If you're thinking of switching broadband suppliers, one factor you'll probably be thinking about is the installation process.
Will you have to take a day off work? Will you lose internet access while it happens? And how long does the whole thing take?
The answers to all these questions and more depend on which providers you're switching to and from. So let's take a look.
Openreach providers
Most of us have broadband from a supplier that uses the BT-owned Openreach network. These include the likes of Sky, BT, Plusnet, TalkTalk, Vodafone and most other major brands.
If you move from one Openreach provider to another you'll be able to self-install your broadband. And there's nothing to it:
Your new supplier will send you a new router and inform you of the activation date.
When the day comes, plug the new router into the master phone socket and turn it on.
Wait for it to be connected.
And that's about it. You might lose your internet signal for an hour or so while the switchover happens, and you will have to connect all your devices to the new router with the new password. But beyond that, it really couldn't be easier.
The only caveat here is that you do need to have a live BT phone line in your home. If you're already with an Openreach-based provider then you've obviously already got one.
But if you aren't, you can check to see if you've got a master socket in your house. It's usually a small white box with a BT logo and a couple of phone ports on it. If you find one (and you don't already use it), it's likely a disconnected line that may be re-connected remotely.
If you haven't got one, you'll need an engineer to visit to install a new line. This can take anywhere up to three weeks to arrange. Though you'll have to pay for it, the price will vary depending on which provider you're going with.
Virgin Media installation
Switching to Virgin Media requires a more involved installation process unless your home has been connected to Virgin previously.
Because Virgin Media use their own cable network infrastructure, your home needs to be hooked up to their network for you to connect. If it already has been - either because you're a previous customer or someone who lived in your home before you was - then you can use the Virgin Media QuickStart installation to get going.
This is a self-install system that gives you a box containing all the gear you need, along with an app to walk you through the process of plugging the cables into the right ports, along with anything else you need to know. You can be up and running in as little as four days if you choose this option.
But if your home hasn't been connected to the Virgin network before you will need an engineer to come and get you connected:
You get to choose the day and time for installation when you place your order, and you need to be in when it happens.
During installation, the engineer will run a cable from the pavement to a wall box they'll mount on the outside of your house. This may go underground or beneath your lawn, but they'll decide on the best route after consulting you.
The engineer will then install further cables to entry points inside your home, which will require them to drill a small hole in your wall.
They'll then complete the setup to ensure it's all up and running as you expect.
The process should take between 30 minutes and two hours.
If you're renting you might need to get permission from your landlord before you go ahead with the install.
Full fibre installation
Unless your home is already equipped with a full fibre connection, you'll need an engineer to visit to install it for you. The process - as well as the setup fee - varies slightly depending on which provider you're using, but the basics are as follows:
The engineer will run a fibre cable from the access point on the pavement outside your home through a hole they'll drill in your outside wall. (Some areas might use overhead cables instead.)
This hole will typically be up to 1cm in diameter and often positioned near your front door.
They'll then install a fibre socket inside. Both your fibre cable and Wi-Fi router will be plugged into this.
Finally, they'll complete the setup to make sure it's all working. The installation should take around an hour.
While installation is one of the factors you need to consider when thinking about switching broadband providers, you shouldn't be put off by the prospect. Even if you need an engineer to install it for you the process will usually only take a couple of hours at most. In a lot of cases, you'll be able to do it yourself with almost no trouble at all. Some providers do charge a setup or installation fee, but we've published all the deals without any upfront costs.
Are you ready to shop for a new broadband provider? Use our postcode checker to find the best deals on fibre, cable and full fibre broadband available in your street today.
Have you considered switching to full fibre broadband? If not, what's stopping you?
When Ofcom carried out some research into these questions earlier in the year, one thing came through loud and clear: people find the whole thing very confusing.
After all, do you really need full fibre if you've already got fibre? Aren't they the same thing? And if not, how are they different?
Let's clear up what you need to know.
Fibre vs full fibre
On the most basic level, fibre broadband simply refers to a specific type of technology in which the broadband signal travels over fibre optic cables, as opposed to copper wires, coaxial cables, cellular networks, or anything else. In that context, full fibre is indeed a form of fibre broadband.
But in practice, the terms are more commonly used to describe different speeds of internet service.
Fibre broadband is often used as a generic name for the type of broadband that most of us still have - one more accurately known as fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband. Here, the fibre cables only go as far as your nearest street cabinet. The final part of the connection from the cabinet to your home uses the copper wires from the old telephone network.
These are slow and inefficient, and the further your house is from that street cabinet the more copper is used in your connection, and the slower it gets. That's the reason why a house at one end of the street can have very different broadband speeds to a house at the other end.
This type of fibre broadband, then, could be more accurately called "part fibre". And that helps to give you an idea of what we mean by full fibre.
Full fibre is also known as fibre-to-the-home or fibre-to-the-premises because it doesn't include that last stretch over the copper wires. Fibre cables are so much more efficient, so your broadband speeds can be typically 10 to 15 times faster than you'll get from the other type of service.
And that's all there is to it. Fibre broadband refers to services with download speeds that have an average top download speed of around 67Mb. Full fibre describes the much faster services with speeds up to 1Gb.
As full fibre becomes commonplace over the next five years, we'll likely end up referring to it simply as fibre, as the older technology disappears.
What about gigabit-capable broadband?
There's one most potential point of confusion that's worth clearing up.
During the last election, the government announced its intention to rapidly upgrade the country's broadband infrastructure to full fibre. When the industry made it clear that this might not be possible, they pivoted to talking about "gigabit-capable" broadband instead.
This is another technology-neutral term that refers to broadband services that can deliver download speeds of 1Gb. It includes full fibre, along with things like Virgin Media's part-cable/part-fibre network, and 5G. Does the difference matter? Probably not, and most areas will eventually be able to access more than one type of service anyway.
Are you thinking of upgrading to full fibre? Use our postcode checker to discover all the best broadband deals available in your area.
We all know that switching suppliers is often the route to getting the best possible broadband deal.
But if you've been putting off switching because it just seems like too much bother, we've got some good news for you - it's about to get a whole lot easier!
Industry watchdog Ofcom have unveiled new rules that will make it possible to change broadband providers in as little as one day.
Under the terms of their new "One Touch Switch" process you'll need to contact only your new supplier when you want to make the move.
You won't have to speak to your existing provider at all - which means you won't have to face the hard sell or any of the other tactics they use to stop you from leaving.
How it works
For the first time, the process applies to cable and full fibre providers, who were previously exempt from the rules. And it means that in some cases you'll be able to change providers the next day.
Once you sign up, your new provider will take on responsibility for managing the entire switching process.
You will automatically receive all the information you need from your current provider. This may include details on termination charges if you're still in contract, or info on how other bundled services you have with that supplier will be affected.
If you're happy to go ahead, your new provider will take care of the rest.
Some of this process already happens under the current rules. If you move between providers that use the Openreach network - if you move from Sky to BT, for example - then it should already happen fairly seamlessly.
But if you moved to or from a provider that uses different network infrastructure, like Virgin Media's cable network, then you would have to arrange the switchover date yourself. This is a major change, and will become even more important as the full fibre rollout continues across the country.
Faster switching and compensation
Ofcom research has shown that some 41% of users are put off switching by the perceived hassle involved. Around a quarter reported obstacles in moving when their old provider tried to convince them to stay.
The new process means that switching can happen much more quickly. If you're out of contract and moving between Openreach providers, it could take as little as a day.
If you're moving to or from cable or full fibre, you're likely to need an engineer to come and hook you up to the network. That will take longer, obviously, although your new supplier will take care of all the details for you.
Under the rules, providers will have to compensate you if something goes wrong during the switch and you're left without internet access for more than a day. Ofcom have also banned notice-period charges beyond the switch date - although you will still have to pay termination fees if you aren't out of contract.
Given the size of the changes required, ISPs have been given 18 months to implement them. They must all have the process in place by April 2023, but should start work on implementing it straight away.
Until then, moving between providers that use the same network is covered by a one-step switch process, so is already easier than you might realise. Also, remember that you may be able to exit your existing contract without penalty if you aren't getting the speeds you were promised. And you get a 14-day cooling off period when you switch providers. You don't need to stay with one if you aren't happy with what you're getting.
Are you ready to shop for a new ISP? Use our postcode checker to find the best broadband deals in your area today.
All web browsers come with a private browsing mode - an Incognito mode, as it's often called. Whenever you want some privacy online, switching this on is a no-brainer.
Except it turns out that there are some pretty major misconceptions about what it actually does. A lot of people massively over-estimate its powers.
So do you know what Incognito mode is for, and what it will or will not protect you against? Let's take a look.
What is Incognito Mode?
All browsers come with support for private browsing. In Chrome it's called Incognito mode; in Edge, it's InPrivate mode; and in Safari and Firefox, it's plain old Private Browsing. You can access it via the File menu, or by using the Ctrl + Shift + N keyboard shortcut. You can get it on your phone, too.
When you switch to Incognito mode, you launch a privacy-focused browser window. It helps you cover your tracks online, but only to a certain extent.
Incognito mode still gives you access to your bookmarks and browser settings, but it does not access or save cookies, nor does it save your browsing history or anything you type into web forms.
Cookies are small text files that websites store on your computer that can you either help you - or help them. They save any settings you've changed on a site and keep you logged in to your favourite services. Private browsing, then, means you'll be logged out of all your favourite sites. This is an inconvenience in some cases, but it also makes it harder for the likes of Google and Facebook to see where you're going online.
Advertisers also use cookies to follow you around the internet and build up a profile of your interests so they can show you targeted ads. Incognito mode helps to prevent this. Advertisers can't access your existing cookies, and while new ones may be saved during your private browsing session, they'll be deleted as soon as you close the browser window.
The other thing that gets deleted when you shut the window is your recent browsing history. In fact, this isn't saved at all, beyond allowing you to hit the Back button to return to your previous page. This ensures that anyone who shares your computer will not be able to see what sites you've visited, or what you've been searching for.
What Incognito mode doesn't do
Incognito mode is great for stopping advertisers and the tech giants from following you around the web, and it ensures privacy on your computer itself. But that's as far as it goes.
When you're in private browsing mode, your ISP can still see and log the sites you visit.
Websites themselves can also see your IP address, the number that identifies your computer on the internet. And although it cannot identify you personally from this (not easily, anyway) it can see certain important information, such as your location.
There's also a growing issue with something called "fingerprinting". This is where sites use the various bit of information they routinely access when you connect to them, like your browser and device settings, to generate a unique ID for you that is independent of cookies and user accounts. It makes it even easier to identify you online.
And that's not all. If you've got any extensions set up on your browser, they might not notice your switch to private mode. They might still be able to track your online activities.
So if you've been using Incognito mode in the belief that it helps keep you anonymous online, you're wrong. It gives you a basic level of privacy, but that's all. If you want to be truly anonymous you need to use it in conjunction with a VPN, which encrypts your internet traffic so that no other body, including your broadband provider, can see it.
Are you looking for a new broadband deal? Use our postcode checker to discover the best broadband offers available in your street today!
Ofcom's latest figures on broadband complaints are out - and it's bad news for Virgin Media. The company has rocketed to the top of the list as the major broadband supplier that gets the highest rate of complaints.
The report covers January to March this year, and counted the number of complaints made to Ofcom about providers with a market share of 1.5% or more.
It shows that Virgin Media generated 33 complaints per 100,000 customers, an increase of 20 in just a year. That puts them a long way ahead - or should that be behind - the next two worst performers, with Vodafone and TalkTalk both getting 24 complaints. Vodafone had been the worst ranking provider in six of the last seven quarters. Plusnet also generated complaint levels above the industry average.
And that's not the end of the bad news for Virgin Media. They also racked up the highest complaint levels for their landline service (19 per 100,000) and their pay TV service (17 per 100,000), and were second worst for mobile (5 per 100,000) behind Three.
The biggest reason why customers complained to Ofcom about Virgin Media was failings in the broadband provider's own complaints handling system - amounting to 39% in total. A third complained about faults and issues with the service, and a further 13% about billing problems.
Industry-wide, faults, service and provisioning issues accounted for 42% of reports, followed by complaints handling and billing.
Sky and EE were the least complained-about providers, generating just seven apiece. They've been in the top two positions for the last two years. The only other provider to beat the industry average was BT, with 15.
In good news for the industry overall, the average number of complaints has more than halved over the last decade, from 40 per 100,000 in the first quarter of 2011, to 19 now. The numbers are up from a record low of 10 in Q2 of last year, perhaps in part a consequence of pandemic disruption and the increasing importance of internet access for work, school and entertainment.
Broadband complaints per 100,000 customers
EE: 7
Sky: 7
BT: 15
Industry average: 19
Plusnet: 21
Vodafone: 24
TalkTalk: 24
Virgin Media: 33
In pay TV, Virgin Media generated 17 complaints against an industry average of 6. Sky performed best with just two. For landlines, Virgin had 19 complaints, eight more than the average, and EE and Sky tied as best performers with five each.
Mobile complaints were largely flat, and at much lower levels. Three performed worst with six complaints, while Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile and EE had just one each.
Service reliability, billing, and complaint handling are important factors you should consider when choosing a new broadband provider. Our site contains thousands of customer ratings and reviews that can give you a true feel for how each provider performs. Currently, Zen top our list for customer satisfaction.
If you aren't happy with the service you're getting from your supplier, and you're coming to the end of your contract, it's easy to switch. Use our postcode checker to find the best broadband deal available in your area today.
There are so many well established ideas about broadband and switching broadband providers that get repeated again and again.
The trouble is, many of them are wrong - and they're costing you money.
Switching suppliers can easily save you a hundred pounds or more every year, and if you're stuck on a slow internet package when you need something much faster, it doesn't have to cost you a fortune to upgrade.
So here are some of the biggest myths about broadband, and the truth that you need to know.
"Fibre is fibre - all fibre broadband is the same"
While fibre broadband is used as a catch-all term, it encompasses very different things.
Most of us are using something called fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband. This is where the ultrafast fibre cables carry your broadband signal as far as your nearest street cabinet - that green box down the end of your road. The connection from the cabinet to you house is over the old copper telephone cables. These are a lot slower, and the signal degrades the further it has to travel, which is why a house on one of the street can get very different performance levels to one at the other end.
There's now a big push to roll out "full fibre" broadband, which is also known as fibre-to-the-home. Here, the fibre cables run right up to your house. The result is that the speeds are much, much faster and the service is more reliable.
"There's no benefit to upgrading to ultrafast broadband"
A recent survey found that one of the main things that stopped people from upgrading to ultrafast or full fibre broadband was the belief that it didn't really offer any benefits. But there are many.
The main one, obviously, is that you get much faster download speeds. Our internet use is skyrocketing - Ofcom's recent Communications Market Report shows that the average household now burns through 429GB of data each month, an increase of 36% on the previous year. Even if you think you don't need faster speeds right now, you will do soon.
On top of that, you get vastly quicker upload speeds, which will be essential if the working from home revolution continues. The service should be more reliable, too, as you won't have to deal with line faults on the old telephone cables.
And it's also better value for money: currently, you pay the same price for your broadband as your neighbour down the street, yet you could be receiving a much slower service. That's far less of an issue with full fibre.
"It's too much hassle to switch providers"
By now it's well established that those of us who are willing to switch providers will get a better and cheaper deal than those who stick with the same provider for a long time.
Why don't more people switch? Because it's seen as too much hassle. But it really isn't.
If you move between two providers on the Openreach network - which includes almost all the main providers, including BT, TalkTalk, Sky, Vodafone, Plusnet and so on - then the one you are moving to will handle the entire switchover process for you. You won't have to do anything, and the whole process should be done within a couple of weeks.
Granted, it is a little more complicated to switch to or from a provider that uses a different infrastructure, like Virgin Media, as you may need an engineer to come and install it. But these companies are now set up to make even this part as easy as possible.
"You'll lose internet access when you switch"
Another reason people are reluctant to switch is that they assume they'll be left without internet access while it happens. This is another myth.
Generally speaking, your old service gets turned off as your new service gets switched on and you might be disconnected for a few minutes in between, but nothing more dramatic than that. If you're switching to or from Virgin Media, you can even arrange an overlap where your new service is connected before your old one is turned off.
"You always have to sign a long contract"
Something that puts off a lot of people when they're looking at broadband deals is the prospect of having to commit to a long contract.
In fact, you don't have to. NOW Broadband, Virgin Media, and newcomer Cuckoo are among the providers that offer no-contract deals. You have to pay a little more on the activation fee up front, but this might be worth it for the flexibility of being able to cancel at any time. These deals can be especially worth it for students or anyone who's planning to move house in the near future.
Most suppliers offer 12 month contract options as well. And keep in mind that if your reluctance to sign a long deal is through the worry that you'll be stuck with something you aren't happy with, then there are ways you can quit a contract without charge. If your broadband speed constantly underperforms, for example, and your supplier cannot fix it, or if they put your prices up by more than the amount in agreed in your contract.
"It's too complicated to find a better deal"
There are a lot broadband suppliers in the UK, and they offer a lot of deals between them. Trying to figure out the differences can be tricky, especially if you aren't that tech savvy.
But it needn't be that complicated. We make it easy for you to compare all the latest broadband deals, and you can filter them based on whatever you want most. So, you can see the cheapest deals, or the fastest deals, or just the fibre packages, or those that offer broadband without a contract.
And if you then sort them further by speed or first year cost, you'll very quickly narrow your list of options down to just a few packages.
"Faster broadband always costs more"
While it's natural to assume that upgrading to faster broadband will cost you more, it isn't necessarily so.
If you're in a coverage area, you can get full fibre from Hyperoptic (at the slower 30Mb speed) at a rate normally reserved for the old, standard broadband deals; you can upgrade to a faster 67Mb plan from OneStream for just £22.50 a month; or you can burst through the 100Mb barrier with Vodafone for just £26 a month. These are some pretty keen prices, that make faster broadband more accessible than you might have expected.
So, now you know the truth about broadband and how to upgrade, are you ready to start shopping? Use our postcode checker to discover the best broadband deals available where you live.
Are you paying too much for your broadband? If you haven't taken out a new deal recently, or if you're on a plan that isn't right for you, then there's a good chance you are.
And we're not just talking about a few quid a month - in some cases you can wind up paying hundreds extra every year.
So how can you tell, and what can you do about it? Let's take a look.
What do you need?
Before you can work out if you're paying too much for your broadband you need to figure out exactly what kind of broadband you need.
What do you and the others in your household use the internet for? Is it for non-stop streaming and gaming? Is it essential for work? Or do you use it mostly just for a little browsing and shopping?
Once you sort this out you can decide what sort of speed of service you need, and see if what you've got is appropriate.
The trick is to find the right speed, whatever it is. You don't have to pay for something faster and flashier just because you assume it's better, even if you don't need it. But equally, don't skimp on a package that's too slow, or you'll be in for a frustrating time.
If you're already on the right speed broadband, you can check to see if there are any options available that are much cheaper than you're currently paying. Or if you want to upgrade - or downgrade - in future, you can see how the price will compare to your bill right now.
Are you still in contract?
The main reason why anyone finds themselves paying too much for their broadband is that the minimum contract period on their deal has ended. The price will always go up when this happens - sometimes by as much as 80% or more. And it'll rise by an above average amount every year on top of that.
Changes to Ofcom rules mean that ISPs should be proactive in letting you know what your situation is and what your options are. Where they would have once been happy to keep you on an old deal for years they should now tell you when your deal is up, and point you towards the better prices than can offer you.
If you're on your supplier's books as being a vulnerable customer - which can cover anything from disability to unemployment or money troubles - then they should also avoid hitting you with the big price rises when your deal ends. So make sure you inform them if your circumstances change.
But that's as far as it goes. Most of us still have to make the effort to find a new deal. Do nothing and it can very expensive very quickly.
In short, if you've been out of contract for a while, we can say with certainty that you are paying more than you should be. The good news is that with no contact tying you down, you can find a new deal and slash your monthly bill in just a few minutes.
Are you a new customer or a loyal one?
The other big reason why people pay more than they should is that they're too loyal.
It's long been known that businesses keep their best deals to attract new customers. Ofcom have taken steps to encourage broadband providers to make the better deals available to those who are renewing, but the fact remains that there are still a lot of benefits to be had in switching providers.
It isn't just the promise of better deals and lower prices, but rewards, gifts and other incentives, too. Many suppliers offer free money, or cashback that's equivalent to one or two free months of internet access. Make sure you factor in the value of these when you're comparing prices.
But while free money is great, obviously, don't be seduced by the promise of free gifts. Remember, you're only making a saving there if you would have bought the product anyway!
Has your price gone up?
The price you signed up to isn't necessarily the price you'll pay throughout your entire deal. Most plans allow for annual increase in line with inflation; the BT-owned brands specify in their contracts a price rise of inflation plus an extra 3.9%.
As long as these increases are in your contract there's nothing you can do - just be sure to read the terms of your deal properly before you sign up in the first place.
But if the price has gone up at a level that you didn't agree to, Ofcom rules say that you can quit your contract without penalty so long as you give notice within 30 days of your provider telling you they're raising their prices.
You must act quickly, then, but don't jump the gun. If you were on a particularly good deal before, it may still be competitive even after the increase. Compare the prices first to make sure - you'll be annoyed at a mid-contract price hike, but that isn't a good enough reason on its own to quit.
Do you need bundles?
Bundles including premium TV or mobile coverage can save you a lot of money, but they're also an easy way for a provider to upsell you things you don't necessarily need. They bring an element of lock-in as well, since the more services you get from one company, the harder it seems to switch.
When taking out a bundle, make sure you only sign up to the things you want - the TV channels you actually watch, the data allowance you will use.
This applies to landline call bundles too. They can be tempting as they seem like an easy way to save money. Just make sure you actually use your landline as much as you think (nowadays, there's a good chance you don't!).
Are you willing to switch?
So many people get stuck on bad deals because they think that switching providers is too much hassle. It really isn't. The process is a lot easier than you probably realise.
In fact, if you're switching between two providers that use the Openreach network - which includes the likes of BT, Plusnet, Sky, TalkTalk, and many more - then your new supplier will take care of the whole process for you.
And if you really don't want to switch, at least get in touch with your current provider to see if you can negotiate a lower price. If you're at or near the end of your contract they'll often be more than willing to do you a deal.
Are you ready to start shopping for a better value broadband deal? Use our postcode checker to find the best plans available where you live, or call us for some free, impartial advice.
The average Brit spends more than three and a half hours online every day and is consuming more data than ever, according to new research from Ofcom.
The 2021 edition of the watchdog's annual Communications Market Report highlights trends throughout the entire communications industry, and offers some fascinating insights into the state of UK broadband - and how we use it.
The main conclusion is that both speed and usage of broadband across the UK is continuing to grow rapidly, to the point where we spend longer online and use more data than ever.
Encouragingly, we're also pretty happy with the service we're getting. Let's take a closer look at some of the findings.
Broadband is getting faster
The report shows that the speed of internet connections available to us is growing fast. 78% of households can now get fibre broadband of 30Mb or more, compared to 69% 12 months earlier - or well under half just five years ago.
The average speed of our broadband connections has now topped 80Mb for the first time, an increase of 25%.
But while the number of broadband hotspots is on the rise, there are still a surprisingly high number of homes stuck in broadband not-spots. 8% of households are getting download speeds of just 10Mb or less.
Our data use has skyrocketed. Each household now consumes an average of 429GB of data a month, up by 36% compared to 2019. True, this figure may be somewhat lockdown-affected, but the increase is still the continuation of a long term trend that shows no sign of stopping. Back in 2013 we were averaging just 30GB a month!
In order to devour all this data the average UK internet user is spending three hours and 37 minutes online every day, and a staggering 39% of that time is spent within Google and Facebook-owned sites like YouTube and Instagram. In addition, 75% of households now own a smart TV, and half have a smart speaker like an Amazon Echo.
And yet despite the growing reliance on the internet for most of us, 6% of households are still not online at all.
The good news is that people are generally happy with the broadband service they're getting, with 79% saying they were either very satisfied or fairly satisfied with their provider. BT - including its other major brands EE and Plusnet - remains the largest broadband supplier in the UK, followed in turn by Sky, Virgin Media, and TalkTalk.
You can browse the full report's interactive data portal here.
Is your broadband service good enough to keep up with the soaring growth in internet use? You can bag yourself a great value upgrade by using our postcode checker to compare the best broadband deals available where you live right now.
With the upgrade to our broadband infrastructure being accelerated, ultrafast broadband is becoming more accessible with each passing day.
So you might now be wondering, is it time to upgrade to a faster deal? But what exactly do you get, and what are the benefits to ultrafast broadband? Let's take a look.
What is ultrafast broadband?
Anything with a download speed over 100Mb can be classified as ultrafast.
There are a lot of different technologies that are able to deliver these faster speeds, including upgraded street cabinets that use the G.fast technology, Virgin Media's cable and fibre network, and the growing number of full fibre, or fibre-to-the-home, services that are being rolled out across the country.
Coverage is still quite patchy, but a majority of UK homes can get an ultrafast service from at least one provider, with as many as 59% able to get speeds of at least 300Mb.
Do you need ultrafast broadband?
While faster is very much better, the normal fibre broadband connections that most of us still use are extremely capable.
A 67Mb connection is good enough to allow you watch Netflix or Amazon Prime in 4K, and can download a 1GB file in just a touch over two minutes. You shouldn't experience too much in the way of problems, even with a fairly busy household.
But remember, your available bandwidth is divided between all the devices connected to your network. The more devices you add, the more likely you are to experience slowdowns on some of your tasks - your videos drop to a lower resolution, your downloads take longer, and so on. Ultrafast broadband reduces the chances of this happening, and the faster your connection, the less likely it gets. It allows you to connect more devices, and more people, without putting any limits on what they can do.
So while you might not have a desperate need for ultrafast, right now, there are lots of good reasons why it will benefit you.
Your browsing in general will speed up. You'll notice it especially with complex web apps like Google Docs, or photo heavy sites. You get a shorter ping rate, too, which means better online gaming.
You will experience much faster downloads. This isn't just files you're actively downloading on your laptop, but other things like those Windows 10 updates that happen in the background, video game downloads, and even Ultra HD movies you load on your Sky Q box. For reference, a 5GB file will take over 10 minutes to download on a 67Mb connection, and just 42 seconds with gigabit broadband.
Along with faster downloads, you also get much faster uploads. Full fibre broadband is symmetric, which means the upload and download speeds are the same. If you work from home, especially, this could be a huge benefit.
Ultrafast broadband is future-proof. Internet use on the Openreach network, which covers most UK broadband suppliers, more than doubled throughout 2020. Yes, it was driven in part by lockdown, but it was also the continuation of a long established trend that's unlikely to change any time soon.
In some cases, ultrafast broadband might also be your best option. Lots of rural areas, as well as new build homes, have frankly terrible options when it comes to fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband - and some don't have it at all. But full fibre is independent of the old copper-based network, so you might increasingly find that it's your best, and maybe, only choice.
Can you get ultrafast broadband?
The provider with the widest ultrafast broadband coverage throughout the country is Virgin Media. They're available to approaching two-thirds of the UK and they offer speeds up to an average 630Mb. Vodafone, EE and Sky are among the other big providers that can offer ultrafast broadband at varying speeds.
There's also a big growth in the number of specialist full fibre providers, some focussing on specific regions. These include Community Fibre in parts of London and TrueSpeed in the South West, while Gigaclear target rural areas in 22 counties across the Midlands and south of England. Coverage is improving all the time, as are the range of options available to everyone.
Are you ready to upgrade to ultrafast broadband? Use our postcode checker to find out if it's available in your street already.
If you're splashing out on a big screen smart TV, perhaps to watch the Euros or to build your dream Home Cinema experience, it's worth also checking to make sure that your broadband package is up to scratch.
It's not really a big deal if you've gone for a smaller set, but if you're rocking a 65 inch screen or more, you want the best resolution you can get. 4K streaming is a must.
So what exactly do you need? When it comes to broadband for TV streaming, how fast is fast enough? Let's take a look.
What speeds do you need?
First, load up our speed test tool, go and stand next to your telly and run it a couple of times. This will give you an idea of the speeds your TV is able to get.
Now, you can compare the results to the speed requirements for many of the most popular streaming services:
BBC iPlayer - 4K: 24Mb, HD: 5MB. (iPlayer currently only offers a few shows in 4K, including the whole of the Euro 2020 competition.)
NOW TV - 1080p HD: 12Mb (There's no 4K option at the moment.)
Netflix - 4K: 25Mb, HD: 5Mb
Amazon - 4K: 15Mb, HD: 5Mb
Disney+ - 4K: 25Mb, HD 5Mb
Apple TV+ - 4K, 15Mb, HD: 8Mb
You might need to upgrade your subscription to get 4K streaming on some of these services. They will stream in 4K if your connection is fast enough, but will drop down to 1080p HD (and potentially even lower) if it isn't, so you don't have to worry about adjusting the settings of your streaming apps to find the appropriate quality.
Smart TVs use the same bandwidth as dedicated streaming sticks or set-top boxes, so the requirement is the same if you're using one of those instead - it's based on the software rather than the hardware.
And if you're wondering whether streaming uses more bandwidth than downloading, it's basically the same. You can technically download at a higher quality on a slower connection if you're willing to wait long enough, although you wound't want to do that too often. The big difference is for live TV, where you're always reliant on your internet connection when streaming, as compared to an aerial, cable or dish, where you always get the highest quality available, regardless.
How can you speed up the internet for your smart TV?
If you're struggling with buffering or pixellated images, or you're concerned you aren't getting the maximum quality available, there are a few things you can try.
Check your TV has a good Wi-Fi signal to begin with - you can usually see this if you delve into the TV's W-Fi settings. The weaker your signal, the slower your connection might be, and if it gets too weak, there's where you're likely to encounter problems.
If you have a weak connection, make sure there are no electrical devices nearby that can cause interference, like a cordless phone.
Also, you could try moving your router so that there are no heavy, physical objects like large bookcases that could block the signal.
Most smart TVs should have an Ethernet port around the back, so you can plug in a cable direct from your router to ensure a fast, consistent connection. Alternatively, you could use something like a Powerline adapter to extend your network coverage into a room where your Wi-Fi performance tends to be less than stellar.
The best broadband for your smart TV
As you can see from the speed requirements above, even 4K streaming is easily within the capabilities of almost all fibre packages, assuming you don't live too far away from your nearest street cabinet. This can cause a big drop-off in your download speeds.
The complication comes when you factor in what the rest of your household is doing while you're watching.
A typical entry level fibre deal, with 36Mb download speeds, comfortably exceeds the 25Mb requirement for 4K. But if you've got kids YouTubing and FaceTiming, and a partner in your home office downloading, all at the same time, your bandwidth will be spread a lot more thinly. Suddenly, that 4K streaming could be off limits.
So what speeds should you go for? Assuming a busy household, a top-end fibre-to-the-cabinet package should be the minimum. These have speeds in the region of 63-66Mb, and are enough for a few people to be busy online at the same time. Vodafone, TalkTalk and Plusnet are among the providers that offer great value fibre deals with these speeds.
But you should go faster for a larger household, to get the peace of mind that your connection will always be speedy enough to meet your needs. Most providers offer packages faster than 100Mb, including Sky, BT and Virgin Media.
If you're ready to upgrade to get the best TV and Home Cinema experience possible, use our postcode checker to discover the best broadband deals available in your area today.
