NOW offers low-cost broadband with a choice of Fab Fibre & Super Fibre plans. There are also optional TV add-ons & no contract plans.

In the UK, NOW is a low-cost home broadband provider. They offer fibre broadband with unlimited downloads from £24 per month. This is available on a 12-month contract which is shorter than on most other providers. Alternatively, there’s a flexible no-contract option with a £60 activation fee.

As NOW is owned and operated by Sky, you can benefit from a range of discounted television memberships as a NOW Broadband customer. For instance, you can get Fab Fibre + Entertainment for £33.99 per month. This gives you access to Sky’s entertainment channels including Sky Atlantic, Sky Max, Sky Witness and more. Alternatively, you can Fab Fibre + Sky Sports for £53.99 per month. This gives you access to all of the Sky Sports channels with live action and analysis.

In this article, we’ll review the NOW Broadband service including the plans and download speeds available. We’ll also look at the included Hub Two router and how you can switch your home broadband service to NOW.

Prices From: £20 per month
Contract Length: 12 months or 1-month rolling
Download Speed: 11Mbps (Brilliant Broadband)
36Mbps (Fab Fibre)
63Mbps (Super Fibre)
Technology: ADSL & Fibre Broadband
Router: NOW Broadband Hub Two
Coverage: 90%+ of UK homes

What Is NOW Broadband?

In the UK, NOW is the low-cost home broadband provider from Sky. With fibre broadband from £24 per month, they have lower prices than other major providers. You can also get their fibre broadband on a 12-month contract with no credit check (or there’s a no-contract option with a £60 upfront activation fee).

As well as the low prices and comparatively short contracts compared to other providers, you can also benefit from discounted television memberships from NOW:

  • A NOW Entertainment membership gives you access to Sky’s entertainment channels including Sky Atlantic, Sky Max, Sky Witness and more.
  • A NOW Cinema membership gives you access to the Sky Cinema channels and more than 1,000 movies to stream whenever you like, on-demand.
  • A NOW Sports membership gives you access to all of the Sky Sports channels, including live action, analysis and more.

You can stream your live and on-demand content on a wide range of compatible devices.

NOW Broadband Plans

On NOW Broadband, it’s currently possible to choose between Fab Fibre (with average download speeds of 36Mbps) and Super Fibre (with average download speeds of 63Mbps).

In addition, there’s an ADSL copper broadband service called Brilliant Broadband (with average download speeds of 11Mbps).

The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of the three plans:

Fab Fibre Super Fibre Brilliant Broadband
Monthly Price: £24 per month £24 per month £20 per month
Download Speed
(average):
36Mbps 63Mbps 11Mbps
Contract Length: 12 months (no activation fee)
1 month (+£60 activation fee)
12 months (no activation fee)
1 month (+£60 activation fee)
12 months (no activation fee)
1 month (+£60 activation fee)
Features
Data: Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
Phone Line: Yes, see call plans Yes, see call plans Yes, see call plans
Optional TV Add-Ons: Entertainment
Cinema
Sports
Entertainment
Cinema
Sports
Entertainment
Cinema
Sports
Router: NOW Broadband Hub Two NOW Broadband Hub Two NOW Broadband Hub Two
Technology
Connectivity: Fibre Fibre Copper (ADSL)
Availability: 90%+ of UK homes
Check availability →
90%+ of UK homes
Check availability →
90%+ of UK homes
Check availability →

Fab Fibre

At present, you can get NOW’s Fab Fibre broadband for £24 per month.

With an average download speed of 36Mbps, Fab Fibre is suitable for most medium-sized households. For instance, you’ll be able to watch HD-quality video on up to seven devices at the same time. You’ll also be able to stream 4K Ultra HD video on one device. It takes about 15 minutes to download a HD-quality movie on Fab Fibre.

You can get Fab Fibre on its own for £24 per month. Alternatively, you can combine it as follows with a television membership for access to Sky Entertainment, Sky Cinema and Sky Sports channels:

ServiceBroadbandTelevisionMonthly Price
(may rise during contract)
NOW Broadband
Fab Fibre

36Mbps
average download

No TV
£24/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract
NOW Broadband
Fab Fibre + Sky Cinema

36Mbps
average download
Sky Cinema
Sky Cinema

11 channels included
£33.99/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract
NOW Broadband
Fab Fibre + Entertainment

36Mbps
average download
Sky ShowcaseSky Atlantic
Entertainment

19 channels included
£33.99/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract

£30.99 for 6 months
NOW Broadband
Fab Fibre + Sky Sports

36Mbps
average download
Sky Sports
Sky Sports

11 channels included
£53.99/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract

See all Fab Fibre deals →

Super Fibre

If you’re looking for faster download speeds, NOW’s Super Fibre plan is currently available for £24 per month.

Super Fibre has an average download speed of 63Mbps. This is perfect for busy households with more connected devices. For instance, you’ll be able to stream HD video on up to 12 devices at the same time (or 4K ultra-HD video on 2 devices at the same time). You’ll also be able to download things much faster. For instance, a full HD-quality film will download in around 8 minutes.

You can get Super Fibre on its own for £24 per month, or you can get it together with a NOW television membership for access to Sky Entertainment, Sky Cinema or Sky Sports channels:

ServiceBroadbandTelevisionMonthly Price
(may rise during contract)
NOW Broadband
Super Fibre

63Mbps
average download

No TV
£24/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract
NOW Broadband
Super Fibre + Sky Cinema

63Mbps
average download
Sky Cinema
Sky Cinema

11 channels included
£33.99/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract
NOW Broadband
Super Fibre + Entertainment

63Mbps
average download
Sky ShowcaseSky Atlantic
Entertainment

19 channels included
£33.99/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract

£30.99 for 6 months
NOW Broadband
Super Fibre + Sky Sports

63Mbps
average download
Sky Sports
Sky Sports

11 channels included
£53.99/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract

See all Super Fibre deals →

Brilliant Broadband

If you’re unable to get fibre broadband at your address or if you simply want a basic copper broadband service for everyday browsing, you can get NOW’s Brilliant Broadband for £20 per month. This will give you an average download speed of 11Mbps.

Brilliant Broadband is suitable for everyday browsing and things like social media, online shopping and banking. You can also stream HD-quality video on up to 2 devices at the same time. However, it won’t be possible to stream in Ultra HD (4K) quality.

You can either get Brilliant Broadband on its own, or together with a television membership:

ServiceBroadbandTelevisionMonthly Price
(may rise during contract)
NOW Broadband
Brilliant Broadband

11Mbps
average download

No TV
£20/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract
NOW Broadband
Brilliant Broadband + Sky Cinema

11Mbps
average download
Sky Cinema
Sky Cinema

11 channels included
£29.99/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract
NOW Broadband
Brilliant Broadband + Entertainment

11Mbps
average download
Sky ShowcaseSky Atlantic
Entertainment

19 channels included
£29.99/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract

£26.99 for 6 months
NOW Broadband
Brilliant Broadband + Sky Sports

11Mbps
average download
Sky Sports
Sky Sports

11 channels included
£49.99/month
plus £10 upfront
12 month contract

See all Brilliant Broadband deals →

NOW Broadband Speeds

The following table shows the average download speeds you can expect on each NOW Broadband plan:

NOW Broadband Plan Average Download Speed Technology
Fab Fibre 36Mbps Fibre (FTTC)
Super Fibre 67Mbps Fibre (FTTC)
Brilliant Broadband 11Mbps Copper (ADSL)

In practice, the download speeds available in your home will depend on your location (e.g. based on the distance to the nearest street cabinet or telephone exchange).

To get a personalised estimate of the download speeds available, you can enter your address on the NOW Broadband website:

Get a NOW Broadband Speed Estimate →

According to the NOW website, there’s “no peak time traffic management” in use on their service but “external factors such as internet congestion and home wiring may affect speed”.

The fastest home broadband service currently offered by NOW is Super Fibre which has an average download speeds of 67Mbps. If you’re looking for full fibre broadband with ultrafast speeds, you’ll need to choose an alternative service such as Sky’s full fibre broadband.

NOW Broadband Hub Two Router

You’ll receive a NOW Broadband Hub Two when you sign up for NOW Broadband. This connects to the NOW broadband service and broadcasts a Wi-Fi network from it that your other devices are able to connect to. You’ll also get 2 Gigabit Ethernet sockets for connecting wired devices to your home network.

The following table shows the technical specifications of the NOW Broadband Hub Two:

NOW Broadband Hub Two
(Sky ER115)
Availability
NOW Broadband Plans: Fab Fibre
Super Fibre
Brilliant Broadband
Connectivity
Dual-Band Wi-Fi: Yes
Wi-Fi Connectivity: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
2.4GHz Wi-Fi: 2×2 MIMO
5GHz Wi-Fi: 3×3 MIMO
Ethernet: 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports
Security: WPA2 / WPA security
Other
Colour: Black
More Information: NOW Website

If you’re taking a NOW television membership, you’ll also need a compatible streaming device to be able to watch your NOW television channels.

Coverage & Availability

The NOW Broadband service is available in more than 90% of UK homes. It makes use of the Openreach network, with the service being delivered to you using your phone line.

If you’re on the Fab Fibre or Super Fibre plan, this will make use of fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) technology. A fibre optic connection will run to a cabinet near your home, with the “last mile” between the cabinet and your home using a copper connection.

If you’re on Brilliant Broadband, a copper connection will run the full distance between the telephone exchange and your home.

To check the availability of the service where you live, enter your postcode on the NOW Broadband website:

Check NOW Broadband Availability (nowtv.com) →

Unfortunately, NOW Broadband isn’t currently available on full fibre (FTTP) connections.

Switching to NOW Broadband

If you’re switching from another provider to NOW, you’ll normally be able to do this without speaking to your old provider. The main exceptions to this are if you’re a customer of Virgin Media or another altnet provider.

Start by ordering your NOW Broadband plan online. When you do this, you’ll be given the option to keep your landline number. You’ll be given a switchover date for the service when you sign up online (this will normally be in around two weeks time).

If you’re a customer of Virgin Media or an altnet full fibre provider, you’ll need to contact them separately to cancel your old service at the same time.

For step-by-step instructions on how to change your broadband provider, please select your current provider from the dropdown menu below:

Switch to NOW Broadband
Your step-by-step guide to switching

Select your current broadband provider:

More Options

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NOW Broadband and what do they offer?
In the UK, NOW offers fibre broadband and ADSL home broadband plans with unlimited downloads. You can choose from the following plans:
  • Fab Fibre has an average download speed of 36Mbps and costs £24/month.
  • Super Fibre has an average download speed of 63Mbps and costs £24/month.
  • Brilliant Broadband has an average download speed of 11Mbps and costs £20/month.
How do ‘no contract’ plans work on NOW Broadband?
All of the NOW Broadband plans are available on a ‘no contract’ basis with an additional £60 upfront fee for activation. With the no-contract option, you’ll be able to cancel your service at any time without paying an early cancellation fee.
What is the NOW Broadband Hub Two?
The NOW Broadband Hub Two is a Wi-Fi router that’s provided with the NOW Broadband service. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi 5 technology (802.11ac) and has 2 Gigabit Ethernet sockets allowing you to connect wired devices to your home network.
What download speeds are available on NOW Broadband?
The average download speeds on NOW Broadband are as follows:
  • Fab Fibre: Average download speed of 36Mbps.
  • Super Fibre: Average download speed of 63Mbps.
  • Brilliant Broadband: Average download speed of 11Mbps.

These average speeds are based on a national average. You can get a personalised estimate of the speeds at your address by entering your postcode on the NOW Broadband website.

How do the NOW television memberships work?
If you like, you can add a television membership to your NOW Broadband plan:
  • A NOW Entertainment membership gives you access to Sky’s entertainment channels including Sky Atlantic, Sky Max and Sky Witness.
  • A NOW Cinema membership gives you access to the Sky Cinema channels and over 1,000 movies to stream on-demand.
  • A NOW Sports membership gives you access to the Sky Sports channels, with live sporting action, analysis and more.
Can I get NOW Broadband where I live?
Around 90% of UK homes are able to get a NOW Broadband service. You can check the availability of different plans at your address on the NOW Broadband website.

More Information

For more information, please see the official NOW Broadband website.

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