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How to find the right broadband package deal

Whether you're getting a new service or switching to another provider, finding the right broadband package is easier than you think.

With so much competition amongst broadband providers and huge investments in growing and improving technology, there are more options available now than ever. And while all this choice might seem a little confusing at first, it also means that the right broadband package for you is certainly out there.

In our comparison tables, you can clearly see the details of each broadband package, the monthly price, length of contract, as well as any exclusives, additional features, benefits or discounts.

We also include a “price details” button so you can see a breakdown of the costs associated with each broadband package — such as line rental, setup cost and regular price — to help you make an informed decision.

Make sure to take note of the contract length and look for the out-of-contract prices your provider will charge once your fixed-term period ends, so you know the right time to switch to your next package.

If the end of your contract is approaching but you'd like to spend a bit more time researching the best deal to switch to, you can also sign up for regular email updates from us to get expert insight and advice, plus the latest money-saving deals on our site.

Compare broadband packages

To find the best broadband package for your household, you can filter all of our deals according to popularity, speed, download allowance, bundle availability, broadband provider, contract length or price.

It's also important to bear in mind the following things when comparing broadband packages and looking for the best internet providers for you:

• Broadband availability: Very few areas of the UK have access to every broadband package on the market. Enter your postcode into our broadband postcode checker to find out what's available in your area.
• Availability to your home: We recently launched a much more accurate broadband checker that gives you the speeds you can get at your home, not just your local area. Try our Broadband Network Checker for more bespoke results.
• Broadband and TV deals: Broadband and TV deals are a good choice if you want to use both services and save money doing so, but it's only worth it if you actually make use of the channels it gives you access to.
• Type of connection: The UK has a range of ADSL, fibre-optic, cable and mobile broadband networks, each of which have its pros and cons. You can find out more information below.

ADSL broadband

Most home broadband packages require an active copper BT landline in order to operate. A connection that relies entirely on this type of broadband is called ADSL, which stands for 'asymmetric digital subscriber line'.

ADSL uses Openreach's phone lines all the way from your provider's broadband exchange to your home. If you have an active Openreach line, you can either choose broadband packages that offer standard ADSL, which the majority of internet providers in the UK sell, or ADSL2, which is slightly faster but less widely available.

ADSL is the oldest broadband technology that's still in regular use today, therefore it's also the slowest and, in most cases, the cheapest broadband connection type in regular use.

Fibre-optic broadband packages

Fibre broadband has recently overtaken ADSL as the most widely-used broadband connection in the UK. This is a faster type of broadband due to its use of fibre-optic cables, which use pulses of light rather than electrical signals to transmit data either partially, or entirely, to your home.

There are two main types of fibre broadband:

• Fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC): The cheaper but more widely available type of fibre broadband, this uses fibre-optic cables from your provider's exchange to your local street cabinet, and then the same copper phone lines as ADSL from there to your home.
• Full fibre: Also known as 'fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP)', this is currently the fastest type of broadband you can get, with fibre-optic cables connecting directly to your home.

Cable broadband packages

Cable broadband is a different type of fibre connection, and it's serviced exclusively by Virgin Media. It uses the same fibre-optic cables as other providers from the exchange to the local street cabinet, but instead of BT telephone lines for the final part of the journey, it connects its own coaxial cables from the cabinet directly to your home.

Virgin's cable broadband is much faster than ADSL or FTTC broadband, providing UK customers with speeds of up to 600Mbps (depending upon your area) and in some places, even 1Gbps. However, for the most part, it's not as fast as full fibre broadband, which uses fibre entirely from the exchange to your house.

Its network currently reaches about 52% of UK homes. Learn more about cable broadband on our Virgin Media broadband deals page.

Mobile broadband packages

One thing traditional broadband providers can't do is provide you with internet on the go.

Mobile broadband runs on 4G and 5G mobile phone networks and therefore doesn't require any fixed-line cables to connect to the internet. It's perhaps best suited to people who don't have access to fibre broadband in their homes or those who need to get online while they're on the move, including abroad.

5G is a newer mobile broadband technology and offers much, much faster connection speeds than 4G; however, a 4G connection is much more widely available.

Compare mobile broadband deals here.