Author: Emma Davenport

Last updated: 24 October 2024

All about BT Broadband

Fibre broadband from BT is available to virtually all homes in the UK. Unless you live in a remote, rural area where you already know that your broadband options are limited, you should be able to get it.

BT broadband runs on the Openreach network (which is also owned by BT Group, although is technically a separate company), so is available through all UK telephone exchanges. This means that BT's fibre-to-the-cabinet services, with average speeds of up to 67Mb, are available to around 98% of UK premises.

The familiarity of the BT name makes it one of the most popular options for broadband customers.

Of course, it’s common knowledge that BT offers a landline service, so it makes sense you can sign up to bundled broadband and phone deals, but did you know there’s also scope to include a TV service, too?

You can check to see which BT broadband deals are available in your area by using our postcode search tool.

Let’s explore what BT has to offer!

BT broadband only deals

BT has three main fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) plans that are available to almost everyone. It also offers ultrafast fibre packages with much more limited coverage.

All three deals come on a 24-month contract, and allow unlimited usage. You get a BT Smart Hub when you sign up, and the deal also comes with a speed guarantee. If you can't achieve the minimum speed you're quoted in your contract, you may be eligible for a refund or even to leave without penalty.

BT Broadband (ADSL)

This is BT’s entry-level broadband service, with average speeds of just 10Mb. However, it’s no longer the cheapest option to sign up to. Go up and notch, and you’ll find you’ll often get a better deal on BT Fibre 1. Why is this? Well, by the end of January 2027, the copper phone lines that support this service will be switched off. In anticipation, ADSL deals are starting to be phased out. You may even find, if you enter your postcode into our deals checker, you don’t have an option to sign up to this service.

Suitable for basic internet usage only. If you’re looking for the cheapest deal, we recommend considering BT Fibre Broadband instead.

See more:

• 'PSTN Switch Off: top tips to get ready for Digital Voice'

BT Fibre Essential

BT Fibre Essential is a part-fibre package with an average download speed of 36Mb. This means it also relies on landlines and will be subject to change after the PSTN switch off. Again, it can be a cheaper option to opt for the faster BT Fibre 1.

This standard fibre package could be suitable for up to 3 people carrying out basic internet tasks such as browsing or emailing.

BT Fibre 1

BT Fibre 1 offers a small bump in speed over Fibre Essential, delivering an increased average download speed of 50Mb. Although upload speed remains the same at an average 9.5Mb.

This would suit homes with up to five people sharing the connection.

BT Fibre 2

BT Fibre 2 is, for many of us, the fastest BT Broadband connection available. It provides an average download speed of 67Mb and an upload speed of 19Mb. Fibre 2 is a good superfast broadband package and is recommended if the connection is shared with more than a few people.

Recommended if there’s just one or two of you, but you use the internet a lot for things like heavy gaming or streaming.

BT Full Fibre

If you have access to BT’s ultrafast full fibre broadband network, there are many faster packages to choose from. Average speeds range from 100Mb to 900Mb, with monthly prices from around £40-£60.

A quick way to find out is to type your address into our deals checker. You’ll only see BT Full Fibre deals in the results if you’re hooked up to a full fibre network (FTTP).

Full fibre packages are the best way of future-proofing your home, and we recommend considering them if you can get them.

Think carefully about your speed choice, though. A little tip, it’s always easier to upgrade a package than downgrade. You’ll only need very fast speeds if you live in a very busy home with everyone streaming in high quality at the same time, or if you download lots of large files.

For more help and information, visit our BT Full Fibre broadband deals page.

• What does FTTP mean?

  Full Fibre broadband is also known as ‘Fibre To The Premises’, ‘Fibre To The Home’. This is often shortened to FTTP or FTTH. They’re all the same thing!

  Instead of copper telephone wire making up the final part of the journey from that green cabinet on the street, fibre optic cables are installed right up to your home.

  It’s amazing the difference in speed this small data journey can have. With full-fibre broadband you can expect to receive speeds of 1Gb+.

  The downside is full-fibre is only available to a small percentage of homes in the UK, and it’s taking a good while to get everyone up to speed.

How fast is BT broadband?

Which BT package should I choose?

BT give you a great range of speed options, so you can pick the level of service that's right for your household.

While most providers offer just the two fibre-to-the-cabinet deals, BT is rare in that it has a third option in the form of Fibre 1, with an average of 50Mb download speed. This is a good package to consider if you want more than the basic fibre speeds, but live in an area where you can’t get the 74Mb average speed of the higher end package. Before you sign up, you'll be given a speed estimate that can help you to decide.

Other than that, it's simply a case of working out what speed you need in your house. The entry-level fibre is fine for smaller households with lower usage needs. Busier homes, perhaps with a couple of kids watching Netflix and playing video games, are likely to benefit from Fibre 2.

If you need more than that, or if you want to future-proof your selection (remember - your internet usage is likely to go up over the course of your two-year contract), then you could consider one of the ultrafast deals so long as they're available where you live. One of the extra benefits of ultrafast broadband is the faster upload speeds. This can be especially helpful for people who work from home and need to share large files with the office, or take part in lots of video conferencing.

Points to consider before you choose

• How many people will be using your broadband connection?
• Are you a heavy downloader, or do you regularly play online games?
• Do you want Premier League and Champions League football, or prestige TV shows?
• How heavy is your internet usage, and how often do you use it?
• Would the expense of the faster speed or larger download capacity be worth it for you?

Does BT offer a Social Tariff?

Yes. If you’re receiving benefits, you’ll be able to sign up to a 'BT Home Essentials' social tariff plan. There are two different speed and price plans available. These are priced at either £15 or £20 per month on a 12-month contract.

For more information, visit our guide to broadband social tariffs.

BT phone packages

You’ll be able to make home phone calls with any BT broadband deal. A broadband only deal doesn’t come with inclusive calls, so you’ll only pay for what you use. This is the best option for those that only use their landline phone now and again.

If you do use the phone regularly, then it's worth getting an inclusive call package. Here are your options.

BT customers are gradually being moved onto a Digital Voice service.

Here’s an example of the home phone plans available:

• Pay As You Go: Calls to UK landlines and UK mobiles cost the same, day or night - £5 per month (then £20.90p per minute).
   
• Unlimited minutes: Make unlimited calls to UK landline numbers or UK mobiles at any time of day - £18 per month.
   
• Friends & Family International: cheaper call rates to 236 international destinations - £2.83 + individual call charges.
   
• International Freedom: inclusive calls to popular international destinations, plus reduced call rates to the rest of the world - £12.11 + individual call charges.

BT Home Broadband + TV

EE TV (previously known as ‘BT TV’) is an optional extra you can get with any BT Broadband service.

There are five EE TV packages. These include:

• Entertainment
  Includes NOW Entertainment channels including Sky Atlantic, Sky Max, Sky Showcase, Sky Witness and Sky Crime, as well as a Netflix basic plan.
   
• Big Entertainment
  Includes the same channels as ‘Entertainment’ plus all Sky Cinema channels and discovery_+ Basic.
   
• Sport
  Includes all four TNT Sports channels (includes Premier League and Champions League coverage in 2024), Eurosport 1 and 2 and discovery+ Premium.
   
• Big Sport
  Everything from Big Sport plus all Sky Sports channels, NOW Sports and discovery+.
   
• Full Works (formerly VIP)
  Includes everything from Big Entertainment and Big Sport, Netflix Standard, HD and discovery+ Premium.

Although these packages are on a 24-month contract, you can swap a package for another when you want, until the last three months of your agreement.

Will BT customers get a price hike mid-contract?

From 31st March 2025, BT broadband customers will see an annual price increase of an additional £3 per month.

For more information, visit our guide to mid-contract price rises.

What Wi-Fi router do I get with BT fibre optic broadband?

You’ll either receive a BT Smart Hub 2 or a BT Home Hub, depending on the chosen package.

You can find more in-depth information on these devices in our BT router round-up.

BT Broadband: free gifts and extras

BT Reward Cards

BT regularly offers broadband deals with a bonus BT Reward Card. This is a Mastercard pre-loaded with credit for you to spend instead of the typical voucher you’ll get from other providers.

To find out about the latest BT offers, visit our BT Reward Card page. 

BT Wi-Fi hotspots

BT Wi-Fi is a nationwide public hotspot network with hundreds of access points around the UK. 

All BT Broadband packages include free access to BT Wi-Fi, so you can access an internet connection outside the home without using mobile data. 

BT Complete Wi-Fi

BT Complete Wi-Fi is an optional extra that can be added to any BT Broadband package. It’s a mesh network kit that extends your Wi-Fi coverage using ‘Wi-Fi Discs’ placed around your home. The discs and router work together to create a single seamless network where your devices will automatically connect to the access point with the best signal. 

If you’re having problems with Wi-Fi coverage, then Complete Wi-Fi offers a simple solution. It’s easy to set up, includes a mobile app for managing the network, and you can get help and technical support from BT.

BT Virus Protect

BT Virus Protect is a free anti-virus tool included with all BT Broadband packages. You’ll receive at least two licenses so that it can be installed on two devices at once. But some BT packages come with up to 15 licenses. Virus Protect can be installed on Windows, Apple Mac, and Android smartphones and tablets.

BT email addresses

Free email is part of any BT Broadband deal. BT email addresses can be accessed via a web browser, or an email client using the POP3 or IMAP protocols.

However, we don’t recommend using BT Email or any other email service offered by an ISP. If you do, then when you leave the provider, you’ll either lose access to the address or have to pay a fee to keep it.

Instead, use a free email provider such as Gmail or Outlook, which won’t be lost if you switch broadband.

BT Broadband: the pros and cons

To learn more about BT and whether it’s right for you, read our full BT Broadband review.

Frequently Asked Questions about BT Broadband

• Can I get BT broadband?

  Almost everybody can sign up to a BT Broadband deal.

  To find out your choice of deals and whether you can sign up to faster, full fibre broadband speeds, enter your address in our deals checker at the top of this page. You’ll only be shown the packages that are available in your exact location.

• Does TNT Sports come free with BT Broadband?

  Before TNT Sports became the official name for BT Sport, it used to be included for free with all broadband packages, but now you’ll have to pay to access it.

• Is BT Broadband expensive?

  BT is one of the more expensive providers. However, it does come with a few useful free extras, such as BT Wi-Fi, and its free Wi-Fi routers are very good, especially the latest Smart Hub.

  There are also lots of deals available on BT Broadband. These can make its effective monthly cost, or the overall value of a deal taking into account free gifts, and upfront cost very competitive.

• How do I switch to BT? Is it difficult?

  Switching to BT is easy. Start by entering your address to check availability in your area. Once you’ve found a deal, click and begin the sign-up process. BT will handle the switch for you and get in touch with your existing provider, even if you're switching to a provider on a different network such as Virgin Media. That means you don’t even need to notify your old ISP. This process is known as 'One-Touch Switch'.

  For more information, our guide to switching broadband goes into a lot more detail about the process.

• Can I get compensation for loss of service on BT?

  Yes. BT is signed up to Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme. This means that you’ll receive £9.76 for each day your service isn’t repaired if it stops working and isn’t fully fixed after two working days. You’ll also be able to claim £6.10 per day if the provider fails to set you up for a new start date.

• Can you get BT Internet with a mobile phone add-on?

  There isn’t a dedicated BT broadband and mobile bundle. However, BT broadband customers can get discounted EE mobile deals.

Expert Summary

BT is one of the biggest broadband providers in the UK, and one that many people are happy with. On top of that, many other providers use its infrastructure to provide broadband, so availability is excellent.

Cost-wise, BT can be a little expensive, but the variety of speeds it offers can make that worth it. It regularly offers good rewards and extras. You can sign up to BT whether you want a phone line or not and can get TV added on, too.

If you’re interested in BT, use our postcode checker to see if it’s available in your area.