Sky packet shaping up he network

[Mark+Elders]

Late in he evening ask for a packet shaping my broadband connection. Why? I'll tell you why. It's because of think you can save on bandwidth costs.  [content removed] loyal Sky customers for mor than 20 years and we'll tell people what you're doing, produce the evidence which proves it, and then we'll move to one of your competitors never to return.  You are pathetic!! 

Moderator note: language removed

[Chrisee]

@Mark+Elders what is this evidence you claim to have for your accusation?

Certainly this not a common issue raised on the forum and would be pretty explosive if it was true and the various tech sites like ISPreview would be very interested. Sites like Thinkbroadbandrun speed tests and analyse ISP performance and have highlighted issues around performance in the past but not seen anything about Sky,.

Data costs are a minimal part of any ISPs cost base rental costs for lines from Openreach, support costs, capital costs of the network etc are far greater. Therefore limiting band width would be a stupid economy and potentially extremly damaging given Sky claim to only traffic manage the old Sky Connect network.

[mae-3]

@Mark+Elders 

Sky state they don't do traffic management but would love to see the evidence that you claim to possess.

[JPR007]

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@Mark+Elders wrote:

Late in he evening ask for a packet shaping my broadband connection. Why? I'll tell you why. It's because of think you can save on bandwidth costs.  Well all you're going to do is **bleep** people off like me who have been loyal Sky customers for mor than 20 years and we'll tell people what you're doing, produce the evidence which proves it, and then we'll move to one of your competitors never to return.  You are pathetic!!

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😂😂Always love a random dramatic statement, shame it isn't backed up by any factual evidence though 😉

[Mark+Elders]

Evidence is same time every night for the past two months. From 11am speeds drop from average 56Mbps to below 5Mbps. During the day and up until 11pm the connection is fine.  I have recorded logs showing traffic changes.  Nothing to do with the number of devices.  Nothing to do with WiFi.  Tests are run directly from the router.  As well as a reduction in throughput speed there is also an increase in latency.  I've had Sky engineers out twice and they can't figure it out.  Packet shaping is common practice amongs the larger residential ISP's.  I've been in the industry for more than 25 years. I know how it works.

[TimmyBGood]

@Mark+Elders 

Perhaps worth noting that contention is not the same as traffic shaping.

[mae-3]

@TimmyBGood 

You took the words out of my mouth... 😀

@Mark+Elders @TimmyBGood is quite correct traffic shaping is when traffic matches a signature and is shaped to allow one type of traffic preference over another type of traffic, eg: streaming is favoured over downloading files as an example. When all downloads are impacted it is usually contention.

[Chrisee]

@Mark+Elders contention on Sky's FTTC conections is highly unusual but is theoretically possible.

Could you post the hubs connection stats both for daytime and when this happens please. This link explains how to get these Find your Sky Broadband router statistics.

Other things can cause variation in speeds including some form of interference causing a reduction in speed the cabinet can deliver is rare but is far more likely than Sky traffic shaping. Assuming Sky are doing this intentionally is almost certainly wrong as peak usage drops away after 11pm not increases . 

[jamesn123]

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@Mark+Elders wrote:

 I've had Sky engineers out twice and they can't figure it out.  

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So in your crazy mind you think Sky would rather just send out engineers at their own cost, pretending to not know a thing about thats going on with your connection but secretly they are just 'traffic shaping' you and just lying about it. How does that make any commercial sense?

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@Mark+Elders wrote:

Packet shaping is common practice amongs the larger residential ISP's.  I've been in the industry for more than 25 years. I know how it works.

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Right so your going "move to one of your competitors never to return." but now your saying Sky's competitors also packet shape? I think your telling some porkies about your actual knowledge on the subject.