Now Fibre Broadband Reviews

Review Of NOW Fibre Broadband

Overview

NOW TV is known best for its popular TV passes; however, it is quickly establishing itself as a prominent fibre broadband provider. Today, NOW Broadband offers speeds which rival the biggest names in the industry, including BT, Sky, EE, and TalkTalk.

NOW Broadband offers competitive prices, 12-month contracts and the option to add various NOW TV passes. In addition, many customers are attracted to this provider as there are no credit checks involved. As NOW battles to take on the big companies, we take a look at whether NOW could provide the fibre connection you need.

What Speeds Are Available With Now Broadband

The average fibre speeds offered by NOW Broadband are pretty similar to the speeds advertised by other providers, such as Sky, TalkTalk and BT. This is because each of these providers is using the same Openreach network of cabling to provide fibre connections to homes.

If speed is what you are looking for the Fab Fibre and Super Fibre packages are the choices on offer. The Fab Fibre package is ideal for households with one or two users, which are not always connecting to the internet at the same time. The package provides average download speeds of 36Mbps, with upload speeds set at roughly 10Mbps.

The best speeds from NOW Broadband are available through the Super Fibre package, which provides average download speeds of 63Mbps and competitive average upload speeds of 19Mbps. This speed will be ideal for households with multiple devices and is more likely to offer the connection speeds users will require in the future. However, there are other providers which offer faster connections, so if NOW Broadband speeds are not sufficient, you may need to consider providers such as Virgin Media, Vodafone, BT or Sky.

Each package includes unlimited downloads, with line rental also included in the cost. If you regularly use your phone line, there are various bundles available which provide free evening and weekend or anytime calls to UK mobiles and landlines. However, if you simply need to pay for the landline to receive your internet connection, a pay as you use phone package is likely to be cheaper.

To check available NOW Broadband speeds please use the NOW Broadband Fibre Speed test

Coverage: Where Is Now Broadband Available

NOW Broadband uses the Openreach network, so coverage is similar to many of the other internet service providers. The connections are delivered through a regular phone line, with fibre cables taking the connection from the exchange to your local street cabinet. The standard copper phone lines are then used to bring the internet connection into your home.

Ofcom estimate that 94% of homes within the UK are within reach of the Openreach network, which means there is a high chance you will be able to connect to NOW fibre. However, if you are located in a very rural area, you may have to connect to standard ADSL broadband instead.

To find out whether you could connect to a NOW fibre package, you should enter your postcode and landline into the availability checker on the NOW Broadband website. The tool will quickly look at your location and will provide an estimate of the potential speeds available. Although NOW Broadband quote average speeds available to customers, these can vary considerably in different areas of the country, so it is always worth checking.

What Router Is Provided With Now Broadband Fibre

The router supplied by NOW Broadband is the Hub Two, which is actually very similar to the popular Sky Q Hub. It is a dual-band 802.11ac hub, so it is cable of supporting fast fibre transfer speeds and will operate on both the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequencies.

The hub also features two gigabit wired network connections, although most routers do offer four as standard. This means that if you are looking to connect more than two devices via cables, you will need to purchase a network switch.

How Does The Installation Work?

You will need to pay a set-up fee and there is also a delivery charge, although depending on the offers available this charge may be waived. In most situations, NOW can switch your phone line to their service remotely, if you already have an active phone socket at home.

If your phone line is active, NOW ask customers to install the router themselves. You will need to connect the HUB Two to your main phone socket to receive the strongest signal. The NOW website provides a useful set-up guide, which includes common issues and how to resolve them.

If there is no working phone line, NOW Broadband will send out an engineer to install your service. The engineer will test and tweak your connection to ensure you benefit from a reliable and fast connection.

Is Now Broadband Customer Service Any Good

Customers of Now Broadband benefit from a useful step-by-step online help desk, which aims to resolve common issues. If you are still struggling, customers are guided towards a live chat service, an online message system or a phone call. There is also a useful community forum, where customers can discuss queries and provide advice. In general, NOW receive good reviews from customers and the customer service team are described as responding to issues quickly.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why NOW Broadband could be a great choice, thanks to its straightforward packages, quick sign up process, competitive prices and reasonably fast connections.

In addition, if you are looking for a fibre and TV package NOW TV does offer some great features, however, the service is not as comprehensive as those available with Sky, BT or Virgin Media. For example, there are fewer channels and no ability to record your favourite shows.

The service may not suit homes which require the fastest internet connections, but if you are looking for a basic and affordable solution, NOW Broadband is certainly worth a look.

Advantages Of NOW Fibre Broadband

1) The various packages offer good value compared to some competitors.

2) The NOW TV passes can be added to broadband contracts as an optional extra.

3) There are no credit checks, which can be useful for those with an adverse credit history.

Disadvantages Of Now Fibre Broadband

1) The packages are relatively basic, with other providers such as Sky broadband and BT broadband offering more extras.

2) The packages are not the fastest speeds available.

3) There is a set-up fee, and you will need to pay for the router to be delivered.