Sky Broadband vs TalkTalk Broadband

Sky offers both part and full fibre broadband, with options to boost wireless speeds and bundle a Sky TV plan.

TalkTalk is moving away from their budget broadband image with advance routers on their full fibre packages, and customers can also bundle an on-demand TV box.

Overall, Sky beats TalkTalk on price, they also include a home phone line, have a better customer service record and arguably win on TV bundles too.

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At a glance

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Price

Winner: Sky broadband is cheaper than TalkTalk broadband across most broadband speeds, they also include a home phone line with all plans too.

Sky and TalkTalk are priced similarly, with many deals coming in just a pound or two different, however, Sky broadband is cheaper across most broadband speed options.

Setup fees are also similar, with TalkTalk offering free setup and Sky charging £5 setup, but this is refundable on a customer's first bill.

Sky also include a digital phone line with pay as you go calls with all their packages at no extra cost, while only TalkTalk part fibre connections come with a phone line.

Here are the provider's cheapest full fibre deals side-by-side:

While Sky's cheapest full fibre plan offers 75Mb for £26 per month, TalkTalk's best value deal is their Full Fibre 150 plan, with 152Mb for £28 per month. For the same speeds with Sky, customers would currently have to pay £29 per month.

For those who've yet to be reached by full fibre, both TalkTalk and Sky also offer superfast part fibre plans on the Openreach network:

As we can see, Sky is also cheaper than TalkTalk across these superfast part fibre plans too.

At the other end of the scale, Sky is also cheaper than TalkTalk for gigabit broadband, saving customers £3 per month at the time of writing:

One difference between TalkTalk and Sky here however, is TalkTalk include their whole home WiFi guarantee and two eero Pro 6 devices with their Full Fibre 900 plan.

In contrast, Sky customers have to pay an extra £3 per month to access their WiFi guarantee add-on, although this includes up to 3 devices if a customer needs them.

It's also possible to save money by bundling Sky TV with Sky broadband, reducing the price of the broadband further for those who'd take a Sky TV subscription in any case.

While customers can save money with TalkTalk TV, it doesn't reduce the price of the broadband element overall, and works more as an add-on than a bundle.

Lastly, TalkTalk increase prices annually for all customers by £3 per month in April of each year. Sky say they'll increase prices, but don't specify by how much. This means if they increase prices above inflation customers can exit their contract early without penalty. Sky confirmed they would be increasing the prices for broadband and TV customers by 6.7% on average in 2024.

Overall, Sky's broadband prices are typically less than those of TalkTalk, with annual price rises either on a par or coming in less, which means they're more likely to work out cheaper over the length of a contract.

Read more about why broadband prices go up.

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Broadband packages

Winner: Sky win this round over TalkTalk for including a home phone line as standard with all broadband deals, as well as the option to bundle a more comprehensive TV plan.

Sky and TalkTalk offer a very similar range of broadband package options, with equivalent speeds available at all tiers, including a gigabit broadband deal.

However, while Sky are also cheaper than TalkTalk, they include a home phone line with pay as you go calls as standard with all their packages, and customers can also access a WiFi guarantee for less, and a more comprehensive TV bundle if they want it.

In contrast, TalkTalk only offer a home phone line with their part fibre packages, and their Total Home WiFi service is often more expensive than Sky's and only available with full fibre plans.

Here are their entry-level full fibre packages side-by-side:

The major difference between TalkTalk and Sky for full fibre broadband is availability. Both providers use Openreach full fibre, but TalkTalk also uses CityFibre, which adds another 3.8 million premises to their coverage.

However, for those who've yet to be passed by either Openreach or CityFibre, both TalkTalk and Sky offer part fibre connections, as well as boosted G.Fast plans.

TalkTalk Fibre 65 and Sky Superfast are the provider's main part fibre deals, and are available to most (around 97%) of homes where full fibre has yet to reach.

Meanwhile, TalkTalk Fibre 150 and Sky Ultrafast is limited to homes located near exchanges where their street cabinet has been upgraded with G.Fast technology to further boost speeds. This is around 2.8 million premises, and so won't be very many.

For faster broadband plans, for those living in full fibre areas, both Sky and TalkTalk offer ultrafast 500Mb and gigabit options:

TalkTalk's Full Fibre 900 package comes with two Amazon eero Pro 6 routers - so the Total Home WiFi add-on is included for free.

Sky's Gigafast package now comes with the new Sky Max Hub but customers still need to upgrade to the WiFi Max add-on for an extra £3 per month to access the wireless guarantee, with up to three Plume WiFi Pods.

For faster full fibre broadband Sky is cheaper than TalkTalk, but will cost the same with the WiFi Max add-on included. Although, Sky customers do get a home phone line which isn't available with TalkTalk.

Read more in our Sky broadband review and TalkTalk broadband review.

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Broadband speed

Winner: TalkTalk offer faster average speeds in comparison to Sky broadband, they also have faster minimum speed guarantees on all plans.

Sky and TalkTalk offer very similar broadband speed package options, and also use the same underlying network, which means average speeds match up closely too.

Broadband providers must advertise headline speeds that at least 50% of their customers actually receive at peak times, between the hours of 8pm to 10pm in the evening.

As such, the following speed table gives a fair indication of the speeds available with Sky:

And those of TalkTalk:

Both providers offer asymmetrical download and upload speeds, which means average upload speeds are much less than the headline download figure.

Customers who live in a CityFibre enabled area will also be able to sign up for TalkTalk, although headline speeds will be the same as for Openreach areas, and they won't get symmetrical uploads as with other CityFibre resellers, such as Vodafone.

Minimum speed guarantee

Sky and TalkTalk are both signatories of Ofcom's Broadband Speed Code of Conduct, which sets out that a provider should give a customer a minimum speed at the time of sign up, and if this isn't met the customer can exit their contract without penalty.

Customers need to give the provider 30 days' in order to resolve any issues, but speeds given are personalised to the individual property.

Sky go a step further than this however with their Sky Speed Guarantee because they also promise to give customers one month's subscription refunded too, and if its within 30 days of joining they'll also refund any setup fees.

TalkTalk offer a 30-day Great Connection Guarantee, which allows superfast fibre customers to cancel their contract within 30 days penalty free, but no refunds are given.

When testing two locations, one with part-fibre and one with full fibre, we received the following estimated speeds and minimum guaranteed download speeds:

While Sky offer a better speed guarantee than TalkTalk, TalkTalk have faster minimum guaranteed download speeds, so their guarantee will kick in sooner for customers receiving slower speeds.

Overall, while similar, TalkTalk offer faster average download speeds than Sky broadband, as well as faster minimum speed guarantees, despite the fact Sky customers can get money-back.

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Router

Winner: It's a tie. Both TalkTalk and Sky offer customers an advanced WiFi 6 enabled router, with support for intelligent mesh WiFi boosters.

TalkTalk offer customers on their part fibre plans the TalkTalk WiFi Hub, which is a dual-band router with support up to the WiFi 5 protocol. It supports WPA2 encryption and has four 1Gb Ethernet LAN ports for wired connections.

Customers who take TalkTalk's full fibre broadband will receive either an Amazon eero 6 or an eero Pro 6 with the faster Full Fibre 500 and Full Fibre 900 plans. These routers support dual-band or tri-band wireless up to the WiFi 6 protocol. They have the latest WPA3 security, two 1Gb Ethernet LAN ports and support mesh, which can be used with additional eeros.

All Sky full fibre broadband customers now get the Sky Max Hub. Released in 2023 it's a dual-band WiFi 6 router, also with WPA3 security, but four 1Gb Ethernet LAN ports.

Part fibre Sky customers, like those on Sky Superfast, will still receive the Sky Broadband Hub however, but they can upgrade the router to the Max Hub by taking the WiFi Max add-on.

Here are the main WiFi 5 router specifications side-by-side:

And these are the specifications for the faster WiFi 6 routers:

The Sky Max Hub and Amazon eero 6 routers all support mesh technology, and so can be seamlessly extended around larger homes or where customers are struggling with good wireless connectivity in every room.

Customers who take Sky's WiFi Max add-on will get their WiFi Max guarantee, which offers minimum download speeds in every room of up to 25Mbps and costs just £3 per month.

TalkTalk Full Fibre 900 customers will get a second eero device included for free, while other full fibre customers can take the Total Home WiFi add-on for £8 per month for a second eero.

Overall, TalkTalk and Sky are neck and neck on router specifications, although for the fastest full fibre broadband plans TalkTalk's inclusion of an extra tri-band eero device for Full Fibre 900 customers edges them ahead a little.

See how more provider routers compare side-by-side.

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WiFi guarantee

Winner: Sky's WiFi Max service guarantees wireless speeds up to 25Mbps in every room, while TalkTalk only promise 10Mbps.

Sky offer customers a choice of WiFi guarantee, with their Wall-to-Wall WiFi guarantee coming free with all broadband deals.

Sky's Wall-to-Wall WiFi guarantee promises minimum wireless speeds of 3Mbps in every room in a customer's home or they can claim one month's broadband subscription back. It works with the included Sky Broadband Hub but no additional devices are provided.

Customers willing to pay a little extra can get the new Sky WiFi Max add-on from just £3 per month, which includes the newer Sky Max Hub router (if customers don't already have it) along with up to three Plume WiFi boosters, which can help increase the wireless coverage and speed throughout a home.

Sky WiFi Max promises minimum download speeds over wireless of 25Mbps on their Full Fibre 150, Full Fibre 500 and Full Fibre Gigafast full fibre packages, while those who take Superfast 35, Superfast, or Full Fibre 75, are promised speeds up to 10Mbps.

If a customer doesn't receive these minimum speeds they can claim one month's broadband subscription back. However, the add-on also includes daily line checks, free off-peak engineer visits, and 2GB free data on a Sky Mobile plan, so there are other benefits too.

TalkTalk customers who take their full fibre broadband in an Openreach-enabled area, can access their Total Home WiFi add-on for £8 per month.

Total Home WiFi includes a second eero device to help boost wireless coverage, and promises minimum download speeds over wireless of 10Mbps. There isn't any money back if customers don't get this speed, but they will be able to cancel the add-on early.

Overall, Sky offer the better whole home WiFi guarantee, although TalkTalk's eero service is likely to achieve similar results.

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Call plans

Winner: Sky include a home phone line as standard on all their broadband packages, while TalkTalk Full Fibre customers don't have the option of one at all.

TalkTalk customers only get a home phone line with their Faster Fibre superfast plans. This comes with pay as you go calls, and customers can add one of three inclusive call plans.

TalkTalk's out of allowance call charges are:

• 24p per minute to UK landlines
• 24p per minute to UK mobiles

Sky offer cheaper call plans than TalkTalk, and all customers get a home phone line included as standard, even full fibre customers.

Sky's Talk Anytime Extra is the same price as TalkTalk's Unlimited UK plan, although off-peak Evening & Weekend calls are cheaper with Sky.

Sky's out of allowance call charges are:

• 27p per minute to UK landlines
• 27p per minute to UK mobiles
• 25p connection charge for all chargeable calls

Overall, Sky are the better option for home phone as all broadband customers can have one, and the inclusive off-peak call plan is cheaper than with TalkTalk.

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TV

Winner: Sky TV is a much more comprehensive TV service than TalkTalk TV, which is limited to an Android TV box set.

Sky TV is more premium TV offering than TalkTalk TV, and the new Sky Stream means even those who can't install or access a satellite dish can get the service.

Sky Stream can both be taken independently of Sky broadband, but customers do get a discount of around £10 per month over taking the services separately.

Both of the plans above bundle Sky Entertainment and Netflix, yet, Sky is much cheaper than TalkTalk for TV and broadband bundles.

TalkTalk TV is a more paired down service, which may well suit households who primarily watch Netflix or Prime Video, but for those who want premium channel packs like Sky Entertainment, Sky Cinema and Sky Sports, they'll need to opt for Sky for the best savings.

Read more in our TalkTalk TV review and our Sky TV review.

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Customer service

Winner: Sky have a market-leading customer service record, with the lowest complaints in the industry, easily outperforming TalkTalk.

Our most recent analysis of broadband customer service found Sky to be the best broadband provider for customer service, thanks mainly to their consistently low complaint levels.

TalkTalk on the other hand have struggled in the past with customer complaints and satisfaction levels, with the most complaints as recently as July 2023.

Here are some key customer service metrics for Sky and TalkTalk:

Aside from being quick to answer the phone, TalkTalk struggle to meet Sky's performance for customer service and satisfaction metrics.

TalkTalk also typically score less than the industry average, while Sky typically score higher than average. In terms of satisfaction with complaints handling and customers with a reason to complain, Sky have "statistically significantly better than the sector average".

Ofcom also found Sky was likely to be recommended in 2022, while TalkTalk customers were less likely to recommend their provider.

It's also worth noting that TalkTalk use overseas call centres, while Sky's call centres are all located in the UK, although there have been reports this could change.

Overall, if customer service is important, Sky are the better choice over TalkTalk.

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Verdict: Sky or TalkTalk broadband?

Overall winner: TalkTalk are working towards becoming a more premium provider, but for now Sky win due to cheaper pricing and their excellent customer services record.

Sky is a more premium broadband provider compared to TalkTalk, although TalkTalk arguably offer a better full fibre product.

Sky outperform TalkTalk in several ways:

• Excellent customer service record with low complaints
• The latest WiFi 6 router available with all full fibre packages
• Home phone line included as standard with all broadband plans
• Discounts for bundling premium Sky TV
• Competitive pricing, being cheaper than TalkTalk on most plans

It's pleasing now Sky include their latest router with all full fibre plans, and the WiFi guarantee only costs an additional £3 per month.

TalkTalk customers on their fastest Full Fibre 900 package get two devices, yet all other full fibre customers have to pay an extra £8 per month for a second eero, which is more expensive than with Sky.

TalkTalk still have some strings to their bow, including:

• Wider full fibre availability over both the Openreach and CityFibre network
• The latest WiFi 6 router available with all full fibre packages
• Total Home WiFi second eero router included with their gigabit plan
• Optional TV add-on with exclusive discounts with NOW TV Memberships

It's worth noting that as well as being cheaper at the introductory level, Sky usually implement cheaper annual price rises, so could work out costing even less over the life of a contract.

TalkTalk's move towards offering a more premium service means they have some good broadband packages available, however their customer service record still needs to catch up. Yet, Sky's competitive pricing is also matched with their unrivalled customer service which makes them our provider of choice in this head-to-head.

Read more head-to-head guides including Sky vs Virgin Media and Sky vs BT broadband.