More of our time at home is spent using the internet than ever, with social media, work, streaming and essential life admin all requiring a good broadband connection these days. So when that connection drops, it can be very frustrating to struggle without it, even for a short while.
If you’re one of the UK’s five or so million Sky broadband customers, here’s how you can deal with internet outage issues. We’ll also provide information on compensation and contact details.
Here are some steps to take when faced with your Sky broadband going down.
Sky broadband outage: 11 March 2025
Sky broadband went down for thousands of UK customers on the morning of Tuesday 11 March.
Customers in the North West and South West of the country reported issues with accessing the internet from home, with many reporting a 'total blackout' of internet connection.
Sky has since issued a fix to the affected areas and connections seem to be back up and running. The provider issued a statement regarding broadband issues in the Barnsley area, but Cornwall Live also reported that multiple customers in the area had experienced Sky connection problems too.
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What to do when your Sky broadband is down
Here are the first things you should do if your Sky broadband connection has suddenly cut out for an extended period of time.
1. Get quick access to the internet on your phone
If you have a good mobile internet signal at home, you should be able to get back online using your phone. You can look online for any information about a broadband outage in your area, or potentially continue what you were doing at the time your internet stopped working.
If you were using another device when your broadband cut out, you might be able to ‘tether’ it to your mobile phone to get back online too. Just keep in mind that this will use up your mobile data allowance, so it might not be best to do if you were streaming a TV show, for example.
2. Look online for reported Sky broadband outages
You can use your phone to search online for Sky broadband outages on a user-reporting website like Downdetector.
Or, to get a more accurate assessment for your area, you can visit the Sky website, enter your phone number, and check your network connection there. This will tell you if there are any issues in your area affecting Sky’s internet connection.
You’ll also be able to see any trending Sky broadband discussions within the Sky online community.
3. Contact Sky for support
You can speak with an adviser through the My Sky messaging service, reach out to Sky via X, or ask questions on the Sky Community forum.
You can also talk to the Virtual Assistant on the Sky website (in the bottom-right hand corner of the screen) or call 0333 759 3263.
Check for home internet connection issues
If you can’t see much online about a Sky internet outage, and Sky’s team are saying there aren’t any issues in your area, then it may be worth checking your home broadband setup. There’s a chance you could improve your connection with just a few steps.
1. Test your current connection
Run a broadband speed test to see if the speed you’re getting is the same as the package you’re paying for.
If you notice a clear difference, sign in with your Sky ID and test your connection - this will help identify any issues causing your internet to go down.
2. Make sure your Sky Hub is set up properly
Your Sky broadband might be down because of your equipment, so it’s important you make sure everything is set up properly.
If your Sky Hub comes with internet calls, it needs to be set up differently to hubs without internet calls. Internet calls come as standard with Sky Broadband Full Fibre, Ultrafast or Gigafast packages.
Connect the Hub to your master phone socket or optical network terminal (ONT) for the best speed and stability. This is usually where the phone line enters your house. If you live in a flat, you may not have your own ONT so you might have to speak to your landlord.
3. Check the Sky Hub lights
The lights on your Sky Hub can help you spot broadband connection issues, but you need to know what they mean:
- Red power light = there might be a fault with your Hub. In this case, try switching it off and on again at the mains plug. Wait a few minutes while it starts back up.
- Flashing amber light = your Hub is in recovery mode. Hold the reset button on the back of your Hub for 10 seconds, until the lights on the front start to blink. Then wait for the lights to return to normal and check your broadband.
Find out what the different coloured lights mean on each Sky Hub.
Can I get compensation from Sky for broadband outages and other issues?
You’ll be relieved to know that Sky does give compensation for broadband issues in some circumstances.
Total loss of service
You could get £9.76 if there’s total loss of service (no internet at all) and it isn’t fixed within two working days. Your compensation will start from the third full working day.
You don’t get automatic compensation if:
- it’s not a total loss of service
- your home equipment is faulty
- you prevent the problem from being fixed
Missed engineer appointments
You can get £30.49 if your engineer doesn’t show up to the visit or if Sky change or cancel your visit. The change or cancellation needs to have occurred with less than 24 hours' notice.
You don’t get compensation if:
- Sky change or cancel the visit but give more than 24 hours' notice
- you change or cancel your visit on the day
- you don’t give the engineer access to fix the issue, or a health and safety issue prevents their access
Delayed broadband activation
If your Sky broadband is not activated by midnight on the confirmed date, you could get £6.10 for each full day it’s late.
You don’t get compensation if:
- you’re the one who missed the engineer’s visit
- your Sky Broadband & Talk order failed before the activation date was confirmed
- you change or cancel visit
- it was delayed before the activation date was confirmed
If you’re eligible for compensation under any of the above circumstances, Sky will calculate what you're owed and add a credit to your Sky account. It’s all handled automatically so you don’t need to get in touch.
If you’re not happy with your current provider, you might want to consider switching broadband.
Compare our best broadband deals
Search on Uswitch to find the right broadband package for you.
