NOW Broadband launch new packages powered by Sky

NOW Superfast and NOW Full Fibre 75 have been added to NOW Broadband's package line-up, helping them to keep pace with the roll-out of full fibre broadband.

Slower copper and fibre-to-the-cabinet deals, Brilliant Broadband, Fab Fibre, and Super Fibre, have now all been removed.

NOW Broadband and TV bundles have also bit the dust, leaving a slight question mark over NOW's future, with new NOW Broadband customers only able to bundle Sky TV.

NOW Full Fibre

NOW Broadband has launched two new broadband packages, NOW Full Fibre 75 offering 75Mbps average download speeds in areas connected by Openreach fibre to the home - around 49% of UK homes, and NOW Superfast offering 61Mbps average download speeds for non-full fibre areas.

Both new plans cost just £24 per month for the first 18 months, come with an 18-month minimum term with £43 out of contract prices, and a £5 refundable setup fee.

New customers can sign up for these deals through this link, where they'll also benefit from the newer Sky Broadband Hub, Sky's free Wall-to-Wall WiFi guarantee, and the option to bundle Sky's WiFi Max for the latest Max Hub router and WiFi boosters for just £6.50 extra per month.

The new plans join the recently introduced NOW Full Fibre 100, launched in February of this year at the budget price of just £25 per month (now £26 per month), and following the launch of parent company Sky's own Full Fibre 100 plan in October 2023.

The move helps to ensure the future of NOW Broadband and keeps the provider up to date with the fast-paced rollout of full fibre broadband by wholesale network Openreach, who've now past over 13.8 million premises and are connecting 78,000 properties every week.

Powered by Sky

These new packages also bring changes that raise question marks for NOW Broadband however, including the move of the sign-up process to parent company Sky's website.

When NOW Full Fibre 100 launched in February 2024 it became the first NOW plan to be advertised as 'powered by Sky', and saw customers redirected to Sky.com to sign up.

It signalled a move by Sky to streamline their packages with their NOW sub-brand, and has undoubtedly helped to cut costs by removing a second ordering and billing system.

Moving NOW Broadband to Sky.com throws a few spanners in the works and raises questions over the future of NOW Broadband and what Sky's future intentions for the brand are.

For example, it's now no longer possible to bundle NOW Broadband with NOW TV, and instead customers are offered the choice to add Sky Stream to their NOW Broadband package, which costs more than the low-cost NOW TV plans.

Previously NOW Broadband and TV bundles meant additional discounts on the cost of NOW TV Memberships, but these are now no longer available to order.

NOW Broadband customers also benefited from cheaper pricing from the budget brand, with home phone costs nearly half what they are with Sky. Evening & Weekend calls with NOW cost just £4 extra, with Anytime calls charged at £8 per month. While adding phone calls to NOW Broadband now costs £8 for Sky's Talk Evenings & Weekend, or £16 for Sky's Talk Anytime.

The new packages from NOW Broadband certainly help to ensure availability of the provider across the UK as the full fibre rollout continues apace, however, Sky's plans for NOW remain unclear and we'll have to wait and see if NOW Broadband and NOW TV bundles return.