Shell Energy broadband review

Shell Energy broadband review

In this review

• Shell Energy broadband deals
• Shell Energy broadband review
• Package Features
• Shell Energy broadband speeds
• Shell Energy broadband router
• Positive reasons to get Shell Energy broadband
• Potential negatives with using Shell Energy broadband
• Shell Energy broadband rating

Shell Energy broadband review

Shell Energy primarily focused on providing 100% renewable gas and electricity to British homes and businesses but has now moved into offering both ADSL and fibre broadband. Their broadband prices are competitive when compared with other internet service providers and they do state that there will be no price increases at the end of the 18 month minimum term. 18 months being the only contract term on offer.

Unlimited means you can upload and download as much as you want whenever you want without ever being slowed down. In terms of speed their Ultrafast packages are the fastest they have, up to 4x faster than their Superfast fibre option. It is important to note however that although many broadband cabinets are experiencing much faster speeds this is not available everywhere across the UK at present.

Besides a free wi-fi router, albeit a basic model, there aren’t any huge extras on offer. There is the Shell Go+ rewards programme which is accessed via an app offering a 3% discount on fuel but this offer in itself means always filling up at a Shell petrol station which may not be your nearest station. Line rental is included with all broadband products, but if you make calls regularly then a call plan will be an additional cost to consider.

Becoming a Shell Energy broadband customer has no activation cost and any optimised installation for ultrafast services is conducted by Openreach engineers. Their set up times are fairly quick with Shell Energy stating approximately 14 days.

Should you be looking for a total home package of broadband, gas and electricity from 100% renewable sources, Shell Energy will reward you with a discounted price. With its multi utility approach there are savings to be made as well as simplifying monthly tariffs.

So to summarise if it’s a reasonably priced broadband package with fast fibre options and nothing to pay upfront Shell Energy broadband is a strong contender amongst an increasingly competitive market.

Package Features

You will be given the option to choose an ADSL, Superfast Fibre, Superfast Fibre Plus, Ultrafast Fibre or Ultrafast Fibre Plus broadband option which will be determined by your price and broadband speed requirements.

In addition there are a range of call plan option which can be taken depending on whether you are a light or frequent user of your home phone line.
A great bonus feature of Shell broadband is that you will obtain exclusive rewards that will give you discounts on fuel as well as personalised rewards on hot drinks, snacks and one-off surprise gifts.

Broadband speeds

The lowest cost ADSL broadband line will run at an average of 11Mbps, whilst if you are within a geographic area that is capable of supporting Ultrafast Fibre Plus broadband you could get average broadband speeds of a whopping 290Mbps.

Use our broadband postcode checker to see which of the ADSL, Superfast Fibre, Superfast Fibre Plus, Ultrafast Fibre or Ultrafast Fibre Plus options you could get at home.

Shell Energy broadband router

The router that Shell Energy offers is a fairly basic Technicolour model. This model is not the very best out there but will get the job done. Alternatively you can use a router from your old provider or invest in a higher spec one yourself.

A huge plus point for Shell Energy broadband customers is no upfront cost. There is no charge for initial installation or set up with the exception of those who have no phone line at all in which case a £60 charge will apply.

Once an order has been placed Shell Energy will run checks to see if you can get fibre and also to evaluate what speeds you can expect to get.

Shell Energy broadband positives and negatives

Positive reasons to get Shell Energy broadband

• No activation charges – there are no upfront or set up fees unless a telephone line is required in which case a charge of £60 will apply
• Unlimited usage – all Shell Energy broadband packages include unlimited usage meaning whatever package you choose you will have no restrictions on your downloads or uploads
• Ultrafast fibre options – Shell Energy’s fastest broadband yet utilising Gfast technology to reach speeds twice as fast as their Superfast fibre option
• No end of contract price rises – at the end of the 18 month contract there will be no price hikes unlike other providers that offer low prices then increase them at the end of the term
• Line rental included – all broadband packages include line rental. Call packages are available at additional cost though.
• UK based customer support – phone support is available 8am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm Saturdays. Alternatively an online virtual assistant is available 24 hours a day. Shell Energy also aims to respond to social media messages on Twitter or Facebook within one hour.
• Discounts for Shell Energy customers – if you are an existing Shell Energy customer you will benefit from a discounted broadband price

Potential negatives with using Shell Energy Broadband

• 18 month contracts only – no option for short term contracts
• Basic router – all deals include a free router but when compared with other suppliers the router they send out to all new customers is fairly outdated
• No additional extras – No TV bundles. The only extras are call packages but they come at a cost.
• No broadband only packages – broadband cannot be taken on its own as a phone line is required
• Fibre options not available across all areas of the UK – Fibre broadband isn’t available nationwide therefore depending on where you live you may only have the standard ADSL option

Shell Energy broadband rating

By Helen Forrester – 4 out of 5.