Post Office Broadband Explained

Some people may be surprised by the idea of the Post Office offering a broadband service, but in many ways it makes a lot of sense. The Post Office has been offering insurance and financial packages for some time now and pride themselves on their customer-focused approach and local provisions. They have actually been offering a Post Office broadband service for some time now and have more recently even upgraded their service to include the higher speed internet fibre packages.

The Post Office have positioned themselves as a more accessible and friendly broadband provider and their UK-based customer service sets them apart from some of their more 'faceless' technical competitors. The Post Office also focus on older customers, in particular, and offer specific services to those who may be visually or physically impaired.

The Post Office broadband service is highly competitive and ranks as one of the cheaper options for ADSL internet provision in the UK. Their services run over the Talk Talk network which uses the Openreach BT infrastructure, making it a competitive and readily accessible network service.

What does Post Office broadband provide?

The Post Office is as competitive as some of the more familiar broadband providers such as BT, Sky, Virgin Media, Talk Talk and EE and, in some ways, they are able to offer a more tailored service. They don't cap data usage and so when they say it's unlimited it really is unlimited. They don't alter the pricing structure at busy network times and they make a point of not increasing any prices throughout the term of their contract. Post Office broadband also offer a range of home phone deals such as free calls with other Post Office users and a 10% call reduction to named friends and family.

What packages are available?

Like other broadband providers, Post Office broadband offers a range of options to suit both your budget and internet usage. They offer the standard ADSL package and a further two fibre broadband packages. The ADSL package gives an average 11Mbps download speed and an average 1 Mbps upload speed. The faster fibre packages offer average 38Mbps and 67Mbps download speeds and 2Mbps and 10Mbps upload speeds.

Post Office Unlimited Broadband

  • Average speed of 38 Mbps
  • Post Office line rental included
  • Totally unlimited data allowance
  • Free WiFi router included
  • Free calls to other Post Office customers
  • Ideal for daily internet browsing on a few devices

Post Office Unlimited Fibre broadband

  • Average speed of 11 Mbps
  • Post Office line rental included
  • No fibre data download limits
  • Free fibre WiFi router included
  • Free calls to other Post Office customers
  • Ideal for steaming and social media browsing on multiple devices

Unlimited Broadband plus

  • Average speed of 67 Mbps
  • Post Office line rental included
  • No fibre data download limits
  • Free fibre WiFi router included
  • Free calls to other Post Office customers
  • Ideal for HD TV streaming on multiple screens

What other services you can get from Post Office home broadband offering?

Sky Sports packages / channels No
BT Sports / BT Sports app No
TV channels No
Fibre optic broadband service Yes
ADSL broadband service Yes
Mobile phone deals and packages No
Call package options Yes
International calls Not to mobiles but you can buy a landline package

How much does it cost?

Post Office broadband's selling point lies in their highly flexible pricing structures designed to meet the needs of people on different incomes and in different circumstances.

At the time of writing, packages start from £15.90 for 12 months up to £26.90 for the Fibre Broadband plus package. This gives you a 12-month contract with unlimited usage and competitive speeds of 67Mbps average download speed and 17Mbps average upload speed.

The Post Office also offers customers the ability to pay for their service at their local Post Office branch without the need to set up a direct debit, suiting those on sporadic or lower incomes.

Switching to their phone and broadband packages is also relatively simple as they use the Openreach network, so if you are already a BT customer, or use the Talk Talk service, then this should be pretty straightforward.

Customer service

Post Office broadband pride themselves on their local customer service support and have a UK-based call centre. They also offer a range of contract options, giving you the option to take out a shorter contract if you would prefer.

Post Office broadband are also offering customers the option of a phone line only package for those who may wish to take advantage of their low-priced phone packages which include free calls to Post Office home phone customers. With their UK based support team, a call barring service and 1471 dial back functionality, they cater well for people who wish to be in control of the calls they take. They offer caller display and 'hide my number' options too, with an extra 10% off calls to loved ones. This great phone line deal will appeal to those who may be plagued by unwanted and unwelcome sales calls and offers peace of mind.

The vulnerable customer code

The Post Office very much focus on an inclusive approach to customer service and include a 'Vulnerability Policy' on their website. This seems like a sensible thing to do as their market is more likely to include those who are unable to access other services. They offer a 'delegated authority' service which enables a third party to go into the Post Office and pay bills on the customer's behalf.

They also make it easier to cancel a contract due to ill health or lengthy hospital stays and offer their customers the option to communicate and cancel their service by letter. They also offer a sympathetic service facility based around closing accounts for bereaved family members and have a trained special care team with a dedicated number for dealing with sensitive matters.

Priority fault repair

Post Office broadband offer a priority service for ill or mobility-impaired customers and give priority to certain customers in dealing with standard faults as quickly as possible. They will not be charged any extra for this priority service.

Special needs customers

Post Office broadband also offer technical guides in large print and braille, a service which may not necessarily be available through the other mainstream providers.

Having these extra facilities in place for vulnerable and special needs customers makes the Post Office stand out from the rest. With access to a Post Office within easy reach in most towns and villages, this is an attractive option for those who prefer to speak to someone face to face or simply need a bit of signposting.

Post Office T&C's

One thing that also seems to work in their favour is the clearly laid out terms and conditions on their website. They are clear about what is and is not included in their packages and also offer instructions on how to cancel a contract early, (with a financial penalty), which many providers tend to bury deeply within their T&C's. The Post Office offering appears to be very customer-friendly with minimal technical jargon.

Standard Wi-Fi Router vs Fibre Wi-Fi Router

Standard Wi-Fi Router  Fibre Wi-Fi Router 
   
Wireless Standard 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz and 802.11a/n/ac 5 GHz
ADSL Compliance ITU 992.1 (G.dmt ) 802.11ac 5 GHz with 1.3 Gbps data rate
ITU 992.3 ADSL2 (G.dmt.bis) 802.11n 2.4 GHz with 300 Mbps
ITU 992.4 ADSL2 (G lite) Wireless Protected Setup (WPS)
ITU 992.5 ADSL2+ WEP data encryption (64/128 bit)
Reach-Extended ADSL (RE ADSL) WPA/WPA2, WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK
Annex L/M support Wi-Fi scheduling
Multiple SSID (up to 4)
Physical Specifications
Item dimensions (WxDxH) 158 x 114.5 x 22 mm (6.22" x 4.5" x 0.86") 183 x 150 x 25 mm (7.2" x 5.9" x 0.98")
Item weight 186 g (0.41 lb.) 275 g (0.60 Ib.)
Packing dimensions (WxDxH) 298 x 150 x 40 mm (11.73" x 5.9" x 1.57") 248 x 196 x 69 mm (9.76" x 7.71" x 0.22")
Packing weight 324 g (0.71 lb.) 700 g (1.54 lb.)

  • Name: Post Office
  • Legal name: Post office Ltd
  • Parent company: State-owned private company
  • Operated in Regions: UK
  • Plans offer: Broadband, Line Rental
  • Technology: ADSL, Fibre Broadband
  • IPv6 Support: No
  • Ofcom Code of Practice: Yes
  • Relocation Support: Yes
  • ISPA Member: No
  • Customer Service Number: 0345 600 3210
  • Customer reviews: 793 Trustpilot

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