for more customers, either way it's immoral.

I hope yours returns to normal - to what we are paying for.

[Primitive]

@Pulp58 mine is now crept up to 23Mbs.......

[Noozles]

Ours has gone from 20 to 28... something is happening!!!

[Primitive]

@Noozles certainly seems so, up to 26Mbs now and creeping up by the hour. Yipee, just as well as I renewed my contract today!

[Pulp58]

The last words of the BT Engineer 'it's something in this property, it's all the devices you have connected' what a load of tosh, they were all connected before the sudden decrease. Anyway, now the speed has returned I'm cooling down a bit😤

[Primitive]

Wayhey I'm back to 32.5Mbs, its been increasing steadily throughout the day and now stable again at my usual speed. So looks like they found the problem. Wonder if we will ever find out what it was?

[AtH]

I am yet to see any improvement...It would be nice if they made a formal acknowledgment to the issue but I would guess that would admitting liability and they would have to give some sort of compensation.