Sky's broadband offering is one of the most popular available and regular features in our rundown of the best broadband deals. Whether it’s their fast speeds, reliable service, the array of add-ons, or the prestige of this long-established tech brand – it’s not hard to see why so many households choose Sky Broadband. A key difference between Sky and other broadband-only providers is that Sky often doesn't provide the cheapest broadband deals. However, if you want to opt for a bundled broadband and TV deal, Sky is typically considered to be the best choice over others like Virgin Media. That said, if you don’t want any TV add-ons or boosts to your package, Sky also has a variety of gigabit internet, Full Fibre and standard fibre broadband deals, and a limited selection of slower and ADSL speeds.
If you shop around you'll see that you can pick up some great deals on your broadband - and Sky Broadband is no exception. Moreover, if you look online you'll find that Sky regularly partners with other websites offering incentives, such as reward cards, if you sign up via these third-party platforms. However, if you go directly to Sky you'll find there are currently several special offers available (subject to your location and fibre/Full Fibre connection), which are amongst the best you can get from the provider right now. For a top-level overview, here’s a breakdown of each Sky Broadband package (without any deals or promotions applied) that is usually available – again, this is broadband-only and dependent on your location and fibre/full fibre connection.
The available packages include Essential Plus, which is priced from £30 per month with an average speed of 11Mbps, unlimited usage, and a 24-month contract. Superfast 35 is available from £25 per month, offering an average speed of 35Mbps, unlimited usage, and a 24-month contract. Superfast 80 costs from £30 per month, with an average speed of 61Mbps, unlimited usage, and a 24-month contract. For those requiring faster speeds, Full Fibre 100 is available from £38 per month, providing an average speed of 100Mbps, unlimited usage, and a 24-month contract. Ultrafast broadband is priced from £38 per month, with an average speed of 145Mbps, unlimited usage, and a 24-month contract. The Ultrafast+ package costs from £48 per month, delivering an average speed of 500Mbps, unlimited usage, and a 24-month contract. Finally, Gigafast is available from £58 per month, offering an average speed of 900Mbps, unlimited usage, and a 24-month contract.
Regarding contract lengths, Sky used to offer 18-month contracts with their broadband, but now all their packages are exclusively for 24 months. If you look online, there are stories of customers being able to select 12-month and ‘rolling’ contracts by speaking directly with Sky when choosing a broadband deal. When getting fibre from Sky, you can have deals with an average download speed of 35Mbps, 75Mbps, 150Mbps, and 500Mbps. Those later speeds are extremely fast and are only helpful if you're a heavy internet user with multiple people streaming and gaming simultaneously in your household. Do be aware that depending on where you live, you may not be able to access the top speeds offered by Sky broadband. Many rural locations are limited in terms of what speeds they can get. Speeds start at 11Mbps, however, do note that if your home is capable of supplying fibre broadband, you won't be offered this basic package.
A selection of what's currently available for new customers includes Sky Superfast Broadband, which offers a 61Mbps average download speed for £28 a month for 24 months with no setup fees. This deal is for new customers and comes with unlimited data and 61Mbps average download speeds, suitable for any small or medium-sized household. It also features Sky Pay As You Talk, which means you can have a landline and you'll only pay for the calls you make. You can also get 50% off selected mobile data plans when you buy this particular broadband. Another option is Sky Ultrafast Broadband, which provides a 145Mbps average download speed for £28 a month for 24 months with no setup fees. This offer is for new customers and is currently available to 55% of UK homes. It includes Sky’s Wall-to-Wall WiFi Guarantee and the ability to get 50% off selected mobile data plans. For even higher speeds, Sky Ultrafast+ Broadband offers a 500 Mbps average download speed for £34 a month on a 24-month contract with no setup fees.
Sky also has some special discounts available on its broadband for any businesses looking to use its services. A top-level overview of available packages is provided, but you can simply check directly with Sky when browsing their broadband packages.
A key aspect of Sky's service is that no matter what package you get from Sky, even their ultrafast fibre packages, you will need to have a phone line connected to your property. This doesn't mean that you need to have Sky Talk, their landline service; it just means that you need an active phone line in order to receive your broadband. Line rental is included in the price of your Sky broadband package, meaning that you don't have to pay anything extra for getting this phone line. You'll also have access to a pay-as-you-go feature, meaning that, unlike other providers who require you to have a landline, you are actually able to use it.
Sky offers several add-ons and features that enhance the broadband experience. One of Sky's many add-ons, Sky Broadband Boost, allows you to upgrade your Sky Broadband package in a few key ways. It mostly offers a more concrete system if anything goes wrong. Some of Sky Broadband Boost’s features include a Wi-Fi guarantee that your speeds shouldn’t drop below 3Mbps (you get money back on your Boost subscription if it does), the ability to get Sky engineer visits at times that suit you, daily checks of your internet line, control of your family’s screen time via the ‘Sky Broadband Buddy’ app, and if you're a Sky Mobile customer, you'll get 2GB of data added to your plan. While these features won't be worthwhile to everyone, those looking to have the best experience of their Sky Broadband will find some good value here. Sky now only tends to offer this product to customers still using its older generation Broadband Hubs. Any new customers, or those who upgrade to the new ‘WiFi Max’ hubs, will instead be offered Sky’s improved ‘Wall to Wall WiFi Guarantee’ as well as all the features listed above.
What is Sky’s ‘Wall to Wall WiFi Guarantee’? This is a standard guarantee Sky now has with its latest broadband packages. What is ‘Sky WiFi’? As a Sky Broadband customer, you can download and use ‘Sky WiFi’, an app which allows you to connect to Sky’s UK-wide Wi-Fi hotspots - all for free and with unlimited usage. You can connect up to six devices to the hotspot locations, which include popular coffee and restaurant chains. What is Sky’s ‘WiFi Max’? This is Sky’s ‘Next Generation broadband hub’ and comes with selected ‘Full Fibre’ packages. Sky says it gives its ‘fastest WiFi guarantee’ and has advanced security settings for online browsing. You can also attach WiFi boosting ‘Max Pods’ to it, which help improve the WiFi signal around your home.
What is 'Sky Broadband Shield'? Sky Broadband Shield is included with every Sky Broadband package and adds a layer of online security to your internet. As well as seeking out and preventing you from accessing sites with viruses, malware and phishing scams, Sky Broadband Shield includes parental controls and filters for Google and Bing search results. It even works for any device that connects to your Sky Broadband. What is 'Sky Protect'? This is Sky's latest insurance product that it promotes as 'Smart Home Insurance'. It has a specific focus on smart tech and is often marketed alongside its broadband and tv packages. It is now also 5-star Defaqto rated.
The cost for setup and other fees is usually covered as part of your chosen package, but make sure you check this with Sky when signing up. Sky also states that if you’re switching from Virgin Media an engineer will be required to set up your broadband. Sky will also remind you to make sure your contract with Virgin Media has ended or been cancelled.
Regarding promotional offers and customer perks, it has been reported that millions of Sky TV and broadband users unlock new free perks. These perks include cinema tickets and Sainsbury’s shopping. Additionally, you'll be able to watch a free film at home on Sky TV every week. You can use this the instant you sign-up for Sky TV, meaning that you don't have to wait to enjoy the benefits of Sky TV.
Conclusion
Sky offers a comprehensive range of broadband packages tailored to different household needs, from standard fibre to ultrafast gigabit speeds, all typically on 24-month contracts. Key features include the inclusion of line rental, various add-ons like Sky Broadband Boost and the Wall-to-Wall WiFi Guarantee, and security features such as Sky Broadband Shield. For new customers, specific deals are available, such as the Superfast and Ultrafast packages, which often include incentives like 50% off selected mobile data plans. Additionally, Sky TV and broadband customers can access weekly free films and other reported perks, though specific details on these freebies are limited in the provided material. Potential customers are advised to check availability based on their location and to review the latest terms directly with Sky, as offers and contract options may vary.