BT Broadband Review
BT provides reliable internet connectivity with tons of features such as Smart Hub, free WiFi, BT Sport and quad-play bundles. The provider offers a variety of fibre broadband packages with speeds from 36Mbps to 900Mbps.
Pros
- BT Fibre 2 and Fibre 100 plans offer good speeds for streaming, downloading, and gaming at fair prices.
- BT full fibre broadband has ultrafast plans from 300Mbps to 900Mbps.
- BT broadband comes with high-quality, reliable WiFi routers – Smart Hub and Smart Hub 2 for reliable WiFi.
- You can add BT TV which includes BT Sport for free on some packages.
- Recent Ofcom surveys show BT is improving customer satisfaction and support.
Cons
- BT plans cost more than TalkTalk, Plusnet, and Vodafone’s cheaper fibre services.
- Virgin Media competes with BT for ultrafast speeds at better prices.
- BT broadband has 24 month contracts. This could be be too long for some people.
- For a complete TV and broadband package, Sky has more channels and is a better option.
Speed
BT fibre broadband plans come with following average download and upload speeds:
| Plan | Download speed | Upload speed |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre Essential | 36Mbps | 9Mbps |
| Fibre 1 | 50Mbps | 9Mbps |
| Fibre 2 | 67Mbps | 18Mbps |
| Fibre 100 | 145Mbps | 30Mbps |
| Fibre 500 | 500Mbps | 73Mbps |
| Fibre 900 | 900Mbps | 110Mbps |
BT also promises minimum speeds for each plan – Stay Fast Guarantee. Full Fibre 100 comes with minimum guaranteed speed of 100Mbps. Full Fibre 500 guarantees 250Mbps. Full Fibre 900 guarantees 455Mbps download speed. If BT doesn’t offer you the promised speeds, it’ll return £20. You can also cancel the service without paying any exit fee.
| Plan | Avg. Speed (D/U) | Stay Fast Guarantee |
|---|---|---|
| Full Fibre 100 | 150Mbps / 30Mbps | 100Mbps |
| Full Fibre 500 | 500Mbps / 73Mbps | 250Mbps |
| Full Fibre 900 | 900Mbps / 110Mbps | 455Mbps |
Features
BT has three basic fibre packages for most UK areas. However, its ultrafast services are available in selected areas only. Additionally, BT offers an ADSL plan – Broadband Unlimited.
- Fibre 1
BT Fibre 1 offers an average download speed of 50Mbps, perfect for homes with 3 or 4 devices that can easily stream video or download. Includes BT Virus Protect online protection for two devices. - Fibre 2
BT Fibre 2 is 2x faster than Fibre 1 with an average download speed of 67Mbps. With Fibre 2, you can connect up to 5 devices, or stream HD or play online on multiple devices simultaneously. BT Fibre 2 also includes BT Virus Protect for up to 15 devices. - BT Fibre Essential
BT Fibre Essential is the cheapest fibre broadband package with an average download speed of 36Mbps. It offers superfast speeds for watching HD video, connecting some devices, and playing online games. - Broadband Unlimited
BT Broadband Unlimited is an ADSL plan with an average download speed of 10Mbps and PAYG calls. It is suitable for light users or small households, but not for connecting multiple devices.
Full Fibre Broadband
BT full fibre broadband service uses pure fibre network ((fibre to the premises) constructed entirely from fibre optic cabling. BT Full Fibre plans are also known as Ultrafast services and offer different speeds – 150Mbps, 500Mbps and 900Mbps.
All BT full fibre packages come with a Smart Hub 2 router. This router has 4 gigabit connections, dual bands, and DECT phone support.
You can add Complete WiFi for £3 extra per month. Complete WiFi ensures reliable Wi-Fi in every room of your home. BT will give you Wi-Fi discs to help improve speed and coverage.
BT full fibre broadband is perfect for 4K streaming, online gaming, and fast downloads. Each full fibre plan is good for connecting multiple devices at the same time. Full Fibre 100 is suitable for 5+ devices. Full Fibre 500 can help you connect over 15 devices. Full Fibre 900 is great for connecting 35+ devices.
BT TV and Broadband
BT fibre broadband bundles allow you to add various TV packages, including Sport, Entertainment, Big Sport, Big Entertainment, and VIP. BT offers the YouView+ box or Pro Box, which can pause, rewind, and record live TV.
- The Entertainment TV package has 171 channels. It includes Now Entertainment membership, Netflix basic plan, and AMC. Now Entertainment has Sky Atlantic, Sky Max, Gold, Comedy Central, and 7 kids channels. AMC has exclusive shows just for BT TV.
- The Sport package includes 163 channels and focuses on sports-related content. It offers BT Sport channels and BT Sport ESPN, along with the channels from the Entertainment package.
- The Big Sport package has 175 channels. It is about sports. It includes NOW Sports Membership and Entertainment package channels. There are 11 Sky Sports channels, 4 BT Sport channels, and Eurosport included.
- The Big Entertainment package has all Entertainment package channels and basic Netflix plan. It has Now Cinema membership with 11 Sky cinema channels and Sky Originals.
- The VIP Package has all entertainment, Sky Cinema channels, and Sky Sports channels. It includes channels from Now Entertainment, Now Cinema, and Now Sports Memberships. AMC and a Netflix standard plan are included.
- BT also offers add-ons with TV packages. You can get them as monthly contracts. Add-ons include BT Sport, NOW TV memberships, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, extra box, and Asian Mix.
BT Broadband Routers
BT has launched a range of WiFi routers that have been developed over time with different technologies and different capabilities.
- BT Fibre 1 and BT Fibre 2 packages include the latest Smart Hub with advanced dual AC WiFi, 7 antennas, 4 Gigabit connections and built-in 4G filters.
- When you add Complete WiFi, the Smart Hub 2 router is included to provide a strong signal in every room of your home.
- Customers with standard ADSL broadband (11 Mbps) will get Home Hub 4.
BT Smart Hub vs BT Smart Hub 2
BT Smart Hub 2 is an upgraded version of BT Smart Hub, which is the default router included with fibre bundles, while a Complete WiFi subscription includes Smart Hub 2 and WiFi Discs to optimise WiFi connections and increase speeds throughout the home.
Both Smart Hub and Smart Hub 2 have similar features such as dual bands, Smart Scan, 802.11ac, Smart Channel selection, four Gigabit ports and 7 antennas.
However, Smart Hub 2 shows better efficiency in boosting WiFi signals and features Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications Compatibility (DECT) to improve landline service.
BT Smart Hub 2 also includes a new technology called dynamic frequency selection, which reduces interference from other wireless devices. This technology ensures you get a more reliable and stable connection, even in areas with high levels of network congestion. Also, compared to Smart Hub, Smart Hub 2 has a sleek and modern design and is easy to set up.
Add-ons
To help customers get reliable and uninterrupted Wi-Fi connectivity, BT provides valuable add-ons such as Complete WiFi, Hybrid Connect, and Halo. These features not only guarantee a consistent wireless signal, but also provide 4G backup during outages and premium support to ensure customer satisfaction.
BT Complete Wi-Fi guarantees a strong WiFi signal in every room of your home and offers the Smart Hub 2 Mesh WiFi Router with up to three WiFi extenders. Plus, if your WiFi is still slow, BT offers a £100 money-back guarantee.
With Hybrid Connect, BT provides a 4G backup connection that will seamlessly take over in the event of a broadband outage and remain in place until the fault is resolved. This useful feature not only reassures customers that they can stay connected, but also ensures they have uninterrupted internet access during this time.
BT Halo
BT Halo offers premium support and enhanced Wi-Fi features. There are two options to choose from: Halo 3 and Halo 3+.
Halo 3 includes support from Home Tech Experts, a Keep Connected Promise with a free 4G Mini Hub during broadband outages, double data on your mobile account, and a price promise that guarantees you won’t pay more when renewing your contract.
Halo 3+ includes all the benefits of Halo 3, plus Hybrid Connect, Complete Wi-Fi, a Smart Hub 2 Wi-Fi router, and a free upgrade to Full Fibre 100 when available in the customer’s area.
Home Phone
- All BT broadband packages include home phone unless you choose no landline option.
- With standard home phone service, you can just make PAYG (pay-as-you-go) calls, or upgrade to an unlimited Anytime call plan or purchase an international calls add-on.
- You can also get 1000 free minutes of BT Mobile calling with the Anytime Call plan.
- BT Home Phone features Caller ID, Call Waiting and BT Answer 1571. The Do Not Disturb feature helps you avoid and redirect annoying unwanted calls.
- In addition to these call plans, there are additional services for international calling at discounted call rates.
- BT also offers BT Basic, a subsidised social phone scheme for low-income households. There are also Home Phone Saver Packages for families looking to lower their phone bills and save money
Free Extras
- BT broadband plans include free parental controls. Premium BT Virus Protect is available to Fibre customers.
- BT Virus Protect is McAfee’s antivirus solution.
- BT Broadband comes with at least two licenses at no additional cost, while Fibre 2 and Halo plans come with 15 licenses.
- BT WiFi
BT broadband subscribers can stay connected across the UK by using BT’s 5 million public WiFi hotspots. - Features
- BT Cloud
With BT Cloud storage, BT Broadband customers can back up their files and data for free.
Customer Service
BT performed well in the latest Ofcom Customer Service Report 2022. According to the survey, BT topped a number of categories, including an overall customer satisfaction score of 88%. In addition, 86% of customers said they were satisfied with the reliability of broadband services provided by BT. When it comes to customer complaints, only 18% of customers had reason to complain, and 55% of them were satisfied with how their complaints were handled.
According to Ofcom’s complaints survey, BT received 42 complaints per 100,000 users, and customers experienced a 1 minute and 46 second wait time when calling BT’s customer service team.
When it comes to customer support, BT’s customer service team is available to assist customers from 8am to 9pm on weekdays, and from 8am to 8pm on weekends and bank holidays. For customers who rely heavily on broadband access, it’s reassuring to know that BT offers technical support around the clock. Moreover, BT’s online community is available to customers and can be particularly helpful for those seeking technical solutions or troubleshooting advice.
Availability
BT is the UK’s most popular broadband provider with the most customers (9.3 million in 2022). The availability of BT fibre broadband is also better than any other provider in the UK. Over 95% of UK households can get BT’s mid-range fibre plan, Fibre 2 (67Mbps average).
BT has also deployed next-generation G.fast technology to optimise its extensive hybrid fibre (fibre + copper) broadband network to deliver an average download speed of 145Mbps, providing better coverage as its full fibre broadband is only available in selected cities Available such as London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Liverpool and Leeds.
Availability of BT full fibre broadband will improve over the next few years, and demand for such ultra-fast services will play a key role.
How to switch to BT?
Under the new migration standard, you do not need a MAC (Migration Authorization Code) when migrating to BT from providers on the Openreach network such as TalkTalk and Sky.
Simply signup online and BT will complete the entire migration process with zero downtime.
However, if your current provider is Virgin Media, you will need to cancel before switching. BT usually provides service within 15 days, so you can cancel your current service to minimise downtime.