Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 May 2026 · HC 1461
Correspondence with Sky following up from 25 March session, dated 20 April 2026 & 14 April 2026
Summary
Sky's Director of Policy and Public Affairs responds to the Scottish Affairs Committee's follow-up questions from a 25 March evidence session on digital resilience in Scottish island communities. Sky confirms 425 Shetland customer losses (36% of base) post-October outage, provides standard broadband contract terms, details £250,000 compensation to 1,100+ Shetland customers, and outlines plans to upgrade five Scottish exchanges and purchase capacity on a second subsea cable to improve island network resilience.
Key findings
- Sky's Shetland broadband customer base fell by 425 customers (36% reduction) between September 2025 and March 2026 following the October outage; Orkney base grew 3% over the same period after a 27-hour outage
- Sky provided over £250,000 in compensation to 1,100+ Shetland customers, exceeding Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme (£9.98/day) by proactively compensating non-reporting customers and those who switched providers
- Sky contracts permit customers to exit without early termination charges if service is not restored within a reasonable time; specific network resilience terms detailed in attached standard broadband contract
- Sky launched internal review post-outage and plans to upgrade technology in five Scottish exchanges exposed to submarine cable risks, including one in Shetland, and is pursuing capacity on a second subsea cable connecting Shetland to Orkney
- Sky is developing improved customer communication processes including targeted outage updates and mobile WiFi device backup provision for extended service losses
Tone
ProceduralTopics
digital-connectivitynetwork-resilienceconsumer-protectiontelecommunications
Key actors
Patricia Ferguson MP, Emily Davidson, Sky, Ofcom, Scottish Affairs Committee
Notable line
“We proactively provided compensation to all remaining Sky customers in Shetland …”
Key Quotes
“From September 2025 (prior to the outage) to March 2026, Sky's broadband customer base in the Shetland Islands fell by 425 customers. This represented a 36% reduction of the base.”
“We proactively provided compensation to all remaining Sky customers in Shetland …”
“We are in active conversations to purchase capacity on a second subsea cable that will connect Shetland to Orkney once it is operationally live in the near future.”
“Please note that we list these follow up actions to be helpful to witnesses, but it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that the commitments made during the evidence House of Commons Palace of Westminster London SW1A 0AA …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗