How to choose the right broadband package
There are many great broadband deals to choose from in Manchester, with a range of speeds and prices to suit any budget and meet the demands of any household. You can choose from several types of broadband that offer different speeds, including:
standard copper ADSL
superfast part-fibre
Virgin Media cable
full fibre broadband
You might need a particular minimum speed depending on the number of people in your household and how much you use the internet. The good news is more than 96% of premises in the city have access to superfast broadband speeds of 70Mbps and above for some reasonably affordable prices. That speed will be more than enough if you're in a small household without much internet use. What is my broadband speed?
Which internet providers are in Manchester?
All of the UK's major internet providers offer services in Manchester, so there is a lot of choice. You should not only look at the prices, but also the speeds, the contract length and what extras are on offer when comparing broadband providers. Here are some of the most popular options in Manchester.
Sky Broadband
Ideal for TV and sports fans, Sky offers a wide range of broadband, phone, TV and mobile deals, so you can mix and match what's included in your package. With a huge range of entertainment, film and sports packages, it's also great for families thanks to its range of kids content and easy-to-manage parental controls.
Plusnet
Plusnet offers some of the best-value broadband deals in the UK, with standard and fibre options at affordable prices. It's also notable for its UK-based customer service quality, often winning the Best Customer Service Provider prize in the yearly Uswitch Broadband Awards.
Virgin Media offers some of the fastest broadband speeds in Manchester and a wide range of extras. With entertainment, sports and movie packages available through its powerful TV 360 set-top box, there's sure to be something for everyone on a Virgin Media bundle deal, but you can also get broadband-only deals if all you're interested in is fast speeds.
Vodafone
Those signing up for Vodafone broadband deals in Manchester benefit from the company's Ultimate Speed Guarantee, which gives you money back off your bill if speeds fail to reach a minimum standard. Meanwhile, if you're already a Vodafone mobile customer, you can enjoy a discount on the monthly cost of your broadband.
BT
BT is the UK's largest broadband provider and offers a range of deals with average speeds of up to 67Mbps in Manchester. And some areas even offer BT speeds up to 900Mbps. As well as the firm's powerful Smart Hub Wi-Fi router and the optional Complete Wi-Fi, BT customers can take advantage of a wide range of extras, including powerful antivirus software, free cloud storage and access to five million Wi-Fi hotspots around the country. Browse our wireless broadband deals.
How to get ultrafast broadband in Manchester
There are several ways in which consumers can get ultrafast broadband in Manchester, defined as download speeds of more than 100Mbps. The most common way will be through a Virgin Media cable. This can provide speeds of up to 1.1Gbps and requires an engineer to visit your home and install the necessary hardware.
A growing number of locations can also secure full fibre services, which run fibre-optic cables right to your front door — as opposed to most standard fibre services, which still rely on copper cables for the last bit of the journey. Again, an engineer may need to come to your home to hook up the right hardware.
Companies offering this service only include Hyperoptic. Although this firm focuses its attention mainly on large apartment buildings, hundreds of buildings in Manchester and the surrounding areas are connected to this network.
To find out if your home can access ultrafast speeds, you can use Uswitch's postcode checker, which will show you all the services you can access at home, what speeds are available and the prices you can expect to pay.
What business broadband can I get in Manchester?
Manchester is a global hub for business, so having a fast, reliable broadband connection is essential for offices based there.
Thankfully, Uswitch offers a range of business broadband deals that are available in Manchester. So, if you're looking to switch your workplace's broadband provider, take a look at our best business broadband deals.
Is fibre-optic available in Manchester?
There are lots of fibre-optic broadband options in Manchester. Over 97% of UK homes can get fibre broadband, and Manchester, one of the country's biggest cities, is bound to offer a similar amount.
If you're looking for full fibre broadband, a growing number of places can get this type of broadband too. Be sure to search with your address at Uswitch.com to find out if your property can get connected.
What's the best broadband provider in Manchester?
Since Manchester homes and businesses have access to the majority of major UK broadband providers, the best provider is the one that offers you the speed, price and extras you need.
For example, ultrafast broadband is available in Manchester from the likes of BT and Virgin Media, but if you don't need download speeds of 900Mbps, then you can save money on a cheaper superfast broadband deal, which still offers great speeds for streaming and scrolling.
