Shell Energy broadband review 2025

Is Shell Energy any good in 2025?

If you’ve heard of First Utility, Shell Energy broadband won’t be a complete stranger – Shell took over the company and gave it a rebrand in 2019.

Its focus is on fast, stable internet for decent prices. There’s a wide range of options to suit different budgets and needs.

Packages are cheaper than the big-name providers, where you’d be paying for extra bells and whistles.

They’re priced broadly in line with budget-friendly broadband providers such as TalkTalk and Plusnet – so it’s best to shop around and compare prices. But Shell Energy has a greater range of broadband speeds to choose from, with a selection that includes everything from a standard ADSL package at 11Mbps to lightning fast Full Fibre options that go up to 944Mbps.

When it comes to contract length, there’s not much flexibility. With only 18-month contracts available, there aren’t any shorter-term options.

In regards to customer service, it’s not rated by Ofcom, like its bigger competitors, so it’s hard to fully tell. That said, customer service experts Resolver, back in 2020 recognised Shell for its excellent customer service - but it’s been a few years since then with little update. .

Overall, Shell Energy broadband is pretty good value for money. If you’re not looking for add-ons, such as bundled TV subscriptions, its straightforward broadband packages are worth considering.

Shell Energy broadband review: Cost

Competitive prices are the main draw, with costs generally coming in cheaper than the likes of BT, Sky and Virgin Media for comparable packages.

At the time of writing (May 2023), its packages range from £17.99 a month for standard ADSL broadband, all the way up to £45.99 a month for a fast and futuristic Full Fibre 900 broadband service.

You'll need to pay a £9.95 P&P fee for your router. Line rental is included as part of its fibre broadband packages – but if you go for a full fibre plan, it does not require or include a phone line. If you're getting a new line or full fibre installed, it'll cost £67.50.

Also, as with many other providers, you may face a sudden price hike at the end of your 18-month contract. For example, the £22.99 Superfast Fibre plan goes up to £36.99 once the contract runs out.

So when your Shell Energy broadband minimum term ends it’s a good idea to consider switching to another provider, who may offer the same speeds and a comparable package for cheaper.

Shell Energy broadband review: Speed

Shell Energy’s ADSL Fast Broadband package is its most basic and budget-friendly option. With an average download speed of 11Mbps, it’s not the fastest (despite the name). But it could be a good choice if you’re a small household and don’t use the internet too much, or if fibre optic isn’t available in your area yet.

Faster speeds can be found in its two Superfast Fibre packages, which are fibre optic and come in at average speeds of 38Mbps and 67Mbps.

If you’re looking for an even speedier connection, Shell Energy offers two Ultrafast Fibre broadband options, clocking in at an average speed of 145Mbps and 290Mbps respectively. These use ‘G.Fast’ tech – you’ll need to check if your home qualifies for it.

For large households and power users, there are also five Full Fibre options, ranging from average speeds of 109Mbps to a whopping 944Mbps.

These use Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) to deliver a stronger, faster and more reliable connection – ideal if you’re going to be streaming on multiple devices, gaming online or working remotely.

But you’ll have to check if Full Fibre is available in your area, as it’s not as widespread as the other options.

Overall, its speeds are in line with the likes of BT, Vodafone and EE.

Shell Energy broadband review: Data limits, fair usage and traffic management

A plus point is that all Shell Energy broadband packages come with unlimited usage as standard. So you can upload and download as much as you want, without being slowed down or restricted.

There’s also no data usage restrictions, so you needn’t worry about paying extra fees for going over a limit.

Shell Energy broadband review: Router

Shell Energy supplies new Superfast Fibre, Superfast Fibre Plus and Full Fibre customers with a Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 hub. This hub features Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), 2.4GHz (2x2), 5GHz (4x4), Band steering, Automatic Channel Selection, WPS, 4 x Gigabit Ethernet ports for LAN and 1 x Gigabit Ethernet port for WAN.​

Superfast Fibre Essentials, Ultrafast Fibre or Ultrafast Fibre Plus customers receive a dual-band Technicolour DGA0122 wireless router.​

Fast Broadband and Fast Broadband Essentials customers will be given a single-band Zyxel AMG1302 wireless router.

If you decide to leave Shell Energy, you'll have to return the router. And if it's not handed back in good working condition, a charge will apply.

Our page on Shell Energy routers goes into more detail.

Shell Energy broadband review: Home phone

All broadband packages include line rental at no extra cost. That said, if you let your contract expire and are on an ‘out of contract’ rate, you’ll be charged £20.28 for line rental, so make sure you keep an eye on when your contract ends.

You’ll get pay-as-you-go calls as standard. But you may want to buy a call plan if you’re going to be using your landline phone regularly.

For an additional monthly fee, you can choose from a variety of call packages – whatever best suits you:

• Evening & Weekend: Unlimited evening and weekend calls to UK landlines, UK mobiles and 0845/0870 numbers

• Anytime: Unlimited calls to UK landlines, UK mobiles and 0845/0870 number, 24/7

• Anytime Plus: Unlimited 24/7 calls to UK landlines, UK mobiles and 0845/0870 numbers, as well as landlines in 54 International destinations

• International: Unlimited calls to landlines in 54 international destinations, discounted calls to mobiles in those 54 destinations, plus a 50% discount on calls to all other international destinations (landlines and mobiles)

Shell Energy broadband review: TV

Unlike the major providers, you won’t be able to bundle your broadband with additional TV subscriptions or mobile contracts to save money – you’ll need to look elsewhere for these services.

Shell Energy broadband review: Extras

There’s not much in terms of fancy extras or add-ons – the main draw is its reasonable pricing. But it's worth keeping an eye out for time-limited vouchers or discounts.

Also, if you’re already using Shell as your energy supplier, you can get your broadband package at a discounted price.

Shell Energy broadband review: Reliability and customer service

Shell Energy’s UK-based call centre is open 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 6pm on Sundays.

You can also get in touch via email, online web form or post. There’s also live chat option, which operates by bot and real people.

Most notably, Shell Energy was recognised by Resolver in 2020 for its excellent customer service in telecoms, with customer satisfaction placed ahead of the likes of
Sky, BT and Virgin.

Pros and Cons of choosing Shell broadband

Pros

• Competitive pricing, with great value introductory offers

• Selected products receive a Wi-Fi 6 dual band hub router

• Unlimited usage

• Many packages to choose from, with broadband speeds ranging from 11Mbps to 944Mbps

• Award-winning customer service

Cons

• 18-month contracts only – no short-term options

• No options for TV bundles or mobile contracts

• Price hike after your contract ends

• Ultrafast Fibre and Faster Fibre options may not be available in your area

• Few extras compared to other providers

How does Shell Energy compare against other providers?

Shell Energy vs Vodafone

Both offer a range of call packages, but Vodafone’s come with some fancier features, such as three-way calling. Vodafone’s router is also much more high-tech, with an app that allows you control the router via your smartphone.

Shell Energy vs BT

BT is one of the more expensive providers out there, so Shell Energy undercuts its prices. But, as with the big names, BT comes with some sweet extras, such as TV and mobile bundles and free unlimited internet access to any BT Wi-Fi hotspot in the UK.

Shell Energy vs TalkTalk

Prices for comparable packages are pretty similar between Shell Energy and TalkTalk, but the latter also offers TV bundles for a small extra cost. However, Shell Energy’s customer service shines, whereas TalkTalk has scored consistently below average by Ofcom in this area.

Shell Energy vs Plusnet

Shell Energy and Plusnet both focus on good-value broadband packages without any fancy add-ons. And both offer a good range of FTTC fibre optic and FTTP full fibre connections.

Shell Energy vs NOW Broadband

While both providers have similar pricing, NOW Broadband has a unique one-month rolling contract system – great if you’re looking for a short-term solution. However, if it’s speed you need, you might be better off choosing from Shell Energy’s extensive range, as NOW Broadband’s speeds top out at 63Mbps.