How Shell Energy Broadband compares:
- Weaker Satisfaction
- Weaker Speed
- Weaker Service
- Weaker Reliability
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Reviewer
Luc
Location
England
Date
05/12/2018
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Reviewer
Tambo
Location
Edinburgh
Date
05/12/2018
Comments:
Very very disappointed that companies like this exist these days. The customer service is shocking and they use outright fraud to retain customers who find them out.
Look for reviews and talk to a customer service rep before committing...trust me...this is the first time I ever feel angry with a company as I feel defrauded.
First Utility were due to install broadband on 5th December. By which point I'd had a little contact with them to try to arrange an alternative installation date, and realised that they were incredibly aggressive, arrogant and inflexible. The individuals I dealt with weren't the root cause, I felt they wanted to help but referred to 'our policies don't allow us to do this' or 'I'd get hung for this', etc...
Anyhow, the day the line was due to be installed the engineer couldn't install it and said first utility should have known this as this engineer mentioned there were challenges installing this line in our postcode.
So I ended up being charged for internet without internet!!!
So I phoned them expecting some apology or action, and what I got was too late, that's always a risk and we will install it when we get a chance, when pushed, they said a couple of months at best. In the meantime, I'm expected to pay for using my non existent broadband.
I then said this is shocking, I would like to leave first utility to which they said you will have to pay £136.60 early closure charge. I calmly explained the 14 day returns policy to which the response was, oh that won't work because first utility start the 14 day counter 15 days before you get your broadband!!! I said you're having a laugh to which he explained, it's probably not fair but my hands are tied. Is this not fraud? I hope this review helps you. I am fighting this out of principle and have joined virgin media who got everything working within 2 days and start the 14 day returns counter AFTER you get the service. -
Reviewer
Richard
Location
Sidford sidmouth devon.
Date
23/11/2018
Comments:
This is dreadful .so many bad reviews why is no action taken they just don't care I was put onto this by carphone warehouse won't deal with either ever again .18 months of no hope . -
Reviewer
Ian
Location
Norfolk
Date
22/11/2018
Comments:
Impossible to contact first utility via email or their pathetic online 'chat' thing. No matter what you ask, it always comes back with "I'm sorry, i'm not trained to answer that"
My monthly DD was supposed to be £18.99, after 4 months into the contract they upped it to £19.00 without saying a word to me. Regret going with this shabby company. -
Reviewer
Sophie
Location
Rochester
Date
19/11/2018
Comments:
Really impressed so far, no hassle setting up and really fast speed considering it's only standard package -
Reviewer
Summer
Location
London
Date
12/11/2018
Comments:
Anyone who is looking to switch to first utility broadband please don't they are the worst internet provider ever. I have been having problems from day one and still have.I wish i read reviews before i joined, but its too late now. -
Reviewer
john
Location
ossett
Date
05/11/2018
Comments:
moved from plus net no broadband for 7 days I was told it was my socket and line in house, funny how it all worked with PlusNet. the ip not valid router issue was told Openreach would look into but it router issue not line fault,
so will leave go back to plusnet -
Reviewer
Lisa Woo
Location
Bedford
Date
18/10/2018
Comments:
Have been with First Utility for Gas and Electricity for around 4 years and never had a problem so was happy to take their Broadband. Get close to 80Mb on fibre at a great price. I have been with them for nearly 2 years now and service still great and price still the same, haven't seen a big price rise at end of first 18 months. Would thoroughly recommend. -
Reviewer
Dean
Location
Cornwall
Date
13/10/2018
Comments:
Was very dubious joining this company for broadband after reading the reviews. But I went ahead anyway and well. What can I say. Faster speed than I had with sky. Reliability is brilliant. Online gaming has become fluent and no disruption at all. I highly recommend first utility ! -
Reviewer
Ali
Location
Kent
Date
08/10/2018
Comments:
I guess it was policy to restart my contract with the company when I moved address so I shouldn't really hold that against them. But it has only gone downhill since then. The person who administered the move told me that it would be a new, 15-month contract (which ill come back to).
Internet was intermittent for months at my new address. It should have been around 25-30mbps but was more like 3mbps. After months of complaint and finally threat that I would leave, they finally pulled their socks up and started asking OpenReach to come over and sort out the issues.
They agreed to recompensate me for the really poor service for I think what was around 4-5 months with a month-and-a-half refund. OK not the happiest, but I accepted it was all they were willing to offer. 2 months later, I start to get emails that I was behind on payments due to the 1.5 months that I had not paid. I was a little tired of this so I asked the person on the phone how long I had left on my contract and was surprised that it worked out that I was an 18-month contract since moving and not a 15.
I asked them to investigate the conversation I had with the person who arranged for the internet to be set up at my new residence (because all calls are recorded for training purposes) and 3 phone calls later they apologise for not having followed the issue up earlier will be raising the issue and (promising this time) they will be letting me know of the outcome of their investigation. My internet speed has improved I guess so I shouldn't really complain.
Oh! I shouldn't leave out that for the period it was really bad and I threatened to leave (for the 3rd time) I couldn't receive a WhatsApp message on the wifi without it affecting another service in the house using the internet. -
Reviewer
Julie Ann
Location
Malvern
Date
07/10/2018
Comments:
Very slow broadband and First Utility are not interested in improving their broadband speeds. They tie you into an 18 month contract and they know that there is nothing you can do until your contract expires. They have no interest in improving their download speeds because of their long contracts -
Reviewer
Barks
Location
Devon
Date
06/10/2018
Comments:
The biggest issues with the company that I've experienced are a rubbish router and poor customer service. I was paying BT a fortune so decided it was time to change providers, the second I switched to FU (how ironic) the performance dropped to zero. I'm supposed to be on the 35Mbps product, but I couldn't even get a stable connection to Netflix servers let alone actually watch a programme or film from start to finish.
I raised the complaint immediately and it took them a couple of weeks to even respond. It's clear they allocate your message to a new advisor each time you respond, as it's like you're starting again from scratch. About two months into trying to resolve and getting nowhere, I got an email from one first-class complaints advisor who stated "there is no issue". Okay mate, nice one. Another advisor stated "we can send someone around to check your hardware, but you'll probably have to pay for it". Not happening.
So this morning, granted my TV and phone are both WiFi and will have been potentially doing their own thing in the background, but I'm trying to load a webpage on my laptop and it's like dial-up over a modem in the 90s. So I run a speedcheck through a website and it gives me 0.32Mbps, absolutely laughable. I live in a 1 bed flat and the router has to be in the kitchen because that's where the master socket is, so I went and sat on the kitchen floor and to be fair, it did then manage a lightning fast 7Mbps (of the 35 that I'm paying for). I turned my TV and phone off, and ran a wired connection into my laptop, and did finally manage to get 32Mpbs out of it. Unplugged the cable and again, sat a foot from the router and with no other devices switched on except a fridge, the speed dropped to 12Mbps.
In conclusion, the router is dog-poop - this is despite the fact that the one half decent thing one of their advisors has done is send me an "upgraded" router. If this is the best they can manage, I'd a) factor the price of your own router into the deal you're looking at, or b) just go elsewhere. I considered looking up the settings and then trying to get my BT router set up to connect to their network instead, but their website is unsurprisingly rubbish and I absolutely dread the prospect of phoning them up and having to speak to them, given the experience so far. I certainly won't be staying with them beyond the end of this contract. -
Reviewer
Jeremy
Location
Peterborough
Date
26/09/2018
Comments:
I love the energy supply with first utility and moved from Sky broadband to first utility as I was told that it would be the same service as Sky but cheaper.. massive mistake as the speed is half the speed of Sky and keeps dropping out . Will move as soon as my contract is up. Complained the customer service and was told to read the contract -
Reviewer
iancarr
Location
gateshead
Date
24/09/2018
Comments:
been with them for 12 months and almost no issues, the router supplied is not the best (this is same for most routers supplied by ISP's) after 2 weeks I contacted them for details as purchased my own ASUS AC68 Wifi Router, tech agent went thru and supplied PPPoA username and password (user name is simply landline [email protected]) the guy even stayed on the line until router had connected.
anyone who wishes to use own router just go thru to tech and they will assist -
Reviewer
Dim
Location
Blackburn
Date
24/09/2018
Comments:
Terrible broadband connection low speed or no speed. Terrible customer service with watertight contract they will rip your pans off if you leave them -
Reviewer
Joe
Location
Sheffield
Date
22/09/2018
Comments:
Horrible service! They overcharge you for no reason. If you decide to leave after contract, they will blackmail you by fabricating some conditions which never appear in the initial contract. Don’t waste your time/money and get into trouble by joining them. -
Reviewer
Brenda Sowden
Location
Rushden
Date
19/09/2018
Comments:
Have happily been with them for years for power and recently went to them for Broadband. At first my speed on my desktop upstairs was dreadful but got a very helpful Customer Services assistant delegated to me who gave enormous help and always rang when he said he would and in the end the problem was sorted with the help of power line adapters and now have really fast connection upstairs and down. It was a pleasure to get such good customer service and I am now a very happy customer. Great service -
Reviewer
Marths
Location
Kent
Date
07/09/2018
Comments:
They actually charge you £15 now to leave! Outside of your contract! Section 5.11 in their t&c's. They say it is to cover the admin. cost of the transfer! Also tried to say that this is 'standard', it bloody isn't! Despicable! Avoid them at all costs! -
Reviewer
Joseph
Location
Cornwall
Date
07/09/2018
Comments:
4 days in and no connection, poor customer service, an engineer booked who didn't arrive, don't even know when we are going to connected. Cool off period is a joke as it ends before the contract starts. Offcomm need to take them to task. -
Reviewer
Tom
Location
Coventry
Date
20/08/2018
Comments:
1.8mb/s internet Speed. Contract will be cancelled asap
Comments:
On the 24th October 2018 i cancelled my broadband account due to unforeseen circumstances. The account was only opened within 14 days of cancellation so i should have had a cancellation free of charge but i didn't.
I understand that there is a 30 day cancellation period, so my account was cancelled on the 24th November and i was told i could pay my final bill from then. I phoned yourselves as i had not received an email with my final bill and was told that i would get it on 5th December instead for £266. Today, 5th December, i still have not received a final bill so i called you again and was told the bill had not yet been produced. How long does it take to produce a bill!?
Meanwhile, i was receiving emails from yourself stating i owe £72 to recover my account, if not debt collectors will be at my door. I do not want to recover my account as i personally closed it. When i called and asked about this, no-one really knew what i was meant to do, whether i needed to pay it or wait for my final bill...
I have now been told i will receive my final bill around the 19th December which will include the £266 cancellation fee, plus £20 usage fee and possibly plus the £72, which has randomly been added!
Every time i have called to speak to someone, i have waited over half an hour and never got an answer by the first person i have spoken to, My average phone call with you is usually around an hour long... absolutely ridiculous!!
So now, 6 weeks after i cancelled my account with you, I am still waiting my final bill! All i want to do is pay you and yet i am receiving hate mail stating that you are sending round debt collectors when i do not even know what i am meant to be paying yet!!
I am 19 years old and on minimum wage, I hope you feel very proud of yourselves for making this such an horrific experience for me! I will be taking this further, as i am absolutely fuming!
Disgraceful company!