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Compare broadband deals and save up to £187*

How do I run a broadband comparison?

Comparing broadband starts with knowing what’s available in your area. Next, you need to:

Work out what speed and usage you need

Think about how your household uses the internet. Families with teenagers tend to use more broadband in the evenings, for example. Student houses may have multiple people online during the day and evening. Or maybe you work from home and need high-quality video calling for meetings.

Observing your household usage over a typical week should give you an idea of the speeds and reliability you need from your home broadband. Most packages come with unlimited data, but it’s worth checking. If not, make sure you ask about the costs of going over your data allowance.

Work out your budget

Once you have an idea of your typical usage, you can look at broadband prices and choose the option that’s the best value for you - that’s within your budget, but also gives you everything you need. For example, faster download speeds often come at a higher cost.

Check for any admin fees or equipment/installation costs. You should also expect an annual price increase in line with inflation. Some companies now add a percentage on top of inflation.

Choose a contract length

Broadband contracts typically vary from 12-24 months. Legally, providers must offer 12-month contracts to those who request them Some providers also offer 1-month rolling contracts. These are typically more expensive but can be useful as a stopgap for a short period.

You may find better broadband deals when you agree to a longer contract. But you’ll need to keep paying for the duration of the contract even if your circumstances change. If you want to leave the contract early, providers usually charge an exit fee, also known as an early termination charge (ETC).

Consider customer service options

When you compare broadband deals, it’s not just speed that’s important. It’s also worth reading the customer service reviews for each provider. Ofcom publishes an annual review of broadband providers, looking at things like value for money, overall signal strength and average call waiting times.

If customer service is important to you, you’ll want to take this into account when you compare home broadband deals.

You might want to know:

  • Is it quick and smooth to get online as a new customer?
  • Is it easy to switch at the end of your contract?
  • Are queries handled by chatbots or people?
  • Is the customer service team based in the UK?

Many UK providers are part of Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme. This means customers get compensation if something goes wrong. For example, if your broadband stops for 2 or more days you could get £9.33 a day back in bill credit.

Find out if your provider is part of the broadband compensation scheme.

How much does broadband cost?

The cost of broadband can vary significantly as there are so many different deals to choose from. The best way to get an accurate price for your broadband is to enter your postcode and you’ll be shown the list of deals available in your area.

As well as monthly prices, you’ll see a breakdown of setup costs for things like equipment, delivery and service activation. Depending on the provider and type of broadband, you may need an existing or new phone line installed to use the broadband. The prices shown include any line rental that comes with the deal.

With this clear breakdown of costs you should be able to quickly work out what’s within your budget.

How do I get a cheaper broadband deal?

You can find the best deal for you by using Confused.com's broadband comparison service. Compare a range of broadband-only deals to find the best price and package for your needs.

Most UK households pay for some form of broadband, TV or phone service. Combining these bills into a single, monthly payment is known as a bundle. Paying for a bundle can be cheaper than paying for all three separately. Perfect if you’re looking to save yourself some cash every year.

What broadband can I get in my area?

There are a few different types of broadband and their availability varies according to where you live.

You’ll probably have heard of fibre broadband which sends data using beams of light. It’s much faster and more reliable than traditional ADSL, which uses copper lines (known as asymmetric digital subscriber lines).

Within the fibre category, there’s fibre to the premises (FTTP), also known as full fibre, and fibre to the cabinet (FTTC), known as part fibre. FTTP uses fibre optic cables all the way to your home, while FTTC uses fibre optic cables to a certain point and then switches to copper cables.

FTTC is due to be phased out in favour of the faster FTTP over the next few years. G Fast broadband can offer faster speeds than FTTC in some places where FTTP isn’t available.

Another type of broadband is cable. Provided by Virgin Media and WightFibre on the Isle of Wight, cable broadband speeds easily compete with full fibre.

Here are the different broadband speed categories you should know:

  • Superfast broadband: Superfast broadband is available to 97% of UK households, according to Ofcom, and has speeds of between 30Mbps and 70Mbps.
  • Ultrafast broadband: Ultrafast full fibre broadband uses different cables to superfast broadband and offers download speeds of at least 100Mbps and up to 1,000Mbps.
  • Gigabit broadband: Also known as gigafast broadband the offers speeds of more than 1,000Mbps.
  • Standard broadband: Also known as ADSL or more recently ADSL2+. With speeds of less than 30Mbps, this is often adequate for light internet users. However, many people are upgrading from standard broadband if it’s available and affordable.

With most broadband options, you’ll need to have a working phone line and pay line rental, even if you don’t use the phone. Full fibre connections and Virgin Media are the exception as they don’t require a copper phone line.

A few companies still offer unlimited phone calls but this has become less popular. Check the costs for going over your call allowance.

Can I get ultrafast broadband?

Ultrafast full fibre broadband offers download speeds of up to 1,000Mbps. It can enhance the experience of gaming and connecting via video call while home working.

However it is not available to everyone. If it’s not yet available, your other internet options include G Fast fibre broadband, superfast broadband and standard broadband.

Can I get decent broadband in a rural area?

Many rural areas now have fibre-optic broadband, although some areas still rely on standard copper ADSL. In 2022, the UK government pledged £5 billion to Project Gigabit to help rural customers and communities access faster broadband. An Ofcom report showed that the gap between urban and rural broadband speeds at peak times is narrowing, from 58% in 2022 to 26% in 2023.

If you can’t get decent speeds with one of the bigger providers, it’s worth considering altnet providers. These are smaller broadband providers that either own their own broadband network or offer a broadband deal that isn’t supplied by BT’s Openreach or Virgin Media.

Another Ofcom tip to help rural users achieve faster download speeds is to switch from ADSL2+ to FTTC.

In remote locations, it may be necessary to connect using other options, such as satellite or mobile broadband.

Who has the best broadband deals?

Every provider operates in a slightly different area of the UK and has different broadband offers. The crucial thing is to choose the right package for your household and your budget.

There are over 150 other UK providers including Sky, Plusnet, TalkTalk, Hyperoptic, Virgin Media and Community Fibre in London.

Broadband package deals, also known as bundles, can work out better value than broadband-only. Many people also find having a package easier to deal with than paying multiple bills every month.

Typical broadband bundles available:

Some providers save their best broadband deals for new customers. Many also put their prices up after the initial contract period, which is why many people choose to switch broadband provider every 1-2 years.

Some providers offer cashback or vouchers as part of their broadband offers. These incentives may only apply to new customers.

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Need more help?

What is a good broadband speed?

A good broadband speed is around 11Mbps for standard broadband. Faster broadband speeds can reach 100Mbps or higher.

Do you need a phone line for broadband?

Most broadband providers require you to have an active phone line. You can get broadband without a phone line, but your options will be limited.

How do I check my broadband speed?

You can check your broadband speed online using a broadband speed checker. Most providers have their own speed tests which measure both your download and upload speeds.

Can I get fibre broadband?

You can get fibre broadband if you live in an area with fibre network coverage. Most UK towns and cities now have access to fibre broadband.

*Switching to a new broadband deal after your initial contract has ended could save you £187 (£187.72) a year. This calculation is based on the average 12-month out of contract cost calculated in July 2024 between Vodafone, BT, Virgin Media, NOW Broadband, Sky and Plusnet (£483.72), compared to the average cost of the most popular three new deals (NOW Broadband: Superfast at £264 per year, Virgin Media M125 Ultrafast Fibre  broadband only at £234 and Vodafone Fibre 2 at £312). Correct as of 13th August 2024.

Please note: Broadband providers may increase monthly prices in line with the retail or consumer price index each year during the length of your contract. Please refer to the individual broadband provider's terms and conditions before signing up.

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