1. Introduction to NOW Broadband
NOW Broadband, an internet service provider under Sky plc, offers a range of pay TV services such as Sky Sports, Sky Cinema and Sky Entertainment without the need for a contract. Users can enjoy flexible day, weekly or monthly memberships. In addition, NOW Broadband provides a no contract broadband service that utilizes the same Openreach network as Sky Broadband.
For just £23 a month, customers can enjoy totally unlimited fibre broadband, which includes phone line rental. To learn more about NOW Broadband, read our review below. When you’re ready, you can easily start your NOW Broadband order from this page.
2. NOW Broadband: In Brief
- NOW Broadband offers three broadband products with average download speeds starting from 11Mbps for Broadband, 36Mbps for Fab Fibre, and 63Mbps for Super Fibre. Prices start from £18p/m for Broadband, £23p/m for Fab Fibre, and £24p/m for Super Fibre. For a limited time, there is no activation/setup fee on 12-month contracts (excluding broadband without a contract), and customers can add NOW Entertainment Membership for just £9.99p/m, Cinema Membership (Sky Cinema) from £5.99p/m, and Sports Membership (Sky Sports) from £26p/m.
- NOW Broadband has a low number of customer complaints, with only 7 complaints per 100,000 customers during Q3 2022, which is less than the industry average of 11 per 100,000 and lower than its competitors BT, Vodafone, Plusnet, TalkTalk, Virgin Media, and Shell Energy (source: Latest Ofcom Telecoms & Pay TV Complaints Report, published 26th January 2023).
- Ordering NOW Broadband is easy and can be done online in just five minutes. If you are currently with BT, TalkTalk, EE, Plusnet, or any other provider that uses a BT Openreach phone line, NOW Broadband will handle the switchover for you without requiring an engineer visit for most new customers.
3. NOW Broadband Performance
NOW Broadband offers three broadband packages with average download speeds that are in line with the UK’s main broadband suppliers, except Virgin Media. The Brilliant Broadband package has an average speed of 11Mbps, which is suitable for small households. The Fab Fibre package with an average download speed of 36Mbps is perfect for larger households with multiple users. The Super Fibre package, with an average download speed of 63Mbps, is designed for large family households and allows users to stream HD TV to multiple screens and download large files. It’s important to note that the average speeds quoted are available to at least 50% of NOW Broadband customers during peak traffic times.
According to Ofcom’s latest UK Home Broadband Performance Chart Data, Sky’s advertised average 59Mbps FTTC speeds (NOW Super Fibre 63Mbps Broadband) were measured at 64.3Mbps with a 10.9ms latency/ping. NOW Broadband doesn’t operate any peak time traffic management, which means internet speeds won’t be reduced during these times.
4. NOW Broadband Package + Router
NOW offers three broadband and home phone packages, with fibre prices starting at £23 per month. These packages include phone line rental and pay-as-you-use calls to UK landlines and mobiles, with average peak-time speeds of 36Mbps. Below, we have highlighted the Super Fibre package, which offers average speeds of 63Mbps.
| Package Name: | NOW Super Fibre With Home Phone Pay As You Use Calls |
|---|---|
| Download Speed: | Average fibre download speeds of 63Mbps |
| Data Allowance: | Unlimited downloads |
| Router: | Free NOW Broadband Hub 2 wireless router with two 1GB LAN ports |
| Internet Security: | NOW Broadband Buddy Internet security with parental controls |
| Customer Support: | Available over the phone or on live chat from 8am to 11pm |
| Home Phone: | Pay as you use calls to UK landlines and mobiles with the option to add call packages for an additional cost |
| Phone Line Rental: | Included in the overall NOW Broadband monthly price |
| Contract: | 12-month contract with a no contract option available for a £60 setup fee |
| TV Membership: | Add NOW Entertainment Membership with Fab Fibre for an additional cost |
| Cost: | £24 per month for the duration of the 12-month contract with a one-off £15 setup fee and £5 router delivery fee |
| Additional Information: | Installation or re-connection charges for phone line may apply, advised during the sign-up process |
5. NOW Entertainment Membership
NOW’s Entertainment Membership is a great add-on to your NOW Broadband package, with over 300 box sets available on demand as well as access to the following live and on demand channels:
- Sky 1
- Sky Atlantic, featuring shows like The New Pope, The Outsider, and Westworld Season 3
- GOLD
- Comedy Central
- Sky Arts
- ITV Encore
- Fox
- MTV
- Discovery Channel
- National Geographic Wild
- ABC Studios
With this impressive lineup, NOW’s Entertainment Membership offers something for everyone in the family, whether you’re looking for comedy, drama, nature documentaries, or reality TV.
6. Customer Service, Support and Customer Satisfaction
If you encounter any issues with your NOW Broadband, you can easily check your network status and troubleshoot your line by utilizing the online technical checks help service. If you require further assistance, the NOW Broadband Helpline team is available via live webchat or over the phone from 8am to 11pm. Ofcom’s Comparing Customer Service Report 2021 indicates that the average waiting time for phone calls is only 31 seconds. NOW Broadband also offers a wide range of online help guides and a large online community to answer your queries. Calls made to the Helpline using your NOW Broadband landline are free of charge.
In terms of customer complaints, NOW Broadband has low complaint levels according to Ofcom’s most recent Telecoms & Pay TV Complaints Report, published in January 2023. During Q3 2022, there were only 7 complaints per 100,000 NOW Broadband customers, which is less than several competitors such as BT, Shell Energy, Vodafone, Plusnet, TalkTalk, and Virgin Media. Furthermore, it is also lower than the industry average of 11 complaints per 100,000 customers. Check out the Ofcom Q3 2022 Telecoms & Pay TV Complaints Report for more information.
7. Final Verdict on NOW Broadband
NOW Broadband offers affordable packages with no contract option and unlimited download usage allowance, including phone line rental, starting at £23 per month on a 12-month contract. The packages feature average download speeds that are comparable to other major UK broadband providers. The Super Fibre package boasts an impressive average download speed of 63Mbps. In addition to the broadband packages, pay TV memberships for premium content such as Sky Sports and Sky Cinema can be easily added or removed.
FAQ and Questions By Our Users Section
There can be several reasons why your broadband connection may be slow. Some of the most common causes include:
Network congestion: If many people are using the same network at the same time, it can cause network congestion and slow down your broadband speed.
Distance from the exchange: If you live far away from your broadband provider’s exchange, it can result in slower broadband speeds.
Interference: If there is interference from other electronic devices, such as microwaves, cordless phones, or baby monitors, it can impact your broadband speed.
Outdated equipment: If your modem, router, or other equipment is outdated, it may not be able to handle faster broadband speeds, resulting in slower connections.
To check your actual broadband speed, we recommend using popular third-party speed testing services such as Ookla, Speedtest.net, or Fast.com. These services allow you to test your internet connection speed quickly and easily from any device with an internet connection.
It is definitely possible to switch your broadband internet provider at any time, but it is generally recommended to do so when your contract period comes to an end, as this will allow you to avoid any cancellation charges. If you’re not sure when your contract ends, simply get in touch with your current provider and they should be able to provide you with this information.
It’s also worth noting that if your existing provider notifies you of an upcoming price increase for your broadband package, you have the right to terminate your contract without any penalties within 30 days of receiving the notice, in accordance with Ofcom regulations.
While most parts of the UK have access to standard ADSL copper broadband with average download speeds of 10Mbps, faster fibre optic broadband options such as ‘Superfast Broadband’, ‘Ultrafast Broadband’, and ‘Full Fibre’ or ‘Gigabit capable’ Broadband can offer a significantly better experience with average speeds ranging from 36Mbps to 1Gbps (1 Gigabit per second). Currently, Superfast Broadband is available to 95% of UK homes with an average fibre speed of at least 30Mbps, while around 70% of UK homes can access Ultrafast/Gigabit Broadband with average speeds of 1Gbps, largely thanks to the Virgin Media network. Various providers including Virgin Media, Openreach (used by the likes of BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone, Plusnet & others), CityFibre (used by Vodafone, TalkTalk and others), Gigaclear and Hyperoptic are rolling out Ultrafast and Full-Fibre broadband networks with speeds capable of 1 gigabits per second (1Gbps) in different areas across the country. For more information, check out our fibre broadband guide.
At Broadbandpicker, we make every effort to ensure that the costs displayed on our website are checked regularly and completely accurate.
The broadband speeds we display are average speeds and may vary depending on the package.
Please note that the monthly costs displayed may change during the contract period.
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