Sky on demand downloads over 4g

[Anonymous]

I'm looking for advice on 02 mobile broadband service. I'm considering switching my broadband to mobile as I'm suffering from slow speeds on fixed line. I have a Huawei b315 hub and have been trying it out with a O2 3gb payg sim and achieving great speeds. However I'm having issues with sky on demand on my sky box. The downloads are failing. Sky go works on my iPad but I have been unable to download anything on my sky box. However I have also been trying a three mobile card and it works with sky on demand. Does O2 block sky on demand streaming? 

[MI5]

Do you see everything connected ok when you look in network settings on your sky box?

[Anonymous]

Yes everything connected ok. Definitely a o2 network problem. Pop in the 3 sim and I can download no problem. O2 works ok on my iPad with sky go but seems to be restricted or something on the sky box

[MI5]

Strange one. Let us know if you figure it out.

[Anonymous]

Called into local O2 store today and the guys in store were also baffled. Have actually tried on another sky box in another town and same outcome. Purchased a Vodafone sim and it works ok with on demand services. Perhaps O2 could post and give me any ideas on why it's being restricted 

[MI5]

Only @Toby can help with that request.

[Toby]

Hi @Anonymous,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble. Feel free to send me a private message and we can see what can be done to help.

[Toby]

Hi @Anonymous,

We test our SIMs and Mobile Broadband devices across a wide range of devices and they should be compatible with most laptops/computers, phones and tablets. We do not typically test for compatibility across non-standard devices such as a Sky box or games consoles for instance. That’s not to say they won’t work – we just can’t guarantee compatibility with devices such as these we’re afraid.

Generally speaking, using Mobile Broadband for streaming Sky movies/television content isn’t something we’d recommend – the speeds may fluctuate and lead to streaming issues, and due to the quality of video, your data allowance may be used up extremely quickly.

I hope this info helps!

[Anonymous]

Hello @Toby and @Anonymous,

I am experiencing the exact same situation, I signed on to an O2 data only contract in store on Friday after being assured that "all" data services will work.  I have the SIM in a TP-Link 3G/4G router and have no problems connecting my Apple TV, my Samsung Internet TV, my various mobile devices and my X-box but "on-demand" on my Sky+ box does NOT work on O2. 

Through various steps of ellimiation I concluded that it must be something on the O2 side, as with exactly the same hardware configuration but with a Vodafone data only SIM I can get it all to work. 

@Toby, as for streaming issues, at the speed of 12 - 15Mbyte/s I am achieving on the O2 Sim any changes in speed will be easily absorbed by the buffer on the Sky+ box.  

@Anonymous - did you get the On-Demand service to work in the end?  If so, could you share your setup that I can see if I can replicate it?

Any insight or assistance would be helpful!

Cheers, 

L.

[Anonymous]

Didn't get O2 working and no solution from them. I eventually signed up for an EE data sim on a 30 day contract and so far so good. Would've preferred O2 as their signal is a lot better but unfortunately I needed sky on demand more

[Anonymous]

Sad state of affairs from O2, I'm on your page, will cancel my O2 contact and picking up an EE data sim this weekend.  

And to add to the suspision that O2 block / throttle access is that my Apple TV will stream movies but the Extras dont wnat to download / play yet when I swap to a very slow TalkTalk ADSL connection everything works.  

Ah well, O2's loss.