Shell Energy Broadband Review 2023

Shell Energy is often praised for its budget-friendly prices and reliable broadband services, but is it worth all the buzz? This review will guide you in deciding if Shell Energy broadband fits your requirements, taking into account their range of plans, as well as both fibre and full fibre options.

As one of the UK’s low-priced broadband providers, Shell Energy features some of the most affordable monthly plans, beginning at just £17.99 per month.

Shell Energy just came out with a new WiFi 6 hub for its faster fibre plans. This next-generation router is more reliable compared to WiFi 5 routers. It can connect lots of devices at once and provides better streaming and gaming

In addition, new customers benefit from free installation and exclusive online offers, such as discounts and vouchers. This makes it an ideal choice for families seeking to save money without paying more for high-speed broadband options.

How Fast is Shell Energy Broadband?

Shell Energy provides a range of speeds, from 11Mbps to 920Mbps, offering customers the flexibility to choose the plan that suits them best.

Shell Energy features two types of broadband – ADSL and Fibre optic. ADSL is the basic type, delivering an average speed of 11Mbps. Shell Energy Fibre broadband uses FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) and FTTP (fibre to the premises) technologies to provide download speeds of up to 944Mbps.

Shell Energy provides its customers with truly unlimited usage, which means that the speeds are not managed during peak hours. You can enjoy consistent internet speeds without worrying about being slowed down during peak or off-peak hours.

Below are some popular Shell Energy broadband packages and their corresponding speeds to help you make an informed decision:

• Fast (ADSL) – This package offers an average speed of 11Mbps and is ideal for light internet users or single-user households who don’t need high bandwidth for activities like streaming or gaming.
• Superfast Fibre – With an average speed of 35Mbps, this package is suitable for families or multiple users who require a faster internet connection for activities such as streaming HD movies or playing online games.
• Superfast Fibre Plus – Offering an average speed of 67Mbps, this plan caters to households with even higher internet demands, including multiple users streaming or gaming simultaneously.
• Ultrafast Fibre – This plan delivers an average speed of 140Mbps, perfect for users who enjoy 4K streaming, online gaming, and connecting multiple devices without compromising on speed or performance.
• Ultrafast Fibre Plus – With an average speed of 290Mbps, this package is designed for heavy internet users who need the fastest speeds for activities like 4K streaming, online gaming, and connecting several devices at once.
• Full Fibre – Shell Energy offers full fibre FTTP broadband (fibre to the premises), the most optimised broadband for super busy homes with multiple users, lag-free high-speed internet for online games, and buffer-free 4K streaming. Due to its entire connectivity via fibre optic cable, it is more reliable than FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) based Superfast and Ultrafast plans.

Shell Energy Broadband Deals

Shell Energy offers a range of broadband packages to meet various needs, including standard ADSL broadband, superfast, ultrafast and full fibre broadband. All plans feature truly unlimited data usage, free setup, and an 18-month contract. However, a one-off £9.95 router delivery fee applies.

Exclusive Offer: Includes £110 voucher. Ends 24th September.

Shell Energy WiFi Routers

Shell Energy provides different wireless routers to its customers, depending on the package they choose. The basic router comes with the non-fibre package, while the advanced router is included in the fibre and ultrafast packages.

The new Wi-Fi 6 Hub is included with full fibre packages.

Wi-Fi 6 Hub router

The newly launched Wi-Fi 6 hub router (model: Sagemcom F@st 5359) comes with the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology (802.11ax), dual bands, and 4 gigabit connections.

The Wi-Fi 6 technology allows for more devices to be connected at the same time without slowing down. Additionally, the hub includes a Guest Wi-Fi network feature, providing a separate network for visitors to use without accessing your main network.

Technicolor TG588v2 Wireless router

Customers who opt for Shell Energy Fast Broadband (ADSL) will receive a Technicolor TG588v2 Wireless router. Although this is an older router with outdated configuration and features, it remains a good choice for basic ADSL broadband. It operates in single-band mode and supports the 802.11n wireless standard. However, there is no gigabit connection, and its reception is poor due to fewer antennas.

Technicolor DWA0120 wireless router

In contrast, Shell Energy’s fibre optic customers will be provided with the newer Technicolor DWA0120 wireless router. This dual-band router comes with the more advanced 802.11ac wireless networking standard. It is equipped with 4 Gigabit ports, allowing multiple devices to connect via fibre optic broadband. Additionally, the built-in Smart Channel Selection feature automatically ensures that connected devices receive consistent speeds by selecting the best available WiFi channel.

Here’s how Shell Energy’s broadband routers differ in terms of specs:

You can easily set up your router and this guide will help you through the installation in simple steps.

Shell Energy Home Phone

Shell Energy offers broadband and phone plans that include PAYG calls. For those who frequently make calls from their home phone, Shell Energy provides a selection of call plans for an additional fee.

Evening and Weekend Calls – This plan offers unlimited UK landline and mobile calls during evenings and weekends, making it ideal for those who primarily make calls outside of regular business hours.

Anytime Calls – With this plan, customers can enjoy unlimited UK landline and mobile calls at any time of the day. This option is suitable for individuals who frequently make calls throughout the day and want the flexibility to do so without restrictions.

International Calls – This plan includes 600 minutes landline calls to 40 countries. Additionally, the plan offers a 75% discount on mobile calls and a 50% discount on calls to other destinations, further reducing the cost of international calls.

Shell Energy Full Fibre Broadband

Similar to most Openreach based providers, Shell Energy offers a variety of full fibre broadband (FTTP) plans and a gigabit broadband option. Unlike FTTC or G.Fast, FTTP does not use copper, making it more reliable. However, it is only available in areas where the FTTP network is accessible.

For individuals who enjoy streaming movies and TV shows but don’t require ultrafast speeds, the 100Mbps package is an excellent choice. On the other hand, larger households or those with higher internet usage might find the 145Mbps or 200Mbps packages more suitable for their needs.

For gamers and professional users, Shell Energy offers a range of faster plans, including 200Mbps, 300Mbps, 500Mbps, and 944Mbps. These options provide even quicker download and upload speeds, making them perfect for large households or business users who demand top-notch performance from their internet connection.

Customer Service

Shell Energy, formerly known as First Utility, merged with Shell and has been offering broadband services since 2018. In 2021, they acquired Post Office broadband.

Shell Energy has a Trust Pilot rating of 4.2 based on 67,000 reviews. Over 50% of customers have given the company a 5-star rating, indicating satisfaction with the service. However, 15% of the customers rated Shell Energy with just 1 star, expressing dissatisfaction over poor customer service, billing issues, and bad service.

All is not well with Shell Energy. The latest Ofcom report has some bad news for the company. It is now the most complained about provider for two services. These are broadband and home phone services. Shell Energy received a lot of complaints for different reasons. People complained about faults in their services. They also complained about how the company handled their complaints. Billing issues were another problem.

Shell Energy’s customer service provides various support channels to cater to their customers’ needs. They offer telephone support, and their contact number is 0330 094 5801 (8am to 8pm on weekdays and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays).

Additionally, Shell Energy extends support through their mobile app, Live chat, email, Twitter, and Facebook Messenger, ensuring customers have multiple ways to resolve their issues or get assistance. These social media support channels maintain the same operating hours as the phone support.

Is Shell Energy broadband any good?

Pros and Cons

Shell Energy caters to a wide range of budgets and requirements by offering various broadband packages. These range from fibre broadband plans with speeds between 35Mbps and 145Mbps, which is standard in most areas, to full fibre plans for customers with higher demands.

While competitors like Virgin Media and BT may provide a broader range of super-fast options and additional features, Shell Energy offers competitive prices, allowing customers to choose a plan that best fits their needs and budget. However, it is worth noting that Shell Energy does not include extra perks like the free public WiFi offered by BT, Sky, or Virgin Media.

One limitation of Shell Energy is that its bundle options are limited, as the company does not provide TV and mobile services. Therefore, customers looking for a more comprehensive package might want to explore other providers.

Conclusion

Shell Energy provides an array of packages at remarkably low prices, and its energy customers can enjoy additional savings through exclusive Shell Energy discounts.

However, if you’re interested in bundling other services like digital TV for better value, you might want to consider providers like Virgin Media or Sky.

For those seeking an inexpensive deal, it’s worth comparing Shell Energy’s plans with more affordable options from Plusnet and TalkTalk. They not only offer lower-priced plans but also provide better equipment (routers) and bundled services.

Overall, Shell Energy is an attractive choice for those searching low cost broadband plans without the need for additional services.

Moving home with Shell Energy broadband

When moving home with Shell Energy, it is essential to follow their process to ensure a smooth transition. First, contact Shell Energy at 0330 094 5801 and give at least 14 days’ notice before your moving date. Be sure to give them your new address and the exact date of your move.

There are no fees associated with moving your Shell Energy services if your new home already has a phone line. Otherwise, you will have to pay extra for the installation of new phone line.

Shell Energy will let you know whether you can keep your existing phone number or if you will need a new one.

Read our guide to moving home and broadband

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