Sky enters business broadband arena with Sky Connect

At the vanguard of the UK’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are more reliant than ever on robust broadband, so Sky has launched a package that it says is tailor-made to their needs.

Sky’s entrance into the business broadband market with Sky Connect follows its success in residential broadband with Sky Broadband, delivered by BT broadband provision division Openreach, which has seen it gain more than six million customers and become the second-largest residential provider in the UK. It claims that over the past 10 years, Sky Broadband has, on average, received fewer complaints to regulator Ofcom than any other provider.

Sky Connect plans to bring the established level of service to small businesses, including professional installation, backed by a customer charter featuring a 30-day money-back guarantee, simplified billing, no in-contract price rises and no-hassle cancellation fees.

Sky sees small businesses as the growth engine of the economy, and Sky Connect has been developed to be a partner to help them succeed. As a new entrant to the UK’s B2B telecoms market, Sky says it will focus on partnering with small businesses to provide them with a better broadband experience – purpose-built business products, exceptional service and simple pricing and packaging, with no hidden fees.

“Covid-19 has had a huge impact on small British businesses, with many moving online to survive,” said Stephen van Rooyen, Sky EVP and CEO, UK & Europe. “We are launching Sky Connect now, and plan to create up to 1,000 new jobs across the UK, because we know British businesses will come out fighting and we want to be there to help. Small businesses are the growth engine of our economy and we believe they deserve better – better products and technology, clearer contracts, and exceptional customer service.”

Sky Connect’s products and services are built on feedback from hundreds of small businesses across the UK and are said to be aimed to address concerns with existing providers. Sky Connect will provide broadband with built-in malware and phishing protection; VoiceEdge, a modern digital voice service with 24 call management features; and Connection Pro, which provides business-grade 4G backup, among other features.

Sky Connect will give businesses a choice of three Business Advantage packages that feature combinations of products and services, including: superfast broadband with speeds up to 76Mbps; secure 4G backup, enabling business continuity in case of a broadband outage; a business-grade phone system with 24 call management features and unlimited UK calling included as standard in all packages; private Wi-Fi, providing secure internet access and public Wi-Fi available as an add-on service; phishing and malware protection to protect against malicious websites; international call packs enabling calls to 48 countries, fixed and mobile; and static IP available for businesses that prefer to host their own servers.

The launch of Sky Connect has already led to the creation of 200 new jobs, including more than 100 in its Leeds contact and operations centre, and Sky guarantees that it will lead to the creation of up to 1,000 more jobs in sales, service and at head office over the next few years.