For most households, broadband is just as important as the other essential services of electricity, gas and water. It can be tempting to stick with the same ISP because you don’t know how to switch.
But it’s easier than you think. Just use the tool below to find out what’s available to you and sign up.
Finding a deal £5-10 less than what you currently pay per month will save you up to £240 over two years, which is the usual contract length.
Social tariffs
If you are reading this because you have a low income and need Really cheap broadband, you can enjoy a few different services depending on where you live. One option is BT Home Essentials which costs £15 per month.
There’s also Vodafone Broadband Essentials which is even cheaper at £12 per month.
A third option is Essential Broadband from Community Fiber. It costs £12.50 a month but limits the speed to just 10Mbps, while BT and Vodafone plans offer average speeds of around 38Mbps and are much more widely available.
To get the cheap packages from BT or Vodafone you will need to show proof that you are eligible for benefits or income support. But there is no need to do such checks with Community Fibre.
Best Broadband Deals
Here are all the best deals available this month. Keep in mind that you can’t just pick the one you like the most. First, you need to check if the service is available at your address. Coverage may vary within the same city. In fact, the speeds and providers available will depend on the exact street you live on.
That’s why you’ll need to enter your postcode and click “Check Availability” to see which offers apply to you.
What to look for when choosing a broadband offer
Here are some questions to ask when reviewing an offer:
- What are the installation / activation costs? Can I get the same speed and monthly cost with cheaper (or free) activation elsewhere?
- What is the duration of the contract ? You may not want to stay attached for too long.
- Is the deal only for broadband, or does it also include phone calls and/or TV? Can I save money by bundling other services that I would pay for anyway?
- Can I get a better deal from my current provider? It may be worth calling to see if they will match or beat a deal you have seen online.
- Do I have to pay for really fast broadband? Even families streaming video to multiple TVs don’t need super-fast speeds and can operate without full fiber. Remember, you’ll need really good home Wi-Fi to deliver the fastest broadband speeds to every corner of your home. Otherwise, you’re paying for speeds you can’t use. We have a complete guide on how to make your home network faster
Most of the very the fastest broadband plans require a fiber optic connection to your property. Providers refer to this as “full fiber”, as opposed to “fiber” which only goes to the cabinet in your area.
Some of the fastest broadband plans require a fiber optic connection to your property. Providers refer to this as “full fiber”, as opposed to “fiber” which only goes to the cabinet in your area.
Full fiber is currently deployed in millions of homes, but many areas are still unconnected. Virgin, however, has an extensive cable network that now offers gigabit speeds, so it’s a good option for those living on streets served by Virgin.
If you can’t get full fiber or Virgin, lesser fiber broadband may well be available and maxes out at around 70-80 Mbps, but could be as low as 30 Mbps. Most broadband providers offer two plans: one with download speeds of around 35 Mbps and another with speeds of 70-80 Mbps. Often there isn’t much of a difference in price, so it’s usually best to go with the faster package.
If you can’t get fiber at all (or don’t want to pay extra), consider ADSL. This will have download speeds of around 20 Mbps or less – in some rural areas it could be as slow as 5 Mbps.
The good news is that the rental charges for the old line have been rolled into the monthly broadband price. That means the price you see is the price you pay: no super cheap cheeky deals with a surprise £20 a month extra on your bill. However, don’t assume that all broadband plans include a landline: some don’t.
Where can I find broadband offers?
If you want to look around for a deal, here are all the major broadband providers in the UK.
Advice on Broadband Speed Claims
In May 2018, the ASA released new broadband speed claim guidelines that give a more accurate representation of the speed you can expect from the broadband plan you choose.
The change follows research into consumer understanding of broadband speed claims, which found that consumers are being misled by advertising from internet service providers (ISPs).
Now, ISPs must advertise the median download speed measured at peak hours or 24 hours, or a range of download speeds available for the 20th to 80th percentile of users measured at peak hours or 24 hours.
Check Ofcom’s Broadband Speed Checker to find out your broadband speed.
What is the best broadband?
uSwitch has announced its Broadband winners for 2022, as shown below:
- Broadband Provider of the Year: BT
- Most trusted broadband provider: BT
- Package Provider of the Year: BT
- Most popular broadband provider: BT
- Best Value Broadband Provider: Now Broadband
- Best Customer Service Provider: EE
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