The Independent’s journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
London offers some of the fastest broadband speeds in the UK, so finding the best broadband deals in the capital city can be crucial to accessing the best speeds for affordable prices. Whether you’re using broadband for streaming, gaming or powering your smart home ecosystem, we’ve rounded up the best broadband deals in London.
The majority of the UK’s top broadband providers offer packages in London. Those with a London postcode can also choose from a variety of packages, including broadband only, broadband and phone, as well as broadband and TV packages.
Most of the big-name broadband providers offer packages in London. If you live in London, you’ll be able to choose from the ‘big four’ broadband providers in your area – Sky, BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk – as well as smaller providers.
To find the most suitable broadband deals in London, use a postcode checker to find the best deals for your area. When choosing a broadband provider there are a few things that you’ll want to consider.
When comparing the best broadband in London, consider these factors:
Broadband providers will offer different internet speeds in different UK cities. You should consider your broadband usage, and whether you require super fast speeds for high-bandwidth activities, such as streaming, gaming and downloading content. Our guide to running a broadband speed test will explain how to find out your current average download speeds
Most broadband deals come in the form of a pay monthly contract. Typically you’ll sign up for a nominal amount of time and similarly pay for your broadband to a phone contract. Your broadband package may also have an initial one-off set-up fee. Getting the best broadband deal doesn’t just mean paying the lowest price, your broadband deal should offer the speeds to suit your usage.
Like with any service, it’s always a good idea to consider a company’s reputation. At the same time, it may be tempting to choose a broadband package with one of the ‘big four’ broadband providers (Sky, Virgin, BT and TalkTalk) simply because a company’s longevity in business can seem trustworthy. However, reading customer reviews is one of the best ways to find out how reliable a provider’s service or products are.
There are times when you may require some assistance from your provider. In the unfortunate event that your internet connection is down, it’s useful to know that your provider offers reliable channels of communication – ideally a customer support phone line.
A wifi booster is a device that can boost your connection speed in low-signal areas around your home. Ideally, you don’t need to use a wifi booster and your broadband speed is more than capable of meeting your digital needs. This is why it’s very important to check the average speeds offered by your broadband provider for your London postcode.
In London, you’ll find a range of broadband speeds available. Different London boroughs will offer different average speeds. This is partly down to which provider that you choose and whether full fibre is available for your postcode. According to Ofcom, the average download speed in London as of March 2023 was 71.6Mbps – this is expected to increase as more homes receive fibre to the home.
The fastest average broadband speeds for London are 1131.6MBps – this is only for areas where the ultrafast gigabit internet is available.
Based on ultrafast broadband using the Ofcom checker – speeds will vary and postcodes where full fibre is not yet available will be considerably lower
London is a well-connected city and London homes can benefit from a wide range of broadband types. These include:
Though all of the above are available in London, this does not mean they are available in your area. Fibre broadband is the newest and fastest type, and is still being rolled out across London – around 50 per cent of London homes have access to FTTP.
To improve your broadband speed, ensure your router is in a good place where its signal can reach all areas of your home. Only connect devices you intend to use so that your router is not bombarded with supplying internet necessarily. Try a wifi booster if your broadband speed is slow in some areas of your home.
Streaming does use a considerable amount of bandwidth. If you know that you’ll stream a lot, it is a good idea to check that your broadband speed can cope with your internet usage. When choosing a broadband package, one with an average speed of 100Mbps would suit those who want to stream and watch HD or 4K videos.
No, according to Ofcom data, the average broadband speed is not in the UK. Kingston upon Hull has an average broadband speed of 228.4 Mbps. The fastest average broadband speed in London was 163.8 megabits, recorded in Tower Hamlets.
