The Independent’s journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
Fibre broadband provides very fast internet speeds and a reliable connection, meaning you can get some of the best broadband deals around if you opt for a fibre package.
Fibre broadband is faster and more reliable than standard broadband. Openreach claims that it is 70 to 80 more stable than older internet networks, and it can reach speeds of up to 70Mbps, much higher than the 24Mbps of a standard connection.
Before the introduction of fibre optic cables, the UK’s broadband network was based on copper. These same lines provided a landline service into your home, meaning that to access standard broadband, you also need a landline connection. Copper networks still exist in the UK, and some residents still require a broadband and phone deal to secure a stable internet connection.
Thanks to the expansion of Openreach, the country’s main telecommunications network – which is used by a majority of broadband providers, Virgin Media being the most noteworthy outlier – more people can access fibre broadband and thus, faster speeds. Openreach is aiming to roll out ultrafast full fibre broadband to 25 million homes by the end of 2026 to help more people access more reliable broadband.
We surveyed over 2,000 broadband customers to better understand the internet usage of the UK population. As you can see from the chart below, the majority of people have a full fibre connection, and partial fibre comes in second.
Not all fibre broadband is made equal. There are actually two main types: full fibre, otherwise known as fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP), and partial or part fibre, also known as fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC).
With an FTTP connection, the fibre optic cables run straight from the broadband exchange all the way to your home.
With an FTTC connection, fibre-optic cables run from the broadband exchange to a cabinet on your street. Copper cables then connect the street cabinet to your home via your phone line.
Fibre broadband speeds are usually broken down into three categories:
Superfast broadband
This is defined by Ofcom as offering download speeds of at least 30Mbps. Superfast broadband can be both FTTC and FTTP and is available to most households in the UK (97 per cent).
Ultrafast broadband
According to Ofcom, ultrafast broadband must have download speeds of at least 300Mbps – that’s 10 times faster than superfast broadband. This means that most of the time, ultrafast broadband will require an FTTP connection.
Gigabit fibre
Put simply, gigabit fibre is an FTTP connection capable of delivering download speeds of up to 1,000Mbps, or one gigabit. It’s currently the fastest type of broadband available in the UK and is only offered by a handful of providers. However, this is hopefully going to change as the government is aiming for 85 per cent of UK households to be able to access gigabit broadband by 2025, and 99 per cent by 2030.
The speed of your internet isn’t just determined by the availability of FTTC or FTTP connections in your area; it is also dependent on how much you are willing to pay for it. A good rule of thumb is that the faster your internet is, the more it will cost.
If one of the following applies to you, you should consider switching to fibre or full fibre broadband:
It’s worth noting that the majority of broadband deals offered in the UK in 2024 involve some kind of fibre broadband, so unless you live in quite a remote area, you may already have an FTTC connection.
If you already have partial fibre broadband, you might be wondering whether to make the jump to full fibre. Our survey (4) showed that over nine in 10 of respondents said that speed was an important factor when considering broadband deals and providers. Realistically, not everyone needs the speeds that come with FTTP; for example, if you’re just sending the odd email and streaming YouTube or Netflix in the evening, FTTC should be fine.
The easiest way to find out if fibre broadband is available in your area is to use our postcode checker at the top of this page. Use the Download Speeds filter to check whether you are eligible for fibre or full fibre deals, which will give you speeds above 24Mbps. If you are only finding deals below these numbers, it’s unlikely that your home is suitable for fibre broadband
Since fibre optic broadband does not yet have the same coverage as standard broadband, you may find that your home is only eligible for standard broadband. If you live in a rural area, you will have less likelihood than urbanites of finding a fibre broadband deal.
According to our survey, partial fibre broadband deals cost an average of £48 per month, with full fibre deals averaging out at £54 per month. These costs are dependent on a few factors, including which provider you’re working with and what speeds you want.
Generally speaking, full fibre packages that offer speeds over 1,000Mbps will be more expensive than a 500Mbps deal. You can see a breakdown of the average cost of different types of broadband in the UK below.
As for package deals, these can vary widely depending on what you’re adding on. A TV add-on can start at around £6.99 a month, but if you want to add the full suite of Sky TV channels to your broadband, you’ll end up paying much more.
Remember that the cost of fibre broadband can vary greatly depending on:
If you are looking for an affordable fibre broadband deal, we love the NOW Broadband Super Fibre deal, which provides speeds up to 63Mbps for just £24 a month with a £10 delivery fee. You can also opt for the Entertainment Membership for an additional £6.99 a month to access plenty of TV shows.
There’s no one best fibre broadband deal, as it will strongly depend on your household’s preferences. Before you start comparing broadband providers, you should figure out exactly what you need and, importantly, what you can afford.
Although it might be tempting to start with the question of download speeds, it is more sensible to determine your budget first.
If you need an ultrafast connection, then you may need to splash out on a more expensive deal. But if you are working on a tighter budget, you should be aware of any upfront costs and yearly price hikes, which usually occur in April and raise the price of your broadband deal by an additional 3 to 3.9 per cent.
What download speed you choose should be informed by how many people are in your household and what they use the internet for. It’s always worth doing a quick broadband speed test to work out what you have now. After this, you can consider what you use the internet for most, and whether your current speeds are up to scratch.
| Internet download speed | Example usage | Ideal number of users |
|---|---|---|
| 10 to 40Mbps | Basic internet browsing Checking and responding to emails Streaming a video on one device Video calls | One to two people |
| 40 to 100Mbps | Streaming videos on multiple devices, e.g. YouTube on a mobile phone and Netflix on the TV One person playing games online Downloading large files | Four to seven people |
| 100+Mbps | Working from home Streaming in high definition on multiple devices Multiple people playing games online Quickly downloading files | More than seven people |
Eligible households can opt for a broadband and phone or broadband and TV deal for additional content alongside an internet connection. These deals can work out cheaper than subscribing to each service separately, but keep in mind that some broadband providers only offer broadband-only contracts.
This month, our expert team recommends taking a look at this Sky TV, Netflix and Ultrafast Broadband deal. You can access ultrafast full fibre broadband with speeds up to 145Mbps and subscribe to Sky TV and Netflix Standard for just £13 for the first month (£41 per month thereafter).
Once you know your budget, how fast you need your internet to be, and whether you want TV or phone services included, you can start comparing fibre broadband deals.
By using our postcode checker, for example, you can easily get an overview of what is available in your area. Be on the lookout for any set-up fees and other hidden costs. If you stick to your needs and budget, you should find the right broadband service for you in no time.
One last thing to look out for is sign-up perks. Sometimes these will be discounts on other services, a rewards card, or a subscription to another service such as Xbox Game Pass. While your entire decision shouldn’t be based on these bonuses, they can be a useful tiebreaker between two deals with similar prices and speeds.
You have a range of options when it comes to picking full fibre broadband in the UK. Below are some examples of providers that offer full fibre, the minimum speeds they promise and how much their packages cost a month.
Virgin Media
Virgin Media full fibre broadband starts with minimum download speeds of 66Mbps and goes all the way up to 565Mbps. The provider’s plans tend to be a bit more expensive than competitors, in part because it uses its own network rather than BT Openreach. One bonus is that you can get an 18-month contract for the M125, M500 and Gig1 plans, though in the case of the M125 package you’ll pay £2 more per month than you would for a 24-month contract.
| Package name | Price per month | Minimum download speed* |
|---|---|---|
| M125 Fibre Broadband | £25-27 | 66Mbps |
| M250 Fibre Broadband | £31 | 132Mbps |
| M350 Fibre Broadband | £38.50 | 181Mbps |
| M500 Fibre Broadband | £39 | 258Mbps |
| Gig1 Fibre Broadband | £45 | 565Mbps |
BT
BT offers a range of fibre broadband deals. From the Full Fibre 100 package onwards you can add BT TV Entertainment for an extra £20 a month, while Full Fibre 500 and 900 each come with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. As of 6 December 2023, BT users were migrated to the EE network and many of the company’s existing products have since been rebranded. Existing customers have the option to continue with their BT packages or move to EE if desired.
| Package name | Price per month | Minimum download speed* |
|---|---|---|
| Full Fibre Essentials | £27.99 | 18Mbps |
| Full Fibre 1 | £30.99 | 25Mbps |
| Full Fibre 100 | £29.99 | 100Mbps |
| Full Fibre 300 | £32.99 | 150Mbps |
| Full Fibre 500 | £34.99 | 425Mbps |
| Full Fibre 900 | £44.99 | 700Mbps |
TalkTalk
Aside from Full Fibre 65, all of TalkTalk’s full fibre options come with WiFi 6 and at least one Amazon eero 6 router.
| Package name | Price per month | Minimum download speed* |
|---|---|---|
| Full Fibre 65 | £28 | 55Mbps |
| Full Fibre 150 | £28 | 120Mbps |
| Full Fibre 500 | £35 | 440Mbps |
| Full Fibre 900 | £45 | 725Mbps |
| Package name | Price per month | Minimum download speed* |
|---|---|---|
| Full Fibre 100 | £28.50 | 90Mbps |
| Ultrafast | £30 | 100Mbps |
| Ultrafast Plus | £34 | 400Mbps |
| Gigafast | £44 | 600Mbps |
Vodafone
Vodafone has the most full fibre broadband deals of the major providers. Each package can be upgraded to ‘Pro II’, which comes with a WiFi 6E Ultra Hub, a super WiFi 6E booster, and automatic 4G broadband backup. You can also further upgrade by adding on Vodafone Xtra, which includes a free Apple TV 4K and 24 months of Apple TV+.
| Package name | Price per month | Minimum download speed* |
|---|---|---|
| Full Fibre 2 | £25.50 | 37Mbps |
| Pro II Full Fibre 2 | £38.50 | 37Mbps |
| Full Fibre 100 | £28 | 50Mbps |
| Pro II Full Fibre 100 | £41 | 50Mbps |
| Full Fibre 200 | £29.50 | 100Mbps |
| Pro II Full Fibre 200 | £39.50 | 100Mbps |
| Full Fibre 500 | £32 | 250Mbps |
| Pro II Full Fibre 500 | £42 | 250Mbps |
| Full Fibre 900 | £38 | 455Mbps |
| Pro II Full Fibre 900 | £48 | 455Mbps |
Plusnet
Every Plusnet full fibre broadband deal comes with Plusnet Safeguard and Plusnet Protect. From the Full Fibre 145 package onwards, you may be able to claim a reward card worth at least £50 with your purchase.
| Package name | Price per month | Minimum download speed* |
|---|---|---|
| Full Fibre 74 | £24.99 | 40Mbps |
| Full Fibre 145 | £26.99 | 80Mbps |
| Full Fibre 300 | £30.99 | 165Mbps |
| Full Fibre 500 | £34.99 | 275Mbps |
| Full Fibre 900 | £43.99 | 500Mbps |
EE
Every EE full fibre broadband option comes with SmartHub Plus, and Full Fibre 500 and Gigabit Full Works both include Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
| Package name | Price per month | Minimum download speed* |
|---|---|---|
| Full Fibre 36 Essentials | £27.99 | 18Mbps |
| Full Fibre 50 Essentials | £32.99 | 25Mbps |
| Full Fibre 74 Essentials | £35.99 | 37Mbps |
| Full Fibre 150 Essentials | £29.99 | 100Mbps |
| Full Fibre 300 Essentials | £37.99 | 150Mbps |
| Full Fibre 500 Essentials | £34.99 | 425Mbps |
| Full Fibre Gigabit Essentials | £57.99 | 700Mbps |
| Busiest Home Bundle | £69.99 | 1.3Gbps |
Not always – it depends on whether you are getting an FTTC or FTTP connection.
If you are getting FTTC or partial fibre broadband, then you will need a phone line, as the copper connection from the street cabinet to your house uses the old telephone line network.
However, if you get FTTP or full fibre broadband, you aren’t required to have a phone line, as the fibre optic cables run straight from the broadband exchange to your home.
When you’re having full fibre installed, your master phone socket will be replaced with a new modem that enables access to full fibre broadband. If you are moving to an area that has full fibre availability, the property may already have this modem installed.
If you want full fibre broadband but still need a landline phone connection, you can look for a deal that packages the two together.
Fibre broadband is a lot faster than the old purely copper-based network – and full fibre broadband is even faster still!
The availability of partial or full fibre broadband depends on where you live and whether you should pay for full fibre broadband, meanwhile, is down to how fast you need your internet connection to be.
Make sure to compare prices from a range of providers before settling on a fibre broadband deal. Don’t only look at the package price per month: also consider how long the contract lasts, the minimum download speeds promised by the provider, any installation fees and any sign-up bonuses included in the deal.
We surveyed 2,003 broadband customers in the UK to better understand how people feel about their broadband services. We asked them over 20 questions regarding their current broadband provider, including how they felt about the speeds they receive, the pricing of their plan, value for money and their overall satisfaction.
Survey of broadband customers aged between 24-64 conducted on Censuswide, 11-14 March 2024. Survey sample: 2,003 respondents, totalling Sky (489), BT Broadband (412), Virgin Media (396), EE (134), Vodafone (124), Other (102), Plusnet (66), NOW Broadband (45), Three (31), Hyperoptic (14), Community Fibre (8), Unsure (7). Respondents who selected Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, Other or Unsure were discarded from our review, however, the information gathered for Hyperoptic and Community Fibre was used in our Broadband Providers evaluation. Respondents were asked to rate each category on a five-point scale, from Very Poor to Excellent, or from Never to Always, with the option of selecting Don’t Know for all questions. For the question “What issues, if any, have you experienced with your current broadband provider”, respondents could select from the following: Price Hikes, Slow Speeds, High Prices, Frequent Disconnections, Poor Customer Service, Billing Issues, Other and N/A.
Some providers offer broadband with no upfront cost deals, while others may require you to pay some costs up front. This could range from as little as £2, to £11.99 for postage and packaging of your new router.
If you have a fibre-to-the-cabinet connection, you likely won’t need to have an engineer come to your home, as it uses the existing phone line. If you are in a new build without a phone line installed, you will need an engineer visit.
If you want full fibre broadband, however, you may need an engineer to come to your home to install a new modem. This is so the fibre optic cables can run straight from the broadband exchange to your household.
It is possible to cancel your fibre broadband package. However, it will normally come with an exit fee. This can be based on how much your tariff costs and the number of months you have left on the contract.
There are times when you can cancel your broadband for free. For example, if your broadband provider raises its prices during your contract, you have the legal right to cancel your contract within the 30-day notice period.
The main difference between fibre broadband and an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), is that fibre broadband is faster.
ADSL broadband uses the old copper phone line network, while fibre broadband uses fibre optic cables, which either run to a street cabinet or directly to your household. These fibre optic cables allow for download speeds that are much faster than the copper ones used by ADSL.
Fibre broadband is also more reliable than ADSL and has a lower carbon footprint.
