Vodafone broadband deals

About Vodafone

Vodafone is one of the UK's largest and best-known telecoms providers. It's one of the UK's big four mobile operators, and it actually made the UK's first mobile phone call back in 1985. It has more than 440 million customers in 27 countries worldwide, including 19.5 million in the UK.

And in recent years, Vodafone's home broadband services have become increasingly popular, too. The firm provides very reasonably priced superfast and ultrafast fibre broadband deals, offering one of the widest choices of internet speed on the market.

Vodafone also offers discounts to users who take out a Vodafone Pay Monthly contract and a Pro Broadband deal, making for a good incentive to take out a broadband and mobile package bundle with the provider.

Key features of Vodafone broadband include:

• 24-month contracts

• Extensive 'Pro' upgrade with Wi-Fi guarantee and 4G broadband backup

• Free Wi-Fi Hub

• Vodafone Broadband mobile app to control your internet

• Six-month free trial of F-Secure SAFE internet protection software

How good is Vodafone broadband?

Vodafone broadband has won several accolades for its service, including Uswitch's Broadband Provider of the Year and Best Value Broadband Provider awards in 2019. These were awarded based on public voting and Uswitch's internal data.

It also offers some of the most extensive broadband packages on the market, offering whole-home Wi-Fi guarantees and exclusive discounts for people who opt for its Pro offers.

Vodafone broadband speed

Consumers have many options when signing up to a Vodafone broadband deal, depending on the availability in their area.

It offers two 'superfast' fibre broadband connections, which use Openreach's fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) network and is available to 97% of UK homes. As a fibre-only provider, Vodafone doesn’t offer any slower ADSL services.

In addition to the two Superfast options, customers may also be able to access Vodafone's Gigafast services, which offer future-proofing speeds between 100Mbps and 900Mbps. Availability of these offers is limited for now, but this network is rapidly expanding across the UK.

Superfast 1

The first fibre option from Vodafone is Superfast 1. This provides average speeds of 38Mbps, ideal for everyday browsing and streaming on a few devices. Superfast 1 comes with a minimal speed guarantee, a unique value for each property. If your broadband speed drops below this and Vodafone can't resolve it within 30 days, you can leave without any penalty costs.

Superfast 2

Vodafone's other option is the Superfast 2 package, which is tailored towards users with medium-sized homes who need high-quality streaming and gaming connectivity at all times.

Superfast 2 offers average speeds of 67Mbps and has the same minimal speed guarantee as Superfast 1.

Superfast 100

The first Vodafone deal to use full fibre, or fibre-to-the-premises technology, this broadband connection is great for larger households or very heavy internet users.

If there's a lot of high-quality gaming, streaming and downloading taking place, but you only live in a household of about three people, this option might be best for you.

Pro Ultrafast 200

This package is the first 'Pro' offering from Vodafone. As well as an incredibly fast 200Mbps broadband speed, Vodafone Pro 200 provides a range of extra features and benefits.

Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi boosters for any 'notspots' in your home, 4G backup broadband and on-hand help with your internet issues from dedicated Vodafone 'Xperts'.

Pro Ultrafast 500

Enjoy all of the benefits of Vodafone's extensive Pro broadband package but with an astronomically fast 500Mbps broadband connection.

This speed is more than enough for almost every UK household and its needs. But if you rely on ultrafast download speeds for work or competitive gaming, a speed of this level will open up many opportunities for you.

Pro Gigafast 900

And finally, the fastest Vodafone broadband deal is its Pro Gigafast package. You can get near-gigabit speeds with this comprehensive package and future-proof your home with one of the fastest internet speeds available in the country.

What's the Vodafone broadband speed in my area?

While more than 97% of the UK is covered by the superfast Openreach fibre network used by Vodafone, there may still be some ‘not-spots’, especially if you live in a remote area or a purpose-built flat. The same goes for Vodafone's ultrafast offerings, which are only available in places with Cityfibre's network.

Exact speeds will always differ depending on a user's location, with various factors contributing to the specific performance for a home.

The best way to determine the Vodafone broadband speed in your area is to use the Uswitch broadband postcode checker, which will show you the packages available to your home and what speeds you can get.

What is a good broadband speed?

What determines a good broadband speed will depend on what you intend to use your connection for. For everyday web browsing and occasional streaming in standard definition, a speed of 1.5Mbps should be adequate, while Netflix recommends a minimum speed of 3Mbps for standard streaming and 5Mbps for HD.

However, if you want to stream smoothly in 4K ultra high-definition, you'll need a minimum speed of 25Mbps. And cloud gaming (game streaming) will use around 35Mbps at any one time.

However, it’s important to note that the more people you usually have in your home using the internet at once, the higher the speed you'll need.

Vodafone router

All Vodafone broadband packages come bundled with its Wi-Fi Hub router free of charge. The company claims this is twice as fast as its previous router and is designed to ensure wireless internet coverage throughout your home.

It also comes with the Vodafone Broadband app, which allows you to take control of your home internet from your phone. Among the features included is Device Boost, which lets you prioritise a specific device's signal for an even faster connection. So, for example, you can use this on a games console to ensure you can download the latest game as quickly as possible.

You can also set up custom online and offline Wi-Fi times to enjoy dinner without distractions and turn off the kids' internet access when it’s time for bed, for example.

Users can also easily set up guest networks, block unwanted devices and get real-time insight into everything happening on the network, including all the devices currently connected, all through the easy-to-use Android or iOS app.

Can I use my own router with Vodafone broadband?

Yes. If you don't want to use the included Vodafone Wi-Fi Hub router, you can use your own, provided Openreach has approved this.

The exact set-up steps will depend on what device you're using, but you'll need your Vodafone username and password to connect to a third-party router. Vodafone's customer support team can help with this.

However, you should be aware that Vodafone cannot provide support for a third-party router, so if you experience any network or performance issues, you'll be asked to reconnect your Vodafone router.

Vodafone broadband set-up

Vodafone broadband should be easy to set up and does not usually require an engineer visit unless you haven't installed an Openreach FTTC connection or installed a full fibre connection.

For Vodafone Superfast deals, you only need to connect your Wi-Fi Hub to your phone socket. If you have a single socket, you'll need to use the microfilter included in the box. However, this isn't required if you have a dual-socket. In this case, all you have to do is plug the DSL cable directly into the socket and plug the other end into your router.

Then, all that's needed is to connect the router to a power supply and turn it on, and you should be good to go.

An engineer will need to visit your home if you choose one of Vodafone's broadband deals above 100Mbps because they connect fibre-optic cables directly to your property.

Is there a Vodafone broadband installation fee?

No, Vodafone broadband deals have no additional set-up or installation costs.

Vodafone broadband set-up time

It should take approximately ten days for Vodafone broadband to be activated from the time you place the order, though this may vary depending on any engineering works that need to be completed.

You’ll be asked when you sign up what date you’d like the services to be connected, though it may take until midnight on the go-live date for the service to become active.

Does Vodafone broadband use BT lines?

Like many UK providers, Vodafone's superfast broadband deals use BT-owned Openreach's network to deliver broadband services to its customers, so you can continue using existing BT lines with your service.

However, its Ultrafast and Gigafast services, where available, run on a separate network built in partnership with CityFibre.

Vodafone F-Secure antivirus

All of Vodafone's fibre broadband packages come with six months of free F-Secure SAFE antivirus software. This covers up to five devices and protects them from threats including viruses, ransomware and phishing attacks.

You can also use it to help protect your children from inappropriate content, and it can even be used to track down a missing device or erase your data if a phone or tablet is lost or stolen.

After your six-month trial is complete, you can add a further 12 months of protection for a special discounted price from the normal RRP. You'll have to opt in and manually activate the service, so you won't be charged if you don't wish to take advantage of this protection.

How to contact Vodafone

Vodafone broadband support is available by phone every day from 8am to 9pm, including weekends. You can also discuss any issues online with an adviser via live chat or search for answers to a range of frequently asked questions on the firm's website.

The firm offers support with technical queries, billing issues or if you're moving home or want to cancel your account.

Vodafone broadband customer service number

To speak to an adviser by phone, dial 191 for free from any Vodafone SIM, or reach the company on 0333 3040 191 from any other mobile provider or landline. Standard call rates apply to this number.

Vodafone broadband live chat

For online help, the provider's live chat support is available 24/7.