Broadband · Landline · TV
BT
The UK’s former national phone company and one of its biggest broadband providers.
- Network
- Openreach
- Tech
- Full fibre & part fibre
- Also sells
- TV, landline
- Owner
- BT Group
How UK broadband is built
Most UK homes are connected by Openreach, the BT Group company that runs the national phone and broadband network. BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone, EE, Plusnet, NOW and many smaller providers rent Openreach lines and sell their own packages on top. That’s why two providers on the same network can offer the same top speed at your address.
Virgin Media runs its own separate cable and fibre network. And a growing group of altnets (alternative networks) such as CityFibre, Hyperoptic, Community Fibre and others are building new full fibre networks, either selling broadband themselves or letting providers like Vodafone, TalkTalk and Zen use them.
What to compare (beyond price)
- Technology: full fibre (FTTP), part fibre (FTTC), cable or mobile. This decides the speed ceiling.
- Minimum guaranteed speed: under Ofcom’s voluntary code, providers give you an estimated speed and a minimum. If speeds fall below it and can’t be fixed, you may be able to leave without a penalty.
- Contract length: 12, 18 or 24 months is common. Check the total cost over the whole term, not just the first month.
- Price rises: since January 2025, any mid-contract rises must be set out in pounds and pence at the point of sale. Read our guide.
- Upload speed: important for video calls, cloud backups and creators. Full fibre often offers far higher uploads than part fibre or cable.
- Router and wi-fi: mesh or wi-fi extenders can matter more than the line speed in a big home.
- Set-up costs and landline: some deals include a phone line, others are broadband-only.
How to check what you can get
Your exact address decides everything. Use the provider’s own availability checker and the independent Ofcom broadband and mobile checker to see which technologies reach your home. If full fibre is available, compare a few providers on the same network as well as altnets.
Moving home? Order broadband as soon as you have a move date. New full fibre connections may need an engineer visit.
Your rights as a UK broadband customer
- End-of-contract notices: your provider must tell you when your minimum term is ending and what its best deals are.
- Easy switching: under One Touch Switch, your new provider arranges the move, even between different networks.
- Automatic compensation: providers in Ofcom’s scheme pay set amounts if a repair or new line is late, or an engineer misses an appointment.
- Complaints: if a complaint isn’t resolved after eight weeks, you can take it to the provider’s ombudsman scheme for free.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
