Broadband takes a dive when using EE TV

[baldbassman]

Just started using EE TV, with EE broadband, and discovered when it's in use the broadband speeds drop from around 65 Mbps to less than 10, making the internet all but unusable for the rest of the household. To be fair, our broadband has never been particularly robust - we're up a hill on an old copper line, about three quarters of a mile from the cabinet. Even with other providers, it would test at around 65 down, 18 up until someone needed to download something, then it would go through the floor for the rest of us - but it's really noticeable whenever I turn the EE TV box on now. I had it on an ethernet connection, and moved it to wifi, which seems to have improved things a bit for some reason.
I sat on the phone for over an hour today with EE, and although the 'Guide' was sympathetic, and admitted it was a recognised issue, I was told the sales department refused to cancel the TV package as we're 16 days into the contract, despite me being happy to continue with the broadband and 3 x SIMs I signed up for at the same time.  I bought in store, so a cooling off period wouldn't have applied anyway, apparently.
I'm not impressed, as you may have gathered. I've been promised a call back from a manager tomorrow, so we'll have to see if that actually happens. I was with Sky for years, but decided on a change because of the cost, but I would go back to them in a heartbeat if only I could get out of the EE TV contract...
Any thoughts?

[baldbassman]

I read something about that somewhere, but to be honest that far exceeds my very basic networking knowledge. It seems ridiculous to me that a domestic product that requires user installation should demand that level of technical knowledge and specific hardware just to function. Sky Q isn't perfect, but all I know is as soon as I reverted to it, everything worked. EE need to revise how their TV box operates.

[RobertRoy]

Very similar to my issue. I have 38mbps download with EE. This is not enough when recording a program and replaying a recording via BBC iplayer. It continues to drop out or freeze. I don't recall being asked about my connection or it was tested at the time I was transferring from sky Q to EETV. To be honest i never gave it a thought. For anybody whose thinking of going with EE DONT! The tv guide is also dreadful. To be honest it's not fit for purpose. Given a chance I would go back to Sky but at the moment this is price prohibited by EE's cancellation costs. I signed with EE package back on July 2025 so this is well past the getout clause.  Sky Q via a dish is far superior although this is to be fazed out and onto an Internet based system!

[RobertRoy]

I would agree the whole EETV set up is dreadful and difficult to navigate the menus.

My conclusion it is not fit for purpose and wouldn't recommend anybody.

[Timbo45]

@RobertRoy 

Do you not have a TV aerial as if you do it would be best to use that rather than IP Mode.

Do you have any 5/8 port switches in your setup?

[zulu17]

Hi @RobertRoy  only my thoughts  but in your scenario

Unless you are recording a 4K channel and only TNT Sport Ultimate falls into that category currently  with EETV Box Pro I would have thought that there should with your speed  (38) be sufficient  bandwidth to handle the recording of a  single multicast  HD IP channel for  which enough bandwidth should be reserved and to view content on an app  as the  would typically adjust the displayed quality dependent upon the available bandwidth so for example you might get a lower quality iPlayer stream  if the remaining bandwidth after the multicast allocation won't support the highest quality  (The BBC iPlayer Video Quality  setting of " Best quality" adjusts to the highest quality video your internet connection can handle.)

Of course the EE TV Box does have capacity to handle two multicast IP channel streams which if both were considered in use and reserving bandwidth. So question for EETV is how does customer ensure a second stream is not utilizing bandwidth . ie are you unknowing still using a second stream.

A question for EETV is the way that the BBC recording are now handled contributing to the problem . ?

Also do other app/players that you are using retaining release the bandwidth as it is inceasingly common for people to switch apps without necessarily closing or exiting them.

As I say only thoughts,

[RobertRoy]

Thanks for the reply. I usually only record/watch in normal HD. I suspect as there are 5 mobiles in my house 3 of which are usually being used when I'm trying to watch TV so I guess this proberably uses any spare bandwidth. You can imagine if I ask them to stop, 3rd world war will breakout!

I was trying to watch a film on Netflix the other night and gave up also the Godfather on iplayer I eventually did see them both. I was recording MOTD at the same time. I'm sure this is proberably an issue with the amount of bandwidth?

I'm setting a BT YouView box connected to the aerial to enable my wife and I to record all free view programs this will eliminate clash on the broadband. 

Thanks for you ideas.

[RobertRoy]

I have a BT YouView box which I'm going the set up alongside the EETV box but only connect via the aerial hence via a HDMI switch with which I can solely use for Freeview HD programs with all the usual pause/rewind facilities, not connected to the Internet.

This of course will eliminate the IP usage over use on my EETV box.