What is Sky Broadband Ultrafast? We reveal everything you need to know about the premium internet package
Sky Broadband Ultrafast promises speeds of 145Mbits/sec. We’ve summarised its pros, cons and key details below
Sky launched its Broadband Ultrafast package at the end of 2020, promising download speeds of up to 12 times faster than the company’s standard broadband offering. Below, we’ll run through everything you need to know about the plan.
First, whether you’re able to tap into Sky Broadband Ultrafast depends on the infrastructure of where you live and if you’re willing to put up with its very poor service.
The internet service provider received just two stars out of five in our most recent Sky Broadband review, posting the worst reliability and speed scores in our annual survey of thousands of customers. What’s more, its prices are often higher than other, far better, rivals such as Plusnet, Sky-owned Now Broadband and Three. In the words of our broadband expert, Barry Collins: “there’s very little to recommend in Sky’s broadband service”.
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However, if you’re dead-set on sticking with Sky or it’s potentially the only provider in your area, there’s a simple checker on the company’s website, where you can pop in your postcode and find out whether your home supports Sky Broadband Ultrafast.
If it does, you’ll be able to sign up for an estimated download speed of up to 151Mbits/sec and an estimated upload speed of up to 32Mbits/sec. In real-world terms, that should be enough bandwidth for a house with lots of devices using the connection at the same time.
Note that you also might be able to access Sky’s top Gigafast package, which nabs you an estimated upload speed of up to a gargantuan 900Mbits/sec and an upload rate of 90Mbits/sec. This currently costs £42/mth, with £5 upfront, on an 18-month contract.
In terms of price, Sky Broadband Ultrafast will set you back £29/mth on an 18-month contract, with nothing to pay upfront at the moment. To put this into perspective, Sky’s basic Superfast Broadband 35 plan costs £27/mth, with no setup fee, for 18 months. This package promises average download speeds of 36Mbits/sec.
There’s another caveat, though: the prices above may change during your contract. Unlike certain other internet service providers, Sky hasn’t tied its mid-contract rises to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation – so theoretically they won’t be as substantial as its rivals’ hikes, but it’s something to bear in mind before signing up.
Elsewhere, Sky Broadband Ultrafast also comes with a Speed Guarantee, which means you’ll get a refund if your download speed falls below a specified threshold. To quote from Sky’s small print:
“We guarantee that if your speed falls below your Guaranteed Minimum Download Speed (that’s the speed we told you when you got your broadband) for at least three days in a row in a 30-day period, then we’ll give you money back. You need to be within your minimum term but can claim up to twice.”
But Sky hasn’t finished with the promises yet: its Wall to Wall WiFi Guarantee comes as standard and means, in the words of the company’s website: “if you are not receiving 3Mbits/sec in every room, you will be eligible for one month of your Sky Broadband subscription credited back to your Sky account”. This, in our opinion, is far from impressive as 3Mbits/sec is just about enough for browsing the web or standard-definition Netflix, if you’re lucky.
And that more or less sums up how we feel about Sky’s Broadband Ultrafast plan overall: if it’s the only provider in your neck of the woods, you might be able to make it work but if it isn’t, we recommend steering well clear and going for one of the best broadband providers instead.