BT broadband review

The UK's biggest broadband provider hasn't always been its best. In previous Which? surveys, BT has often fallen below average. But with the improving availability of faster speeds, including lightning-fast full fibre broadband, has it caught up with the competition? Our latest customer survey reveals how BT broadband customers rated their service.

Each year, we survey thousands of UK broadband customers to check how they rate each big provider's speed, reliability, customer service and value for money. Read on for our review, or use the free broadband comparison service from Which? to find the best BT broadband deal for you.

Is BT broadband any good?

We surveyed more than 5,000 broadband customers to understand their experience with their provider. Our research showed us that BT broadband customers had mixed reviews of the service they received.

• 'It's mostly quite good. It's just a bit slow sometimes and I think it could be more reliable for the money I pay.'
• 'Although I think BT customer service is poor, the actual broadband is quite good – good speeds and reliable connection.'

BT broadband review

Customer score: 65% (joint-7th out of 12). Which? members can also read our full review, including how customers rated it on key factors, such as customer service and technical support.

If you're already a member, log in now or join Which? today to read:

• Pros
• Cons
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Discover which providers impressed their customers most in our latest survey – we reveal the best and worst broadband providers.

BT broadband deals

BT offers broadband and home phone deals, or broadband, home phone and pay TV. Until recently, to have a broadband deal with BT meant having a landline too. However, that's no longer the case – changes to landline phone services in the UK mean that it's now possible to get broadband-only services if you prefer. BT's broadband deals now have a 24-month contract as standard, which may be too long for some.

BT's deals also give free and unlimited access to the company's wi-fi network. This comprises 5m hotspots in public places across the UK.

If you want a package that includes a pay-TV service, read our BT TV and broadband provider review.

Our guide to the best broadband deals includes top picks from our experts on the best-value broadband

How much is BT broadband?

BT offers a wide range of packages, with various combinations of TV and premium channels alongside its broadband service.

You can view the full range of BT broadband packages or enter your postcode below to check the best deals from all providers in your area. 

BT broadband speeds

BT offers standard ADSL speeds (average speed 10Mbps) to those who can't access fibre, although it no longer advertises standard deals on its website. Instead, it focuses on fibre-optic connections – its partial fibre deals have average speeds between 36Mbps and 74Mbps, depending on the package you take. 

Around two thirds of homes can also access even faster BT broadband via fibre-optic technology called 'G.fast' or 'fibre to the premises' (FTTP). BT's full fibre offerings have average speeds starting at 150Mbps and going up to 900Mbps, depending on the package.

BT’s ultrafast packages (those more than 100Mbps) also have a speed guarantee, whereby you can claim a £20 reward card if your speed falls below a set rate.

Find out more: check your broadband speed and use our advice to check what broadband speed you need.  

Does BT put up broadband prices every year?

Yes – so if you do decide to take up a broadband contract with BT, keep in mind that it will raise the price of your deal at the end of March each year. 

If you take out a broadband deal with BT, it will increase the amount you pay by £4 per month every spring. The price for TV plans increases by £2 per month (so if you take both broadband and TV, your price will increase by £6 per month in total).

If you took out a deal with BT before April 2024, your contract will include a price increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation as published in January, plus an additional 3.9%. 

What is the latest BT router?

BT supplies new fibre customers with its Smart Hub 2, which supports WiFi 5 (some providers' routers now offer WiFi 6). The router is free, but there can be a postage and packaging charge depending on the deal.

ADSL customers typically get the less powerful BT Home Hub. 

What is BT Complete Wi-Fi?

BT Complete Wi-Fi is an add-on service that includes a mesh wi-fi extender system. If you sign up, BT will send you a special 'disc' to place in your home to extend the signal of your BT Smart Hub 2. If you need more than one, it will give you up to three in total.

It usually costs an extra £10 per month (although special offers may also be available) and has BT's Complete Wi-Fi Guarantee – if you can't get a signal everywhere in your home (excluding outbuildings and gardens), you'll get £100 back.

It's also possible to buy the system separately, although you won't get the associated guarantee – it's worth weighing it up against other products using our wi-fi extender reviews.

What is BT Hybrid Connect?

This is a backup system that lets you stay online if there's a broadband outage. If you sign up for Hybrid Connect, you'll be sent a second router that can connect to mobile broadband. It uses 4G services via the EE mobile network to keep you connected if your usual broadband service isn't working. It costs £7.55 per month on a rolling contract.

Your backup connection will be up to 30 Mbps, depending on where you live and network traffic. Your Smart Hub 2 router will automatically connect to it when there's an outage.

Keep in mind that the Hybrid Connect router still needs power to work, so you won't be able to connect if there's a power cut.

How to contact BT broadband

Bookmark our BT customer contact page, which contains helpful links to service status updates, customer service phone numbers and social media accounts.

Find out how we assess broadband providers to provide you with our expert verdict on the best and worst UK providers