Stop Apologising for Slow Internet with Sky’s Fastest Ever Broadband Speeds
Discover faster, more reliable broadband with Sky Full Fibre speeds of up to 5Gbps
Frozen screens, buffering video calls and dropped connections have become a familiar frustration for millions of households and hybrid workers across the UK.
New research from Sky Broadband suggests many people are apologising for their internet more than ever before. More than two in five workers say “Sorry, my Wi-Fi is playing up” has become a routine phrase in their working life, while many remote and hybrid workers are adapting their behaviour just to stay connected.
That’s why Sky Broadband has introduced its new Full Fibre 1.6Gbps package (1), its fastest speed available to homes on the Openreach network, giving millions more households across the UK access to faster, future-ready broadband for busy, connected homes. Customers can also switch to Sky and claim up to £200 credit towards leaving fees for a simpler way to move to faster speeds. (2)
From everyday connectivity through to the UK’s fastest broadband speeds available to 14% of UK homes (3) with Sky’s fastest package, 5Gbps Full Fibre, Sky provides even more choice for households that need fast, reliable connectivity across multiple devices.
Built for streaming, gaming, and working from home, the new 1.6Gbps and existing 5Gbps Full Fibre packages are delivered by the Gigafast+ hub, Sky’s most advanced hub yet, powered by Wi-Fi 7 technology.
New research from Sky Broadband suggests many people are apologising for their internet more than ever before. More than two in five workers say “Sorry, my Wi-Fi is playing up” has become a routine phrase in their working life, while many remote and hybrid workers are adapting their behaviour just to stay connected.
That’s why Sky Broadband has introduced its new Full Fibre 1.6Gbps package (1), its fastest speed available to homes on the Openreach network, giving millions more households across the UK access to faster, future-ready broadband for busy, connected homes. Customers can also switch to Sky and claim up to £200 credit towards leaving fees for a simpler way to move to faster speeds. (2)
From everyday connectivity through to the UK’s fastest broadband speeds available to 14% of UK homes (3) with Sky’s fastest package, 5Gbps Full Fibre, Sky provides even more choice for households that need fast, reliable connectivity across multiple devices.
Built for streaming, gaming, and working from home, the new 1.6Gbps and existing 5Gbps Full Fibre packages are delivered by the Gigafast+ hub, Sky’s most advanced hub yet, powered by Wi-Fi 7 technology.
Why broadband frustrations are becoming more common
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Modern homes are using more connected devices than ever before.
From streaming services and cloud gaming to smart home devices and video calls, multiple activities are often competing for bandwidth simultaneously. Large game downloads, 4K content and software updates all place greater pressure on home broadband than traditional browsing ever did.
According to Sky Broadband’s research, over half of households regularly have five or more devices connected to their broadband at once, with the average home running more than six connected devices.
For workers, slow or unreliable broadband can be particularly disruptive. Nearly half of those working remotely say they have had to turn off their camera during virtual calls to help keep their connection stable, while many say they have missed important parts of conversations as a result, including something shared on screen, key instructions or decisions being made.
Broadband is no longer simply about loading webpages quickly - it's about whether everyone in the home can do what they need to do at the same time, without interruptions.
From streaming services and cloud gaming to smart home devices and video calls, multiple activities are often competing for bandwidth simultaneously. Large game downloads, 4K content and software updates all place greater pressure on home broadband than traditional browsing ever did.
According to Sky Broadband’s research, over half of households regularly have five or more devices connected to their broadband at once, with the average home running more than six connected devices.
For workers, slow or unreliable broadband can be particularly disruptive. Nearly half of those working remotely say they have had to turn off their camera during virtual calls to help keep their connection stable, while many say they have missed important parts of conversations as a result, including something shared on screen, key instructions or decisions being made.
Broadband is no longer simply about loading webpages quickly - it's about whether everyone in the home can do what they need to do at the same time, without interruptions.
The UK's Broadband Speed League
To better reflect how people actually use broadband today, Sky has created a new Broadband Speed League.
Rather than focusing purely on Mbps or Gbps figures, the league shows how quickly common online tasks can be completed, including downloading blockbuster games, 4K films and backing up smartphone photos.
The rankings also introduce a new ‘0–4K’ metric — the broadband equivalent of a 0–60 acceleration test — measuring how quickly users can go from clicking play to watching a full 4K film.
Real-world download and upload times on Sky’s Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+ (4)
1. Back up smartphone photos
Typical Data Size: 5GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 8 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 2 min 20 sec
2. Download and start a 4K film
Typical Data Size: 15GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 24 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 7 min 1 sec
3. Upload family holiday videos
Typical Data Size: 20GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 32 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 9 min 21 sec
4. Download Fortnite update
Typical Data Size: 50GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 1 min 20 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 23 min 24 sec
5. Download a TV series (10 episodes in 4K)
Typical Data Size: 70GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 8 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 32 min 45 sec
6. Download Call of Duty update
Typical Data Size: 100GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 2 min 40 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 46 min 47 sec
Rather than focusing purely on Mbps or Gbps figures, the league shows how quickly common online tasks can be completed, including downloading blockbuster games, 4K films and backing up smartphone photos.
The rankings also introduce a new ‘0–4K’ metric — the broadband equivalent of a 0–60 acceleration test — measuring how quickly users can go from clicking play to watching a full 4K film.
Real-world download and upload times on Sky’s Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+ (4)
1. Back up smartphone photos
Typical Data Size: 5GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 8 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 2 min 20 sec
2. Download and start a 4K film
Typical Data Size: 15GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 24 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 7 min 1 sec
3. Upload family holiday videos
Typical Data Size: 20GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 32 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 9 min 21 sec
4. Download Fortnite update
Typical Data Size: 50GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 1 min 20 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 23 min 24 sec
5. Download a TV series (10 episodes in 4K)
Typical Data Size: 70GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 8 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 32 min 45 sec
6. Download Call of Duty update
Typical Data Size: 100GB
Time on Sky Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+: 2 min 40 sec
Average UK broadband speed (285Mbps): 46 min 47 sec
Why broadband speed matters more than ever
As more of daily life moves online, even small delays can become frustrating.
Four in 10 workers say team meetings have been affected by slow or unreliable broadband, while over half admit they have had to ask colleagues to repeat information or send follow-up notes because of a poor connection.
The impact is not limited to work either. Sky Broadband’s research found that 63% of people have experienced freezing screens or dropped connections while using video calls to catch up with loved ones, while more than a third say they have had to apologise for their internet during a personal video call in the past month.
For streaming, gaming and content downloads, faster speeds can also make everyday moments feel smoother. Large game updates, 4K streaming and cloud backups all place greater demands on home broadband, particularly when multiple people are online at the same time.
Sky Broadband now offers customers even more choice, from everyday connectivity through to 5Gbps Full Fibre, the UK’s fastest broadband speed that’s available to 14% of UK homes (3), helping households find the package that best suits their needs.
Four in 10 workers say team meetings have been affected by slow or unreliable broadband, while over half admit they have had to ask colleagues to repeat information or send follow-up notes because of a poor connection.
The impact is not limited to work either. Sky Broadband’s research found that 63% of people have experienced freezing screens or dropped connections while using video calls to catch up with loved ones, while more than a third say they have had to apologise for their internet during a personal video call in the past month.
For streaming, gaming and content downloads, faster speeds can also make everyday moments feel smoother. Large game updates, 4K streaming and cloud backups all place greater demands on home broadband, particularly when multiple people are online at the same time.
Sky Broadband now offers customers even more choice, from everyday connectivity through to 5Gbps Full Fibre, the UK’s fastest broadband speed that’s available to 14% of UK homes (3), helping households find the package that best suits their needs.
What is considered fast broadband in the UK?
Broadband speeds in the UK are often grouped into standard broadband, superfast broadband, ultrafast broadband and gigabit broadband.
Gigabit broadband typically refers to connections capable of delivering download speeds of 1Gbps or more. Sky Broadband’s new Full Fibre 1.6Gbps package is Sky Broadband’s fastest speed available to homes on the Openreach network, covering nearly four out of five (79%) UK homes, and offers speeds more than 20 times faster than Sky’s standard broadband.
Sky’s fastest Full Fibre package offers speeds of up to 5Gbps in selected CityFibre areas. That means downloading large files in seconds rather than minutes and supporting dozens of connected devices simultaneously.
But headline speed is only one way to look at broadband performance. Availability matters too, particularly when considering how many households can access faster Full Fibre services.
Gigabit broadband typically refers to connections capable of delivering download speeds of 1Gbps or more. Sky Broadband’s new Full Fibre 1.6Gbps package is Sky Broadband’s fastest speed available to homes on the Openreach network, covering nearly four out of five (79%) UK homes, and offers speeds more than 20 times faster than Sky’s standard broadband.
Sky’s fastest Full Fibre package offers speeds of up to 5Gbps in selected CityFibre areas. That means downloading large files in seconds rather than minutes and supporting dozens of connected devices simultaneously.
But headline speed is only one way to look at broadband performance. Availability matters too, particularly when considering how many households can access faster Full Fibre services.
A simpler way to get faster broadband
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Sky Full Fibre is for modern households that stream, game, work and connect across multiple devices. With Sky Full Fibre customers can:
• Access fast speeds, including Sky’s new Full Fibre 1.6Gbps package and speeds of up to 5Gbps in selected areas
• Stream in 4K and 8K across multiple devices
• Download blockbuster games in minutes
• Benefit from next generation Wi-Fi 7 technology
• Connect more devices simultaneously
• Future-proof home connectivity for years to come
Customers stuck with their old provider can also switch to Sky Broadband and claim up to £200 credit towards leaving fees, helping make the move to faster Full Fibre simpler. (2)
• Access fast speeds, including Sky’s new Full Fibre 1.6Gbps package and speeds of up to 5Gbps in selected areas
• Stream in 4K and 8K across multiple devices
• Download blockbuster games in minutes
• Benefit from next generation Wi-Fi 7 technology
• Connect more devices simultaneously
• Future-proof home connectivity for years to come
Customers stuck with their old provider can also switch to Sky Broadband and claim up to £200 credit towards leaving fees, helping make the move to faster Full Fibre simpler. (2)
What can you do with 5Gbps broadband?
For households upgrading to gigabit broadband for the first time, it can be difficult to visualise what those speeds actually mean in practice.
As well as getting to enjoy stress-free streaming, Sky Broadband’s research explores the impact faster speeds have on downloads. Sky's Broadband Speed League table shows how quickly common online activities can be completed using Sky’s Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+ package.
That could mean starting a 4K film in 24 seconds, downloading a Fortnite update in 1 minute 20 seconds, backing up smartphone photos in 8 seconds or downloading a 10-episode 4K TV series in under two minutes.
As well as getting to enjoy stress-free streaming, Sky Broadband’s research explores the impact faster speeds have on downloads. Sky's Broadband Speed League table shows how quickly common online activities can be completed using Sky’s Full Fibre 5Gbps Gigafast+ package.
That could mean starting a 4K film in 24 seconds, downloading a Fortnite update in 1 minute 20 seconds, backing up smartphone photos in 8 seconds or downloading a 10-episode 4K TV series in under two minutes.
Why Sky Broadband offers a different approach
Sky combines some of its fastest Full Fibre speeds with broad availability, next-generation Wi-Fi 7 technology and a portfolio designed to scale with customers’ needs.
Whether customers need entry-level fibre or multi-gigabit connectivity, Sky offers a broadband experience designed around how households actually use the internet today.
Whether customers need entry-level fibre or multi-gigabit connectivity, Sky offers a broadband experience designed around how households actually use the internet today.
The takeaway: faster broadband for modern homes
Broadband usage continues to evolve and the demands placed on home connectivity are only increasing.
With faster Full Fibre reaching millions of homes across the UK, Sky is focused on combining high-speed broadband with the availability needed to bring those benefits to more households.
So whether you're downloading games, streaming films or connecting an entire smart home, Sky's fastest ever broadband is designed for what comes next.
With faster Full Fibre reaching millions of homes across the UK, Sky is focused on combining high-speed broadband with the availability needed to bring those benefits to more households.
So whether you're downloading games, streaming films or connecting an entire smart home, Sky's fastest ever broadband is designed for what comes next.