BT broadband is a solid, reliable choice with three Full Fibre deals (100, 500 and 900 Mbps) plus a copper Fibre Essential fallback, all on 24-month contracts with the Stay Fast Guarantee. It is mid-priced rather than cheap: because BT runs on the Openreach network, the same physical line is also sold by Sky, Plusnet and dozens of alt-nets, often for less. This review explains every BT package, its real-world speeds, the pros and cons and how to switch.
At a glance
At a glance
Broadband
Updated 19 May 2026
Live deals
Headline prices verified on . BT changes promos every few weeks, so the price you see when you click through to bt.com is what counts.
Entry full fibre
Download
150 Mbps
Average
Upload
30 Mbps
Average
24 months . £0 upfront
Best for
A family of 3 to 4 streaming HD and working from home
Mid-tier full fibre
Download
500 Mbps
Average
Upload
73 Mbps
Average
24 months . £31.99 upfront
Best for
Four or more people gaming, streaming 4K, video-calling all day
Top full fibre
Download
900 Mbps
Average
Upload
110 Mbps
Average
24 months . £0 upfront
Best for
Power users, large households, anyone moving large files
Copper / part-fibre
Download
36 Mbps
Average
Upload
9 Mbps
Average
24 months . £0 upfront
Best for
A 1 to 2-person household with light internet needs
Fibre, explained simply
BT sells two physically different broadband technologies under one brand. They give very different real-world speeds and the cheaper one is being phased out by 2027.
Recommended where available
A glass fibre cable runs from the Openreach exchange all the way to a small white box on the wall inside your home. Speed does not drop with distance from the cabinet.
Fallback only, copper switch-off 2027
Fibre to the street cabinet, then copper from the cabinet to your home. Speed drops the further you live from the cabinet, so two neighbours can get very different speeds on paper.
If BT’s checker says you can get Full Fibre at your postcode, take it. The 100 Mbps tier is faster and more stable than the best FTTC line and usually costs the same or less.
Speed guide
Marketing always pushes the top tier. Real households rarely need it. Match your use to the right speed and you avoid paying for headroom you never touch.
| Your use case | Minimum sensible speed | Recommended BT tier |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing, email, social media | 15 Mbps | Fibre Essential (36 Mbps) |
| HD streaming on 1 to 2 devices | 25 Mbps | Fibre Essential or Full Fibre 100 |
| 4K streaming on 1 to 2 devices | 50 Mbps | Full Fibre 100 (150 Mbps) |
| Family of 4, multiple devices, video calls | 100 Mbps | Full Fibre 100 or 500 |
| Heavy gaming and 4K on 4+ devices simultaneously | 300 Mbps | Full Fibre 500 or 900 |
| Smart home, content creator, work-from-home pro | 500 Mbps | Full Fibre 900 |
The verdict
BT is a strong technical product, fast Full Fibre, a reliable network and a good router, at a mid-tier price. It is the right pick if you want one trusted brand for broadband, TV and mobile; it is the wrong pick if your only goal is the lowest possible bill.
Selectra verdict
If Full Fibre is live at your postcode, BT Full Fibre 900 is the deal to take, it is often the same price as the slower 500. If you only care about price, compare the same Openreach line on Plusnet or the cheapest broadband deals before you commit. Read our full BT broadband review and customer-service verdict next.
Alternatives to BT
BT, Sky and Plusnet all resell the identical Openreach FTTP line, so the broadband you receive is physically the same. The difference is price, router, service and bundles. Compare before you sign a 24-month deal.
| Provider | Network | Top speed | Why pick it |
|---|---|---|---|
| BT | Openreach FTTP / FTTC | 900 Mbps | Premium router, Stay Fast Guarantee, full bundle ecosystem |
| Plusnet | Openreach (BT-owned) | 900 Mbps | Same lines as BT, consistently cheaper, strong service scores |
| Sky | Openreach FTTP / FTTC | 900 Mbps | Best if you want broadband bundled with Sky TV |
| Alt-nets | Own full-fibre networks | 1 Gbps+ | Hyperoptic, Community Fibre and others, often cheapest where live |
Not sure who reaches your street? Start with broadband in my area or the full list of UK broadband providers.
How to switch
Under the 2024 One Touch Switch rules you only deal with BT, the provider you are joining. There is no need to call your old provider and no overlap to pay.
Confirm your current minimum term has ended, or weigh any early-exit fee against the saving, before you commit to a new 24-month BT deal.
Run the address checker so you order FTTP rather than the slower FTTC Fibre Essential where Full Fibre is live.
BT, Sky and Plusnet sell the identical physical line, so compare the total cost of the equivalent speed before you pick BT.
Under One Touch Switch you sign up with BT alone; BT cancels your old service and books any engineer visit, with no overlap to pay.
FAQ
BT Full Fibre runs on the Openreach FTTP network. In May 2026 around 65% of UK premises can order Full Fibre. The fastest way to check is the postcode checker on bt.com. If Full Fibre is not live on your street yet, BT will sell you the slower Fibre Essential over the copper line as a stopgap.
BT promises a guaranteed minimum speed in your contract. If your speed drops below it and BT cannot fix the issue in 30 days, you can leave penalty-free or claim a bill credit. The credit is automatic on most fault tickets, so you do not have to chase it.
Yes. Smart Hub 2 supports Wi-Fi 5 dual-band, four LAN ports and band steering. For thick-walled homes or multi-floor coverage, BT also sells Wi-Fi Discs (mesh) on the Complete Wi-Fi add-on. Third-party reviews put Smart Hub 2 near the top of UK ISP routers for stock coverage.
For an Openreach line that already exists at your address, the activation is typically a self-install in 5 to 10 working days. For brand-new FTTP installs that need an engineer to pull fibre to the property, expect 2 to 4 weeks. BT books the appointment and you only need to be in for the engineer slot, which is usually a four-hour window.
Yes. BT migrated all of its broadband packages to Digital Voice (VoIP) by 2025. You no longer need an active analogue line. Existing phone numbers are ported to the Smart Hub 2 over the broadband connection. See our full guide to broadband without a landline for every no-line option.
BT broadband deals are mid-priced rather than cheap. You pay a premium for the brand, the Smart Hub 2 and the Stay Fast Guarantee. The Full Fibre 900 deal is the standout because BT often prices it the same as the slower 500, so you get nearly six times the speed for no extra cost. If headline price is your only concern, Plusnet (owned by BT, same Openreach line) and smaller alt-nets are usually cheaper for a similar speed.
Yes. BT runs new-customer promotions that rotate every few weeks, typically a reward card, a few months at a reduced rate, or waived upfront fees. These offers are not open to existing customers re-contracting, so the cheapest way to get a BT deal is often to leave at the end of a contract and re-join as a new customer, or to compare the equivalent Openreach deal from Plusnet or Sky.
Since the One Touch Switch rules of 2024, you only contact BT (the gaining provider). You give BT your address and chosen package, BT arranges the line activation and notifies your old provider, and your old contract is cancelled automatically. There is no overlap to pay for and no need to call your current provider. Check you are outside your existing contract first to avoid early-exit fees.
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