Sky Broadband launch 1.6Gbps package via Openreach’s UK FTTP network UPDATE
Internet provider Sky Broadband has today announced the launch of a new 1.6Gbps (1,600Mbps) speed home broadband package, which will harness Openreach’s rapidly growing Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network and use the same “Gigafast+ Hub” (SCER11BELUKS) Wi-Fi 7 router as their multi-gigabit packages on CityFibre’s network.
Until today the fastest package available on the Openreach-based side of Sky’s full fibre network was a 900Mbps tier, while those on their CityFibre side were able to access even faster speeds of up to 2.5Gbps and 5Gbps. But that started to change today after Sky officially began to make packages available using Openreach’s 1.8Gbps (120Mbps upload) full fibre product (advertised as 1.6Gbps).
At launch, Sky’s “Full Fibre 1.6 Gbps” plan is available to new Sky Broadband customers, including existing Sky TV, mobile and smart home customers, subject to availability. But existing Sky Broadband customers will be able to upgrade “at a later date“.
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The new package starts from £38 a month on a 24-month term and customers can claim up to £200 credit towards leaving fees if their old ISP hits them with early termination charges for leaving their contract early. The package also includes Sky’s cylindrical Gigafast+ Hub, which leverages tri-band WiFi 7 technology and also features 2 x 10Gbps Ethernet ports (1 x WAN and 1 x LAN).
Sky Gigafast+ hub features
Wi-Fi 7 Tri-band (802.11be)
2.4GHz (gigahertz)
5GHz
6GHzInterfaces
Ethernet
1 x 10 GbE (Gigabit Ethernet) WAN (Wide Area Network) Port
4 x LAN Ports (Local Area Network)
1 x 10 GbE LAN
3 x 1 GbE LANVoice
Single RJ-11Dimensions
125mm x 241mm (W x H)
Ben Case, Managing Director of Connectivity at Sky, says:
“We’re proud to offer Full Fibre 1.6 Gbps to millions of households, marking another important milestone in Sky Broadband’s commitment to delivering faster, future-ready broadband designed for increasingly connected homes.”
Sky is sadly quite late to the party with their 1.6Gbps tier, which has long since been introduced by many of their competitors, although customers will no doubt appreciate the extra choice this delivers. Openreach are currently in the process of preparing to introduce even faster tiers up to 8.5Gbps, although these are presently still in the pilot phase.
UPDATE 12:50pm
At the time of writing the new package doesn’t appear to be showing up for those who try to check via Sky’s website, although we’ve seen initial delays like this before when Sky launch new broadband products.
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UPDATE 6:48pm
Sky has informed ISPreview that availability of the new product is rolling out gradually over the coming weeks, hence why it won’t show up for everybody today.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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@MarkJ Any updated yet on BTWholesale when it will be release 1.8Gbps to become available? As it was supposed to be at anytime this year?
I think BT wholesale already made it available. If you check the thinkbroadband website you’ll find some isps offer the package and they say that they are provided by BT wholesale.
Not they haven’t yet, them providers moved to Zen wholesale for the 1.6Gb package
I currently have 1.6Gbit via EE and checked my address, 1.6Gbit isn’t listed. I can’t get it via Zen but I can with EE and Vodafone.
Holy race to the bottom TalkTalk, I mean Sky.
Maybe the checkr takes a few days to update? I can’t get more than 900 here but have been able toget 1.6 on others since they start.
I can get 1.6 Gbps on EE and Vodafone but not Zen
It upodated for me thing morning – £38 a month – not a bad price trying to compete with EE no doubt.
Shame about the delay to current customers!
Who needs that speed?
Oh god not again!
Every time we have this. Bore off!
Do you and the rest of the slowpoke brigade not get sick of the sound of your own tedious ramblings? You’re not the main character of reality. Not everything has to be relevant to you.
People that regularly have to download large games and updates via steam and want to cut down their waiting times? Or a family that has a few kids/teens using games consoles.
Or someone who works remotely and has to transfer large files between work and/or colleagues (high res video etc).
Really not that hard to come up with use cases. If you can cut down on delays, why not do it.
People that game?
Clearly, you do not.
Yawn, Next?
James has nothing better to do than post comments like that
lol I was joking because that’s what everyone else says, i would have this if plusnet brought it out but I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon. Still got 8 months on my contract.
They have, it’s called EE – and you can go to EE now and remove the 8 months. trust me I do that for people everyday.
Plusnet as the brand are circling the drain and BT’s intention is to remove them alltogether and making every customer use EE – so they will never do it under that brand.
Doesn’t show for me when going through the new customer flow. The fastest package I still see is the Gigafast 900mbps package.
They haven’t figured out the flow to initiate an upgrade to a capable ONT for existing BB customers. Sad.
You DO know that every ONT issued in the past 3 years has been 2.5Gbps – right?
@simon that’s incorrect. Dealt with plenty of installs that aren’t using 2.5GbE ONTs lately
Nice that you get the better router too! I have 900 with them and it’s enough for me. I’m more interested in when they all increase their 5G+ for more devices.
i suspect sky are currently using zen to access 1.6 – if its not available when searching – check zen and if they say not available. unless sky are using own equipment like EE and Vodafone. Although Vodafone still have not resolved the nasty bug where you cannot upgrade from 900 or lower to 1.6. they can’t order an ont upgrade so website will say not available and call centre staff state its ‘not yet in the area’. you have to quit, sign up with EE or Olilo or other provider that might to get ont upgrade. then 1.6 shows.
I wonder if that same bug is appearing for sky customers?
those who already have 1.6 with EE or Voda or Zen, test and reply if sky 1.6 shows?
I’m with BT on 900, but searching sky only shows 900. Zen shows 1.6, which would suggest not.
Incorrect, Sky are not using Zen, Sky have their own kit in the exchange more than Zen does.
I should add,Sky have around 2000 more exchanges than Zen’s around 700
My sky checker showing up to 67Mbps no full fibre, sky database checker are pretty useless! Because my address already got full fibre all over TF7 area
Showing up for me £38 shame upload is so bad, it’s not too bad of a price.
Sky are using their own core backhaul not Zen. I thought they would use Zen to be available in more locations though…..BTW is still capped at 1gbps ceiling but might change next year. That’s how I understood the situation anyway, perhaps some Openreach insider will enlighten….
Wonder why it’s not available to customers who have a newer 2.5Gbe ONT.
Sky know what ONT you have from the Openreach checks
Not true I have 2.5Gbps ONT here as Sky checker say no full fibre only saying up to 67Meg on copper line. Sky don’t know anything!
Sky don’t have any fibre to your OLT, Phil. You’re actually mostly agreeing with the post you are replying to. Until Sky have fibre to that OLT you can only order FTTC from then.
Nothing to do with them not knowing anything, they know they don’t have any fibre to the OLT providing your FTTP. Too quick to judge.
Just checked here in Darkest Devon and yes, 1.6Gb available from £35 month, existing Sky TV customer..
Wonder why Sky prematurely announced this given the ‘gradual’ rollout and no outlined path for upgrades. Out of capacity or have they lost that many customers that they now trail behind VMO2? Both can even hold true too
I would love the faster download speeds. That said I wish OpenReach would get on with rolling out XGS-PON as connecting to my home drive on my NAS when out and about using a self hosted VPN is a tad slow because of the paltry upload speeds on my connection. Yes I realise this may be a little niche but, I’m also pretty sure I’m not the only one and I suspect as more people start hosting their own cloud the demand for symmetrical speeds will only increase.
Your case isnt niche – i am waiting on the exact same thing and use case. You should get a 5g android tablet and buy a 3 mobile data prepaid sim (500gb/month/amazon) so you can enjoy your media on the go. Thats what i do. Works out at around a fiver per month for a couple of years or so.
900Mbps here in DH8. I asked the chat and they had no idea what it is! At least you’ve updated the post to say ‘coming weeks’. I’ve leaving Virgin Media early @ £340 to pay, which is fine, as I get £200 bill credit from EE I’m switching to. I just wondered if Sky will be cheaper than EE for a new customer….
Still only selling all products off city fibres network in Southend which is proving to be quite problematic in terms of peak demand speeds which varies massively