Sky Broadband Review - Is It Good In 2024?

Sky Broadband Review – Is It Good In 2024?

Sky is recognized as one of the largest media companies globally with Sky Broadband being huge in the UK. While it’s primarily acknowledged in the UK for its satellite TV offering, it’s also a prominent provider of mobile phones, landlines, and broadband.

The company has cultivated a reputation as a premium brand, delivering top-tier entertainment, sports, and movies for those willing to pay. Furthermore, its broadband services enjoy a favourable reputation. Although not the most budget-friendly option, they offer good value for money in terms of speed and reliability.

See the latest Sky Broadband Deals.

How Is Sky Broadband's Coverage?

Sky utilizes Openreach’s network to provide its broadband services. This network, shared by most major providers, boasts 97% coverage, making it available almost everywhere, with only the most hard-to-reach households unable to connect.

Initially, Sky relied on the same copper wires used for landline telephone services. However, these were later replaced by a faster fibre network (utilized by Sky’s superfast offerings). Despite the upgrade, the last stretch of the connection still relies on copper wires, as the fibre only extends to the cabinet in the street, with copper wires running from the cabinet to the home, consequently affecting connection speed.

On the other hand, Sky’s ultrafast and gigafast services utilize full fibre connections, eliminating the need for copper cabling entirely. This absence of copper contributes to the exceptionally high speeds of up to 900Mbps that Sky and other providers can offer.

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145MBPs

Pros And Cons Of Sky Broadband?

How Fast Is Sky Broadband?

Sky offers five (technically six) broadband packages, all featuring unlimited usage, ensuring there are no restrictions on streaming or downloading, and each comes with an 18-month broadband contract. The sole limitation lies in the speed you select, with some options providing incredibly fast speeds.

Sky Essential:

Although not always accessible to new users (requiring it to be the sole available option in your area), Sky’s basic ADSL ‘Essential’ package was previously highly favoured. However, it’s no longer recommended, especially to those who have access to faster alternatives.

Sky Superfast 35:

This package serves as Sky’s introductory FTTC broadband offering, utilizing Fibre To The Cabinet technology, which incorporates traditional telephone wires for part of the connection to your residence. While the ‘Superfast’ designation might seem outdated now, it once delivered impressive speeds. With an average of 36Mbps (with a guaranteed minimum of 25Mbps), it can suit smaller households not heavily engaged in simultaneous streaming and gaming. Nonetheless, by 2023 standards, it resides at the lower end of available speeds in most regions. Upload speeds typically reach around 9Mbps.

Sky Superfast:

As Sky’s primary Superfast fibre package, it boasts average speeds of 61Mbps, generally meeting the needs of most households. This option is likely the most popular, offering a blend of decent speed, widespread availability, and affordability. For determining suitability, it’s recommended to allocate at least 10Mbps per household member using the internet concurrently. With a guarantee of at least 50Mbps and upload speeds averaging 16Mbps, it should sufficiently accommodate households with multiple simultaneous users.

Sky Ultrafast:

Featuring an average download speed of 145Mbps and upload speeds of about 27Mbps, Sky’s Ultrafast broadband package is designed for larger households with numerous connected devices and simultaneous streaming. However, accessibility to this package is limited, as FTTP is currently available to less than a third of UK households.

Sky Ultrafast Plus:

This offering provides speeds exceeding the requirements of most households, reaching half-gig download speeds, approximately 500Mbps, with a guaranteed minimum of 400Mbps. Additionally, upload speeds of 60Mbps complement the package. Availability is somewhat constrained due to its reliance on fibre to the premises technology.

Sky Gigafast:

While faster options exist, such as Virgin Media’s Gig1, Sky’s Gigafast package offers unparalleled speeds. With download speeds surpassing 900Mbps and upload speeds of 100Mbps, it represents the pinnacle of broadband speed. However, availability is limited, requiring specific locations to access these remarkable speeds.

How Good Is Sky Broadband's Coverage?

Sky utilizes Openreach’s network to deliver its broadband services. This network is widely used by major providers due to its extensive coverage, reaching 97% of locations. Only the most remote households may face difficulties connecting.

Initially, Sky relied on copper wires, which were also used for landline telephone services. However, these were later replaced by a fibre network, offering faster speeds. Despite this upgrade, the last stretch of the connection still utilizes copper wires. The fibre network extends only to the street cabinet, with copper wires completing the connection to the home, which can slow down the overall connection.

Nevertheless, Sky’s ultrafast and gigafast services employ full fibre connections, entirely eliminating the need for copper cabling. This results in the blazingly fast speeds of up to 900Mbps that Sky and other providers can offer.

If you’re relocating and wish to explore your broadband options at your new address, consider reaching out to Sky or other providers to determine the available services.

What Router Do You Get With Sky Broadband?

All new Sky broadband customers are provided with the Sky Hub router, regardless of the chosen broadband package.

The Sky Hub router allows you to connect up to 64 devices simultaneously and features eight built-in antennae to optimize your Wi-Fi coverage, ensuring connectivity in every room of your home.

VDSL2/ADSL 2+ – VDSL2 allows the hub to be connected via super-fast fibre optic cable to your home (once available), while ADSL2+ enables connection via a phone line.

Smart channel selection – The Smart Hub automatically connects your devices to the fastest Wi-Fi channel and frequency available.

Dual band – Utilizes both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands for enhanced connectivity options.

Four gigabit Ethernet ports – Provides wired connections for up to four devices, ensuring optimal speeds.

Eight antennae – Features eight aerials for improved Wi-Fi signal strength throughout your home.

Internet calls – Includes a VOIP handset socket for connecting an internet phone handset.

Number of Devices – Supports connection for up to 64 devices simultaneously if you need this. Usually if you want a business broadband deal.

How Does Sky Broadband Install Your Router?

Installation of Sky broadband takes approximately ten days from the time of ordering. Sky will reach out to confirm an activation date. If you’ve placed an order for Sky broadband but lack a suitable phone line, an appointment will be arranged for an Openreach engineer to install a new one before activating your services.

While this may result in a delay in activation, you can monitor the entire process online to track when your broadband will commence. Sky will dispatch your new router via post, but it’s important to note that you may incur charges for the engineer’s visit.

Upon receiving the router and activating your broadband, you’ll be responsible for setting it up yourself. Sky offers comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on its website for configuring the Sky router and connecting your devices wirelessly or via a wired connection.

Thankfully there is a very easy guide online on how to install your Sky Broadband router. There is also a guide that comes in the box with the router.

For optimal performance, it’s recommended to position your router in an open, well-ventilated area and near your master phone socket. Typically, this socket will feature an Openreach logo or a line in the middle. If unable to locate a master socket, connecting your Sky Hub to a convenient socket is an option, although your broadband performance may not be as optimal.

How Is Sky Broadband's Customer Service?

Given Sky’s smooth installation process and excellent reliability, quite a lot of customers on Trustpilot comment that not much contact has been needed after installation. Nonetheless, a positive reputation for customer service has been garnered by Sky, as indicated by various industry-wide reports.

Although Sky’s Trustpilot score is currently below 2, this seems to be quite normal for the Broadband providers with many of the larger providers having a score around this area.

Another reliable measure of a provider’s customer service reputation is Ofcom’s quarterly complaints report. A remarkably low number of complaints to Ofcom compared to most other broadband providers in the UK has consistently been received by Sky. Often ranked alongside EE, Sky is found to fare exceptionally well, with only three or four complaints per 100,000 customers, in contrast to Virgin Media or TalkTalk, which receive 15+ complaints. This data underscores the minimal grounds for customer complaints about Sky in comparison to similar-sized providers.

Can You Get Sky Broadband Just By Itself?

In short, yes you can just get Sky Broadband by itself without signing up for other Sky packages. Sky provides an ultrafast full fibre option through Openreach’s FTTP network, ensuring high-speed connectivity with fibre-optic cables directly to your home. With this type of connection, a copper phone line may not be necessary, provided it’s available at your residence.

The provider extends its superfast offering as a standalone broadband deal. All Sky broadband packages include the option of Sky Broadband Boost and its Wi-Fi Guarantee. This guarantee ensures a refund if you encounter unreliable Wi-Fi in any room.

For those seeking a straightforward and uncomplicated broadband connection suitable for working from home and streaming services like Netflix or Disney Plus, opting for a broadband-only package would be the most fitting choice.

When Does Sky Broadband Increase It's Price?

In April 2023, Sky implemented a price increase, resulting in an additional £67 per year for nearly all customers, on average. This adjustment, communicated well in advance and exceeding the 30-day warning requirement, represented an average increase of 8.1%. While larger than Sky’s previous years’ announcements, it remained notably smaller than the price hikes from most other major broadband providers. Sky will also increase Sky Broadband prices in 2024.

Some customers faced hikes of nearly 15%, emphasizing that, while higher than anticipated, the increase was comparatively moderate. Notably, Sky stands out among broadband providers by not incorporating annual inflation-based price increases in its terms and conditions. This unique approach allows customers a 30-day window to terminate their contract early without incurring cancellation fees. Although this option hasn’t been exercised, the flexibility is appreciated.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the primary reason to opt for Sky broadband over competitors like BT and TalkTalk extends beyond broadband itself. It’s the integration of TV services with Sky TV that sets it apart, offering a fully comprehensive bundle that’s hard to match in terms of cost efficiency. This is especially true now that Sky is transitioning away from satellite dish delivery toward streaming TV via broadband. While you can access many of Sky’s channels through Virgin Media, BT, or NOW TV streaming services, these alternatives often lack key elements such as premium channels and overall picture quality.

In terms of broadband quality, Sky Broadband delivers a comparable router, speeds, and service to BT, largely because both utilize the Openreach FTTC and FTTP networks. Consequently, their speeds are quite similar, and their customer service and reliability are on par. Therefore, the decision to choose Sky Broadband ultimately hinges on how many Sky services you desire in your household, as Sky excels in offering the most comprehensive bundles.

For those solely seeking broadband (albeit still requiring a phone line), Sky now stands out as one of the best value providers in the UK, particularly if you take advantage of their special offers, which often include price reductions and gift cards. While multiple offers are typically available, it’s important to stay vigilant as they can change frequently, sometimes on a daily basis.

See the latest Sky Broadband Deals.

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