Brsk broadband review | Is Brsk a good choice?
Is Brsk broadband a good choice?
Our overall rating: 9 out of 10
Brsk is part of a new wave of alternative network providers (altnets) offering very fast full fibre broadband using its own network. This means it doesn’t have to rely on Openreach or Virgin Media for their rollout plans, so it’s taken charge on bringing the fastest broadband to remote locations often overlooked by the other networks.
Brsk offers better prices in comparison for its speeds than many of the other big providers, too. It also promises no mid-contract price hikes, meaning your price won’t change across the length of your contract. And it doesn’t stop there, Brsk also offers the flexibility to choose a month-by-month contract across all of its plans.
The positives
- High speeds up to 2000Mbps
- No mid-contract price rises
- TV add-on options
The negatives
- Limited availability, certain north-west locations only
In our full review we take a look at the pros and cons of each area in more detail: speed, full fibre review, cost, setup and customer service.
How fast is Brsk broadband?
Very fast! As a full fibre service on its own network, Brsk is much quicker than any other providers relying on Openreach to deliver its broadband. It uses its own full fibre connection to deliver lightning-fast, symmetrical (upload is the same as download) speeds of up to 2Gig. If you are in a rural area this will very likely be the fastest – and sometimes the only – service available for you.
But remember, where you live will also play a big factor. We’ll list everything below, but you’ll also need to check your postcode to see what is currently available.
Speed is often the biggest consideration when choosing a broadband package. If you have multiple people using the internet at one time, then a higher speed and bandwidth will be essential. Equally, if it’s a small household using the internet for everyday usage, paying for business-grade bandwidth will probably end up being a waste.
You should decide what speed is right for you, based on your broadband habits at home. Here’s a handy guide to help show what bandwidth usage your different applications need.
Brsk broadband speeds
There are four full fibre options at different speeds, all quicker than your average offering. All Brsk packages offer ultrafast symmetrical connections too, meaning that your upload speeds (think lag-free gaming or needing to send large files for work) are identical to your download speeds.
BetterNet150
Their entry-level offers an average download and upload speed of 150Mbps. A plan that is great for most households and and can easily cope with remote working, 4K streaming and 10 devices running alongside each other.
BetterNet500
Incredibly fast connection, great for large households, multiple devices and downloading and streaming movies and videogames in UHD (ultra high definition). This has an average download and upload speed of 500Mbps.
BetterNet1000
This full fibre package offers users an impressive average download and upload speed of 900Mbps which will easily cover all high-use working and gaming internet usage in large, busy households.
BetterNet2000
There's fast and then there's this. Will you ever need an average download – and upload – speed of 2000Mbps? Probably not. But it will cover all your needs seamlessly, comes with an advanced router which is WiFi 6 ready and is reasonably priced too.
Brsk full fibre review
What exactly is full fibre?
Full fibre offers the fastest available broadband – it’s possible to see speeds exceeding 1,000Mbps (1Gps).
Around 85% of homes in the UK can now access this ultrafast broadband via fibre-optic technology also known as ‘Fibre To The Premises’ (FTTP).
Full fibre removes the need to rely on copper phone lines and instead connects fibre cables straight to your home. This means there’s no slowdown on the data between the street cabinet and your property and the speed and strength are much more powerful than any previous broadband technology as a result.
This technology will future-proof homes and businesses across the UK because, once it’s installed, properties won’t need to install new cables for their broadband for decades.
Don’t have access to full fibre yet? Hopefully you will soon. The government target is to have gigabit-capable broadband available to 99% of the country by 2030.
Find out whether your postcode has Brsk full fibre availability
Brsk UK coverage
Brsk is transforming the digital infrastructure of North West England. Having received access to funding of £259 Brsk’s ambition is to provide over 1 million homes homes and businesses in towns, villages across West Yorkshire, Manchester, the West Midlands and Lancashire with full fibre by 2026. It currently reaches over 500,000 properties.
Our Brsk broadband rating for speed: 9
Does Brsk broadband have reliable connection?
Brsk runs on its own full fibre network to deliver its internet services. This is different to most other suppliers (main exception Virgin Media and other smaller altnet companies) as they normally rely on Openreach’s copper network for their connections. This seems to be a good thing – most of the time – as it doesn’t have to depend on another company to fix any faults or dictate its rollout locations.
Brsk isn’t currently signed up to Ofcom’s voluntary code practice on better broadband speeds. Customers scores are mixed, but mainly above average, on its Trustpilot score for connectivity.
Our Brsk broadband rating for connectivity: 9
How much does Brsk broadband cost?
Starting from just £24 a month, Brsk offers much faster packages for less than equivalent plans from the big providers. It’s great value and there are no one-off upfront set-up costs or fees.
Average price guide
How long are Brsk contracts?
Brsk contracts are either month-to-month or 24-months. The price is reflective and the monthly payment is less if selecting the longer commitment.
Does Brsk have any add-on options?
BetterTV
Brsk has a TV add-on service, BetterTV. For £10 extra a month you can choose an entertainment package that includes a 4KTV box, plus mobile app, giving you access to over 170 TV channels.
BetterPhone
There is an option to add a phone line as an add-on service. This currently costs an extra £4 on top of whatever broadband plan you select. This phone line is not a traditional landline, instead it is delivered via your broadband line in the form of VoIP (voice over IP). You can keep your existing phone number in most cases.
Rewards
Brsk has a decent referral programme. Refer a friend and you’ll both get a £50 Amazon voucher. Your referral must sign up or a BetterNet 18-month contract and use your code.
BetterWifi
For an extra £8 a month you can get additional devices installed by Brsk technicians to ensure your WiFi signal reaches absolutely everywhere in your home, with a guarantee of 10Mbps.
Does Brsk put up its broadband prices every year?
No, unlike most other broadband providers Brsk doesn’t raise its prices every spring. It promises transparent pricing which include ‘no nasty unexpected price hikes, because that would be really uncool’.
Our Brsk broadband rating for cost: 8
How easy is it to get Brsk set up?
If you’re a new customer, Brsk aim to get you up and running within two weeks. They will also handle the whole switching over process, so you won’t even have to contact your current broadband provider to tell them you’re leaving.
All Brsk packages are FTTP (Fibre to premises) on its own unique network and will almostly definitely – unless your home has had it already – need an installation visit. On the day of your installation, an engineer will install a fibre cable from the nearest telephone pole or underground chamber, into your home. The whole process should take around two hours.
Brsk Wi-Fi routers
There are a couple of different router options for customers signing up with Brsk.
Anyone signing up to BetterNet150, BetterNet500 or BetterNet1000 will get the Technicolor DGA0122 hub. Unfortunately it is only Wi-Fi 5 supportive, although this dual band router is a reliable piece of equipment and offers a good range across a family home.
Customers on the BetterNet1000 or BetterNet2000 plan should get the TP-Link EX820V Router which supports Wi-Fi 6, faster speeds and newer technology.
Our Brsk broadband rating for setup, installation & equipment: 8
Does Brsk broadband have good customer service?
We normally look to Ofcom to help rate broadband providers on their customer service, but because of their market size and relative newness, Brsk hasn’t been reviewed on the latest report.
Trustpilot gives Brsk a really brilliant 4.8 for its customer support score with 89% scoring the provider 5-stars. There’s plenty of positive feedback that points towards prompt, polite and friendly service. Have a look at the latest reviews here.
How to contact Brsk
If you’d like to speak to a human being, Brsk customer service team is available Monday to Sunday, 8am-8pm.
Via phone: 02039 255 299
Email: info@brsk.co.uk
Check network status:Check here for any current faults
Facebook:Facebook/Brsk
Our Fibrus rating for customer service: 9
We’ve added up everything from each category making our overall average Brsk broadband rating score: 43/50
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