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The Genie guide to broadband in Cardiff
All the exchanges in Cardiff offer the full range of broadband connectivity, with the options of ADSL up to 17Mb, BT network fibre up to 76Mb and Virgin Media up to 200Mb.
However you’re not guaranteed to be able to choose from all the deals in the comparison table, so we strongly advise you to do a postcode check here before starting to narrow down your search. This should still leave you with a great choice of packages and will help avoid the disappointment of choosing a particular special offer only to find it’s not available in your street.
Not sure where to begin on your hunt for the best broadband in Cardiff? If you’re completely new to broadband it might be best to start with our beginners’ guide. This explains all the basics while linking to more resources to fill in any more details you may want to learn. Or you can simply call us on the number at the top of the page if that suits you best.
If you have a rough idea of the kind of deal you’re after, we have several dedicated comparison tables for the likes of broadband and TV bundles, or unlimited broadband. Your first step should be entering your postcode to filter deals by location, after that, you can filter and sort the options by criteria such as speed, ISP, free installation and TV, among many others.
Superfast broadband coverage and speed in Cardiff
Cardiff residents have access to extremely good broadband, with superfast (defined as at least 24Mb) available to the majority of premises in all areas. Download speeds are also strong, with most exceeding or coming close to the latest reported UK average of 28.9Mb.
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Area
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Superfast (24Mb+) coverage
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Mean download speed
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| Cardiff Central | 97.3% | 44.7Mb |
| Cardiff South and Penarth | 98.4% | 70.6Mb |
| Cardiff North | 99.4% | 44.5Mb |
| Cardiff West | 99.4% | 50.5Mb |
Source: Thinkbroadband (last checked 11/19)
Superfast Cymru is the project funded by BDUK which is improving broadband across the whole of Wales. More than £66m has been allocated to improve broadband access in the region, and much of this will go toward rural areas where access is very slow.
The future of broadband in Cardiff
Cardiff was the first city in Wales to get gigabit broadband, with FTTH specialist Hyperoptic installing ultrafast connectivity in Hayes Apartments above the St David's shopping centre in 2014. And in 2015 Spectrum Internet deployed gigabit internet to Cardiff Gate International Business Park.
While the availability of gigabit remains limited (as it is across the whole of the UK, sadly) it seems likely that given Cardiff's importance residents and businesses will not have to wait too long to gain access. And even if that's some way off there's still future Virgin Media upgrades and the deployment of BT's G.fast technology, which should become widely available across the country over the next few years.
Comparing mobile broadband in Cardiff
Just as it offers a comprehensive selection of home broadband, Cardiff is also well served by mobile broadband from all networks. 3G and 4G is available from EE, O2, Three and Vodafone.
In common with the rest of the UK though you will find that the best reception is in central Cardiff and busier suburban locations. Once you venture out into the countryside the connection will become less reliable, particularly when it comes to 4G.
Before buying any mobile phone or mobile broadband package it's important to gauge coverage for yourself in the areas where you'll be using the service; click the logos below to access the network operator's own signal checking tools.
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