Kraken Utilities is just an accounts system. A backend platform for managing customers. They make software and license it to other business, which is their arrangement with cuckoo. They’re not a consumer facing business and don’t sell any consumer services.
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Very clever honestly, why make tech internally when you can sell it to the competition?
I think its extremely likely this week happen to Shell’s broadband customers.
Ooo that’s interesting. Maybe you’re right. Octopus Broadband on the horizon 
I had a look a there prices for that cuckoo thingy and it came out worse than Virgin media.
I can’t make my mind up whether I think broadband would be perfect for Octopus and their legendary service would be an absolute wake up call for the mainstream residential broadband market, or whether it’s not especially compatible (lock ins etc, supposedly not what Octopus is about although that said they do now have exit fees on their tariffs).
My money’s on Shell Energy Broadband being rebranded and kept arms length from Octopus and/or transferred to Cuckoo.
Another issue with Shell Energy Broadband is their CS is notoriously bad; not so much of a problem on the Gas/Leccy side as they can expand their secret sauce there, but on broadband they would need the expertise which already exists; it’s a risk to the Octopus brand just rebadging it.
They’re pricey but then have offers every few months which make them competitive. Again, very un-Octopus IMHO.
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It would be a risk for them yes, but there’s arguably still quite a bit room for some fresh and perhaps innovative competition in the sector, and Octopus, from that perspective, would be well poised to fill it. Especially since we know their Kraken software (which is probably the main ingredient of their secret sauce) works with broadband too.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens, that’s for sure.
Don’t know how many people remember Be Unlimited, but they left a gaping hole in the market that no one ever really tried to fill, except perhaps Cuckoo, but they’ve been pared back significantly.
I remember Be, they were the more ‘poweruser’ Telefonica option before they sold the whole lot (including O2 Broadband) to Sky right? It’s a shame Sky didn’t keep that operation going.
I think Zen and Eclipse operate in a similar sort of space, the former used to be a big step above the prices the mainstream ISPs used but nowadays at a brief glance they don’t seem that much higher - actually a fair bit less than EE’s list prices.
I would really like BT to adopt the EE approach for their retail ISP too, where the customer support exists. But i guess it’s a lot less imperative to survival, when you’re an effective monopoly in 50% of the country
BT is gradually becoming a business-only brand. As of last week they are now signposting customers to EE:
I understand the next step is to stop accepting orders at all from FTTP customers.
Crikey! I’d love to just pay £31 pcm. Currently with BT we are £44 no landline. We’ve just had Gigaclear install fibre in the street, no doubt they will be in contact shortly. R-
i would consider EE if they put fibre into my hometown but alas
Just seen this one in the MSE email - Octopus are in fact selling off the broadband business they acquired from Shell, not keeping it/transferring it within the group:
Well, as a casualty of the energy crisis when several smaller energy suppliers folded, I was allocated to Shell. Shell recently sold their energy business to Octopus.
Apart from a hiccup over setting up the DD, I’m settling in to lower energy prices and ……… in the Rewards department…… I’ve learned that I get a free sausage roll and a regular drink EVERY week.
A nice touch. 
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I have taken advantage of the free drinks from Greggs 
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I wonder if anyone had luck with spinning the Wheel of Fortune within the Octopus App?
Yes, three lots of £1 wins and one £5 win. Plus 8 points per spin nowadays 
Depends what you mean by ‘lucky’. I got 8 points! R-
Heh, right. If 8 points mean luck then I’m super lucky. 
That is not bad. I spin it occasionally once in a while when I log in.