Find the best broadband deal for you
Finding the best broadband internet deals is no easy task – there are so many options. Do you need superfast fibre broadband? Should you go for a cheap broadband only deal for less than £20 per month, or add TV and phone plans to your internet package?
We’re here to help you make that decision. Pop in your postcode above and we’ll give you a list of the lowest priced home broadband deals available in your area. With the latest offers from BT broadband, Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk all included, our widget will filter down the best broadband deals in the UK today.
Below, you’ll find TechRadar’s handpicked favourite deals for fibre (if you can get it), broadband and TV packages and broadband only plans. Keep scrolling down and you’ll find our advice on what else you should consider when buying broadband – from the speed you’ll need, to whether getting fibre broadband is a must for your household.
See also: BT Broadband and Infinity deals | Virgin Media broadband deals | Sky broadband deals | Fibre broadband deals | Broadband and TV deals | Broadband only deals
Best fibre broadband deals (subject to availability at your postcode)
BT Unlimited Infinity 1 | 18 months | Up to 52Mb | Weekend calls | £9.99 delivery | £29.99pm
BT remains the most popular broadband provider around and it’s easy to see why. There’s the not insignificant matter of the £120 Reward Card that you can spend anywhere Mastercard is accepted, and activation is currently free. Plus, BT’s entry-level super fast Infinity fibre stands out because of the lightning fast speed that you get – up to 52Mb, which equates to roughly 6.5MB per second! Standard broadband is £6 less a month. Total cost of 12 months £549.81
Virgin Media VIVID 100 fibre broadband | 12 months | Up to 100Mb | £20 upfront | Weekend calls | £34pm
Virgin Media is still the only broadband company that can offer pulverising 100Mb broadband speeds. That makes it the obvious choice if you have loads of people in your home all using the internet at once, or want seamless 4K streaming. Only around 60% of the UK can get Virgin broadband though, so use our postcode checker above to see if you qualify. Total cost of 12 months £428
View this broadband deal from Virgin Media – or call 08000-492-102 to order by phone
The best broadband and TV deals in the UK this month
NOW Brilliant Broadband with Sky Cinema and Entertainment| 12 months | Up to 17Mb | 100+ channels | £24.99 upfront | £22.99 per month
The revamped NOW Broadband brand has already maneuvered its way into pole position as the go-to provider of cheap broadband and TV deals, and this package is no different. £25 upfront is a little over the top, but the monthly payments are fantastic considering you get access to 300+ box sets and premium channels like Sky Atlantic and Fox. Total cost of 12 months £300.87
Virgin Media Full House Bundle | 12 months | Up to 100Mb | Weekend calls | 230+ channels incl. BT Sport | £20 activation fee | £55pm + Free Amazon Echo
Included in the Full House bundle’s 200-odd channels are the likes of MTV, the Disney Channel and the full suite of BT Sport stations. While on the internet side, you get the benefit of pulverising 100Mb maximum speeds – that should mean seamless 4K streaming and downloads at up to 12.5MB per second. And if you buy before the end of March 1, Virgin will throw in an Amazon Echo, too. Total cost for 12 months £680
View this broadband and TV deal from Virgin – or call 08000-492-102 to order.
Best broadband only deals in the UK this month
TalkTalk Unlimited Fast Broadband | 12 months | Up to 17Mb | Line rental incl. | FREE upfront | £17 per month
This is a remarkable promotional price from TalkTalk, going all the way back to 2016 for its monthly tariff. There isn’t a penny to pay upfront, and then it’ll cost you only £17 per month. No cashback, no reward cards, just a super low price that’s guaranteed for the 12 months of the contract. A real bargain. Total cost of 12 months £204
Vodafone Unlimited Fibre 38 | 18 months | Up to 38Mb | Line rental inc. | FREE activation | £20 per month
More famous for its Vodafone mobile deals, the company has some great prices on broadband, too. In fact, it’s the cheapest fibre optic internet provider by some distance with faintly ridiculous £20 per month prices. And assuming you already have a BT Openreach phone line like most households, there isn’t a penny to pay upfront. Total cost over 18 months £360
Can I order these broadband deals over the phone?
We understand that buying broadband is a big purchase that you’re going to be committed to for at least a year. If you feel more comfortable ordering over the phone, we can offer a call centre service – but only for a selected few providers:
- Sky broadband: 08000-142-334
- Virgin broadband: 08000-492-102
- TalkTalk broadband: 08000-492-103
What broadband speed do I need?
Superfast fibre broadband may sound appetising, but it may not be necessary for your home – especially if you want to cut costs. It could be worth considering slower, cheaper ADSL instead.
Broadband speeds are represented in megabits per second, or Mb. Crudely speaking, the more Mbs, the faster the broadband speed. But remember that the advertised speed is the maximum and doesn’t necessarily represent the actual speed you’ll end up getting. That varies depending where you live.
0-25Mb This entry-level broadband speed is transmitted via an ADSL connection to your nearest BT exchange. The equivalent to around 2.1MB per second, It should be fast enough for small households where only one or two people are using the internet at once. Be aware that if you stream TV, you may experience the odd interruption.
25-50Mb Where Virgin led the way, the rest followed. Now every big provider offers rapid fibre broadband. This is the sweet spot between fast speeds and good value and just the ticket for a family household where four or five members are all streaming, downloading and surfing at once.
50+Mb If you stream 4K TV or have loads of people trying to use your broadband connection at once, then it may be worth shelling out for the extra speed. It may cost you more, but you’re pretty much guaranteed lag-free use – plus, the providers often sweeten the deal with added extras and rewards.
Is fibre broadband available in my area?
There’s one very easy way to find out…scroll to the top of this page and input your postcode. We’ll tell you straight away whether you can get fast fibre broadband.
Roughly speaking, 90% of UK homes now have the option of connecting to fibre broadband. But if you have your heart on Virgin Media fibre plans, it’s more like around 60%.
What contract length should I go for?
Most broadband providers lock you in for at least 12 months, with one year plans being by far the most common. That said, perhaps taking their cue from mobile phone contracts, we are now seeing some providers experimenting with longer plans, with 18 month contracts rearing their heads.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, some providers now offer short term rolling contracts. Virgin Media, for example, have 30 day plans for commitment-phobes. The downside is you’ll be expected to play a larger setup fee.
When your contract comes to an end, be prepared for your monthly tariff to be hiked – especially if you were lucky enough to get a great introductory offer at the outset.
Will I have to pay anything upfront for broadband?
Usually. Sometimes known as ‘setup’, ‘upfront’ or ‘activation’ fees, most of the major broadband providers ask for at least some payment when you kick off your contract. The amount usually depends on what level of package you go for, but it will likely be somewhere between £10 and £60. Only TalkTalk bucks the trend – they’ve scrapped their activation fee completely, while other brands run frequent promotions where they temporarily scrap their upfront cost.
There may be other added extras, too, however. If you take a broadband and TV package, you might be charged for the TV set-top box. And some, including BT and EE, charge delivery for the router.
Do I have to pay more to have a phone line?
If you still use a home landline to make and receive calls, you’re in luck – many broadband plans don’t just feature a landline, but they actually include it in your monthly price.
You will have to start paying more though when you have a personalised call plan. You’ll see your standard monthly bill begin to escalate when you start adding unlimited evening, daytime or international calls to the mix.
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