1. Broadband
2. Providers
3. Shell Energy Broadband
4. Review

Once known as First Utility, until it was acquired by the global energy giant Shell back in 2018, Shell Energy Broadband is a relative newcomer to the market, and one of several energy companies to also offer broadband. And, of course, they'd quite like to have you as an energy customer too, which to be fair, does keep things simple. Recently, the brand also took over Post Office Broadband, and is establishing a reputation for offering a wide range of extremely competitive broadband deals, usually with an 18-month contract as standard.

This page will tell you everything you need to know about Shell Energy Broadband – what’s on offer, whether the provider is right for you, and what to expect in terms of equipment, installation, customer service and more.

We’ll also show you the best deals currently on offer from the brand, if you’re looking to make a switch from your current provider.

Is Shell Energy broadband any good?

If you like to keep things simple, Shell Energy could be your ideal provider. The brand keeps things uncomplicated with no setup costs, reasonable pricing with the occasional promotion or discount for new customers, unlimited downloads and a promise that your monthly price won’t automatically be hiked at the end of your contract.

The downside to this ‘no frills’ provision is that you won’t be offered any fancy extras or incentives, all packages come with a fairly basic router and there’s no TV service whatsoever.

Customers who use Shell as their energy provider get a discount on broadband. While the promise of money off is tempting, this should be carefully weighed up against whether the provider is right for you in general. You may be able to access a better or more suitable deal by using a different provider for your broadband.

As with any broadband provider, there are some downsides to signing up for a deal with Shell Energy. The brand doesn’t have a long customer service history, which may be a concern – especially as you’ll be tied into a contract of at least 18 months.

Prices are on the cheaper end of the scale however, making Shell Energy an attractive proposition for those on a fixed budget. In fact, they often offer the cheapest package in the UK. And you're not exactly spoilt for choice – they have what is probably the widest choice of broadband packages in the UK. Across the four main technical platforms (ADSL, FTTC, GFast and FTTP – in case you were wondering), Shell offer an almost bewildering ten separate options, with average speeds ranging from a humble 11Mbps all the way up to 920Mbps – for those lucky enough to live in the right areas, at least.

Overview of Shell Energy Broadband

Here’s a quick look at what you can expect to find in a Shell Energy broadband deal.

Compare Shell Energy broadband

Average Shell Energy broadband speeds

Shell Energy offers ten different options for your broadband each with a different average download speed, and all with an 18-month contract. Although not all options are available everywhere.

Fast Broadband has an average download speed of 11Mbps, which is perfect for smaller households and those who only use the internet for light browsing or online shopping.

Superfast Fibre has an average download speed of 38Mbps, which is great for those who stream films and shows or have several devices connected at once.

Superfast Fibre Plus has an average download speed of 67Mbps – ideal for larger households with higher demands on your internet connection.

Ultrafast Fibre offers an average download speed of 140Mbps and should offer plenty of speed for busy households and those working from home.

Ultrafast Fibre Plus has an average download speed of 290Mbps – perfect if you regularly stream 4K content, have more than four users in the house, or download loads of games.

Full Fibre are Shell Energy’s high-end packages with fibre to the premises, offering average download speeds ranging from 109Mbps all the way up to 950Mbps – there are five different variations available. These speeds basically cover you for any eventuality from just having a busy household with lots of downloading and streaming, to practically being able to run a medium sized online business.

Across the board, Shell Energy’s download speeds measure up well against those offered by most UK providers sharing the Openreach network (the likes of BT, Sky and TalkTalk). The exception is Virgin Media, which has its own network and offers top speeds of 1130Mbps.

Not sure which package to pick? Our guide to deciding what broadband speed you need has all the answers.

Upload speeds

Whereas download speeds dictate how fast you can copy or send things from the internet to your devices, upload speeds determine how fast you can copy or send information from your devices to the internet, cloud storage or other devices.

Shell Energy Fast Broadband offers a maximum upload speed of 1Mbps, Superfast Fibre comes with a maximum upload speed of 9.5 Mbps and Superfast Fibre Plus has a maximum upload speed of 19Mbps. The Ultrafast Fibre packages offer maximum speeds of 25Mbps and 45Mbps respectively, while the Full Fibre deals offer maximum upload speeds ranging from 19Mbps to 109Mbps.

All the brand’s broadband packages come with unlimited data, so you won’t ever have to worry about exceeding your allowance each month. The brand also doesn’t have a traffic management policy that reduces speeds during peak periods, so you won’t experience lags in service during busy times.

Compare Shell Energy broadband

Shell Energy broadband packages

Shell Energy offers ten simple broadband packages, each with a different average download and upload speed. Shell Energy’s broadband plans do not come with inclusive calls as standard.

You can choose to add the following call options to your broadband package:

Evenings and Weekends: includes calls to UK mobiles and landlines, including 01, 02 and 03 numbers Monday to Friday 7pm – 7am and from midnight Friday to midnight Sunday.

Anytime: You’re free to make calls to UK landlines and mobiles, including 01, 02 and 03 numbers at any time of day.

Anytime Plus: includes everything in the Anytime calls plan, plus unlimited calls to landlines within the EU.

International: If you plan to make plenty of calls to friends and family overseas, this package gives you inclusive minutes to landlines in 52 countries, 75% discount on calls to mobiles in 52 countries and 50% on all other international calls.

Be aware that inclusive calls to the UK last for 60 minutes, but you can hang up and redial to avoid any additional charges. If you do not purchase a calling plan, then any calls you make will be charged at standard call rates, according to Shell Energy’s latest price list. There are also a number of extra add-ons you can choose for an additional cost including:

1. Call waiting
2. Call Divert
3. Choose to refuse
4. Voicemail 1571

Routers and installation

Routers

Shell Energy Broadband offers two routers. If you sign up for Fast or Ultrafast Broadband, you will receive a standard router – the Technicolor TG588v2. This is a single-band router without any bells and whistles. It does an adequate job, but doesn’t impress in any way. Out of all the major broadband players in the UK, it’s probably the poorest offering – disappointing, as Shell Energy has so much to offer on other fronts.

If you sign up for any of Shell’s fibre packages, you will receive their Premium router – the Technicolor DWA0120. This is a dual-band router that will automatically switch your WiFI to the best signal to ensure your devices stay well-connected. However, with only three internal antennas, it measures up poorly against BT’s Smart Hub which has seven and Virgin’s Hub 4 which has eleven, meaning that the WiFi signal is likely to have far less reach around your home.

Of course, you don’t have to use the router that’s provided with your deal. If you prefer, you can use the one left over from your old broadband package (if you’ve been allowed to keep it) or buy your own high-spec model.

Installation

With Shell Energy broadband, there usually aren’t upfront costs or set-up fees. The only exception is if your property doesn’t currently have a phone line. In this case, you’ll have to pay £60 to have one installed by an Openreach engineer. Luckily, this is rare, as most homes have had a broadband connection installed at some point, which is reliant on a landline connection.

Customer service

As Shell Energy’s broadband provision is a relatively new service, the brand is a bit of an unknown quantity when it comes to customer service.

What we do know is that Shell Energy was recognised by Resolver, in 2020, for its excellent customer service in telecoms throughout the year (based on analysis of more than 54,000 cases – beating the likes of Sky, BT and Virgin).

If you experience a problem with your Shell Energy broadband, you can give the company a call on 0330 094 5801. Lines are open from 8am until 8pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am until 4pm on Saturdays. There is also a Live Chat service available as well as an email address you can use if you want to get in touch.

You can also manage your broadband account using Shell Energy’s mobile app or reach out to them on social media for support – support is available 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays via Twitter or Facebook Messenger.

Deals and offers

Shell Energy Broadband often holds sales and promotions that reduce the monthly cost of its broadband, though you’ll have to commit to an 18-month contract to take advantage of these. If you’re already with Shell for your energy provision (gas and electricity) you may also get an extra discount as an existing customer, depending on the tariff you’re on.

Shell Energy also has a range of additional deals and offers that my persuade you to sign up for a broadband deal:

• Unlimited usage: All broadband deals are offered with unlimited usage (no data caps) for total freedom.
• Shell Go+:With Shell Go+, broadband customers can enjoy exclusive savings at Shell Service Stations, and other rewards.
• No activation charge: The brand won’t ask you to pay an upfront charge for activating or installing your broadband (unless you need a new landline phone connection, in which case, you’ll pay £60 to have this put in place by an engineer).
• Line rental included: For the non-FTTP packages (standard broadband, superfast or ultrafast packages), line rental is built into your monthly payments with the provider, rather than being charged as a one-off, upfront fee. Shell Energy’s Full Fibre products do not require a telephone line.

Our verdict

Shell Energy is a solid budget broadband provider with some great selling points like affordable monthly payments, no installation costs and competitive fibre broadband speeds.

Where the brand falls down is with the quality of the routers that are supplied. If you’re prepared to live with this, or treat yourself to a better model, Shell is a safe bet for a simple, reliable and cheap fibre broadband service.

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