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More households than ever now have access to fibre to the premises (FTTP) broadband deals thanks to the growth in infrastructure around the country. If you want to upgrade your broadband package but don’t know where to start, this guide covers everything you need to know about FTTP broadband, including what it is and whether it will work for your home.
FTTP broadband, more commonly called full fibre broadband, is the fastest broadband in the UK. It can offer ultrafast speeds of up to 1Gbps – although this varies depending on the provider – and is the best type of broadband for gaming or internet-intensive workloads.
FTTP delivers broadband exclusively via fibre optic cables. This means that households with access to FTTP broadband don’t need to use a landline since the connection doesn’t use copper lines.
The two most common alternatives to FTTP are fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL). The latter is the slowest type of broadband, with speeds only as high as 20Mbps, but it’s highly accessible. FTTC uses fibre optic cables that run to the cabinet in your street and copper cables from there to your home. FTTC is more reliable than ADSL, with speeds as high as 80Mbps, but it’s nowhere near as fast as FTTP.
According to the latest Ofcom report, 57 per cent of UK residential premises have access to FTTP broadband. That number is expected to grow over the coming years, with the government aiming to connect full fibre broadband to 85 per cent of UK premises by 2025 and 99 per cent by 2030.
Highly populated areas are more likely to have access to FTTP broadband than rural communities. This is due to the nature of the infrastructure, with providers prioritising FTTP in urban areas since more people are likely to sign up for the service.
Delivering broadband to sparsely populated areas is usually more expensive due to the need for more infrastructure. And since fewer people can sign up for the service, it’s less alluring for providers.
Cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol are highly connected in terms of FTTP broadband. Smaller cities may also have access to FTTP: Hull, for example, has a unique infrastructure and a sole broadband provider, KCOM. If you want to find out more about the broadband providers in your city and what speeds you can get, click on the links above.
The easiest way to check if you’re eligible for FTTP broadband is to use our comparison tool, which offers instant access to all the best deals in your area.
If you’re still unsure if you’re eligible for FTTP broadband, use the Openreach availability checker; keep in mind that it refers to FTTP as full fibre broadband. Openreach isn’t the only broadband service provider in the country – some providers, such as Virgin Media, use their own cable network. Still, your area is likely to be covered by an Openreach provider due to the network’s large range.
If you can access FTTP, then you’ll need to find the best broadband provider in your area. This will depend on several factors, including whether FTTP will work for your household.
Now that you know what FTTP broadband is, you must decide if it will work for your household. FTTP broadband has many advantages and disadvantages, which you should consider before investing in a deal.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| The fastest type of broadband in the UK, with speeds up to 1,000Mbps, depending on your provider | Availability is dependent on where you live, with less access in rural areas |
| Reliable and consistent performance | May require modification to your home, which will not be suitable for all property types, especially if you are renting |
| The best broadband type for gamers, boasting a low latency connection | Not every broadband provider offers FTTP broadband |
| Not usually affected by poor weather conditions | More expensive than slower deals |
| Minimal signal degradation over long distances, ensuring a strong connection regardless of your proximity to the service provider | |
| FTTP infrastructure can better adapt to further technological advancements | |
| Some FTTP deals offer symmetrical download and upload speeds |
Some of the best broadband providers offer FTTP to wide swathes of the UK. It’s important to remember that not every provider will operate in your area, and speeds will depend on your postcode.
Virgin Media
Unlike most other FTTP broadband providers, Virgin Media does not work with the Openreach network and instead uses its own cable system to supply broadband to eligible areas. The company offers broadband-only packages with speeds of up to 1,130Mbps for £45 per month.
BT
BT is the biggest broadband provider in the country, offering full fibre broadband to eligible households. Residents can pick up its Full Fibre 900 deal with speeds of up to 900Mbps for £44.99.
Sky
Sky is known for its extensive broadband and TV packages, which can come with speeds as high as 900Mbps. Eligible households can benefit from its FTTP broadband alongside a range of additional TV services, including a Standard Netflix subscription and additional Sky TV channels.
TalkTalk
Not only does TalkTalk offer FTTP broadband with speeds up to 944Mbps, but customers can benefit from its limited-time deal wherein full fibre plans are half-price for the first six months.
Vodafone
Vodafone includes a line rental with all its broadband services. The company offers full fibre deals with speeds as high as 910Mbps with the option to include 24 months of Apple TV+ for an additional £14 per month.
EE
Powered by BT, EE is one of the fastest major broadband providers, offering speeds as high as 1.6Gbps to large areas in the UK. With this deal, the company guarantees speeds of at least 1.3Gbps, at a cost of £69.99 per month.
Shell Energy
Shell Energy provides FTTP broadband to eligible customers, with speeds reaching 944Mbps. Since all of its deals include a line rental, you can find a range of phone and broadband offers as well as full fibre.
Hyperoptic
Hyperoptic may not have the scope of some other full fibre broadband providers, but it does offer speeds up to 1Gbps, making it ideal for gaming or intensive workloads requiring an internet connection.
Community Fibre
Community Fibre is a broadband provider exclusive to London, providing the capital’s residents with speeds as high as 3Gbps. Despite its small range in the UK, it’s currently the fastest broadband provider in the country.
Onestream
Founded in 2016, Onstream is an independent home broadband provider delivering FTTP broadband to eligible households. Its broadband-only full fibre deal comes with speeds up to 900Mbps and costs £34.95 per month.
Truespeed
As another smaller provider, Truespeed does not serve every household in the UK, but it does offer speeds as high as 900Mbps for eligible postcodes.
G.Network
G.Network is another London-only broadband provider, with speeds as high as 900Mbps. Unlike other broadband providers, G.Network promises that its prices won’t increase during your contract.
Connect Fibre
Founded in 2019, Connect Fibre is a growing broadband provider that offers speeds as high as 1Gbps to eligible households for £50 per month, with optional TV services also available.
Yes, you can switch providers no matter what type of broadband connection you have. The switching process will depend on how far along you are in your contract, any additional features you may be receiving – such as landline or TV services – and any cancellation fees you may be liable to pay.
Using our comparison tool with your postcode is the best way to find cheap FTTP broadband deals. Generally, full fibre broadband is more expensive due to the higher speeds. However, you can still find affordable contacts from a range of providers. If you’re working on a budget, consider the needs of your household: do you require full fibre broadband, or will slower speeds be sufficient for your needs?
