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Residents of Sheffield have access to some of the best broadband deals in the country, with a plethora of providers to choose from. Picking the best broadband for your household can be tricky; whether you’re working on a budget or require a full fibre connection to stream games, our comprehensive guide will help you make an informed decision about your broadband and find the best price for your needs.
Since Sheffield has access to a large pool of broadband providers and residents can choose between three different broadband packages. The choice between broadband only, broadband and phone and broadband and TV will depend on your needs, although it is important to note not every broadband provider in your area will offer the same services.
The largest four broadband providers – Virgin Media, Sky, TalkTalk and BT – all operate in Sheffield, including a range of smaller providers. If you want to find the best quote for your household, check with multiple providers to find the best price and speed that will work for your household.
Sky is one of the biggest broadband providers in the UK. Operating from Greater London, Sky offers ultrafast full fibre broadband speeds of up to 900Mbps and provides multiple TV packages, including TV, film and sports channels.
Virgin Media also offers speeds of up to 900Mbps, although speeds will differ depending on region. Sheffield residents can utilise the company’s fibre broadband deals, as well as TV, SIM and film packages.
BT offers a range of speeds for those living in Sheffield, with full-fibre broadband up to 900Mbs. Eligible postcodes can look for packages including landline services and TV deals, which include both Netflix and NOW TV.
Depending on where you live in Sheffield, you can benefit from speeds up to 944Mbs with TalkTalk broadband. TalkTalk offers its own routers as well as wifi 6 compatible routers for increased speed, with TV and landline bundles offered to eligible postcodes.
NOW Broadband does not serve every area in Sheffield, so we recommend using the company’s postcode checker to ensure your home is eligible. Suitable households can benefit from NOW’s no contract broadband deals, which come with a £60 activation fee, as well as various landline packages.
Plusnet does not offer any TV bundles, but supported households can utilise full fibre broadband contracts with an optional landline service.
Eligible customers receive free installation of Vodafone full fibre broadband, with speeds capping out at 910Mbs. Vodafone customers also receive a monthly discount on their broadband, with TV and landline bundles also offered.
POP Telecom uses the Openreach network to provide certain areas of Sheffield with broadband. Depending on the postcode, residents can receive ultrafast full fibre broadband deals, as well as landline and TV bundles.
The best broadband provider won’t be the same for everyone, which is why you need to consider a few key factors before committing to a package or a company. To give you a better idea of the best broadband deals in your area, use our postcode checker for a comprehensive overview of what’s on offer.
Here are some of the biggest factors you should consider when looking for a broadband provider in Sheffield.
Different broadband providers will offer different speeds, coverage, and packages depending on your postcode, so you will need to ensure your desired provider offers adequate speeds for your household. Those living in a larger home who want to stream TV or video games will require a faster broadband connection than someone living alone; find out what broadband speeds you need and how to measure your speed using our guide.
If you are working with a tight budget, you may need to opt for a slower broadband connection. A majority of broadband deals are paid via a monthly contract, with some companies requiring a one-off installation fee. Longer contracts are usually more cost-effective, with no contract deals working out as the most expensive. Consider the needs of your household, including how long you need a broadband connection, the speeds required for any online activity and how much you are willing to budget to find the best deal.
Most broadband providers offer contracts over 12, 24 or 36 month periods. Usually, longer contracts are more cost-effective, however, they are not as suitable for residents living in rented accommodation. Some companies offer monthly rollover or no contract deals, which will be preferable for those who cannot commit to a year long contract.
Ensure you are working with a reputable provider by researching the company and looking at customer reviews. Even if you are looking at a company that has been operating for a long time, recent customer testimonials can offer insight into the quality of the service and ensure its reliability.
Effective customer service can be essential in unfortunate circumstances; whether you’re having issues with your router or your speeds are much lower than advertised, access to a dedicated customer support line or online chat feature can make resolving the issue a lot easier and less stressful.
Wifi boosters extend broadband coverage to low-signal areas within the home; wifi boosters are helpful, but you should ideally invest in a package that does not require one. Check your Sheffield postcode with speed checkers to ensure you won’t need a wifi booster with your new provider.
Sheffield is home to a wide range of broadband speeds. The speed of your broadband will be dependent on the provider, which package you choose and which area you live in, with some regions having access to higher speeds.
According to the Ofcom speed checker, the average broadband speed in Sheffield is 81Mbps.
Using Ofcom’s speed checker, we calculated the average superfast broadband speed for different regions of Sheffield. These results will be significantly lower for households that do not have access to ultrafast gigabit broadband.
| Area in Sheffield | Average broadband speed |
|---|---|
| City | 50Mbps |
| Stocksbridge and Upper Don | 33Mbps |
| Stannington | 80Mbps |
| Fulwood | 80Mbps |
| Dore and Totley | 63Mbps |
| Ecclesall | 79Mbps |
| Crookes | 88Mbps |
| Darnhall | 80Mbps |
| West Ecclesfield | 81Mbps |
| East Eccelesfield | 80Mbps |
| Shiregreen and Brightside | 80Mbps |
| Walkley | 82Mbps |
| Hillsborough | 80Mbps |
| Richmond | 76Mbps |
| Woodhouse | 85Mbps |
| Birley | 59Mbps |
| Beighton | 62Mbps |
| Mosborough | 54Mbps |
| Manor Castle | 51Mbps |
Sheffield has access to various types of broadband. Fibre to the premises (FTTP) is the fastest type of broadband available, however, not every house has the same support or coverage.
According to a Virgin Media report, over 20,000 homes and businesses in Sheffield have access to full fibre broadband, with speeds as high as 1,130Mbps.
You can improve your broadband speed by ensuring your router is placed where it can reach all areas of your home, which helps to avoid low-signal zones. Disconnect devices you are not using, and update your router when necessary. If you are still struggling with your broadband, consider purchasing a wifi booster to increase coverage in your home.
Households that regularly stream content online – whether that be video games or media content – will require a faster broadband connection for a consistent experience. Overall, speeds between 20 and 30Mbps are ideal for streaming, although broadband speeds of 50Mbps and above will provide the best results, especially if you want to stream content in 4K or HDR.
No, the area with the fastest broadband speeds in the UK is Hull; due to its unusual broadband infrastructure, Hull’s primary provider, KCOM, provides the entire city with a fibre-optic connection, resulting in faster and more reliable speeds.
The number of homes with access to fibre to the premises (FTTP) broadband in Sheffield is growing, with CityFibre planning on connecting sustainable amounts of the city by 2026. This will allow more residents and businesses to have access to the fastest type of broadband.
