Sky broadband explained
Sky's history goes back to 1989, when Rupert Murdoch launched Sky television PLC which set out to compete with terrestrial channels. in 1990 Sky television merged with its rival British Satellite Broadcasting to form British Sky Broadcasting which was more commonly abbreviated to BSKYB.
In 2005 Sky made the foray in to the broadband, and due to spectacular growth has become the second biggest provider of broadband services in the UK, narrowly behind BT.
The Key benefits of a Sky packages are:
- Triple play bundle (broadband, phone and TV)
- Access to over 600 plus channels including over 250 plus freeview channels
- Flexible premium TV channels available on a rolling basis
- On Demand box sets with access to 500 titles
- Netflix available as part of a package deal
- Available to watch certain services on a PC, Mac, iPad, Android tablets and mobile phones with the Sky Go app
- Sky internet is available to 98.5% of the UK population
What broadband packages are there?
Sky uses the Openreach network, which covers 98.5% of UK households and businesses. For consumers looking for fibre optic, Openreach covers 95% of the UK market. So long as you're able to get an Openreach line, you'll be able to have Sky broadband.
Sky sells broadband-only packages as well as packages that bundle up TV, phone and broadband and Sky also offers the option to add Sky Broadband Boost and Wi-Fi Guarantee, which gives consumers guarantees that if the Wi-Fi is not reliable in every room, they are entitled to receive compensation.
Sky Essential broadband
- Average download speed of 11 Mbps
- 18 month minimum terms contract
- Sky broadband hub included
- Unlimited data allowance
- Sky broadband shield protection included
- 3 Mbps WiFi guarantee in every room
Sky Superfast broadband
- Average download speed of 59 Mbps
- 18 month minimum terms contract
- Sky broadband hub included
- Unlimited data allowance
- Sky broadband shield protection included
- 3 Mbps WiFi guarantee in every room
What other services you can get from Sky home broadband offering?
Sky Sports packages / channels |
Yes |
BT Sports / BT Sports app |
Yes |
TV channels |
Yes (Uses SkyQ TV box) |
Fibre optic broadband service |
Yes |
ADSL broadband service |
Yes |
Mobile phone deals and packages |
Yes |
Call package options |
Yes |
International calls |
Yes - on selected countries and add -on |
What is Sky TV and broadband deal in brief?
Sky is unrivalled when it comes to TV channels, by adding Sky's Entertainment Pack, which gives consumers access to over 300 channels including 2 of the most popular channels, Sky One and the exclusive Sky Atlantic.
For movie buffs, Sky has ‘Sky Cinema’ which is a set of 11 premium movie channels broken down to specific genres like. horror, family, comedy etc.
Sky has invested heavily in live sports broadcasting, and has exclusive content not available on other Channels in the UK. You can choose to have one sports channel, or if you like a variety of sports, you can take all 9.
Sky TV is delivered through Sky Q set-top box, which features on-demand TV as well as catch up TV. it also has up to 2TB of storage which allows you to record up to 350 hours of your best HD programs.
What is Sky’s broadband and phone deal?
For customers looking to have Sky broadband and phone services, there are a variety of options available. The standard option includes unlimited evening and weekend calls, with calls outside these hours charged at a per-minute rate. Other add-ons available for a small monthly fee include upgrading your Sky Talk Plan to any time and International Calling services.
What is Sky’s TV, phone and broadband deal?
Sky's triple play deal includes phone, broadband, and TV. The basic package includes access to over 300 channels, unlimited evening and weekend calls and broadband. Further add-ons like anytime calls or premium channels are available for an additional monthly fee. Moreover, you have the option to opt for Sky Cinema and Sky Sports both of which offer 11 dedicated channels each. You will get a Sky Q set-top box with any Sky TV deal, which will enable you to record up to five hundred hours of live TV.
What do Sky offer to safeguard performance?
Ofcom have a voluntary code of practice for broadband providers which Sky has signed up to. This means you're given an estimate of the average broadband speed you will receive before you sign up and a minimum performance guarantee, which entitles you to cancel your contract if a firm is unable to resolve your issue within 30-days without paying a penalty. If you're looking for fast, reliable broadband, Sky broadband offers a widely-available part-fibre broadband connection. This means that instead of traditional copper phone lines, most of the connection is serviced by fibre cables, which offer faster broadband and cause fewer connection issues.
For added peace of mind, Sky offers customers the option to add Sky's Broadband Boost for £5 a month. This service will mean your line is regularly monitored for problems, with priority engineer service and Sky's Wi-Fi Guarantee, which ensures you receive strong broadband signals throughout your house or you receive compensation. In addition, with the flexible engineer visits provided by Sky Broadband Boost, you can have the assurance that any technical issues will be promptly addressed and resolved by skilled professionals.
What are Sky’s broadband offerings?
Sky offers broadband through an ADSL line, consumers looking for faster broadband, will have the option to choose the super-fast full fibre broadband.
Sky Essential Broadband
Sky's basic broadband offering is trademarked as Sky Essential, where customers are expected to receive an average speed of 11 Mbps over an ADSL line. This speed is suitable for customers with light users of the internet.
Sky Superfast Broadband
Sky superfast package customers will receive an average speed of 59 Mbps, this would be suitable for larger households where users may want to stream movies or online gaming without the hassle of it slowing down.
What is a good broadband speed for me?
The right broadband speed would depend on what you use the internet for. If your usage is categorised as light, which includes browsing, reading emails, or just looking at Facebook, an ADSL connection of 11 mbps should be adequate. If, however, the internet will be used by multiple devices, large file downloading, streaming HD quality video, or playing high-quality online games, then a fibre optic connection would be more reliable connection.
Broadband speed for general browsing and light usage
A speed of 1.5Mbps is all that's required to browse websites, Facebook and even YouTube but you will have to expect occasional buffering (with ADSL connections). For YouTube videos of higher quality the minimum speed will be between 2.5Mbps to 4Mbps
Broadband speed for streaming
For streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon a recommended minimum speed of 3 Mbps for standard definition and for HD content its 5 Mbps the BBC iPlayer has similar requirements. If you want to stream smoothly in 4K ultra high-definition, you'll need a minimum speed of 25 Mbps. For Youtube videos of higher resolution of 720p, the minimum advised connection speed is 2.5Mbps, and Full HD (1080p) the minimum connection speed is 4Mbps
Broadband speed for gaming
For gamers, as the files are large, sometimes in excess of 100gb, the recommended minimum download speed will be over 30 Mbps.
It is worth remembering the more users you have sharing a connection, the speed experienced will be slower than when compared to one person using the internet.
What speed is Sky Broadband in my area?
Openreach ADSL network covers more than 98.5 percent of the UK, but there may still be some locations where the service is unavailable. Exact speeds will also differ depending on a user's location, with a variety of factors contributing to the different broadband speeds experienced by users.
To know the expected speed for broadband in your area, please call Free Price Compare’s friendly team of advisers on 0800 977 5741.
Sky uses Openreach network’s fibre optic connections, so, as a result 95% of UK households will be able to have Sky Superfast Fibre Broadband. Sky will give you an approximate speed for fibre broadband connection but this could vary depending on the location of your home. To determine the broadband speed in your area, you can use our broadband postcode checker, which will let you know what offers are available and the speeds you can expect.
What is the process of setting up Sky in the home?
Setting up Sky broadband couldn't be easier, all you need to do is plug the router into the phone socket the power cable into the router and turn it on, and you're ready to go.
The customers that have chosen to have a TV package included, will be required to schedule an engineer visit to install all the various equipment.
Is there a set up fee?
Yes, Sky do charge insulation and set up fees, which ranges from £19.95 to £39.95 and this would depend on the package you're signing up for.
What is the Sky broadband installation time?
If you already have an Openreach landline, it should take around two weeks to switch your service to Sky. However, if you are getting broadband for the first time or need a landline installed, it may take up to three weeks.
Sky switch existing landline customers to ADSL broadband service in around two weeks from the point of application. for new broadband customers requiring a new line, the process can take around 3 weeks.
Sky fibre installation
Customer wanting to switch from ADSL internet line to a fibre connection see a quicker installation time, this process takes about 7 days.
What is Sky Q Hub?
Sky’s router is also a set-top TV box, which Sky have named Sky Q Hub. It operates on the less congested and more advanced 5GHz spectrum which will mean users will experience far better internet performances than if they had been on the 2.5GHz spectrum.
How do you set up Sky Q Hub?
Setting up a Sky Q box is fairly straightforward and with instructions and power cables all contained within the pack. For customers wanting TV with their broadband will need to arrange an engineer visit
How do you compare Sky deals?
If you are looking to compare the various Sky broadband deals, there is no better place thanFree Price Compare, which will give you the best broadband, TV and phone deals in the UK. If you prefer to speak to someone than our freephone number is 0800 977 5741 available from Monday to Saturday 8am to 9pm. Sky’s exclusive deals are available to large numbers of UK homes.
What is Sky broadband customer service like?
Sky have comprehensive lists of FAQs which should resolve most queries, however, if you prefer more direct forms of communications, you can contact Sky on the phone, by Facebook Messenger, email, or even text messaging. The telephone number for Sky customer service is 0333 7591 018 with lines open from 7am to 11pm, every day of the week.
Sky broadband download and upload speed analysis including peak time hours
|
Download Speed |
Upload Speed |
Plan Speed |
Maximum |
24 hours |
8pm-10pm |
Minimum |
Maximum |
24 hours |
8pm-10pm |
Minimum |
ADSL2+ |
11.1-13.2 Mbps |
10.8-12.8 Mbps |
10.7-12.7 Mbps |
9.4-11.3 Mbps |
0.8-0.9 Mbps |
0.8-0.9 Mbps |
0.8-0.9 Mbps |
0.7-0.8 Mbps |
36 Mbps FTTC |
33.1-34.9 Mbps |
32.3-34.2 Mbps |
32.0-34.0 Mbps |
29.0-31.1 Mbps |
7.9-8.4 Mbps |
7.8-8.4 Mbps |
7.8-8.4 Mbps |
7.5-8.1 Mbps |
63 Mbps FTTC |
57.5-62.2 Mbps |
56.3-61.0 Mbps |
55.9-60.7 Mbps |
51.1-55.9 Mbps |
15.2-16.5 Mbps |
15.1-16.4 Mbps |
15.1-16.4 Mbps |
14.6-15.9 Mbps |
Sky Q Hub vs Sky Hub
|
Sky Q Hub |
Sky Hub |
|
|
|
Wi-Fi |
Dual Band |
Dual Band |
Wi -Fi antennae |
5 |
8 |
Ethernet ports |
2 (support 1Gbps) |
4 (support 1Gbps) |
Orientation |
Horizontal |
Vertical |
VoIP enabled |
No |
Yes |
Concurrent Connections |
64 |
64 |
- Name: Sky
- Parent company: Comcast Corporation
- Operated in Regions: UK
- Plans offer: Broadband, Digital TV, Mobile
- IPv6 Support: Yes
- Ofcom Code of Practice: Yes
- Relocation Support: Yes
- ISPA Member: Corporate
- Customer Service Number: 0333 7591 018
- Overall Satisfaction according to Ofcom: 83%
- Customer reviews: 4908 Trustpilot