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Birmingham is home to some of the best broadband deals, with residents having access to a variety of the best broadband providers. Knowing what broadband is best for your household – whether that be full fibre broadband for gaming or a reliable connection for work – can help you make the right decision when picking a package and finding the best price.
As Birmingham is supported by a wide variety of broadband providers, residents can choose between broadband-only, broadband and phone or broadband and TV packages. However, it is worth noting that not every broadband provider in this area can offer these services.
Some of the largest broadband providers operate in Birmingham, including Virgin Media, TalkTalk, Sky and BT. Not every broadband provider in your area will offer the best speeds, which is why it’s important to consider smaller providers, too.
Sky is one of the largest broadband providers in the country, meaning that Birmingham has access to ultrafast full fibre broadband with speeds as high as 900Mbps. Sky broadband can also be bundled with a range of TV packages, including film, TV and sports channels.
Birmingham residents can receive speeds of up to 900MBps using Virgin Media; the company offers broadband, TV, landline and SIM packages as well as fibre broadband, depending on where you live.
TalkTalk does not serve the entirety of Birmingham, so we recommend checking on their website if you live in an eligible area. The company is known for its competitive pricing and TV and landline bundles, which can include the TalkTalk TV hub.
BT serves Birmingham and wide swathes of the West Midlands, offering full fibre broadband with speeds of up to 900Mbps. Eligible postcodes can benefit from TV and broadband packages, which include Netflix and NOW.
Plusnet may not come with any TV packages, but it does serve a majority of Birmingham households. Broadband packages range from standard to full fibre, with the option to include a landline device with your deal.
Vodafone offers free installation of its full fibre broadband for eligible customers, with speeds of up to 910Mbps. Vodafone mobile customers also receive a monthly discount on their broadband, with optional TV and landline deals supported.
NOW offers no-contact broadband packages with a £60 activation fee, ideal for those in rented accommodation who cannot commit to a lengthy contract. Our research shows that some areas of Birmingham cannot access full fibre broadband, but NOW’s standard package is available throughout the city. Now also offers TV packages on its streaming services, which include cinema, TV and sports channels for an additional £6 per month.
Hypernoptic only currently serves 8,000 households in Birmingham, so not every postcode will be eligible for their services. Those who are can experience full fibre broadband on a rolling contract basis, with the option to include a landline in your deal.
When choosing the best broadband provider for your household, you must consider a few crucial factors before committing to a package. To help find the most reliable broadband deals for your area, use our postcode checker.
Here are some of the key factors you should think about when finding a broadband provider in Birmingham.
Broadband companies will offer different types of broadband and coverage in different areas. Ensure the speed of your broadband deal is adequate for your household; those living in larger homes with more people will require faster speeds than someone living alone with less online activity. Find out what broadband speeds you need, and how to measure your speeds, using our guide.
Depending on your broadband needs, you may not be able to opt for the cheapest deal. Most broadband deals will be paid via a monthly contract and some come with an initial one-off installation fee. Consider the needs of your household and how much you are willing to budget for your broadband.
A majority of broadband providers offer contracts over 12, 24 or 36 month periods. However, some companies offer monthly rollover or no contract broadband deals, preferable for those living in rented accommodation who cannot commit to a lengthy contract period.
If a deal looks too good to be true, it might be from an unreputable provider; ensure you research a provider before committing to a contract, even if they have been operating for a long time. Reading customer reviews can also offer insight into the reliability of the service and provider.
In the unfortunate event that something does go wrong with your broadband, you will need effective customer service to help you solve the problem. Access to a dedicated customer support phone line or online chat feature can be paramount when dealing with any issues that may come up during your contract.
A wifi booster can be used to extend wifi coverage to low-signal areas in your home. While helpful, you ideally want a broadband package that works across your home without the need for additional hardware. Make sure you check your Birmingham postcode with speed checkers to find a suitable broadband deal to avoid this issue.
Birmingham has a range of broadband speeds available; the speed of your broadband will largely depend on your area, provider and if full fibre is available for your postcode.
According to the Ofcom speed checker, the average broadband speed in Birmingham is 82Mbps.
Using Ofcom’s speed checker, we calculated the average superfast broadband speed for different areas of Birmingham. These results will be significantly lower for households that do not have access to ultrafast gigabit broadband.
Area in Birmingham | Average broadband speed |
---|---|
Birmingham City Centre | 80Mbps |
Westside | 72Mbps |
Edgbaston | 63Mbps |
Highgate | 80Mbps |
Bournville | 80Mbps |
Digbeth | 73Mbps |
Pelham | 69Mbps |
Sutton Coldfield | 82Mbps |
Selly Oak | 62Mbps |
Kings Health | 55Mpbs |
Erdington | 75Mbps |
Harborne | 72Mbps |
There are a selection of different broadband options in Birmingham, however, you may find that some areas do not yet have support for fibre broadband, which will be reflected in the packages offered by various providers.
Currently, over 93 per cent of homes in Birmingham have access to ultrafast full fibre broadband, according to a Cable report, allowing them to access speeds up to 900Mbps. This makes it likely that your household will be eligible for FTTP broadband.
Place your router in a location where it can offer a strong signal to every room in the home, if possible. Disconnect any devices that are not in use to create a stronger connection and consider purchasing a wifi extender to allow for a better connection in more areas of the home.
Households that regularly stream online content will require a faster broadband connection to ensure a smooth and consistent experience. Generally, speeds between 20 and 30Mbps are suitable for streaming, although speeds of 50Mbps and above will be best, especially if you stream content in HDR or 4K.
Since Birmingham has a high level of full fibre coverage within the city, most residents will find their broadband to be reliable and fast. Standard broadband is also available to everyone in the city.
Broadband speeds will still be dependent on location, provider and package, however, Birmingham does enjoy comparably fast and stable connections to other areas in the UK.