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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sky Broadband struggles with demand after adding subscribers | Sky Broadband struggles with demand after adding subscribers |
| (6 days later) | |
| Sky has acknowledged that some of its customers are experiencing slow internet speeds as a consequence of it signing up new subscribers. | Sky has acknowledged that some of its customers are experiencing slow internet speeds as a consequence of it signing up new subscribers. |
| The firm said that it was working to boost capacity at telephone exchanges in the worst hit areas. | The firm said that it was working to boost capacity at telephone exchanges in the worst hit areas. |
| The news coincided with the launch of Sky Go Extra - a service allowing users to download movies and TV shows so they can be watched offline. | The news coincided with the launch of Sky Go Extra - a service allowing users to download movies and TV shows so they can be watched offline. |
| One expert said the product might add to the strain. | One expert said the product might add to the strain. |
| Sky Go Extra still works at slow internet speeds - however, Sky's other streaming services rely on the user having a 2 megabit per second connection. Some subscribers have complained their download speeds have fallen below this level at peak times. | Sky Go Extra still works at slow internet speeds - however, Sky's other streaming services rely on the user having a 2 megabit per second connection. Some subscribers have complained their download speeds have fallen below this level at peak times. |
| A Sky spokeswoman apologised for the problems. | A Sky spokeswoman apologised for the problems. |
| "Following a combination of an underlying increase in network traffic as well as a high rate of new customer additions, we are aware of capacity issues in a small number of exchanges," she said. | |
| "We are working on adding new capacity to those exchanges as quickly as we can. We apologise to all customers who have been impacted by this issue." | "We are working on adding new capacity to those exchanges as quickly as we can. We apologise to all customers who have been impacted by this issue." |
| She confirmed a report by The Register that users in Doncaster, North Wales and Bristol were among those affected, but declined to be more specific or name other locations. | She confirmed a report by The Register that users in Doncaster, North Wales and Bristol were among those affected, but declined to be more specific or name other locations. |
| However, the firm has provided an online postcode checking facility for its subscribers to check if their local exchange has been flagged as having an issue. | However, the firm has provided an online postcode checking facility for its subscribers to check if their local exchange has been flagged as having an issue. |
| Sky also indicated that less than 5% of its broadband customer base used the affected exchanges. | Sky also indicated that less than 5% of its broadband customer base used the affected exchanges. |
| 'Unlimited downloads' | 'Unlimited downloads' |
| Andrew Ferguson, editor of the Thinkbroadband news site noted that Sky had recently run a major promotion highlighting the fact it did not place "fair use" caps on the amount of data its customers use. | Andrew Ferguson, editor of the Thinkbroadband news site noted that Sky had recently run a major promotion highlighting the fact it did not place "fair use" caps on the amount of data its customers use. |
| As a result, he said, the firm had probably attracted subscribers who downloaded significantly more than the average 23 gigabytes per month consumed by the average UK broadband user. | As a result, he said, the firm had probably attracted subscribers who downloaded significantly more than the average 23 gigabytes per month consumed by the average UK broadband user. |
| "Sky had this problem last year in some of its exchanges, and it's definitely not the only service provider to have experienced this problem," he told the BBC. | "Sky had this problem last year in some of its exchanges, and it's definitely not the only service provider to have experienced this problem," he told the BBC. |
| "It's very much related to the firms' promotional activities. Sky has also been pushing its fibre products recently - they offer higher speeds and people who sign up generally use more data afterwards." | "It's very much related to the firms' promotional activities. Sky has also been pushing its fibre products recently - they offer higher speeds and people who sign up generally use more data afterwards." |