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12 month broadband deals

Find the right 12 month broadband deal for you

Find broadband deals in your area and see if you can save £187* per year with Confused.

What is 12 month broadband?

12 month broadband is a broadband service with a 12 month contract. It means you agree to pay your broadband provider’s bill every month for one year.

After which, you can start looking elsewhere for another or re-contract with your existing provider. If you need to stop the service before the 12 months is over, you may need to pay an extra fee.

Broadband providers offer contracts of different lengths. You’ll normally see deals for 12 months, 18 months or 24 months. There are also 1 month contracts, also called 30 day rolling contracts, which only tie you in for one bill at a time.

What types of broadband are available on a 12 month contract?

You can get all the usual kinds of broadband on a 12 month contract – such as full fibre, copper ADSL and mobile broadband. The options you have depend on what’s available in your area.

You can also choose 12 month deals that bundle your broadband with other services, such as TV and streaming subscriptions or a phone line.

Is a 12 month broadband contract right for me?

Deciding whether you should choose a 12 month broadband contract depends on your circumstances, your budget and your personal preferences. A 12 month contract might suit you if:

You know you’ll be in your home for a year. For example, you might be in student accommodation.
You’re not certain how long you’ll be living at your current address, but you expect it to be at least a year.
You don’t want to be tied in financially for too long, for example if your earning or spending patterns aren’t predictable.

Pros and cons of 12 month broadband

The main benefit of a 12 month broadband contract is that it gives you more flexibility than a longer contract. However, they do come with some possible downsides too.

Advantages of 12 month broadband

A 12 month broadband contract doesn’t lock you in for too long. So, if full fibre becomes available in your area, or the deals seem a lot better a year later, you can take advantage of it.
12 months means you can leave sooner if your price goes up. In 2024, broadband prices rose by around 8%, and they are likely to rise again in 2025.

Disadvantages of 12 month broadband

12 months is a relatively short broadband contract. If you know you won’t be moving anywhere soon, you may prefer to stay on the same plan for longer.
It can be more expensive compared to longer contracts. If the lowest possible price is your priority, a 12 month deal might not be for you.
There are fewer 12 month contracts around, which means you don’t have as much choice as you would with a longer contract. However, it is a legal requirement that all providers offer 12 month contracts, so you should be able to find one with any provider.

Does a 12 month broadband contract guarantee what I’ll pay each month?

No. You’ll agree to a monthly cost when you sign up for the contract, but this is the minimum amount you’ll pay. Providers can increase their prices in response to inflation, and this can happen to you mid-contract. They usually do this in March or April.

In 2024, broadband prices rose by about 8%, including for customers midway through their contracts.

Can I move house and bring my 12 month broadband contract with me?

Maybe. Some providers offer a ‘home move’ service so you can bring your existing contract to your new address. However, it depends on the service availability in your new area.

For example, if your current deal is for full fibre broadband and your provider doesn’t offer Full Fibre at your new address yet, you won’t be able to get the broadband speeds agreed in your contract.

Can I leave the contract before the 12 months are over?

Yes, but there might be an extra charge.

Providers generally ask for a cancellation fee when you leave your contract early. How much you have to pay depends on your provider’s rules.

There are a couple of exceptions though:

Cooling off period

The first 14 days after you sign up for the contract is the ‘cooling off’ period.

You can change your mind about the agreement and end the contract penalty-free during these 2 weeks.

Speed and service quality issues

You may be able to leave your contract after 14 days without a fee if the provider hasn’t done what they agreed to in the contract.

For example, maybe your broadband speed hasn’t met the agreed minimum upload and download speeds. Or there has been a fault with the service and the provider hasn’t fixed it soon enough.

Many providers have signed up to Ofcom’s Voluntary Code of Practice on Better Broadband Speeds. This gives residential customers the right to exit their contracts penalty-free if their speeds fall below a specific level.

What happens when the 12 month contract ends?

After 12 months, you might be moved onto more expensive out of contract prices. But you’re also free to leave and go to a new broadband provider.

If you don’t arrange a new contract, you’ll still have your broadband connection, but it may no longer be at the initial price you agreed. That’s because companies set contracts at a discount on their standard rates in order to bring new customers in.

Ofcom reported that over 20 million people in the UK were out of contract in 2020. If you’re not sure whether you’re still in contract, get in touch with your provider to check.

Which providers offer 12 month deals?

Lots of UK broadband providers still offer 12 month contracts, so you’ll have plenty of options if you want to compare broadband deals. Here are some of the providers with 12 month contracts currently available via Confused.

NOW Broadband

NOW Broadband is a sister company to Sky, and it offers broadband, phone and TV services. Some of its 12 month contracts come bundled with streaming services like Sky Sports or Sky Cinema, which could be handy if you are a current or potential streaming TV customer.

Hyperoptic

Hyperoptic offers a price match guarantee for new customers. That means if you find a better deal from someone else, you can ask them to discount their price to match it.

Community Fibre
Community Fibre offers full fibre broadband and claims to provide London’s fastest internet speeds. They offer a 60-day satisfaction guarantee during which you can leave with no cancellation fees.

Cuckoo
Another full fibre challenger broadband provider. 12-month contracts are available with speeds of both 100Mb and 900Mb.

If your preferred broadband provider doesn’t offer a 12 month contract, you can always try negotiating one over the phone or live chat with their sales team. They might not be able to help, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Do I need line rental with a 12 month broadband contract?

Many 12-month broadband deals use connections that still require a landline to get to your home, but line rental hasn’t been separately charged for years at this point.

Line rental costs are now just absorbed into the price you pay for the broadband package, so you should only expect to pay for a phone line if you use a landline service.

If you’ve got a home phone service and you’re considering a new full fibre contract, think about whether you want to keep your landline. If you do, it may cost extra to install and run. That’s because your existing phone connection may need to be replaced with a Digital Voice connection when you switch your broadband.

Will I get a free broadband router?

As with 18 month and 24 month contracts, many 12 month broadband providers typically send you a free router when you join them as a new customer. You may have to pay a postage and packaging charge to receive it.

However, if you cancel your contract before the 12 months ends, you may be charged for the cost of the router and any other equipment. Some companies don’t charge, but ask you to return the equipment to them. Check the terms and conditions of the contract before you sign up.

What is the best 12 month broadband?

The best 12 month broadband package would likely be the one that offers you the best blend of convenience, value and customer service. When you compare 12 month deals, think about whether:

there are early cancellation charges and how much they’ll cost
the company says it can increase its prices mid-contract – some offer a no-price-rise guarantee
there is a connection fee
you can get the download and upload speeds your household needs
the company has a good reputation for customer care
the service is reliable

*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.

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