UK ISP Sky Broadband is this week expected to put their new range of G.fast based “ultrafast broadband” packages live for everybody, which follows an initial soft launch in August (here). The bad news is that those waiting for FTTP (Openreach) to be supported may now have to wait until Q1 2020.
Sky informed us earlier this year that packages based off Openreach’s (BT) Gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology would go live sometime in H2 2019 and we expected this to occur just before Christmas. Credible sources now inform us that this won’t in fact be ready until sometime in Q1 2020 (calendar).
We wouldn’t be at all surprised if this related to Openreach’s recently unveiled plan to launch several new consumer focused FTTP tiers, including a headline grabbing 550Mbps (75Mbps upload) and 1Gbps (115Mbps) service, on 23rd March 2020 (here). The operator also reduced some of their wholesale prices. All of this is likely to be something that Sky will need to factor into their launch plans.
Meanwhile their G.fast hybrid fibre based Ultrafast 1 and Ultrafast 2 packages, which were soft launched in August, are later this week expected to go live for everybody to order (it’s possible this may be delayed again to next week, but we’ll know soon enough). At present this technology only covers around 2.2 million UK premises and future rollout plans are under review at Openreach (here).
Now a quick reminder of how they’re positioning these below (pricing from the soft launch).
Assuming the G.fast packages do go live later this week then we’ve heard that they may come attached to a £100 setup fee for new customers, although existing customers on slower packages who have been with the ISP for several years should be able to get this for free. Speaking of upgrades and setup fees, Sky is doing free ADSL to Fibre (FTTC) activation for existing customers.
Otherwise the new packages will include all of the usual features, as well as guaranteed download speeds of 100Mbps (if your download falls below 100Mbps for three consecutive days, you can exit your contract without early termination charges) and Sky’s new Hub router with a built-in G.fast modem (aka – Sky Q Hub 2 / SR203).
The new router is of a similar size to the current Sky Q Hub, albeit with 4 x Gigabit LAN ports (the Q Hub only had 2) – one of which is for WAN – 2 x Telephone ports (VoIP connection via older analogue handsets – SOGEA) and 8 antenna. The WiFi performance is understood to be comparable to the BT Smart Hub 2 router, although Sky has declined to reveal the official specification list for their device (we have asked.. repeatedly).
Don’t trust Sky, at the beginning of this month they moved possibly tens/hundreds of thousands of customers to a different TV package without notifying them and those customers will find out to their cost the next time they try to modify their TV package.
Do you have any evidence of this?
@StevenNT
Yes I do, There was also a memo/email circulated within Sky stating what was happening and the fact that customers would not be notified of the change. Those customers affected only have to look at their most recent bill, they will see the switch of package.
But as you probably know most of the people who got changed were people who haven’t changed their package in over 2 years anyway.
Anyone who did change their package or sign up to a new deal is already on the new packages.
They’re no worse off financially and for many it means they’re getting more channels for the same or lower cost.
I was offered a change but instead I took a better deal with them where they completely removed the line rental from my package – it’s still active, I just no longer pay for it and offered me a discount on Fibre Max as I have been with them as a customer for 20 years.
I am paying £29 a month for basic channels (atlantic sky one etc) HD, Box Sets and Fibre Max (coming in at about 65mb) and no line rental and £3 a month for sky mobile sim only which is normally £6 a month – they do cracking deals if you just ask
@dave
Sounds like you’re admitting its happened but trying to play it down. I wonder why!
People will be worse off they just don’t know it yet.
I am simply bringing it to peoples attention and you are just trying to do the opposite.
Looks like we got the Sky employed promoters on here today to counter the negative comments.
Hi Guys, see you in the canteen later.
@Jazzy
Every customer account accrues discounts every year, if you stupidly have been paying full price for 20 years then they will likely give you a deal but that deal is not forever.
Tat is pitiful (even for you)!
Don’t trust Sky
Don’t trust BT
Don’t trust TalkTalk
Don’t trust Virgin Media
Then who do you trust to provide broadband?
@James
My comments were only focused on Sky, not any of the other providers.
@Ray Woodward
I have put it out there what Sky have recently done, if anyone wants to listen its up to them but what this information isn’t is pitiful.
Enough said..
Sky did this to us for last months bill – added an extra £6 on – luckily out contract was up on the 12th of October and it was cut off – That £6 hike has spited me – I was going to take them with me when I moved but now I am now watching IPTV knowing that Sky are not getting a penny but I am still watching their content.
It’s just deserts for trying to screw me
They did this but customers were moved to the equivalent new package with price protection offer so that they 1 wouldn’t lose anything and 2 wouldn’t pay more in some cases they are paying less.
@stewart
People like you can try to down play these stealth changes any way you like, the fact is they happened and they are not in the customers interest.
Yes they norved people from the original bundle paying 26 a month to the new entertainment at 22 a month, the new entertainment not includes the comedy and discovery channels, more for less?? And all customers where notified by email comm
@Chris
That is simply NOT true that customers were notified (via any communication channel including email) and that has been confirmed internally via internal memo/email.
Any performance results available to back the comparable claim?
Looking forward to the faster speeds next year and more ISP competition on FTTP to bring down prices. I have no complaints on the Fibre service from BT, the service has been rock solid since switching over from my areas unreliable Openreach ADSL lines, but I am keen for the cost to come down all the same.
Shame that FTTP has been delayed again even though it is still a minority of homes though in my old home Sky refused to sell me Fibre Max even though BT would sell it which i never got.
Probably trying to keep average speeds up for marketing purposes. Where I live (EO lines, ADSL only, 3 Mbps average) we are rapidly running out of any ISP’s that want to supply us.
I’ll happily take the 1000/115 whenever FTTP is available. Looking forward to the day.
Good man! I can tell you from being on the 1000/220 myself that even though it’s £240 a month it’s WELL WORTH IT!
FTTP already available in my area. At this moment only BT offers FTTP connection, but packages overpriced.
Hope current provider (TalkTalk)make better price.
I’m not ready to pay over £50 per month for 250Mbps package to BT.
Rob,Phil or Max whatever you want to be called. I will never get people like you. BT offer 300/50 for £54.99 a month – that’s not bad value at all!
BT don’t offer 1000/220 to any consumer. I had to go to Cerberus and even then it’s £240 a month but you get what you pay for and it’s worth it if you need it. If you don’t then you don’t need to worry about the cost and get something cheaper.
But why do people expect everything for nothing?
David, TalkTalk ofer 1Gbps in some areas for under £30 per month.
David,
You post / thinking has so many flaws I don’t know where to begin. I feel like you’ll never understand because you don’t want to try to understand others. Value is subjective, you can’t tell others that they are wrong… it’s their perception so just accept it. Sure, you can try to convince them with objective truths / facts, if they don’t understand some facts but if they do… don’t bother. Saying £55 for 300Mbit down is good value seems ok to you if you pay over £200 but for those coming from other countries where BB is cheaper it’s not a good value. I would argue that considering BDUK funding these prices are very high, and therefore represent a bad value.
“it’s worth it if you need it” – this is silly, so you need broadband right? how about at £5000 per month…
Then you say “expect everything for nothing”. You lose all credibility (by that point there I’m not sure you had any left) when you say things like that. Rob doesn’t want everything for nothing… why do you choose to misrepresent what he said?