Moving from Virgin to Sky - how does Sky's internet get connected?

[adamcollis]

Hi.  Sorry to ask such a basic question but Sky's AI chatbot was as useful as a chocolate fireguard....

I'm trying to figure out what installation work is going to be needed if I go with Sky for broadband services.  Can anyone advise?

I'm currently with Virgin Media and have a fibre connection into the house.  I haven't had a BT account for deades but there are still some telephone wires coming through the wall, but I have no idea if they're usable.

What I don't know is whether Sky would install a satellite dish, fibre-obtic or reuse those old copper connections. 

As it's quite an old property with various damp issues I'm keen to avoid any new drilling, hence I'd like to know what Sky would do before I sign up for their services.

TIA, Adam

[TimmyBGood]

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@adamcollis wrote:

What I don't know is whether Sky would install a satellite dish, fibre-obtic or reuse those old copper connections. 

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Sky is a satellite television company, but not a satellite ISP (so Sky dishes cannot carry an internet connection)

Sky broadband will be provisioned over a new optical connection if your area has Openreach / OpenEIR FTTP infrastructure, otherwise it will use copper telephone cabling.

Sky and other Openreach ISPs cannot use Virgin cabling of any kind.

[TimmyBGood]

@adamcollis 

If it's in the UK, putting the address into the BT Wholesale Availability Checker should indicate which broadband provisioning type is applicable.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome 

It's the table and the two text lines below it which are most useful.

Remove any personal information (such as the address itself) if you post an image.

[adamcollis]

Thanks @Timmy.  Here's an image of the complete table:

With my limited understanding of the tech, it looks like the BT line is available for Sky, but does this mean the best Broadband connect I could expect from anyone except for Virgin is 80Mbps?

[TimmyBGood]

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@adamcollis wrote:

As it's quite an old property with various damp issues I'm keen to avoid any new drilling, hence I'd like to know what Sky would do before I sign up for their services.

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Note that in a 'fibre priority area' there's no option to use existing copper as ISPs simply cannot order wholesale service over it.

[TimmyBGood]

@adamcollis 

My eyesight isn't quite up to reading that on my phone but it appears FTTP is available with some kind of caveat on the installation.

[TimmyBGood]

@adamcollis 

So gigabit broadband is potentially available through new overhead fibre optic supply but it's not a straightforward job to get in place.

That's the 'OH External CBT Complex L2C' bit.

[TimmyBGood]

@adamcollis 

As it's not a fibre priority area an Openreach ISP could in theory sell you FTTC over copper, but I don't think any will now do so because they are incentivised to help get the national switch to FTTP moving.

[adamcollis]

Hi @TimmyBGood ,

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me understand matters, it's definitely put my mind at ease. 

My conclusion is that Sky 'should' be able to use the existing line, although who knows whether the cable through my wall is still good.

Thank you! Adam

[TimmyBGood · Accepted solution]

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@adamcollis wrote:

My conclusion is that Sky 'should' be able to use the existing line, although who knows whether the cable through my wall is still good.

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A slight correction: they probably could, but I don't think they will.

Even Superfast (80Mbs) service is provisioned over FTTP where that's potentially available.