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Edinburgh offers some of the best broadband deals in the UK, with a variety of providers to choose from. Finding the best speeds and prices can be challenging, which is why our expert team has rounded up everything you need to know when looking for the best broadband deals in Edinburgh.
Broadband providers in Edinburgh offer a range of broadband services, including broadband only, broadband and phone and broadband and TV packages. Not every broadband provider in your area can offer these services, so it’s worth looking into several providers to find the best package for your needs.
Residents in Edinburgh can pick between several broadband providers. Four of the largest providers, which include BT, Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk, are all available, among a selection of smaller providers. Not every provider will offer the same speeds in your area, so you should check every supported provider to find the best speed for your household.
BT Broadband
BT Broadband works across wide swathes of Edinburgh, offering full fibre broadband deals, with top speeds of 900Mbps for eligible postcodes. BT also offers landline and TV bundles, which include NOW and Netflix subscriptions.
Virgin Media
Virgin Media offers a wide range of broadband packages for those living in Edinburgh, including broadband only, broadband and phone and broadband and TV deals.
Sky Broadband
Sky is one of the largest broadband providers in the country, providing ultrafast full fibre speeds of up to 900Mbps for supported households. Residents can pick between multiple TV deals, which include film, TV and sports channels.
TalkTalk
TalkTalk offers speeds of up to 944Mbps for eligible postcodes, providing Wifi 6 routers for increased speed and connectivity where possible. The company provides broadband only, landline and TV bundles, with the latter featuring subscriptions to TalkTalk TV and NOW Entertainment for £5 and £9.99 per month, respectively.
NOW Broadband
Residents in Edinburgh can benefit from no-contract deals from NOW Broadband, which come with a £60 activation fee. The company also offers the NOW Entertainment membership for an additional £6.99 per month, alongside full fibre broadband for supported postcodes.
Vodafone
Vodafone provides free installation of its full fibre broadband for eligible customers, with Vodafone mobile phone customers receiving a monthly discount on their broadband. Residents can also access speeds up to 910Mbps, depending on their postcode.
Plusnet
Plusnet offers broadband-only services to residents in Edinburgh, with the majority of deals coming with a £0 activation fee. Speeds can reach up to 900Mbps, depending on your postcode, with no phone lines required.
Hyperoptic
Hyperoptic does not serve every household in Edinburgh, so we recommend checking your postcode to ensure your home is supported. Those who do live in eligible areas can receive full fibre broadband and a landline, if necessary.
Giganet
Giganet is not supported across the entirety of Edinburgh, but eligible households can receive speeds up to 900Mbps, with a wifi router included in the package.
Before finding the best broadband provider for your needs, you must consider a couple of key factors. If you want an overview of the best broadband deals in your area, use our postcode checker to see what’s on offer.
Here are some of the most important factors you should consider when looking for a broadband provider in Edinburgh.
Speed for Edinburgh areas
Not every broadband provider will offer the same speeds or packages for your postcode, making it essential to check which companies offer speeds that will adhere to your internet needs. Households that regularly stream online content or engage in multiple video calls will require a faster broadband speed than some other Edinburgh residents; find out how to measure your speeds and what broadband speeds you need using our guide.
Price of the deal
Faster broadband speeds are usually more expensive, meaning you may need to pay a higher monthly fee, depending on your needs. To find the best deal, look at multiple providers and check for any one-off payments, such as installation fees. Consider your budget and the needs of your household to determine how much you will need to pay for a broadband connection.
Contract length
The majority of broadband contracts can be paid over 12, 24 or 36-month periods. While longer contract lengths are usually more cost-effective, they might not be suitable for those living in rented accommodation. Residents who rent in Edinburgh may want to look towards companies offering monthly rollover or no-contract broadband deals.
Provider reputation
Even providers that have been operating for a long time may have subpar service, so you should research each company before committing to a package. Look at recent customer testimonials to ensure a positive experience with your new broadband provider.
Provider customer service
In the unfortunate event that something goes wrong with your broadband, effective customer service is essential for resolving the problem. Check if the provider offers a dedicated customer support line or an online chat feature to make contacting them easier and more streamlined.
Do you need a wifi booster with that provider?
A wifi booster is used to extend coverage to low-signal areas in the home; ideally, you want a broadband deal that doesn’t require additional hardware. Check your Edinburgh postcode with speed checkers to find a suitable package that will allow you to avoid this issue.
Edinburgh is very well connected in terms of broadband, meaning that residents can benefit from high broadband speeds. It is important to note that some postcodes will see slower speeds, especially if they do not have access to full fibre broadband.
According to Speedtest.net, as of November 2023, the average broadband speed in Edinburgh was 122Mbps.
Using Ofcom’s speed checker, we calculated the average superfast broadband speed for different areas in Edinburgh. These results will be dramatically lower for households without access to superfast or ultrafast gigabit broadband.
Area in Edinburgh | Average broadband speed |
---|---|
Stockbridge | 80Mbps |
New Town | 80Mbps |
West End | 80Mbps |
Royal Mile | 69Mbps |
Grassmarket | 200Mbps |
Southside | 81Mbps |
Tollcross | 267Mbps |
Bruntsfield | 101Mbps |
Morningside | 80Mbps |
Gorgie | 80Mbps |
Dalry | 132Mbps |
Lieth | 80Mbps |
Portobello | 76Mbps |
Corstorphine | 77Mbps |
South Queensferry | 80Mbps |
Edinburgh has a selection of broadband options, including the fastest type of broadband, fibre to the premises (FTTP). Some postcodes will be limited in terms of broadband types, which will be reflected in the packages offered by various providers.
Over one million homes in Scotland have access to full fibre broadband, with more than four in 10 homes supporting fibre to the premises broadband, according to an Ofcom report from 2022.
Broadband speeds can be improved by multiple factors; ensure your router is placed correctly so it can effectively reach all areas of the home. Update your router regularly and disconnect any devices you are not using to improve speeds. If you are still struggling with broadband speeds, consider investing in a wifi booster.
Residents in Edinburgh who regularly stream content online – whether that be media content or video games – will require a faster broadband connection. Generally, speeds between 20 and 30Mbps are suitable for streaming, although speeds of 50Mbps or above will provide the best experience, especially if you are streaming content in 4K or HDR.
Due to there being full fibre support across wide areas of Edinburgh, residents can benefit from higher-than-average speeds. According to Speedtest.net, the average broadband speed in Edinburgh is 122Mbps, while the average speed for the UK sits at 69Mbps, according to Ofcom.
The speed of your broadband will depend heavily on your postcode, with supported fibre to the premises (FTTP) households seeing the best speeds. CityFibre – which provides broadband for companies like TalkTalk, Vodafone and Giganet, among others – will continue to roll out its full fibre services to more districts in Edinburgh, with completion slated for 2024.