Media365
Homes that want some seriously quick broadband speeds might want to check out Sky’s latest update. The telecoms and TV giant announced last week that it was launching download speeds in excess of 4.5Gbps – now that upgrade is available to buy. There are two new plans to choose from, including Full Fibre 2.5 Gigafast+ and Full Fibre 5 Gigafast+.
The first new plan offers speeds of around 2.5Gbps, then there’s the even more premium 5Gbps option.
Sky says that it is now the UK’s fastest major broadband provider, with those signing up getting internet access at well over 20 times the UK average.
As a quick guide, those accessing the web via traditional copper cables will get speeds of 70Mbps – at that rate it would take around 8 minutes to download a full HD movie.
Switch to Sky’s Full Fibre 5 Gigafast+ and that time drops to under 10 seconds. Other firms such as Virgin Media, BT and EE do offer downloads at over 1Gbps but can’t yet match this Sky boost.
Along with those better speeds, Sky is also dishing out an improved Gigafast+ hub which packs Wi-Fi 7 technology under its shell. This router will be able to cope with faster speeds along with allowing more devices to connect at the same time.
It’s a big update from Sky, but there are some things to note.
Firstly, this broadband is being beamed into homes via CityFibre’s network of cables. Around 4 million homes have this service on their street, but you’ll need to check your postcode to see if you have access.
The next hurdle is the price. Things start from £70 per month for Full Fibre 2.5 Gigafast+ and rise to £80 for the improved Full Fibre 5 Gigafast+ option.
Before you tap the buy button, it’s worth checking out if you really need to sign up for such fast broadband. Only really busy homes that are downloading huge files and films should consider switching to 5Gbps access.
For example, two people who simply use the web to watch a few movies online, surf the web and send some emails should be fine with standard 70Mbps downloads.
However, anyone with lots of connected gadgets who are working from home and have kids who are constantly downloading huge games onto consoles might want to consider switching to something much faster.
Speaking about the update Sophia Ahmad, Chief Consumer Officer at Sky, said: “We’re proud to be setting a new standard in UK broadband. With speeds up to 5 Gbps, our new Full Fibre Gigafast+ packages make Sky the UK’s fastest major broadband provider. Combined with our existing full fibre range, we’re offering more choice than ever before. Powered by cutting-edge WiFi 7 technology, these plans deliver smarter, faster, and more reliable connectivity to homes across the country.”
