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Before you begin your broadband search, it’s important to understand the difference between the three main types of broadband in the UK.

ADSL

As the simplest and oldest form of broadband transmission, almost all UK homes have ADSL connectivity. ADSL uses the existing landline port in your home to provide a simple (but not very speedy) internet connection.

Wireless

Commonly referred to as ‘mobile broadband’, wireless connectivity is often the best option for people living in rural areas without direct cable access. Laying cables is an extremely expensive process, and long distances between the exchange and a rural home can result in poor signal strength.

Fibre Optic Broadband

If you’re looking for superfast internet and a buffer-free experience when you’re streaming your favourite shows, fibre optic broadband is your answer. Fibre optic connectivity provides a speedy and reliable service that is much more suitable for today’s digital world. As more and more people rely on the internet for work and our lives revolve around digital connectivity, opting for a fibre optic plan is a smart choice.

That said, fibre optic broadband isn’t available for all UK homes at the moment. Enter your postcode below to check what type of broadband connection is available in your area.

While there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to broadband speed, it’s important to think about how you use the internet in the home before committing to a package.

For example, if you live with lots of people, it’s important to choose a provider that can guarantee a strong bandwidth that can cope with multiple devices streaming content at the same time. Whether it’s watching YouTube videos on your mobile, gaming over the internet, downloading a film onto your TV or listening to music through a Google Home, the average UK home has over ten devices connected to the internet at all times. It’s important to choose a plan with sufficient bandwidth to avoid frustrating disruptions, quality issues, lag or video buffering.

For example, the major video console manufacturers recommend a minimum broadband download speed of 3MBps to enjoy a smooth online gaming experience.

Remember — whenever a broadband supplier quotes their “average speed”, this figure represents the speed of transfer from the exchange to your router. If you’re using a wireless WiFi connection to connect your devices to the router, the actual speed will be much slower. A wired connection will always deliver faster speeds.

Ultimately this varies on a person to person or household to household basis. When you have multiple devices connected and using the internet at the same time then the bandwidth is shared amongst these devices so that will affect the speed you receive. You should also think of the services that you use, if you use the internet for online gaming then Xbox and PlayStation recommend 3MB minimum and the minimum recommended speeds for streaming services are

You will want enough speed to cover these and also use other devices at the same time to avoid any buffering or quality issues, but if you are a light solo user 300MB probably isn’t required so you shouldn’t pay for a contract that has this speed, negotiate the speed down and save money.

It is also important to note, that whenever a provider quotes their average speed this is from the exchange to your router and not what you will get over WI-FI, you will see a notable difference in a speed test over WI-FI and through a wired connection.

When your broadband has an issue or something goes wrong, you would prefer getting in touch with your service provider by calling them. OFCOM, the industry regulator asked each supplier the average time it takes their agent to answer a customer’s call. The average call waiting time was 01.37.

Source: Ofcom report

Research conducted by OFCOM found 83% of broadband customers were happy with their broadband service provider. BT, Plusnet, EE, Virgin and Sky scored above 80% while TalkTalk score was slightly below the industry average. As per OFCOM guidelines published on 01/03/2020, broadband and phone line providers must treat customers fairly and provide honest and clear information.

As per OFCOM guidelines published on 01/03/2020, broadband and phone line providers must treat customers fairly and provide honest and clear information.

• Providers must provide realistic broadband speed while selling, and to consider peak time speed too.
• Must always provide a minimum speed guarantee at the point of sale with a customer
• If the speed falls below the agreed minimum guarantee then they must let customer exit their contract without a penalty fee.
• Provide you the above rights, regardless of broadband technology used by the provider. i.e. cable, Fibre and copper.

BT, Plusnet, EE, Virgin, Sky and TalkTalk cover 95% of the UK household broadband services and have signed up to the new Fairness for customers code.

Advertise prices vs promoted prices for standard and superfast broadband per provider

Source: Ofcom report

Full fibre speed and service pricing per broadband supplier

Source - Ofcom and operator website

Advertised download and upload speed vs actual speed you can expect

In theory, it's perfectly possible to switch to a new broadband contract whenever you like. However, in practical terms, this can be a poor choice as doing so is likely to incur some expense. For example, if you are currently signed up to a broadband provider with a contract that stipulates a minimum term, you may well be charged an "exit fee", which can be rather high. It may be that the overall savings to be made will amply recoup this fee over time, so it's well worth taking the time to do the maths before making your decision.

It's also important to know that in the event that your broadband provider is failing to give you the level of service that they promised (such as a guaranteed broadband download speed), then they are not permitted to charge you an exit fee if you choose to end your contract early for this reason. Check your contract for full details of their minimum speed guarantee. However, for this loophole to be upheld by Ofcom, you must first contact your broadband provider and explain that the speed you are receiving is failing to match their promise, and to then give the broadband provider time to make this right.

In the future, it can be a wise move to look at the minimum contract period required by a broadband provider, before signing up with them. Contract lengths can vary, but typically last for 12, 18, or 24 months. Some ISPs also offer rolling short-term broadband plans, which, as they can be cancelled at short notice, offer greater flexibility but are more costly. The longer-length contracts are likely to be cheaper overall, but it's important to read the small print to understand exactly what you're agreeing to (including details such as those minimum guaranteed download speeds.) It's also important to note that whenever you sign up to a new broadband contract, you will have a 14 day "cooling off" period, during which you can cancel your agreement without having to pay a fee.

Many of the broadband service providers offer "bundle" offers, and these can certainly represent a good value deal for many households. Simply put, a bundle offer or deal sees you take up a contract with a broadband provider to receive not just your broadband internet access from them, but also other services, too, for one monthly subscription price. The type of services included in bundle offers include a telephone landline, TV services, or a combination of these, alongside your broadband. For example, you can take out a contract that includes both broadband and landline telephone services, one which includes Broadband and TV, or one which provides broadband, landline telephone, and TV. The benefits of signing up to a bundle offer can include convenience (as you will only have one bill each month for these services) and incentives such as cashback, vouchers, or even devices such as tablets or laptops. A bundle deal can also offer significant savings over paying for each of these different services separately.

In these types of bundles, the landline telephone services will often include perks such as free call periods (such as at weekends or during the evening) and a free minute allowance each month. Some will offer the first 20 minutes of each call for free, then charge at a fixed rate for each minute thereafter, so, as with any contract, it's important to carefully read the small print so that you understand exactly what you're signing up to.

A bundle which includes TV, meanwhile, will offer a variety of benefits, such as free access to services such as Now TV, BT TV, or Sky TV. There may also be free access to special programming, such as children's TV or sports channels. Some deals will offer the capability to pause, rewind, or record live TV, or access on-demand programmes and movies. There may also be the possibility to access the TV services from mobile devices used in the home. Again, checking the contract terms and conditions is important in ensuring that you get the deal you want.

Increasingly, broadband providers offer bundles which also include free subscriptions to popular streaming services such as Netflix, mobile phone contracts, and game passes. If you would be paying for such subscriptions anyway, it can be a better value choice, but be sure to calculate this carefully before you sign up.

There are a great many factors which can affect the speed of the broadband connection you receive. Some reasons why a connection may be performing more slowly than expected can include the time of day you tend to go online (peak times can be slower due to increased internet data traffic), or it may be that there are several members of your household all trying to use broadband services at the same time. Make sure access to your internet is password protected, to ensure that your neighbours aren't making use of your service, too.

Other factors can include the location of your router and its distance from any connected devices. To speed up your broadband whilst using WiFi, try placing your router in a central location in your home, where it is not obstructed by anything such as walls, furniture, or even ornaments and photo frames. Having it kept at a height of above a metre will also improve WiFi connectivity. A cabled connection between your router and device will also speed up your internet speed.

Keep your router away from other electronic devices which may interfere with its performance, and update the browser on your computer or other device that you use to surf the web. If the situation is very bad, you can try using a broadband accelerator, or talk to your ISP about a possible solution to your issue.

Tip: Position your router centrally, away from other electronics, and consider using a wired connection for best performance.

To find the best broadband provider for your needs, it helps to start out by assessing the kind of service that your household or workplace will need, including the download speed that will be required for your level of broadband usage. Check for download limits, too, particularly if you or a family member enjoys playing online games. If you only use the internet for checking emails and a little browsing online, then you won't need to pay for the fastest speeds with the highest download limits. Likewise, if your household streams HD games or TV, and you have many devices being used to access the internet at once, then a faster speed and download limit will be a good choice. It's also a good idea to check your current internet speed, using a free online tool, so you can compare any new deals against your current broadband performance level.

Next, you'll want to decide what kind of minimum contract length will be best for your needs The longer the minimum contract length, the better value the broadband deal is likely to be, but this won't be a good choice if you need a more flexible option. It's also worth doing the maths to see if taking up a bundle offer will save you money on other subscriptions you need, such as a landline telephone connection or TV services.

Using a comparison site is a great way to get a clear overview of the options out there, but you will also need to run your address through a postcode checker tool to be sure that the ISP you want is available in your location.

The way to get the best performance from your broadband connection is to start out by looking at your router. Check that it is located at a high level (don't keep it down near the floor), in a place where it is not blocked by things such as ornaments or photo frames. Try to set it up in a central area of your home which is as open plan as possible- don't keep it shut away in a small room or cupboard, or behind a wall.

Plugging your router into your main landline telephone socket will also optimise the router's performance, but keep it away from other electrical devices which might create interference that will negatively affect your broadband quality. Even ordinary household devices such as dimmer light switches, stereos, baby monitors, and cordless telephones can have a significant impact. Microwave ovens are a particular hindrance to a great broadband experience, so try to avoid having this appliance used whilst you need to access the internet. And, when it comes to your laptop or computer, making sure that you are using the latest version of your internet browser and that all anti-virus updates are installed will speed up your broadband. Simply clearing your cache and shutting down any background apps will also provide a boost to your broadband's performance.

A wired connection rather than WiFi will also improve the performance of your broadband, so try to connect your devices to the router with an Ethernet cable where possible. This simple switch will make your broadband connection perform rapidly, as it not only reduces the threat of interference from other devices, but also takes away the time needed to spend encrypting data before it is transmitted via a wireless connection. If you can't avoid having to rely on a wireless connection, simply taking the time to switch off the WiFi on any devices that aren't currently in use will greatly improve the broadband speed for those which remain connected.

You'll no doubt be very happy to know that the broadband switching process can be very simple indeed, but when it comes to the time that the process will take overall, you are likely looking at a period of around two weeks. However, you won't be without access to the internet during this time, as your old and new broadband providers will agree a date on which your services will be transferred across. There may be a few minutes of downtime on this date, as the switch is carried out automatically, but you can expect minimum disruption. This is certainly good news if you need continuous access to the internet in order to work or study from home.

However, it's important to note that if you need an engineer to visit and install your broadband connection line, then you may have to wait over a week longer. This may well be the case if your new deal will be upgrading your broadband connection from FTTC to full fibre. Different ISPs have different typical waiting times, and you can compare these online if this is an issue for you. Currently, PlusNet is ranked as one of the slowest to connect their customers, giving them an extra wait of around ten days.