Anyone on Sky broadband

[AlanHo]

One of my friends has recently changed to Sky broadband - lured by the cheap rate.

She is having difficulty getting Email with both Outlook and Outlook Express - even though she has follwed Sky's set-up instructions very carefully. Webmail works fine but she would prefer to use Outlook.

She has made numerous telephone complaints to Sky support but they keep blaming her computer or the Outlook software - anything but their server. This is despite her arguing that Outlook was previously fine on Tesco Broadband and on Freeserve broadband before that.

I did some Googling yesterday on her behalf (she could have done this herself because she can use Internet Explorer and Firefox OK - but goes to work on week-days and has less spare time than me). I found lots of references to the same problem with suggested cures - also a large number of posts about poor customer service from Sky, dropped connections and lousy speed.

I made some notes about possible cures and spent some time on her computer this evening. I managed to get Outlook connected by changing her pop3 and smtp connections as suggested on a Google thread (quite different from the official "Sky" ones) and she can now send Emails - but it will not download them. When you check the account settings in Outlook it reports all is OK - so it appears that Sky have a problem with their pop server. I also set up Outlook Express with the same result.

Anyone here use Sky - with or without the problem - who can give me a clue how I can further help her.

[Irene]

This might help....

BASIC INSTRUCTIONS

also, HERE Look at the post by Scoobisam on 8/11/07.

[-pops-]

No help to you whatever, Alan but some friends who were with BT succumbed to the attractive prices offered by Sky. This was six months ago. They are now back with BT.

[Scarthy © ® ™]

My brother is with them. I haven't noticed this problem on his comp, although he was having lots of trouble with staying connected for more than 5-10mins!

He complained, several times, before they finally replaced his modem/router. His old one was feeling RED HOT, more than any other I have noticed, and his 'ontime' is much better now. The problem with disconnecting was temporarily fixed by installing Firefox, instead of using IE, but this too quickly became as unstable as IE was.

I don't like them really (SkyBB), but so many ISP's are taking the same path and neglecting their users and services to them. It seems that all they want to do is "attract new business" and ignore the 'contracted users' entirely. As long as I have been online, I have seen the same story, again and again! It makes you sick really, that they can continue to neglect users and make them pay through the nose for phone calls to Indian or Scottish call centres! (sorry Gandalf). I would love to see a totally 'unlimited usage' ISP, with a fast speed (>10meg), for less than £15 per month with a free-phone call center based in England!!! <--- Oh it's Christmas and we all can dream ! ;)

[AlanHo]

This might help....

BASIC INSTRUCTIONS

also, HERE Look at the post by Scoobisam on 8/11/07.

Thanks for the info Irene - it is appreciated.

[Irene]

Thanks for the info Irene - it is appreciated.

Any result with this one, Alan?

[AlanHo]

Thanks for the info Irene - it is appreciated.

Any result with this one, Alan?

Frayed knot.

I reckon whoever invented the term "Sky's the limit" was a prophet.

I am fairly sure the problem is at their end - not the customers. Their customer support are being so arrogant and unhelpful - just because people can collect Email via webmail, they seem to not care that their pop3 system is a shambles.