Shell Energy broadband help
By Tim Smith | Friday, September 3rd 2021
Shell Energy Broadband runs on the Openreach network and offers a few simple and straightforward package options. That being the case, it's pretty reliable, but where do you go and who do you speak to if things go wrong?
In this guide you'll discover how to deal with some of the most common problems you might encounter with your Shell Energy Broadband service. We'll also arm you with the information you need to get the most from Shell Energy Broadband's own help and support., should you need to get in touch.
Payment and billing issues
If you think you might not be able to pay your next Shell Energy Broadband bill, or if you've just missed a payment you need to get in touch with the company as soon as possible. Of course, this is also true if you've been overcharged. Here are a few ways that you can sort these financial issues out.
If you have missed a payment or are struggling to pay your bill
Contacting Shell Energy Broadband as soon as possible is essential if you want to avoid having your services reduced or even disconnected completely. If these things happen you may be charged a late payment penalty and also a reconnection charge. Your credit rating will also be adversely affected. You can contact Shell Energy Broadband by email or by calling customer services on 0330 094 5801 from 8am to 8pm weekdays and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays. You can also use your account pages on the Shell Energy Broadband website.
When you contact Shell Energy Broadband you can ask to negotiate an increase in your payments so you don't have to extend your contract period. You can also offer to pay smaller additional amounts over the phone using your credit or debit cards or using your account pages online.
Check your Direct Debit
Like all providers, Shell Energy Broadband prefers you to pay using Direct Debit. This is the most reliable method because even if you change bank or building society your DDs should follow automatically because of the Direct Debit Guarantee, subscribed to by most high street financial institutions. However, problems can happen. So check your bank account each month to confirm that your Direct Debits have gone through.
What if you've been overcharged?
What happens if you've been charged for something you didn't use, or overcharged for something you did use by Shell Energy Broadband? Get in contact with the company as soon as you see the problem on your bank statement. You can contact the company by email or by calling customer services on 0330 094 5801. You can also use your account pages on the Shell Energy Broadband website.
Shell Energy Broadband internet problems
Issues with your Shell Energy Broadband can stem from multiple causes, some as simple as a faulty cable, while others can be full-scale, national network problems. Before contacting help and support, there are a few things you can do either to get back up and running or to arm yourself with the information you'll need to proceed with a fast resolution.
- Status check – Shell Energy Broadband uses BT's infrastructure (cables, junction boxes and fibre optics for example) you can search online for 'BT service status' and use that service
- Have you paid your bill? – Make sure that your Direct Debit has gone through so that your services are paid for
- Turn your Shell Energy Broadband Hub off and on again – Yes, this old favourite does work sometimes. Turn your hub off either using the switch on the hub itself or using the wall socket. Disconnect all cables from the hub. Wait for two minutes for it to power down completely. Reconnect all the cables. Turn your hub back on. Wait for two minutes or until the lights are solid green. Connect to the internet. If that now works fine, you've fixed your problem
- Unplug your phone – Sometimes your landline or its cable can interfere with your broadband. Simply unplug your landline and try connecting to the internet. If you can then the problem might be with your phone, your landline cable, your microfilter or your double socket. Contact Shell Energy Broadband and explain the problem
- Wifi or broadband – Not being able to connect to the internet might not be a broadband problem at all. If you're connecting using the wifi provided by your Shell Energy Broadband hub, it could be that. Plug your computer into the hub using an ethernet cable. Then connect to a website. If it works, your problem could be with your wifi
Problems with Shell Energy Broadband wifi
It's likely that you're using your wifi to connect to your Shell Energy Broadband at home rather than a cabled connection. Sometimes wifi can be unreliable or even break down completely. Before you get on the phone to customer services, try these tips to see if you can resolve the problem yourself.
Move your Shell Energy Broadband Hub
Wifi signals produced by your Shell Energy Broadband hub can be blocked or interfered with by solid – and in some cases not so solid – objects such as walls, sofas, televisions or even a pile of magazines. Try moving your hub to an area with fewer obstructions.
Reset your Shell Energy Broadband hub
Both Shell Energy Broadband's hubs have reset switches but they can be fiddly. Try simply switching your hub off at the wall. Wait for two minutes or until the lights on your hub go solid green and then try connecting once again.
Problems with your Shell Energy Broadband landline
When you take out a contract with Shell Energy Broadband, you will also have to take a landline phone. These can also go wrong. Follow our tips to see how you might be able to fix yours.
- Test your phone on its own – Your Shell Energy Broadband and landline are connected to the outside world via a microfilter box that comes out of your wall socket, or by a double socket. Unplug the microfilter, plug your phone directly into the wall socket. Or unplug your broadband cable from the double socket. Then test your phone. If it works the problem is not with your phone
- Check 'call divert' – Just check that you haven't turned on call divert or even call blocking. If so, turn them off. You'll find out how to do this in the manual that came with your phone
- Check the batteries – Easy one to forget, but make sure that your phone's handset's batteries haven't died. Just replace them and try your phone
Getting Help from Shell Energy Broadband
Shell Energy Broadband has a good collection of help pages, FAQs and guides on its website that are clearly marked. So, after following the tips in this guide, head over to the Shell Energy broadband website.
Customer service phone number
If you need to contact Shell Energy Broadband customer service the number to call is 0330 094 5801. Lines are open from 8am to 8pm weekdays and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays.
Use social media to speed up response times
Like most companies Shell Energy Broadband has social media accounts that you can contact if you don't feel your problem is being dealt with. You can find the company on Twitter and Facebook. Be courteous as that's always the best way to get answers.
Frequently asked questions
Problems with your bill?
If you have problems paying your bill then you should contact Shell Energy Broadband straight away. Failing to do this can result in your broadband service being reduced or even cut off until you pay your bill. The quickest way to contact Shell Energy Broadband about your broadband contract is via your account page on the Shell Energy Broadband website.
Does Shell Energy Broadband have its own broadband network
No, Shell Energy Broadband uses BT's infrastructure for its basic broadband and phones. It uses BT Openreach for its high-speed internet. However, you must contact Shell Energy Broadband if you need any help with your service or account.
How do I find out if there is a fault in my area?
Shell Energy Broadband doesn't have a way to check the status of its broadband service. However, because it uses BT's infrastructure, so can you. If your internet is down but you still have access to 3G, 4G or 5G then search online for 'BT service status' and visit the relevant BT page where you can type in your postcode and see what's going on in your area.
Can a faulty telephone line affect my Shell Energy Broadband?
Yes. Your Shell Energy Broadband comes into your home using your phone line – with some tweaks made by the engineers at the nearest junction box. So if you're having problems, try some of the tips listed further up in this guide to check whether your phone line is faulty.
What happens if I stop using Shell Energy for my gas or electricity?
If you signed up for Shell Energy Broadband using a special promotion that entailed a discount to your broadband charges if you also took Shell Energy electricity and/or gas supplies but you then cancel either or those, then depending on the promotion, your broadband bill will increase.