Can I get broadband without a landline?
You don’t always need to have a phone line to get hooked up to a decent broadband service. In fact, there are increasingly more broadband deals that don't require you to pay for a landline, and that will soon be the norm.
By the end of January 2027, our copper telephone lines will be switched off as we move towards a completely digital phone service. This is a work in progress and happening already. Ahead of this, providers are busy installing new networks and upgraded fibre cabling.
Because so much is changing, and rollouts are happening at different paces, everyone who visits this page may have slightly different requirements and needs.
On this page, we’re going to be exploring all the various reasons you might be hunting for broadband without a phone line, and we’ll be sure to let you know how to find the best deals for every situation.
Here are some of the common questions covered in this page. You can click on these links for a shortcut answer:
- "Help! I don’t have a landline. Can I still get broadband?”
- “It’s impossible for me to have any sort of line installed? How can I get internet?"
- “I’d like to use a home phone, but I’m trying to cut down on expenses and line rental. What are my options?”
- “I just want broadband without a calls package. Show me broadband only deals.”
- “What’s the best broadband deal at the moment? I’m just weighing up my options!”
By the end of this article, we’re certain you’ll be able to find a speedy, good value deal whatever your set-up and the type of broadband you’re looking for.
Let’s explore!
Broadband without a landline: the key points
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Can you get internet without a phone line?
There are many ways you can sign up to broadband without having to rely on a traditional phone line.
As we’ve already mentioned, by the end of January 2027 our phone lines will be switched off anyway. If you want to use your landline after this, you’ll need to make adjustments to your home set-up to make digital calls.
You can read more information about this in our guide: 'PSTN switch off: top tips to get ready for Digital Voice'.
Let’s take a look at your options:
Signing up to full fibre or cable broadband
Any full fibre broadband deal you sign up to won’t need a phone line, nor will you have to pay extra line rental.
You can also guarantee you won’t need a phone line if you sign up to Virgin Media broadband, as this runs on its own cable network.
How do I know if a broadband package is full fibre or not?
There are a couple of ways you can spot a full fibre broadband package. Sometimes, this is mentioned in the name of the product, such as ‘BT Full Fibre 100’ or ‘Plusnet Full Fibre 500’. But this isn’t always the case. Some providers use indistinct brand names, or may use terms such as ‘ultrafast’ or ‘gigafast’ (download speeds of 1Gb+) to describe the speed of a product.
As an easy rule, you can assume that any broadband package over the speed of 74Mb won’t need a phone line to function. This will even be the case if you’re looking to sign up to BT broadband without a landline.
To check the full list of fibre deals available to your home, you’ll need to enter your address into our deals checker. We don’t show all of them as standard because not all deals are available to everyone. We want to make sure you’re given an accurate list!
Try it now and see what comes up:
Here are a few providers you can guarantee will offer internet without a phone line:
Ca roadband without a phone line on the Openreach network
All’s not lost if you don’t have access to full fibre yet, and you can only sign up to providers on the Openreach network (this includes the likes of BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone and Plusnet).
In the rush of setting customers up for the phone line switch-off, some providers are opting for a slightly slower, but cheaper alternatives to full fibre include 'SoGEA' and G.fast. These don't require a phone line (so it’s still a great choice if you’re looking for broadband without line rental), But, it’s not as fast as full fibre broadband.
Providers that use SoGEA lines include the likes of Plusnet and Vodafone (expect download speeds up to 80Mb). Meanwhile, if you're rigged up to a G.fast line, you might achieve max download speeds of 330Mb.
It can be tricky to determine this from a package name alone, though. For this reason, if you’re signing up to a new broadband provider this year, it might be worth getting in touch with a provider before you sign up to double-check whether they still rely on phone lines in your area.
Here are a few of our current favourite broadband deals without a landline:
What is SOGEA?
SOGEA broadband is a new range of broadband-only services that give you fibre internet without needing a landline.
In the simplest terms, BT's Openreach network is separating out the phone system from the physical copper phone wires. So, where right now if you have a broadband service that uses the copper wires - which most do - then you automatically get an active phone line and a phone number with it. In future, you won't. You can buy standalone broadband-only services, on the fibre network, without a phone line.
It's great news for the growing number of us who only have a landline because we need it for broadband. You can already get a few broadband-only deals today, and after 2025 it will become the norm.
Areas that aren't covered by fibre will have a slower standard broadband-only equivalent, called SOTAP, while those who can get Openreach's ultrafast G.fast fibre service will be able to get SOGFast.
Can you get broadband without a landline or any other line? What are the alternatives?
Maybe you’re in a remote location, a mobile home, a high-rise, or you’ve moved into rented accommodation and don’t have permission to carry out any installation works. What are your options for broadband without relying on a telephone line or fibre optic cables?
4G or 5G Home Broadband
You’re not completely stuck. Firstly, we recommend considering a mobile broadband provider and signing up to a 4G or 5G network, such as those from Three.
4G or 5G can be as fast, or faster, than many fixed line home broadband services. There are now also mobile broadband packages designed for home use that come with a handy Wi-Fi router you can connect multiple devices around your home to.
Unlike mobile broadband contracts that use a portable dongle, these tend to have unlimited data usage allowances, so you never have to worry about how much you’re browsing or downloading.
To get one of these services, you don’t need any phone line. However, you will need a strong 4G or 5G signal in your area to get a reliable service. We highly recommend checking data coverage maps before you sign up to any contract. You might also want to consider signing up to a rolling monthly deal initially, so you can make sure it works for you, without being stuck in a lengthy contract.
To learn more about this, read our guide to using mobile broadband at home.
Satellite Broadband
If you have no access to a fixed line service, but also have an unreliable 4G or 5G signal, you could opt for a satellite broadband service.
Although it can be pricey, it can offer broadband options to even the most remote of homes.
Don’t expect lightning fast connections, though. Satellite broadband speeds tend to top around 50 Mbps. For a price, SpaceX Starlink broadband customers can theoretically achieve average speeds up to 220Mb.
Can I still make calls without a home phone line?
We’ve already mentioned that by the end of January 2027, we won’t be able to make calls using the old copper wire telephone network. Instead, calls will need to be made through your internet connection. This means you’ll either have to plug your home phone into the back of your Wi-Fi router, or using a special adapter.
You can read about this in-depth in our guide: ‘PSTN Switch Off: top tips to get ready for Digital Voice’.
The good news is that nobody should have to pay line rental to use a digital landline service. However, it’s worth exploring different call plan options before you a commit to a new broadband contract.
Although, it’s possible to sign up to a completely separate VoIP service, separate from your broadband provider, it will likely make more sense to bundle the two together.
Some broadband providers offer pre-bundled deals that come with inclusive calls:
What if I still need a landline?
For now, if you still need a landline, you should stick with a broadband service that includes a landline. In the longer term, this won't be an option. VoIP (internet calls) and mobile will replace the traditional phone network.
The main issue with VoIP is that it doesn't work in a power cut, which is a problem if you need to contact the emergency services. To help protect against this, Ofcom have introduced guidelines for broadband providers. These include ensuring that people can contact emergency organisations for at least an hour during a power cut (through a backup battery, for example), and to look out for at-risk customers and provide them with solutions for free if they need their traditional landline.
It's worth noting that the loss of a landline service is also a consequence of using full fibre, which almost all of us will eventually. Full fibre providers tend to offer VoIP services, with call plans, as add-ons to their broadband.
Broadband only deals (just broadband, no included call packages)
Alternatively, if you don’t use your home phone that often, you might find it makes more sense to sign up to a broadband only package. We class these as any type of broadband without inclusive 'free calls package'. So you might find some options still allow you to make calls on a ‘pay as you go’ basis, as they use a phone line.
To help with your choice, head to our ‘Broadband only’ page, where we explore the options in more detail.
Of course, there’s nothing saying you have to use a phone through a broadband connection at all. If you have decent mobile phone signal, you might want to settle for a broadband only deal and ditch the landline handset altogether!
Finding the best broadband deal
With Broadband Genie’s postcode checker, you’ll make light work of being able to see all your broadband options in one handy comparison table.
As an increasing number of broadband products no longer rely on a landline, there should be plenty of choices to suit your needs. Try it now, by entering your address at the top of this page.
Alternatively, you can get a head start with these quick searches:
What are the pros and cons of broadband without a landline?
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Expert Summary
Things are changing in the world of broadband. Previously, with an ADSL or standard broadband service (FTTC / ‘fibre-to-the-cabinet’), it would have been necessary for everyone who needed to get online to have a working landline, and pay line rental for it.
However, as more people around the UK get access to a full fibre optic broadband network (FTTP), there’s less need for a telephone line at all. More customers will be moved onto a digital line in the near future, as traditional phone lines on the Openreach network will be switched off by the end of January 2027.
There are other options if you can’t get any sort of line installed to your property. These include satellite and mobile home broadband.
If you want to future-proof yourself as we head towards 2025, the best option is to switch to a full fibre deal if you have the option. With competition heating up, getting hold of a faster broadband package doesn’t always mean you’ll have to pay more.
If you’ve been on the same package for a while, and you’re now out of contract, you’re almost guaranteed to find a deal with a lower monthly cost. In the past year alone, there’s a high chance you’ve been hit with mid-contract price rises, so paying a lot more than you should.
By switching to a provider that doesn’t require a landline, you could be saving yourself money simply by ditching your line rental costs every month.
For more advice on changing broadband providers, visit our helpful guide: 'how to switch broadband and get an amazing deal'.