How to find cheap broadband deals

Broadband is the standard way to connect to the internet, but the key differentiator is speed, measured in megabits per second (Mbps or Mb) – and faster speeds generally mean higher prices.

Have a look at the table below to see what broadband speed you need.

Quick questions

• If there's a lot of demand, can they slow my speed? At peak times or when a lot of people are using the internet at the same time, some providers will prioritise certain traffic, meaning your connection may slow down to ensure everyone receives decent upload and download speeds. This is called traffic management.
  

• How do I check my broadband speed? There are a number of free speed tests online to check what speed you're actually getting. Try it at different times of the day to get a range of download and upload speeds, as it can vary. Regulator Ofcom also has a coverage postcode checker, which shows the maximum speeds capable at any postcode, though it won't be precise enough to check your home.

• How do I boost my broadband speed? There are a number of simple checks and fixes if you are struggling speed-wise. There's a full checklist of tips and tricks to get quicker in How to improve your broadband speed.

To help you navigate this postcode lottery, our Broadband Comparison tool shows which best buys are available where you live. Standard fibre speed broadband (30Mb+) is available in the vast majority of the UK, but there are still odd pockets where you can't get it.

Fast fibre (100Mb+) is still being rolled out across the UK, though around 75% should now be able to get it. Most big cities have access, but some rural areas may not.

To switch, it's best to allow for about 10 working days, though if you need an engineer it's partly down to availability.

On the day itself, you're only likely to be offline for a few hours at most. If you have Sim data allowance on your phone, you can use this to cover any outage until you get back online.

Here are some more key details:

• Often, there's no need for an engineer to come round. Only if you need a new line or on some fibre installations. Otherwise, just plug in any new kit you're sent.
  

  Switching to a different network such as Virgin Media? If you're moving from one broadband network to another (for example, Openreach to Virgin Media), it's likely you'll need to pay for set-up costs. This will usually involve an engineer doing work to the exterior of your property.
  

  If you're switching to Virgin Media, 60% of customers won't need an engineer sent round – if you're in that group, it'll tell you BEFORE you sign up. If you're one of the 40% that do, an engineer may need to come into your home or just go to a nearby exchange, but you won't be told which in advance.
  

• You don't usually need to tell your current provider. Under Ofcom's 'one touch switch' rules introduced in September 2024, the new firm will do the communication work for you and tell your current contract provider that you're moving.
  

• Some firms insist you pay to receive their Wi-Fi router. Though the cost isn't usually prohibitive and we include Wi-Fi router costs (where applicable) in all the deals below.

It's important to understand that advertised speeds are based on the average speed received by at least 50% of a provider's current customer base between 8pm and 10pm – when most people are online.

Most have signed up to a code of practice committing to give a personalised estimate and a minimum guaranteed speed before you sign up. If your speeds drop below this minimum for three consecutive days, you can ask your provider to check for a fault – and get it fixed if so. See our How to improve your broadband speed guide for how to check your speed.

If it remains unresolved for 30 days, you should be able to leave your contract without paying an exit fee. This applies both to broadband-only deals AND packaged deals that include TV and a landline phone, provided you bought them at the same time as the broadband. If you're unhappy with your provider, try free complaints handling tool Resolver.

Most broadband, mobile, landline and TV firms have terms that allow it to raise prices each year, even if you're in a contract. When this happens, you can't usually leave without penalty.

From January 2025, firms (and comparison sites) now have to tell you exactly the price increase in pounds and pence you'll face before you take out a new contract.

However, some providers (such as Sky) don't include price hikes in the T&Cs of the contract. If so, then you can leave your contract penalty-free when it hikes prices mid-contract. All you have to do is tell your provider within 30 days of getting notification from it, and you can leave penalty-free.

For those taking out new contracts, here's how the biggies will hike prices:

• BT, EE , Plusnet, TalkTalk and Vodafone. These firms all currently state that prices will rise every April by £3 a month.

• Virgin Media. It currently says prices will rise every April by £3.50 a month.

• Sky and Now. No price hikes included in Ts&Cs, but they tend to hike prices each year - if they do, you can leave penalty-free.

Our broadband comparison tool shows you exactly how each deal will increase each year (where we know), and factors it in to the equivalent price we show.

Previously, most firms hiked prices in line with inflation between February and April each year, using either the Retail Prices Index (RPI) or Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation, plus a percentage on top. If you've not switched recently, it's likely you'll still be under these old rules.

Switching usually nets you the cheapest broadband prices, but if you are out of contract – or nearing the end of your contract – you could try to haggle.

As there's stiff competition, companies are frantic to keep hold of customers. That is why in our polls on haggling with service companies, communication providers are frequently among the easiest to haggle with.

In our December 2024 poll, 71% of those who haggled with their broadband provider were successful. Virgin Media customers reported an 84% success rate, TalkTalk customers a 76% success rate, and Now broadband customers 75%. For top tips, see our Broadband Haggling guide.

In total, 11 providers – BT, EE, Hyperoptic, Plusnet, Sky (including Now Broadband), TalkTalk, Virgin Media, Vodafone, Utility Warehouse and Zen – have signed up to regulator Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, which means customers could get money back from their broadband/landline provider when certain things go wrong. Ofcom says it covers 90% of broadband users.

• If your landline or broadband stops working and is not repaired within two working days of reporting it, you'll receive £9.98, and then £9.98 for each day it remains unfixed.

• If your new landline or broadband service is not up and running on the day promised, you'll receive £6.24 for each calendar day activation is delayed, including the missed start date. There's no limit on this, so you'll keep accruing the compensation until it's sorted.

• If an engineer doesn't arrive for an appointment as scheduled, or it's cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, you'll receive £31.19.

If you are due compensation, it's automatically paid as bill credit within 30 working days of the issue. If you choose to leave your provider while you still have bill credit to spend or before you get it, this will be refunded to the bank account you use to pay your direct debit or sent as a cheque.

Quick questions

• Should I opt for a provider that hasn't signed up? So far, only the biggies are signed up to the scheme (which covers 90% of customers), but the biggies aren't always the cheapest. This opens up the question of whether to stick with a compensation scheme provider. Here's Martin's view...
  

  "There is a huge price difference between the very cheapest providers and what most people pay. Someone on an ongoing BT standard broadband contract can save £400/year switching to the cheapest.
  

  "Provided that company has a decent service record, I wouldn't pay a big premium for the compensation. Especially as I hope that quite soon most competitive providers will join it. Yet if a compensation scheme member is cheap, pounce on it."
  

• How do I complain if my provider hasn't signed up? Whether or not your provider has signed up to the code, you should still complain if you have issues. A company can't try to fix problems if you don't report them.

It's worth speaking to your broadband provider as soon as possible if you're going to have trouble meeting your monthly bill. Some of the large providers have schemes in place to help customers who are struggling and most offer social tariffs to those on certain benefits.

A number of providers, including BT, Sky and Vodafone, have told us they can offer payment plans or give you more time to pay. Some providers also offer discounted plans for students – visit our Student broadband deals page to see the best current deals.

Check if you can get a social tariff

If you're on benefits/income support (such as Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit) or live on a low income, you may be eligible for discounted broadband and mobile deals, known as social tariffs.

Currently, more than 10 major broadband providers offer social tariffs for those on certain benefits. According to regulator Ofcom, they are available to an estimated 4.3 million households, yet only 220,000 (5%) have signed up to one. Ofcom says this means millions are missing out on an average annual saving of £200 each.

You can find them in our Broadband comparison tool if you select 'show social tariffs' and add your postcode. Do note that different providers have different criteria for meeting their social tariff eligibility.

Most broadband packages still require a physical line, as the broadband connection is delivered through it. However, many providers still bundle standard line rental, even if you don’t plan to use the phone, rather than offering a discount for broadband-only deals. With traditional landlines slowly being phased out, you might see broadband packages offering a ‘digital line,’ or VoIP, where calls are made using your internet connection – though these tend to be more expensive.

There are a few broadband-only options, such as Virgin Media and BT, which can be cheaper. However, bundling broadband with a landline often remains the most cost-effective option, but check our Broadband comparison tool to find the best deal for you.

Openreach –  the UK’s main broadband network, which many of largest providers use (eg, BT, Sky, Vodafone) – is retiring its old copper telecoms wires and replacing them with fibre.

It’s doing this gradually, region-by-region, between now and 2027. If yours is upgraded, it means your landline will start to use your internet connection to make phone calls - known Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or by its branded name, Digital Voice.

Openreach says this will offer improved call quality and better connectivity as technology continues to advance – but there are downsides, including being unable to make calls if there's a power cut.

It's currently being rolled out, but not for all...

Digital Voice is currently being rolled out on a region-by-region basis and if you're in an area that's being upgraded, you'll likely be contacted by your internet provider to inform you of the next steps.

However, some customers won't be switched just yet, these include:

• Customers with a healthcare pendant (personal alarm)

• Customers who only use landlines

• Customers with no mobile phone signal

• Customers who have disclosed any additional needs

If you fall into any of these categories, you'll need to let your provider know so it's aware of your additional needs.

If you don't, but prefer to stick with your existing landline phone service, you may not need to transition to a digital phone service immediately. Traditional phone lines will remain operational for a few more years. However, new customers or those renewing their contracts may lose the option to subscribe to traditional phone services.

If you switch, you could lose your landline and phone number

Right now, not all providers offer Digital Voice, including Plusnet and Now Broadband. This means if you're in an area where Digital Voice is being rolled out and you want to switch to these providers, you'll likely be offered a broadband only package (no landline). This'll mean you'll lose your landline and along with it, your home phone number.

Quick questions

• Will my phone work during a power cut? One of the main advantages of copper based landlines is that they work during power cuts. But whether your telephone will work with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) during a power cut depends on what equipment you have.
  

  Some providers offer battery backup solutions that can keep your phone operational during a power outage. These batteries can provide power to your router for around an hour, allowing you to make and receive calls.

• Do I need new equipment? Most cordless digital phones are compatible with VoIP and the phone’s base unit can be connected directly to your Wi-Fi router. If you don’t want to have your phone near your router or have multiple phones around your house, you can use an adaptor. An adaptor is also needed if you have an older or corded phone.

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