Sky broadband deals
Sky Deals
Sky has a number of different broadband deals. Use our tool to see which packages are available at your address:
Who is Sky?
Sky is a broadcast and telecommunications giant. The brand is best known for its pay TV services, which attract more than 12.5 million subscribers. However, it is also the UK’s second largest internet service provider. In total, Sky provides internet connectivity to more than 6.2 million customers.
The brand as we know it today was created in 1990, formed (as BSkyB) through a merger of Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting. A dedicated broadband division was established in 2005. The company is currently owned by Comcast, a US telecoms group that also owns NBC, Dreamworks, Universal and other household names from the television and film industry.
Sky’s position as a broadcaster first and foremost puts the company in a great position to offer bundles on its broadband services. A number of deals and promotions combine broadband contracts with Sky’s various TV packages. Among the options is a comprehensive sports package. Sky is the primary UK rights holder for broadcasting Premier League matches, and also possesses rights to show games from the Sky Bet Championship. Other sports include cricket, Formula One, darts, NFL and basketball, among others.
Sky also has a cinema package.This includes a channel dedicated to TV premieres, channels sorted by genre (action, sci-fi, family etc) and a further selection of channels that periodically rebrand as the home of popular blockbuster franchises. These have included the likes of Harry Potter, Marvel, Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Wars. See the Sky TV section for more information.
As well as premium channels, Sky Broadband can also be bundled with phone services. The default selection comes with unlimited evening and weekend calls - a per-minute charge applies outside these specified times. Alternatively, those who use their landline particularly regularly can pay extra for completely unlimited calls.
What is Sky Broadband?
Sky Broadband now technically refers to the Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) offering. This older technology uses telephone lines to connect homes to the Internet. When Sky acquired EasyNet in 2005, setting up its own broadband division, it gained access to over 200 unbundled telephone exchanges. This same, expanded network, managed by Openreach, is still used to provide ADSL services.
Openreach is a wholly-owned and independent subsidiary of BT - its cable network is utilised by multiple providers.
Unlike some other providers, Sky still makes ADSL broadband widely available under its “Essential” package. This is in spite of the existence of faster fibre packages. Average download speed on the Essential package is 11Mb/s, while upload speed averages 1Mb/s.
What is Sky Fibre?
Sky Fibre uses the latest technology to offer faster speeds than those available on its Essential package. Utilising a network of fibre cables, this service was first launched in 2012. Generally speaking, these cables run as far as local cabinets, from where traditional copper cables link up individual properties: this is known as “fibre to the cabinet” (FTTC).
However, Sky has also begun to roll out “fibre to the premises” (FTTP) - for the homes and businesses connected to this network, fibre cables run all the way to the property. Sky calls this “Sky Broadband Ultrafast” - the average download speed is 145Mb/s, while upload speeds average 28-29Mb/s. The company has a goal of making this technology available to 7 million homes by March 2021. As of now, it is available to 18.5% of UK homes.
As with ADSL, Sky’s full fibre network relies on underlying Openreach infrastructure.
For the time being, FTTC fibre remains Sky’s standard broadband offering. This is known as Superfast. The average download speed is 59 Mb/s, with an average upload speed of 16 Mb/s. Unlike the ADSL package, this comes with a speed guarantee.
Is Sky Broadband unlimited?
Sky Broadband is unlimited. Unlike some other providers, there is no traffic management, data cap or fair use policy.
Perks of Sky
Most internet service providers will offer certain benefits and bonuses as a way of appealing to new and existing customers. Sky is no exception: below is an explanation of some of the perks available on certain Sky contracts.
What is the Sky Speed Guarantee?
Sky’s Speed Guarantee provides a generalised baseline connection speed for its Superfast and Ultrafast packages. If speeds drop below the quoted figure for three consecutive days, the customer is entitled to a full month’s refund.
Furthermore, if this occurs within 30 days of installation (but after the first 14 days), setup fees are also refunded. A maximum of two such claims can be made during the course of the contract’s minimum term.
Sky also allows customers to alter or cancel the contract early at no extra charge if speeds do not meet the guarantee.
Here are Sky’s speed guarantees for the Superfast and Ultrafast packages:
Superfast: Guarantees 68Mbps download
Ultrafast: Guarantees 100Mbps download
What is Sky Broadband Boost?
Sky Broadband Boost is an optional addition to Sky broadband deals which guarantees at least 3 Mb/s Wi-Fi signal in every room of the house. For customers who have chosen this add-on, Sky refunds the £5 monthly cost of the Boost subscription if the internet connection in any room drops below the guaranteed speed.
Sky Mobile customers also get 2GB of free mobile data in the event of broadband speeds falling below the guarantee. Interestingly, Sky does not currently offer any combined mobile and broadband packages - but this deal gives mobile customers an extra perk.
The complete coverage is achieved through the Sky Broadband Hub, as well as a Sky Broadband Booster where required.
The Boost subscription also comes with further benefits. Subscribed customers get daily line checks. If Sky detects an issue, then an engineer is sent out to resolve it. This can generally be done without the need for home access.
Additionally, Boost customers can book engineer appointments at evenings and weekends for no extra charge. Picking these slots costs £15 for regular customers.
Finally, Sky Broadband Boost comes with Sky Broadband Buddy. This gives the account holder control over screen time and viewable content on all connected devices. Custom filters can be created for different users. Settings are controlled through a companion app. These features even apply when users are browsing on 3G and 4G connections.
What is Sky Switch Squad?
Sky Switch Squad is a dedicated service designed to make it easy for customers to switch over from another broadband provider. Sky contacts the existing ISP on behalf of the customer, helping to ensure that an internet connection is retained throughout the process. All being well, the old service should continue right up to the point of changeover.
It is worth noting that this process does not apply to Virgin Media customers. They must contact Virgin themselves in order to carry out a switch in internet service providers.
What is Sky TV?
Sky is a giant of the television industry. In total, 12.5 million customers subscribe to the broadcaster’s pay TV services. These premium channels are a significant lure when it comes to offering broadband bundle deals.
The most basic deal offers Sky TV alongside Superfast Broadband for £39 p/m. Alternatively, Sky TV can be coupled with Ultrafast Broadband for £47 p/m.
Over 100 channels are included in the Sky TV package, spanning a range of different genres. Sky Comedy, Dave ja vu and Comedy Central are three popular light-hearted channels. Sky One, Sky Atlantic, Sky Witness, Sky Documentaries, Sky History, Vice and Alibi offer more serious viewing. Fox, Gold, Quest and Syfy are among the other channels to be included.
This selection can be upgraded to include further channels. Various combinations attract different levels of savings, and prices vary based on available deals, but the Sky Sports package is currently available as an add-on for £18 per month. Sky has the rights to show 146 Premier League games per season, more than any other broadcaster. Some fixtures from the English Football League are also included on Sky Sports, as are a selection of games from the Scottish top flight.
Aside from football, the sports package includes coverage of cricket - most notably, The Ashes. Formula 1 is another big draw. Golf tournaments such as the US PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup are also broadcast on Sky Sports.
Sky customers can also access BT Sports channels, in a separate package costing a further £25 per month. Among other things, this offers access to Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup football, rugby union and UFC.
Aside from sports, Sky has an extensive movie offering. Sky Cinema costs £11 per month. This includes 12 channels, all in HD as standard. These channels often rebrand on a temporary basis, but the core selection is as follows:
Sky Cinema Action
Sky Cinema Animation
Sky Cinema Comedy
Sky Cinema Drama
Sky Cinema Family
Sky Cinema Greats
Sky Cinema Hits
Sky Cinema Premiere
Sky Cinema Premiere +1
Sky Cinema Sci-fi Horror
Sky Cinema Select Sky Cinema Thriller
As well as this broad range of channels, the Sky Cinema package includes more than 1,000 on-demand films.
Sky’s premium movie and sports channels can be accessed indirectly via Virgin Media or BT. However, the cheapest way of subscribing to Sky’s own channels is always by going direct.
Sky also allows customers to access various streaming services via their Sky subscription. Netflix can be added for £4 a month, while Disney+ is available for £5.99 per month. A range of kids channels and on-demand episodes are also available, for a further £5 per month. Channels include Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network.
All TV deals also come with a recordable Sky Q box, which has 2TB of storage space. For an additional £14 per month, this also comes with multi-screen capabilities - allowing users to watch both live and recorded TV in multiple rooms.
How to contact Sky support
Sky offers a big variety of perks. But, as with all internet service providers, there is always the possibility that something could go wrong. Should this happen, here’s how you can get in contact with Sky:
How do I contact Sky by phone?
Sky runs a 7 days a week phone hotline, open from 7AM to 11PM. Customer service can be contacted by calling 0333 7591 018. Those on the Sky Talk package can call this number from a landline free of charge. Sky Mobile customers can also ring the number for free.
How do I contact Sky online?
Sky has a detailed online knowledge centre, sorted by category. A virtual assistant chatbot is designed to help customers navigate to the relevant articles. Many common questions may also have been answered on the community forum.
Sky is the UK’s second-largest broadband provider, but there are a number of alternatives available. Other networks to consider include Virgin Media, BT and TalkTalk.
Conclusion
That wraps up this guide to Sky’s broadband service. There are a variety of factors to consider, from the range of perks to the different kinds of available packages. This should have equipped you with the required knowledge to make an informed choice about whether you want to go with Sky as your internet service provider.